Rosemarie Noonan Gordon

Rose Noonan (also known as Rosemarie Gordon) was born in Brooklyn to Daniel and Josephine Noonan. Though her father never received a high school diploma, he became a reporter for the Brooklyn Eagle, a public relations consultant representing Brazil and eventually the Vice President of the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce for Public Relations helping U.S. Navy staff adjust to the Philadelphia area as they made repairs to ships at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. His dedication, meticulousness, and strong work ethic left a lasting impression on Rose, shaping the way she approached life – both professionally and personally. 

Despite graduating with the highest GPA in her class of 1,800 at her Catholic high school, the title of valedictorian was reserved for the top male student. When the administration blocked her from applying to the “communist” colleges on the Main Line of Philadelphia, she instead earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Trinity College in Washington, D.C. – a far more liberal environment than many expected.

She spent her summers volunteering in Appalachia and having completed her coursework early, traveled solo through Europe for several months. 

Rose went on to pursue a remarkable career, including positions on the staff of Senator Ted Kennedy, at the U.S. Catholic Conference, National Leased Housing Association (the main lobbying organization for the Section 8 housing program), and working at HUD. While working, Rose completed her master’s degree from Georgetown University. She went on to work at the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal under Victor Marrero before joining the Housing Action Council (HAC).

While at HAC, Rose earned a law degree from Pace University, gave birth to four daughters over an eight-year span, and succeeded John Nolon as Executive Director. Building on the foundation that John established, Rose charted new directions for HAC. She supported local nonprofits producing affordable housing, pioneered innovative models combining affordable rental and ownership housing, built partnerships with for-profit developers, pursued a program of educating public officials together with community groups in the intricacies involved with the planning and the development of affordable housing. She facilitated relocation required for renovations of older affordable housing, marketed numerous affordable housing developments in a fair and equitable manner, and participated in the resolution of consent decrees for desegregation lawsuits for the City of Yonkers and the County of Westchester. Through her tireless dedication to doing the right thing, Rose inspired a truly exceptional staff to achieve remarkable outcomes.

Rose brought the same commitment and purpose to her family life. Whether it was organizing unforgettable Girl Scout trips, writing grant applications to ensure every troop member could participate or always being ready for an adventure with her grandchildren, she gave endlessly. Her love was evident in her daily acts of kindness, acceptance, and thoughtfulness.

Rose is survived by her devoted husband, Alan, and their four daughters Karen, Anya (John), Jenna (Scott), and Jill (Luke). She is also survived by her eight grandchildren Charlie, Erin, Quinn, Ridge, Luca, Oakley, Cameron, and Ella, and her favorite grandpup Georgie. Her determination, activism, and love will live on in all who knew her.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History. Cape Cod has been a special escape for Rose and Alan ever since their honeymoon and she would smile to know she contributed to its preservation.

– Sourced from McMahon Lyon & Hartnett Funeral Home Inc.

Housing leaders remember Rose Noonan Gordon’s impact on housing in Peekskill

Cynthia Knox, executive director for Caring for the Hungry and Homeless of Peekskill (CHHOP), remembered Rose Noonan for her impact on housing.

“Rose worked tirelessly to help CHHOP secure a long-term home in which our clients can live with dignity and with the support they need to thrive,” Knox told the Peekskill Herald. “While our dream, and Rose’s work remains in process, her spirit will live in every part of the work we do. Friend, mentor, advocate – we celebrate her life and legacy and extend our heartfelt condolences to her husband Alan and their family. Rest in power, dear friend.”

Bill Balter, owner of the 645 Main project, shared Knox’s commemoration of Noonan.

“Rose Noonan probably did more to further affordable housing in Westchester County in the last 40 years, than any other person,” Balter told the Herald. “We worked on more than 15 affordable communities with the Housing Action Council and Rose Noonan, including our affordable rental at 645 Main Street in Peekskill. She was invaluable in so many ways and will be sorely missed.”

Councilman Dwight Douglas reflected on working with Noonan on crafting city legislation for the ten percent affordable housing minimum.

“Rose drafted the affordable housing ordinance for us and met several times to discuss issues as they came up, and I believe, she also attended the meeting when it was adopted,” Douglas said. “Rose also worked with private developers who were building affordable housing – including-  most recently Bill Balter’s project on Main Street. Professionally, I have known her for over forty years, as I served on Westchester County’s Housing Opportunity Commission and the county’s Planning Board which she frequently attended with various affordable housing proposals.”

