of Little Valley, NY, passed away Monday, March 23, 2026.

Born in Salamanca March 21, 1951, Jackie was the second of four children of Charles and

Joanne Huntington. She was a graduate of Little Valley High School and received her bachelor’s

and master’s degrees from Chadron State College in Nebraska. Jackie had a gift for making

children feel special. Her time as an art and computer teacher at Bluffs Middle School in

Scottsbluff, Nebraska impacted the lives of many.

While studying at Chadron State College in 1971, Jackie met a fellow student, Ronald R.

Hanshew, and they spent their time with friends going bowling and dancing in small towns in

the panhandle of Nebraska. In spring of 1972, as she would say, the flower child married the

cowboy. They had three sons: Ronald “Jamie,” Jason, and Justin Hanshew. Jackie supported her

sons with gentle patience and love. She spent years as a wrestling mom and taught her boys

beloved songs passed down to her from her father, Charles. Jackie and Ron divorced in 1986,

and she remained in Nebraska until moving back to Western New York in May of 2021.

Jackie was very creative, enjoying hobbies including art, poetry, music, flower arrangement,

knitting, scrapbooking, and crafts. For a time, Jackie was very involved with the Society for

Creative Anachronism (SCA), an international living history group with the aim of studying and

recreating Medieval European cultures and their histories before the 17 th century. Jackie made

her own Medieval outfits and earned the title of Lady, which is bestowed upon those who

invest time and dedication to the SCA. She also learned fencing, archery, and armor making

through the SCA and participated in tournaments throughout Colorado, Nebraska, and

Wyoming.

Jackie expressed her deep love of her family through her creativity. She lovingly knitted

blankets for each of her children and grandchildren. She elaborately decorated for holidays and

would host themed birthday parties and tea parties for her grandchildren and extended family.

Jackie is survived by her children Ronald “Jamie” (Bronwin) Hanshew of Vandalia, MT, Jason

(Jennifer) Hanshew of Crookston, NE, and Justin (Christina) Hanshew of Oakland, NE; brother

Jim (Janet) Huntington of Randolph, NY; sisters Judy (Bill) MacMillan of Salamanca, NY and Chris

(Terry) Stark of Salamanca, NY; grandchildren Bryce, Jaydeen, Jacob and Jiles Hanshew, Michael

(Carly) Kuxhausen, and Tayler (Christian) Van Cleave; great-granddaughter Laycie Kuxhausen;

and several nieces and nephews.

Jackie is preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Joanne Huntington.

A Memorial Mass/Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, April 18 at 11am at Our Lady of Peace Salamanca, NY

Arrangements are under the direction of Mentley Funeral Home Inc. 411 Rock City Street in Little Valley, NY

Cattaraugus, NY – Diane E. Rupp ,82, of Cattaraugus, NY passed away Monday March 16, 2026 peacefully at her home.

She was born November 23, 1943 in Gowanda, NY the daughter of the late W. Alfred III and Violet (Ingersoll) Johnston. She was a kind and compassionate homemaker.She loved her family and her Lord.She spent considerable time as a Sunday School teacher at the Cattaraugus United Methodist Church and was involved in many church activities including at the Wesley Community Church.Her pies, especially her Black and Blue Berry pies, were highly prized by family and at church.She was an uncompensated secretary for many years.

Diane is survived by her loving husband of 65 years Jeff and her children Lynn (Chris) Rupp, Vicki Rupp and Andrew (Nicky) Rupp and 5 grandchildren Amanda (John) Agnew, Pamela Rupp, Mat (Tiffany) Rupp, Emma Rupp and Milo Rupp.Also surviving are 2 great grandchildren Beau and Knox and several nieces and nephews.

Besides her parents she was predeceased by a brother Robert Johnston and 2 sisters Teresa Fehlman and Sandra Phillips.

Private Family Services will be held at the convenience of the family.

Memorials may be made to the Wesley Community Church. Arrangements are under the direction of Mentley Funeral Home Inc. 411 Rock City Street in Little Valley, NY

Versailles, NY – Joel F. Neu Sr. ,74, of Versailles, NY passed away Friday February 27, 2026 at Buffalo General Hospital.

He was born October 20, 1951 in Gowanda, NY the son of the late Victor and V. Virginia (Jackman) Neu.

