IN MEMORIAM: Dennis Carl Hoke Sr., 79;

Farmer Served On Roseboom Town Board

ROSEBOOM – Dennis Carl Hoke, Sr., 79, a farmer and longtime member of the Roseboom Town Board, passed away peacefully Saturday, Oct. 27, 2019, at Bassett Hospital with his loving wife Joan Edna Hoke at his side.

Dennis was born May 18, 1940, in South Valley, to Donald and Mary “Eliza” Barnes. He began school in a two-room schoolhouse in South Valley and, as he grew older, attended the Cherry Valley and later Sharon Springs school systems.

From an early age he enjoyed working local farms. In 1959 he enlisted in the Army and after basic training was stationed in Augsburg, Germany. He was honorably discharged on Jan. 31, 1961, and, following his return, married his sweetheart, Joan Webster on March 12, 1961.

From 1961 to 1970, Dennis operated a canned milk route serving local farms picking up their milk and delivering it to the Worcester Creamery. In 1970, he bought a farm on Hoose Road in Pleasant Brook and operated the farm until his retirement in 2008.

Dennis loved to go out to eat, and especially enjoyed a “good steak”! He enjoyed “picking and teasing” and was a perpetual jokester. He served his community as a member of the Roseboom Town Board for many years.

He is survived by five children, Laurie Laymon (Tom), Sharon Rathbun (Steven), Connie Capece (Kristopher), Dennis Hoke, Jr. (Savanna), and Lonnie Hoke as well as by 12 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. He also had four sisters, Phyllis VanDerwerker (Douglas-deceased), Jeannie Winkler, Debra (deceased) and her husband Charley Brodie, and Victoria Myers.  He is also survived by a special brother-in law and sister-in-law, Roger and Beverly Erway, by a special aunt Betty Gage Hoffman and by his good friends Jim Gage and Theresa Scott, Bill Young and Carol Key.

A celebration of Dennis’ life will be 1-4 p.m. Saturday Nov. 2 at the Cherry Valley Fire Station, 11 Railroad Ave., Cherry Valley. All are welcome!