Robert E. Heller

Robert E. Heller, loving son, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, cousin, and friend, passed away surrounded by family on June 8, 2025. He joins his beloved wife and best friend, Marie (Markham) Heller, who had been waiting patiently for Bob. 

Bob was born August 29, 1934, to Wilma and Frank, and happily shared his birthday with niece Robin and daughter Mary Ellen. From birth to death, Bob lived in Bleloch Park, Peekskill, N.Y.  From this location, he enjoyed Blue Mountain Reservation, fishing holes, dart shooting locations, and frequent visits with family and close friends.

After graduating from Hendrick Hudson High School, he worked as an electrician’s apprentice for his cousin Jimmy Bleeker.  Next, he went to Fort Dix for Army Training, followed by service in the National Guard Reserves for six years.  He loved the history and romance of our great land; the settling of the West, the strife of the Civil War, and the heroes who served before him in World War II. Bob loved the tales of the West by Louis L’Amour and Larry McMurtry, and Jeff Shaara’s tomes on the Civil War.

Fleischmann’s Brewing on the Peekskill waterfront provided him with opportunities to learn how to brew yeast and work the distillery, but this job unfortunately resulted in an injury where he lost a finger. Making the best of the situation, Bob bought his first car with the insurance settlement and discovered he always had a fun trick to play with children using his missing digit.

Bob’s bachelor life ended in 1969 when he married Marie Restein (Markham), the widow of his dear friend Joe Restein. Bob and Marie had several common life-long friends and shared many interests, so it seemed natural for them to get together. In fact, Bob was a groomsman at Marie’s first wedding!  Bob moved 150 yards up the hill from his childhood home and became the instant father of three preteen girls. He loved the girls as his own, and was proud each one earned a master’s degree in her chosen field.

After Fleischmann’s Peekskill factory closed in the early 1970s, Bob went to work for the Department of Veterans Affairs at the VA hospital in Montrose, N.Y. He happily retired in 1996. Plans for a long and happy retirement were unfortunately dashed when Marie developed cancer. Through 1998, Bob was the consummate caregiver during Marie’s illness. After that time, he missed her presence daily, carrying her picture in his wallet and keeping her memory alive.

Throughout his life, Bob loved spending time outdoors fishing, as well as more competitive pursuits: darts, bowling, and the occasional shuffleboard game. Bob had many other recreational interests throughout his life: model rockets, radio control planes, mindful coloring, puzzles, keeping tropical fish, and metal detecting on school grounds and beaches. Besides watching the Yankees, he was always busy with hobbies or talking and visiting with family.  Perhaps one of his greatest joys in later life was going to Walmart and selecting just the right gifts for the children in his life.

Bob found regular time in his life for his parents, his siblings, and their families. He kept a weekly lunch date with his brother Frank at their mom’s house well into his 50s. They would drink strong coffee and enjoy her wonderful Hungarian cooking. His frequent visits with his sisters Dolly and Jane included many laughs as they all helped each other.  “Uncle Bob” was loved by all and in return had a special place in his heart for many. In particular, he looked forward to weekly card games with his penny poker pal Molly and attending her events. She got too good at cards for him, however, and he found his penny collection dwindling.

During his life, Bob stayed close to his childhood home but left long enough for occasional fishing trips to Canada and the Catskills as a bachelor. A favorite trip was the weeklong summer vacations with his family on the Jersey shore in lovely Lavallette, NJ, where the crabs ran large and Freddy Fingers played the piano at the Crab’s Claw. When hitting the road to visit his daughters, the country music on the Willie’s Roadhouse station filled the car.

In addition to his sister Dorothy (Dolly) Malles, her husband George, and his sister Jane McGuire and long-time companion Dave Graham,  Bob is survived by his three daughters, Mary Ellen Porter (husband George) of West Hartford, Connecticut, Carol Storey of Beacon, New York, and Kathleen Wuorio (husband Jim) of Nashua, New Hampshire. He has been blessed with six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, with an eighth on the way. In the family’s age-order tradition: Elizabeth Porter and Emily, Liam and Peter Jacovino (father Ed), Amy Robinson and Joe and Ava (father Phil), Brendan Porter, Connor Witty (wife Jelena Dosen), Erica Neal and Nash (father Patrick), and Rebecca Curtin and Christopher and the almost-here Curtin baby (father Craig).

