Obituary of Mark M. Hairie

Mark M. “Harry” Hairie of Wurtsboro, a former chef at the Fallsview Hotel in Ellenville, passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 9, 2021 at the Garnet Health Medical Center in Middletown with his daughter by his side.

The son of the late Sinal and Jamila, he was born August 22, 1918 in Indonesia.  He was the widower of Katherine Seaman Hairie who predeceased him on September 24, 2018.

He left Indonesia when he was 14 to work on Dutch merchant ships. At the beginning of WWII his ship, the Dutch Boschfontein, transported members of the Flying Tigers to Burma. The Flying Tigers flew missions in China against the Japanese. The ship transported over 35,000 army troops, arms, and ammunition for the United States in the Pacific theater. After the war Harry, lived in San Francisco where he started his career as a chef. He learned his trade in San Francisco, New York City and Lakewood, New Jersey before settling in the Catskills.

In 1980, he and his wife Katherine opened a florist in Wurtsboro called Lynn’s Flowers named after their daughter.  Raising three generations of the family it was not just a business in a town, they became part of a family, a community friendship that lasted a lifetime.  In 2011 when they retired, their daughter Lynn and granddaughter Katelynn carried on their business and opened Flowers by Lynn located down the street from the original shop.  Forty plus years and there is still a family-owned florist in the Village of Wurtsboro today thanks to Harry and Katherine.

He is survived by his son: Leon & his wife Regina; two daughters: Adrienne Roane & her husband Demetri, and Lynn Manto & her husband Kevin; a stepson: George Simpson & his wife Michelle; 14 grandchildren; 19 great grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, and friends in both the United States and The Netherlands. He will be greatly missed by all.

In addition to his wife, he was predeceased by sons: Jeff and Derrick; two grandsons: Killian & Kevin; and brothers & sisters in Indonesia and Netherlands.

Family & friends are invited to gather on Sunday, January 17 from 2:00 to 4:00pm at the VanInwegen-Kenny, Inc. Funeral Home, 111 Sullivan Street in Wurtsboro.  His funeral mass will be celebrated on Monday, January 18 at 10:30am at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 180 Sullivan Street in Wurtsboro with Fr. Peter Madori officiating. Due to the current health crisis, social distancing guidelines must be met - a limited number of people at one time will be allowed in the funeral home and at the church, and facemasks are required. Burial will follow at the Bloomingburg Rural Cemetery.

Flowers were very important to his family and are encouraged, however memorial contributions can also be made to St. Joseph’s Church, P.O. Box 277 Wurtsboro, NY  12790.

Arrangements under the direction of the VanInwegen-Kenny, Inc. Funeral Home of Wurtsboro. For additional information or to send an online condolence, please visit www.kennyfuneralhome.com .