Obituary: Jeffrey Rozran, 65, SHS Teacher, Union President

Syosset High School English teacher and STA president, died Saturday of lung cancer.

Beloved English teacher and Syosset Teachers' Union president, Jeffrey Rozran, died Saturday of lung cancer, reported Newsday. He was 65. Coming from an educating family, Rozran became a third generation educator who spent almost every day of his 37-year-long career at 70 Southwoods Road. In the classroom, he brought classics to life. Out of the classroom, he fought for the rights of teachers in Syosset and across New York State as President of the Syosset Teachers' Union and Director of New York State United Teachers (NYSUT). Recently, Rozran, a defender of the rights of teachers, expressed concern over the APPR legislation that requires 20 percent of a teacher's evaluation to be based on students' standardized test scores. "The whole …

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Apple Co-Founder Steve Jobs, 56, Dies

News spreads across the world about Jobs' death.

One month after stepping down as chief executive, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs has passed away. The New York Times reported: Mr. Jobs stepped down from the chief executive role in late August, saying he could no longer fulfill his duties, and became chairman. He underwent surgery for pancreatic cancer in 2004, and received a liver transplant in 2009. In a statement, Apple said “Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve. If you would like to share your thoughts, memories, and condolences, please email rememberingsteve@apple.com." Here is the Times' full Steve Jobs obit. The news comes just one day after the …

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Andrew J. Hyatt

10:57 am on Thursday, October 6, 2011

Steve Jobs made getting stuff done easy, fun and insanely cool.   more ›

OLMA Alum Regina D. Waters Passes Away

Waters, 91, of Longmeadow, MA, died on Saturday Oct. 1, surrounded by her loving family at the Redstone Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in East Longmeadow.

Syosset Resident, NYPD Detective John M. Mannion Passes Away

Mannion, retired from the NYPD Detective 2nd degree, passes away on August 10 and leaves behind a wonderful life and loving family.

 John M. Mannion, an NYPD detective and resident of Syosset, passed away on Aug. 10 at the age of 80. He and his wife have lived in Syosset since 1964. “My father was a wonderful human being”, said daughter Maryanne Mannion. “He was everything a father could and should be. He was understandable, dependable and an excellent problem solver”.  Mannion was born in Manhattan in the early 1930s. At the age of 18, he enlisted in the Navy on the USS Daly. In 1955, he began his career as NYPD police officer. In 10 years, Mannion made detective 2nd degree.  In 1974, Mannion retired from the NYPD, and began a 23-year career as Chief Security Officer for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.  “My father was a workaholic - there was nothing in life he loved to do …

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Syosset Resident Walter Cominsky Dies at 91

Cominsky was a resident for over 60 years.

Walter Cominsky, a Syosset resident of more than 60 years, passed away at the age of 91 on July 29.   “He was a very sweet man, good-hearted and he had a knack for helping everyone he knew,” said daughter, Lisa. Cominsky was very active in the Syosset community. He was a parishioner of the St. Edwards Confessor Parish. He was also an active member of the Syosset chapter Knights of Columbus, American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars.  “I always had fond memories of my father marching in the Annual Syosset Memorial day parade,” Lisa said. Cominsky was born in Windber, Pa. In high school, he was a four-year letterman in football. In 1943, he was an instrumental player in the team’s 10-0 undefeated season. At the age of 18, Cominsky …

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Music Under the Stars Founder Dies at 91

Lois Inez Manning brought services to Oyster Bay for over 20 years, implementing many programs that have continued on.

Lois Inez (Hill) Manning of Jupiter, Fla. passed away on June 8 at the age of 91. The former Woodbury resident was born in Moultrie, Ga. on March 18, 1920 and married on Sept. 29, 1941 to Carl J. Manning, until his passing on July 5, 2000.  Manning's family moved from Massapequa to Woodbury in the winter of 1955. She later became involved with the teenage club at Syosset High School, and organized a committee and submitted a proposal to the Town of Oyster Bay for club funding in the late 1950s.  As a devoted volunteer with the Town of Oyster Bay Youth Development Programs in Syosset, Manning continued into the early 1960s. She was then hired in 1965 by the Town of Oyster Bay as Director of the Syosset-Woodbury Park Center (formerly the …

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Girl Buried But Case Goes On

Julie Cirella's parents are both headed for court.

Julie Cirella was buried this week but her parents are continuing their separate paths through the legal system. Veronica Cirella, the mother of the disabled girl who died July 23, is due for a hearing Aug. 15 in her second-degree manslaughter case. The father, Joseph, was already in jail when Julie died, facing domestic violence charges and will be in court Aug.16. Julie died a few hours before she was supposed to serve as a flower girl in her cousin’s wedding.  She was 8 years old. When Dolores Cirella, Julie’s grandmother, came looking for them in their Shelly Court home, she found Julie dead and her daughter-in-law lying on the floor nearby, a cord wrapped around her neck. The next day, Veronica Cirella was arraigned at her bedside at …

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Janina Goldgraben, Holocaust Survivor, Dies at 87

The Syosset resident, along with her family, lived in Poland at the time of the German Invasion during WWII.

Syosset resident Janina “Jenny” Goldgraben passed away at the age of 87 on Saturday, July 16. Janina and her husband lived in a senior assisted living center in Syosset for some years. Her eldest son remembers his mother as a compassionate and personable person. “Janina was probably the toughest and most determined person I have ever met”, said Edmund Siejka of Seaford. “She was the kind of person, that could go up to anyone and strike up a friendly conversation with them”, he said.  Goldgraben was born on May 12, 1924 in Schenectady, NY. She was the youngest of three daughters of first generation polish immigrants - Walter and Helen Siejka.  In her early life, Goldgraben’s father had a difficult time finding a job - she and her family …

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Woodbury Resident Alice M. Berridge Dies

Berridge became the first female mathematics department faculty member for Nassau Community College.

Alice M. Berridge of Woodbury passed away on June 25 at the age of 75. Berridge fought an eight-month battle with stage-4 lung cancer.  Berridge was born on April 11, 1936 in New York, NY. She is the daughter of the late Russell E. and Mary Martell Petersen. Her parents moved to Long Island shortly after she was born. Berridge attended West Hempstead High School, where she was a member of the first ever graduating class. During her childhood she spent her summers attending the “4-H Camp” in the Hamptons.  At 4-H Camp, Berridge had served as a camper, counselor and 4-H Division Committee member and chairperson. In addition, Berridge has served as Board Member of the Cornell Cooperative Extension Association of Nassau County, the umbrella …

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