Obituaries for The Tonawandas for the week of Sunday, Sept. 30

SMITH, Raymond M., 84, of Tonawanda, passed away Sept. 21; beloved husband of the late Rita J. (nee Wojtowicz) Smith; dear brother of the late Irene (late Alex) Dickson, Sylvester (Eleanor) Smith, Donald (late Ingrid) Smith and Dorothy Stebbins; cherished uncle of Patricia (Mike) Kanick, Nancy (late Albert) Mix, Virginia (Richard) Kenyon, Steven and Michael Kenyon and Susan Thompson, Sally Ann (Charles) Goldschmidt, Gregory Smith, Sharon (William) Smith-Boland, Donia (David) Mrozek and Kevin Smith, Beth Schill, Frank, Larry, Tina and Michael Stebbins; also survived by many loving great-nieces and nephews.

Smith was a proud U.S. Army Veterans of WWII serving as a paratrooper and attained the rank of Sergeant. If so desired, memorials may be made in Mr. Smith’s name to the Ray & Rita Smith Endowed Scholarship Fund at Syracuse University, which was established to primarily benefit students from Western New York.

ELWELL, Gordon H., of Tonawanda, passed away Sept. 24 .Beloved husband of Mary M. (nee Mattimore) Elwell; dearest father of Col. Gordon H. (Jane) Elwell Jr. U.S.A.F., Marie (Miles) Smith Cary, Rozanne (Todd) Hakala, Henry (Deborah) Elwell, Elaine (John) Thiery, Jennifer (John) Comeau, Julia (R.J.) O’Hara and Robert (Jill) Elwell; loving grandfather of 17 grandchildren and four step-grandchildren; dear brother of John (Marilyn) and Paul (Joan) Elwell.

If desired, memorials may be made in Gordon’s name to the Rotary Club of Kenmore, 64 Comet Ave., Buffalo, NY 14216 or visit www.kenmorerotary.org and under “Rotary Links” click “Rotary Foundation”, then hit “Contribute Now.”

SCHIAVONE, Michael D., 59, of Tonawanda, passed away Sept. 24; beloved son of Madeline “Mickey” C. (nee Alleca) and the late Lawrence J. Schiavone; loving brother of Lawrence J. (Rosalyn), Joseph L. (Carol), and Stephen L. (Sheila); adored uncle of Larry, Natalie, Andrew, and Alison; cherished great-uncle of Santino. If so desired, please follow in Mike’s footsteps and make memorials to the American Diabetes Association.

VOGT, Eleanor M. (nee Hupf), 82, of Tonawanda, passed away Sept. 25; beloved wife of the late Edward L. Vogt; loving mother of Edward F. (Janice) Vogt, Eleanore M. Weppler, Francis J. (Rick), Gerard P. (Natasha) and John L. (R.J.) Vogt; cherished grandmother of Anneliese, Xavier and Michael Vogt; dear sister of the late Francis X., Gerald F. Hupf, Mary Ann Kraus and Rosemary Kraus; caring sister-in-law of Lucille Bacon of Dansville, NY; also survived by 22 nieces and nephews and her beloved cats.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Eleanor’s name to St. Amelia Church or the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.