Mr. Neu worked for 33 years for New York State between the Gowanda Psychiatric Center and NYS Corrections.Since 1974 he was a member of the Versailles Vol. Fire Dept. and was it’s current President and Past Chief.He was active with the Versailles United Methodist Church and the Versailles Community Center for many years.He was a current member of the Gowanda Ambulance Service Board of Directors and active with the Ten Lives Club.

Mr. Neu was predeceased by his wife of 43 years Linda (Maines) Neu in 2015.

He is survived by 2 sons Joel (Amanda) Neu Jr. and Jeremy (Alicia) Neu  and 5 grandchildren Shannon (Logan Hall) Neu, Jacqueline (Christian Saca) Neu, Riley Neu, Jeremy Neu Jr. and Lola Neu.He is also survived by 3 brothers Victor (Agnus) Neu, John (Linda) Neu and James (Maritza) Neu and 2 sisters Virginia (Late George) Guenther and Sharon (Late Conrad) Grube.Also surviving is his loving companion Dianne Moppert and her children,several nieces, nephews and cousins.Also his 2 kitties Nuttzie and Mackkie.

Besides his wife he was predeceased by a brother Daniel Neu.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

Memorials may be made to the 10 Lives Club, Versailles Vol.Fire Dept.or Versailles United Methodist Church.

Arrangements are under the direction of Mentley Funeral Home Inc. 105 East Main Street in Gowanda, NY

Gowanda, NY – Deon M. Thalheimer ,95, formerly of Cattaraugus, NY passed away Wednesday February 25, 2026 at Bertrand Chaffee Hospital in Springville, NY.

She was born July 12, 1930 in Salamanca, NY the daughter of the late C. Wesley and Alta (Manning) Mosher.

On December 11, 1955 she married Edwin Thalheimer who predeceased her on March 17, 1998.

Mrs. Thalheimer was a Crossing Guard for Cattaraugus Central School for many years and she was a member of the New Apostolic Church in Cattaraugus and Gowanda, NY.

She is survived by 3 daughters Doris (Gary) Hedges of Dansville, NY, Barbara (Paul Sr.) Balzer of Fredonia, NY and Connie (Daniel) Hess of Mobile, Al. and 8 grandchildren Christopher Hedges, Megan (Leonard) Komula, Kimberly (Nathan) Mountzouros, Paul Balzer Jr., Joshua Balzer, Michael (Hannah) Hess, Brendan Hess and Katharine Hess and 6 great grandchildren Ealasaid, Tiegan, Kiernan, Padraig, Abigeal and Jessica and several nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by a brother Charles Mosher.

Friends may call at the Mentley Funeral Home Inc. 105 East Main Street in Gowanda, NY on Saturday March 7, 2026 from 10:30am -12 noon.

Funeral Services will be held on Saturday March 7, 2026 at 12noon.

Burial will be in Liberty Park Cemetery in Cattaraugus, NY.

Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society

Gowanda, NY – Claudia J. Logsdon ,70, of Gowanda, NY passed away Tuesday February 24, 2026 at Bertrand Chaffee Hospital in Springville, NY.

She was born November 26, 1955 in Gowanda, NY the daughter of the late Claude and Betty (McCubbin) Smith Jr.

Miss Logsdon had worked at Moench Tanning in Gowanda, NY and at Flexovit in Angola, NY.She was an avid gardener.

She is survived by 2 sons Ron Dicus of Gowanda, NY and Michael (Brianna) Logsdon of Springville, NY and a daughter Nichole (Tom Henderson) Dicus of Perrysburg, NY and 4 grandchildren Roxanne Dicus, Ainsley Logsdon, Molly Logsdon and Coy Henderson.Also surviving is a sister in law Debbi Smith of Hamburg, NY and a nephew Erik (Lauren) Smith and a niece Lindsay (Dave) Szewczyk and several great nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by a brother Randy Smith.

Friends may call from Mentley Funeral Home Inc. 105 East Main Street in Gowanda, NY on Sunday March 1, 2026 from 4-7pm.

Funeral Services will be held on Monday March 2, 2026 at 11am from the funeral home.

Burial will be in Pine Hill Cemetery in Gowanda, NY.

Memorials may be made to any Animal rescue organization

Cattaraugus, NY – Mildred Denise Ploger ,73, of Town of Otto passed away Friday February 20, 2026 at her home.

