Assembly Resolution No. 179
BY: M. of A. Angelino
CONGRATULATING Clarence Zurn upon the occasion of
celebrating his 100th Birthday
WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to commemorate
and recognize certain milestones celebrated by citizens of this great
Empire State; and
WHEREAS, Senior citizens bring a wealth of experience and knowledge
to the increasingly active roles they play in today's society; their
past contributions and future participation are a vital part of, and
valuable asset to, the fabric of community life and activity; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
congratulate Clarence Zurn upon the occasion of his 100th Birthday,
celebrated with a surprise drive-by parade on Saturday, April 3, 2021,
at his home in Hancock, New York; and
WHEREAS, Clarence Zurn was born on April 7, 1921, in Johnson City,
New York, at what is now Wilson Medical Center, to dairy farmers
Clarence Cecil Zurn and Blanche Jenson Zurn, who worked for the Southern
Tier shoe manufacturer at the time; and
WHEREAS, At three years old, Clarence Zurn and his family moved to
the French Woods area of the Town of Hancock, where he and his brothers,
Charles and Elmer, spent their summer afternoons playing baseball; and
WHEREAS, Along with his brothers, Clarence Zurn attended a one-room
schoolhouse in Pea Brook, next to the cemetery and the Methodist church
the family attended on Sundays; he went on to graduate from Hancock
Central School in 1938; it would be nearly another decade before the
Zurn family home, now at the end of Silas Tompkins Road, was wired for
electricity; and
WHEREAS, Clarence Zurn and the former Leona Eunice Smith, the
daughter of another dairy farming family from just over the border in
Stockport, Pennsylvania, were united in marriage in 1952, and together
they raised their four children, Robert, Dennis, Peggy and Frederick, in
the same house his parents lived in; and
WHEREAS, Clarence Zurn lived through many of history's great
milestones throughout the 20th century, including the D-Day invasion at
Normandy, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin's first steps on the moon, and
the assassinations of countless political leaders; he can also recall
when the dirt road where he spent nearly 97 years of his life was
transformed from a horse-and-buggy path to a street, as well as the
development of state Route 17, necessitated in part by the midcentury
growth of Catskills tourism; and
WHEREAS, In 1986, Clarence Zurn retired his farming operation, which
by then had expanded to include cauliflower crops; he worked for several
years as a courier for the Callicoon Community Bank, ferrying
thousand-dollar bags of quarters between its five branches; and
WHEREAS, Furthermore, with a steadfast and unwavering commitment to
his community, Clarence Zurn served as Hancock Town Assessor from 1990
to 2010; and
WHEREAS, In his free time, Clarence Zurn enjoys hunting deer,
fishing in the Delaware River and reading; a fan of waltzes and polka,
he is an ardent admirer of American accordionist Lawrence Welk;
additionally, as his mobility allows, he continues to ride his tractor
and helps chop his own wood; and
WHEREAS, Clarence Zurn with his zest for life, has inspired and
enhanced the lives of his family and friends; and
WHEREAS, This distinguished man has experienced the incredible joys
and sorrows characteristic of and reserved for those with the stamina
and courage to savor a full life; and
WHEREAS, Clarence Zurn has enriched the lives of those around him
through his joyous and sincere love for others and through the quiescent
charm and wisdom which comes only from a fullness of years; and
WHEREAS, It is the intent of this Legislative Body to publicly
recognize those who have reached such a remarkable age and who have
witnessed and celebrated the innovations, cultural developments and
awesome achievements of this country during the last century, while
themselves contributing to the growth and excellence of this great
Empire State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
congratulate Clarence Zurn upon the occasion of celebrating his 100th
Birthday; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Clarence Zurn.
