Schenevus Woman, One of Oldest in Central New York, Dies at 106

Ella M. Chase, 106, one of Otsego County’s oldest residents, passed away Feb. 20, 2020..  Ella was born Oct. 7, 1913 in Oneonta, the daughter of Burton and Margarett (Thayer) Miller.

She attended Oneonta High School for three years, then graduated from Laurens Central School. Ella was a member of Elm Park United Methodist Church in Oneonta and she worked at Scintilla in Sidney.

On Sept. 12, 1937 she married Norman Allen in Oneonta. They moved to Norwich in 1950. She was employed by Woolworth’s in the 1950s. Ella had a gifted talent for knitting beautiful sweaters. In 1962, her husband Norman passed away. She then worked at the Sears Catalog office.

In 1967, she married Carlton Alcott in Schenevus. While living in Schenevus she attended the United Methodist Church. She began working at JC Penney in Oneonta, where she was the catalog supervisor. She was predeceased by Carlton in 1978.

Ella married Willard Chase on December 27, 1981 at the Second Baptist Church in Worcester and has been a member there since. On May 30, 1993 her husband, Willard passed away.

Ella is survived by her daughter, Marie Allen; grandchildren, twins, Jenny Decker (Dan Markowski) and Scott and his wife, Jennifer Decker, and Ann and her husband, Guy Miller; 5 great-grandchildren; 1 great-great grandchild; stepsons, Jim (Gail) Alcott and Sidney (Dorelle) Chase and their families; and one niece, Peggy Spears and family.

She was predeceased by her sister, Gladys Tessitor; a niece, Anna; a nephew, Burt and 5 stepsons.

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