She was born September 25, 1952 in Indiana, PA the daughter of the late Ralph and Mildred (Paynter) Brinks Sr.

On May 4, 1974 she married Kevin Ploger who survives.

Mrs. Ploger had worked at Robinson Knife in Springville, NY and at Prestolite in Arcade, NY.She was a Past member of the Order of the Eastern Star in Otto, NY and enjoyed going to the casino.Her true joy was spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Besides her loving husband she is survived by 3 daughters Heather (Kyle) Harris of Cattaraugus, NY, Kristie (Chester) Gamble of Navarre, Fl. and Sara (Stosh) Green of Cattaraugus, NY and 9 grandchildren Casey(Dustin), Adam, Jacob, Joslyn, Ashlee, Tyler, Connor, Brielee and Alex(Josh) and 2 great grandchildren MaKenna and Rhett.Also surviving is a brother Ralph (Sue) Brinks Jr. of Olean, NY and a sister Cora Pascarella of Salamanca, NY and several nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by a sister Kathyrn Jacobs and 2 great grandchildren Sadie and Sophia

A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday March 8, 2026 at 1pm from the Cattaraugus Fireman’s Club.

Memorials may be made to the Otto Vol. Fire Dept.

Arrangements are under the direction of Mentley Funeral Home Inc. 411 Rock City Street in Little Valley, NY

Gowanda, NY – Herbert H. Simmons ,81, of Gowanda, NY passed away Thursday February 19, 2026 at his home.

He was born March 6, 1944 in Gowanda, NY the son of the late Howard and Winifred (Oyach) Simmons.

On January 23, 1971 he married the former Esther Hamilton who predeceased him on September 7, 2019.

Mr. Simmons was employed at the Gowanda Psychiatric Center as a Therapy Aide for over 30 years until his retirement.

He was a US Army Vietnam veteran having served in the 36th Evac Hospital.He was an active member of and Past Chaplin of the Gowanda VFW Post #5007 and an active member of the Gowanda American Legion Post #409.He also helped with the reunions and trips to Washington DC for the 36th Evac Hospital veteran’s.He was an avid outdoorsman but especially loved spending time with his grandchildren.

Mr. Simmons is survived by a son Paul (Suzanna) Simmons of Silver Creek, NY and 2 daughters Kristy (Sam) Lauer of Perrysburg, NY and Kathi (James) Kuebler of Lackawanna, NY and 4 grandchildren Micah, Kylie, Noah and Alexander.Also surviving are 2 sisters Virginia “Ginny” (Marvin) Breon of Corning, NY and Penny (Dick) Bridges of Gowanda, NY and several nieces and nephews.

He is predeceased by a brother Claude Simmons.

Friends may call at the Mentley Funeral Home Inc. 105 East Main Street in Gowanda, NY on Friday February 27, 2026 from 11am – 1pm.

Funeral Services will be held on Friday February 27, 2026 at 1pm from the funeral home.

Burial with Military Honors will be in Collins Center Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Gowanda VFW Post #5007 or Gowanda American Legion Post #409.

John “Jack” Arthur Torrance, 88, passed away peacefully at his home in Gowanda, New York, on February 18, 2026. He was comforted by the presence of his beloved wife, Susan (Campbell) “Sue,” who remained steadfastly by his side. Jack and Sue celebrated sixty-four years of marriage this past September—a testament to a lifetime of shared love and devotion.

Jack’s journey began in Cleveland, Ohio. He attended Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York where fate stepped in and he met Sue. He graduated from Clarkson University in 1959 with a degree in Chemical Engineering. Shortly after graduation, Jack began his professional career with Packard Electric and proudly served as an officer in the U.S. Army and the U.S. Army Reserves until his honorable discharge in 1969.

His career took the family from Warren, Ohio, to Oxford, New Jersey, where he worked for B.P. Chemicals before Jack and Sue finally returned “home” to Gowanda for their retirement years in 2000. Faith remained a cornerstone of his life; Jack and Sue have most recently been active members of Trinity Episcopal Church in Fredonia.

