ONEIDA >> Arthur James Tooke, Sr. died peacefully at his home at the age of 88, three weeks shy of his 89th birthday, with his family at his side on Feb. 26, 2015 from a short illness.
Art was born in Pennsylvania, but moved to Central New York at an early age and spent 85 years in the area. He was a respected, well-known figure throughout the Oneida community, having owned/operated a newspaper distribution franchise for Syracuse Newspapers for 32 years and having worked as a school bus driver for Oneida City School District for 25 years until his retirement at the age of 65. Earlier in his career, he worked for Oneida Silversmiths in Sherrill, N.Y.
Art met Leota May Palmer at the age of 14, but after dating for a few years, joined the Army and was shipped to Germany to fight in WWII. After receiving an honorable discharge from the Army in 1946 at the rank of Sergeant, he asked Leota to marry him and they were married on Valentine's Day in 1947 -- they remained married for 64 years until Leota's passing in 2011. Art was a generous person, and after his parents died, he took in five of his brothers and sisters to come live with him and Leota, without hesitation, even though they had two sons aged 2 and 4 at the time and were just beginning their own life together. He continued to be generous throughout his lifetime, always taking care of his family.
As an avid horse enthusiast, Art raised, trained, and raced horses for over 40 years. For many years during the 1960s and 70s, he was a common presence at Vernon Downs as well as other racetracks throughout New York State. He trained and raced many horses, including his beloved Battle Duke, and passed that love down to his daughter and several grandchildren, who continue to raise and ride horses.
While Art and Leota's primary residence was in Oneida, N.Y. since 1958 and previously in Canastota, they spent many years at Hinckley Lake and in the 1980s purchased land and built a log home on the lake. Art and his family built the home themselves and continue to use the home today.
Always quick with a joke, a smile, or a helping hand, Arthur Tooke will be greatly missed by his family and friends alike. Surviving Art are four married children: his son Arthur Jr. and wife, Virginia; his son Weslie and wife, Betty Jane; his daughter Cathleen Rogers; and his son Ken and wife, Simone. Art also leaves 12 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren, as well as three brothers (Ronald, William, and Roger) and one sister (Helen Mennig). Art was predeceased by his wife, Leota; his son, Gary; his son-in-law, Scott Rogers, and a great-grandson, Devin, as well as four brothers and three sisters.
To celebrate Art's life, the family will hold calling hours on Monday, March 2 from 2-5 p.m. at the Coolican-McSweeney Funeral Home at 322 Washington Ave. in Oneida, N.Y. A funeral service will follow at the funeral home with the Rev. Brian Fellows, pastor of St. Paul's United Methodist Church, officiating. Spring interment will take place in Walnut Grove Cemetery, Wampsville.
Art was born in Pennsylvania, but moved to Central New York at an early age and spent 85 years in the area. He was a respected, well-known figure throughout the Oneida community, having owned/operated a newspaper distribution franchise for Syracuse Newspapers for 32 years and having worked as a school bus driver for Oneida City School District for 25 years until his retirement at the age of 65. Earlier in his career, he worked for Oneida Silversmiths in Sherrill, N.Y.
Art met Leota May Palmer at the age of 14, but after dating for a few years, joined the Army and was shipped to Germany to fight in WWII. After receiving an honorable discharge from the Army in 1946 at the rank of Sergeant, he asked Leota to marry him and they were married on Valentine's Day in 1947 -- they remained married for 64 years until Leota's passing in 2011. Art was a generous person, and after his parents died, he took in five of his brothers and sisters to come live with him and Leota, without hesitation, even though they had two sons aged 2 and 4 at the time and were just beginning their own life together. He continued to be generous throughout his lifetime, always taking care of his family.
As an avid horse enthusiast, Art raised, trained, and raced horses for over 40 years. For many years during the 1960s and 70s, he was a common presence at Vernon Downs as well as other racetracks throughout New York State. He trained and raced many horses, including his beloved Battle Duke, and passed that love down to his daughter and several grandchildren, who continue to raise and ride horses.
While Art and Leota's primary residence was in Oneida, N.Y. since 1958 and previously in Canastota, they spent many years at Hinckley Lake and in the 1980s purchased land and built a log home on the lake. Art and his family built the home themselves and continue to use the home today.
Always quick with a joke, a smile, or a helping hand, Arthur Tooke will be greatly missed by his family and friends alike. Surviving Art are four married children: his son Arthur Jr. and wife, Virginia; his son Weslie and wife, Betty Jane; his daughter Cathleen Rogers; and his son Ken and wife, Simone. Art also leaves 12 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren, as well as three brothers (Ronald, William, and Roger) and one sister (Helen Mennig). Art was predeceased by his wife, Leota; his son, Gary; his son-in-law, Scott Rogers, and a great-grandson, Devin, as well as four brothers and three sisters.
To celebrate Art's life, the family will hold calling hours on Monday, March 2 from 2-5 p.m. at the Coolican-McSweeney Funeral Home at 322 Washington Ave. in Oneida, N.Y. A funeral service will follow at the funeral home with the Rev. Brian Fellows, pastor of St. Paul's United Methodist Church, officiating. Spring interment will take place in Walnut Grove Cemetery, Wampsville.