Our lives will be forever touched by Bob’s kindness, his willingness to share his love and wisdom (he always knew best!), and his appreciation of all things family. 

Arrangements include visitation at Nardone’s Funeral Home in Peekskill on Thursday, June 12, 2025, from 5 – 8 p.m. 

A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at Assumption Church in Peekskill at 11 a.m. on Friday, June 13, 2025.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in the name of Robert Heller to a non-profit that does important work and has meant a lot to Bob: Friends of Nor-West Regional Special Services

– Sourced from Joseph F. Nardone Funeral Home

Robert Daley

Bob was born to Neil and Alice Daley on April 19, 1946, in Bronx, N.Y. He has two loving siblings, Neil and MaryAlyce.

He was married to wife Jean for 52 years and had two wonderful children, Robert Jr. and Krissy. He has five amazing grandchildren (Harrison, Abby, Peyton, Tristan, and Alex) whom he adored till the end and a loving son-in-law, Gio.

He attended Sacred Heart Grammar School, then Bishop Dubois High School. He attended SUNY Maritime, where he served as a Merchant Marine for 4 years and did several tours of service. Bob completed law school at St John’s.

He went on to become a maritime lawyer and was a long-standing senior partner at Hill Rivkins Law Firm in N.Y.C.

Bob loved life, family, friends, golf, and fishing. He would do anything for his friends and family. 

He will be missed greatly, especially his infectious laugh.

Memorial Service will be held at Joseph F. Funeral Home, 414 Washington Street, Peekskill, N.Y., on Friday, June 13, 2025, from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Memorial Mass will be held at The Church of the Holy Spirit, 1969 Crompond Road, Cortlandt Manor, N.Y. on Saturday, June 14, 2025 at 9:30 a.m.

Sourced from Joseph F. Nardone Funeral Home

Louis Charles Stanishia

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of ‘Shihan’ Louis C. Stanishia, founder and long-time martial arts instructor of the Triangle Karate Association and the Lou Stanishia Martial Arts, Inc., of Westchester County, N.Y. He was 83 years old.

Born to Nicholas P. Stanishia and Cecelia Rescigno (House) in White Plains, N.Y, Louis trained with various karate instructors starting before his enlistment into the U.S. Air Force (1962-1967), most notably with Peter Urban (the “Godfather of American Goju”). During his assignment at Clarke Air Force Base in the Philippines, where he also met and married his first wife, Teresita Ariza Lazala, he competed in multiple karate competitions and won the 1963 – 1965 Philippine Amateur Karate Association, which earned him his first dan black belt. 

When he returned to the States, Louis opened his first school, the Blue Diamond Karate School, in 1967, and as his school grew and locations changed, he operated under different names: Northern Westchester School of Karate (1973), Triangle Karate School (1976), and the Lou Stanishia Martial Arts (1982). His dojo offered students both the Okinawan Shorin-Ryu style of karate and Kendo with his brother, Dennis (under direction of M. Ishizuka, then-President of the East Coast Kendo Federation) at his base location in Yorktown, N.Y, and eventually had a few satellite schools open under his Triangle Karate Association throughout New York State and Virginia by black belts from his ranks.

Stanishia Sensei’s style of teaching – a gentle guidance into kata and kumite intensely focused on safety, health, and wellness – had become renowned within the communities in which they operated, with many students reaping the benefits of learning a karate-do discipline. His work and dedication to his craft and his students made him a trusted name in his industry, earning his eighth dan black belt in karate and Nidan (second degree black belt) in Kendo. 

After his retirement from the dojo, he lived in Ballston Spa, N.Y., with his third wife, Corinne Galusha. After divorcing in 2023, Louis moved to Dunedin, Fla., where he passed. 

He is predeceased by his parents and first wife.

He is survived by his siblings: Lena Lent, Nicholas C., and Dennis C.; five children with Teresita: Theresa Vinal, Cecelia Warner, Nicholas L., Liwan (David) Degnan, Aurora (Keith) Wells; 14 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, cousins, nieces and nephews, and thousands of students.

Memorial Service will be held at Joseph F. Nardone Funeral Home, 414 Washington Street, Peekskill, N.Y. on Saturday, June 14, 2024 from 3:00 p.m. to 8:0 p.m.

Stanishia Sensei, doumo arigatou gozai mashita. Your teachings have been lifelong within us. 

– Sourced from Joseph F. Nardone Funeral Home