Jack was a man who believed in the roots of a community—both literally and figuratively. Affectionately dubbed “Tree Guy” by his grandchildren, he was an ardent supporter of the Arborist Society and a dedicated member of the Gowanda Tree Committee as well as serving for many years as Treasurer of the Gowanda Pine Hill Cemetery Board. His commitment to service extended to his long-standing involvement with the Gowanda Shriners and the Gowanda Kiwanis Club (President). In 2006, Jack and Sue received the Spirit of Gowanda Award for Community Service.

When he wasn’t volunteering, Jack found joy in the solitude of his hobbies. He was an avid gardener, a painter, and a fisherman. He also possessed a deep curiosity for the past, spending countless hours conducting extensive genealogical research to preserve his family’s history.

Jack is survived by his sister, Judith (Larry) Scott, and his four children: John C. Torrance, Jessica C.T. (J.R.) Kavanagh, Jason C. (Michele) Torrance, Joshua C. (Jennifer) Torrance. His legacy lives on through his eight cherished grandchildren: Emmet Torrance; Eric, Jocelyn, and Bethany Kavanagh; Madison and Matthew Torrance; and Sophie and Noah Torrance.

A service in celebration of Jack’s life will be held at Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church in Gowanda, New York, on Saturday February 21, 2026 starting at 12 noon.

For those wishing to honor Jack’s love for nature and his community, the family suggests that donations be made in lieu of flowers to the following organizations which Jack held dear: Gowanda Tree Committee, Gowanda Kiwanis Club, Gowanda Pine Hill Cemetery.

Arrangements are under the direction of Mentley Funeral Home Inc. 105 East Main Street in Gowanda, NY

Cattaraugus, NY – Oneita S. Jerge ,98, of Cattaraugus, NY passed away February 13, 2026 at the Gowanda Nursing Home.

She was born May 23, 1927 in Ellicottville, NY the daughter of the late Albert and Leah (White) Rowher.

Mrs. Jerge had worked at Norton’s Manufacturing in Ellicottville, NY and at Gowanda Electronics.She was a member of the Valley View Baptist Church in Little Valley, NY.

She was predeceased by her 1st husband Frank Matuskiewicz, her 2nd husband William Fisher and her 3rd husband Richard Jerge.

She is survived by 2 sons David (Brenda) Matuskiewicz of Friendship, NY and Frank (Sue) Matuskiewicz of Delevan, NY and 3 daughters Karen (Gary) Fittry of Hamburg, NY, Shirley (Tim) Dick of Frederick, MD and Linda Hughes of Great Valley, NY and 18 grandchildren and several great grandchildren and great great grandchildren.Also surviving are several nieces, nephews ,step children  and her 2 loving primary caregivers.

Mrs. Jerge was also predeceased by 3 brothers Dennis, Gordon and Louis Rowher.

A celebration of Oneita’s life will be held at a later date.

Burial will be in Sunset Hill Cemetery in Ellicottville, NY.

Arrangements are under the direction of Mentley Funeral Home Inc. 411 Rock City Street in Little Valley, NY.

Memorials may be made to the Valley View Baptist Church in Little Valley, NY

Springville, NY – Kenneth D. Carson ,46, of Hamburg, NY passed away Friday February 6, 2026 in Springville, NY.

He was born July 1 1979 in Springville, NY the son of the late Joel Carson and Mary Lou (Kusior) Carson who survives and resides in Springville, NY.

Mr.Carson attended Ellicottville Central School and had worked as a Ski instructor and worked with the Freestyle Ski program at Holimont in Ellicottville, NY.He also worked as a Chef in Buffalo, NY before he became the owner and operator of Carson’s BBQ in Ashford, NY.

Besides his mother he is survived by a son Cameron Carson of Hamburg,NY and 2 brothers Darrell (Coriann) Carson of Springville, NY and Robert (Amme) Carson of Dayton, NY and Ken’s loving Companion Sandy Green of Hamburg, NY.Also surviving is a nephew Drew (Dani) Scharra, 2 nieces Paige and Grace Carson and 2 great nieces Willow and Oakley.Also 2 of his special friends Cliff Alf and Ron Weir.

Friends may call at the Mentley Funeral Home Inc. 411 Rock City Street in Little Valley, NY on Monday February 9, 2026 from 1-4pm.

Funeral services will be held on Monday at 4pm from the funeral home.

Burial will be in Maples Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to Hospice Buffalo.

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Kenneth, please visit our Tree Store.