ONEIDA >> Arthur James Tooke, Sr. died peacefully at his home at the age of 88, three weeks shy of his 89th birthday, with his family at his side on Feb. 26, 2015 from a short illness.
Art was born in Pennsylvania, but moved to Central New York at an early age and spent 85 years in the area. He was a respected, well-known figure throughout the Oneida community, having owned/operated a newspaper distribution franchise for Syracuse Newspapers for 32 years and having worked as a school bus driver for Oneida City School District for 25 years until his retirement at the age of 65. Earlier in his career, he worked for Oneida Silversmiths in Sherrill, N.Y.
Art met Leota May Palmer at the age of 14, but after dating for a few years, joined the Army and was shipped to Germany to fight in WWII. After receiving an honorable discharge from the Army in 1946 at the rank of Sergeant, he asked Leota to marry him and they were married on Valentine's Day in 1947 -- they remained married for 64 years until Leota's passing in 2011. Art was a generous person, and after his parents died, he took in five of his brothers and sisters to come live with him and Leota, without hesitation, even though they had two sons aged 2 and 4 at the time and were just beginning their own life together. He continued to be generous throughout his lifetime, always taking care of his family.
As an avid horse enthusiast, Art raised, trained, and raced horses for over 40 years. For many years during the 1960s and 70s, he was a common presence at Vernon Downs as well as other racetracks throughout New York State. He trained and raced many horses, including his beloved Battle Duke, and passed that love down to his daughter and several grandchildren, who continue to raise and ride horses.
While Art and Leota's primary residence was in Oneida, N.Y. since 1958 and previously in Canastota, they spent many years at Hinckley Lake and in the 1980s purchased land and built a log home on the lake. Art and his family built the home themselves and continue to use the home today.
Always quick with a joke, a smile, or a helping hand, Arthur Tooke will be greatly missed by his family and friends alike. Surviving Art are four married children: his son Arthur Jr. and wife, Virginia; his son Weslie and wife, Betty Jane; his daughter Cathleen Rogers; and his son Ken and wife, Simone. Art also leaves 12 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren, as well as three brothers (Ronald, William, and Roger) and one sister (Helen Mennig). Art was predeceased by his wife, Leota; his son, Gary; his son-in-law, Scott Rogers, and a great-grandson, Devin, as well as four brothers and three sisters.
To celebrate Art's life, the family will hold calling hours on Monday, March 2 from 2-5 p.m. at the Coolican-McSweeney Funeral Home at 322 Washington Ave. in Oneida, N.Y. A funeral service will follow at the funeral home with the Rev. Brian Fellows, pastor of St. Paul's United Methodist Church, officiating. Spring interment will take place in Walnut Grove Cemetery, Wampsville.
Art was born in Pennsylvania, but moved to Central New York at an early age and spent 85 years in the area. He was a respected, well-known figure throughout the Oneida community, having owned/operated a newspaper distribution franchise for Syracuse Newspapers for 32 years and having worked as a school bus driver for Oneida City School District for 25 years until his retirement at the age of 65. Earlier in his career, he worked for Oneida Silversmiths in Sherrill, N.Y.
Art met Leota May Palmer at the age of 14, but after dating for a few years, joined the Army and was shipped to Germany to fight in WWII. After receiving an honorable discharge from the Army in 1946 at the rank of Sergeant, he asked Leota to marry him and they were married on Valentine's Day in 1947 -- they remained married for 64 years until Leota's passing in 2011. Art was a generous person, and after his parents died, he took in five of his brothers and sisters to come live with him and Leota, without hesitation, even though they had two sons aged 2 and 4 at the time and were just beginning their own life together. He continued to be generous throughout his lifetime, always taking care of his family.
As an avid horse enthusiast, Art raised, trained, and raced horses for over 40 years. For many years during the 1960s and 70s, he was a common presence at Vernon Downs as well as other racetracks throughout New York State. He trained and raced many horses, including his beloved Battle Duke, and passed that love down to his daughter and several grandchildren, who continue to raise and ride horses.
While Art and Leota's primary residence was in Oneida, N.Y. since 1958 and previously in Canastota, they spent many years at Hinckley Lake and in the 1980s purchased land and built a log home on the lake. Art and his family built the home themselves and continue to use the home today.
Always quick with a joke, a smile, or a helping hand, Arthur Tooke will be greatly missed by his family and friends alike. Surviving Art are four married children: his son Arthur Jr. and wife, Virginia; his son Weslie and wife, Betty Jane; his daughter Cathleen Rogers; and his son Ken and wife, Simone. Art also leaves 12 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren, as well as three brothers (Ronald, William, and Roger) and one sister (Helen Mennig). Art was predeceased by his wife, Leota; his son, Gary; his son-in-law, Scott Rogers, and a great-grandson, Devin, as well as four brothers and three sisters.
To celebrate Art's life, the family will hold calling hours on Monday, March 2 from 2-5 p.m. at the Coolican-McSweeney Funeral Home at 322 Washington Ave. in Oneida, N.Y. A funeral service will follow at the funeral home with the Rev. Brian Fellows, pastor of St. Paul's United Methodist Church, officiating. Spring interment will take place in Walnut Grove Cemetery, Wampsville.
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