William G. Middlestate, Sr., age 75, passed away Thursday morning, January 14, 2021 with his wife, Margaret and daughter, Trena beside him under comfort care at Lewis County General Hospital.
William (Bill) Gene Middlestate was born on January 17, 1945 in a farm house on Pillar Point on the Middle Road in the town of Brownville, NY, the third son of five to the late Ernest W. and Bernice I. Carter Middlestate.
Bill attended Dexter Elementary School and the Carthage Central High School until he enlisted in the United States Army on January 18, 1962 at the age of 17. He was stationed in Göppingen, Germany as a SP4 Co. A 144th Signal Battalion as a Radio Relay and Carrier Operator. He earned his rank as of E-4, he was discharged on January 7, 1965 and honorably discharged on December 31, 1967. He received the Good Conduct Medal and the Sharpshooter Rifle M-14 Medal. Bill and his two buddies, when on leave, toured Paris, Holland, and the countryside of Germany.
WATERTOWN â Perhaps the driving factor for why Robert A. Irvine continues to work as a crossing guard at 85 years old is because his late wife inspired him after they did it for so long just blocks from each other.
Mr. Irvine was married for 58 years to his wife Shirley. They were friends before dating, and he just called her one day. It all worked out from there, as he puts it.
Shirley was a crossing guard at the corner of Lansing and Hoard streets, while Mr. Irvine coordinated the mail at the New York Air Brake Corporation on Starbuck Avenue. They had children together, then got to meet their grandchildren, and he worked the mail for 36 years.