George Reaske
George Daniel Reaske, a longtime Huntington resident and businessman, died Aug. 27 at Rennaisance Gardens in Warminster, Penn. He was 84.

Born in Bayside, Reaske was a U.S. Navy veteran who served during World War II. Following his service, he attended Farmingdale College, where he studied horticulture and floristry.

He married Virginia “Ginny” Mary Gray in 1950 and purchased an 1889 farmhouse in Huntington that he called “The Homestead,” where he raised a family, spent many hours creating and tending his gardens and operated Homestead Landscaping with his business partner, Ed Palmer, for 40 years.

Active in his children’s lives, he served as a Little League umpire and a scoutmaster. Reaske retired and in 2007 moved with his wife to Ann’s Choice Retirement Community in Warminster, Penn.

He was an avid square dancer with the Star Thru Squares on Long Island, dancing all over the United States and around the world with Ginny, also his square dance caller. George and Ginny celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in February with their family around them. In Huntington, Reaske was a member of the Huntington/Cold Spring Harbor United Methodist Church for many years, serving in many volunteer roles including usher, and was an avid gardener.

In Pennsylvania, Reaske joined the garden and bocce clubs and the “From Here to Eternity” poker club where he earned the nickname “Nickel George.” He was also a recent member of St. John’s U.M. Church in Ivyland.

His family said George will be remembered for his honesty and sense of fairness, his hard work ethic, his stubbornness, his sense of humor, his passion for his work, his strong love of his family and devotion to Ginny.

He is survived by his wife, children, Jane Evelyn Ward of Southampton, Penn., David Reaske and Carol Horton of Homer, N.Y., Peter and Liz Reaske of Chantilly, Va. and Beth and John Verhoeven of East Jewett, N.Y.; five grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, sister-in-law Ellie Jones of Ithaca, N.Y., and many dear friends from both Long Island and Warminster.

Relatives and friends will be received on Sept. 10 at St. John’s U.M. Church, 820 Almshouse Road, Ivyland, PA 18974, where a celebration of his life will begin at 1 p.m. Arrangements were handled by Kirk & Nice Suburban Chapel, Feasterville, Penn.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to: Ann’s Choice Benevolent Care Fund, 20000 Ann’s Choice Way, Warminster, PA 18974. Visit www.kirkandnicesuburban.com.

Genevieve Gibbons
Genevieve E. Gibbons, of Greenlawn, died Aug. 18. She was 88.

She is survived by her daughter, Gail Alberti, sons, Glen and Gene; sisters, Frieda Novak, Esther Rayner and Elsie Whitten; brother, Gerald Calderone, and four grandchildren. Her husband, Eugene T. Loving, predeceased her.

A funeral service was held Aug. 23 at Brueggemann Funeral Home, followed by burial at Calverton National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to: The Salvation Army, The First Presbyterian Church of Greenlawn or the Lupus Alliance of Long Island & Queens.
Mell Farrell

Mell W. Farrell, of Huntington, died Aug. 21. He was 50.

Farrell was the co-proprietor of Pierpont Mechanical Corp. in Maspeth. His family said Mell was “a fervent Notre Dame football fan.”

He is survived by wife, Patricia, sons, William and Patrick, daughters, Meghan and Jillian, parents, Janet and Mell Farrell, and brother, Tom.

A funeral mass was celebrated Aug. 25 at St. Francis of Assisi R.C. Church, followed by burial at St. Charles Cemetery, with arrangements by Brueggemann Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to: PANCAN, 2141 Rosencrans Ave., Suite 7000, El Segundo, CA 90245.