Richard J. Vreeland

     Richard "Dick" "Deacon" Vreeland, age 95, a lifelong resident of 

 Otisville, N.Y., died on Wednesday, November 22, 2017, in his beloved home 

 surrounded by his family.  Dick was born on September 2, 1922, in 

Otisville, NY, to Anna Mae (Mitchell) and Reuben B. Vreeland

     A 1939 graduate of Otisville High School, Dick played basketball and 

 baseball for OHS and was the Orange County Basketball Free Throw champion.

     Dick served in the United States Army from December 1942 until 

 December 1945 and was forever proud of his military service.  Dick 

 landed on Utah Beach in the D Day invasion of Normandy during World 

 War II and continued to see action during the Battle of the Bulge and 

 4 other major battles until the war ended.  Dick was assigned to the 

 195th Field Artillery and was awarded 5 Battle Campaign Stars for his 

 service during the Great War.

      Dick was a dairy farmer as well as being employed by New York State as 

 a plant superintendent in Otisville, Newark, NY and Kings Park, NY.  

He served as the Mt. Hope Building inspector and coached the Cubs in 

 the Otisville Little League.  He was a member of the Black Brook Rod 

 and Gun Club,  Otisville Legion post and the Middletown Elks.  Dick 

 was a breeder of champion fox hounds and won a multitude of field 

 trials in New York state and Canada.   There was never a time in 

 Dick's life when he didn't have a dog, several dogs! Throughout his 

 life he was an outdoorsman, an avid deer hunter, dog lover, bowler, expert tomato and corn grower,  card player, cook, wood cutter, fisherman, BBQ master and loved nothing more than traveling to his upstate camp in Gray, NY, 

a party, a drink with anyone who stopped by to visit,  a cookout on the front lawn with friends and family, "breaking bread".

       Dick is survived by his four children, Laranell (Larri) Jarosz and her 

 husband Ray of Middletown , Carl Richard (Rick) Vreeland and wife 

 Julie of Otisville, Debbie Vreeland of Belfry, Montana and David 

 Vreeland and wife Dianne of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, his sister 

 Dorothy M. Bedford of Salisbury, NC, grandchildren Ray Jarosz, David 

 (Lori) and Chris (Ali) Vreeland, Jennifer (Neil) Yager, and Travis 

 (Sarah) and Corey (Jessica) Vreeland as well as 10 great grandchildren, nieces 

  and a nephew and his dog, Belle (Sweetie).  In addition to his parents Dick was predeceased by his wife Audrey K. Vreeland and his brother Edwin D. Vreeland.

      Visitation will be held from 3 to 6 pm on Sunday, November 26th at the 

 Cornelius, Dodd and Connell Funeral Home, 26 Grove Street, Middletown, NY. 

Graveside Services will be held at 11 AM Monday, November 27th at the Orange County Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 111 Craigville Road, Goshen, NY with military honors. 

   Memorial contributions in Dick's memory may be made to Hospice of Orange & Sullivan Counties Inc., 800 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, NY 12550.

    Heartfelt thanks to the incredible caregivers of Hospice, Heather, Jessica, Tricia and Tiffany, to the Rollins and Shapiro families, and to Lana who made it possible for Dick to spend his final days in his home as he wished.

    Arrangements have been entrusted to the Cornelius, Dodd & Connell Funeral Home, Middletown, NY. 

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