Retired U.S. Navy Master Chief Petty Officer Stephen Buski, 82, of 8300 Jolima Ave., Norfolk, VA. died Saturday, Feb. 5, 2011 at his residence.   He was a native of Phoenixville, Pa., and was the son of the late Frank and Bertha Urban Bachkai.   He was preceded in death by his son, Michael F. Buski.

Mr. Buski retired from the United States Navy after 23 years service both as a "surface skimmer" and a "bubble head".   He was a SVWWII Life Member and a veteran of the Korean War.   Following his military career, he was employed for 17 years with the United States Civil Service at NAVSEACENLANT, Submarine Division, and later for five years with Invitro.   He graduated with two associate's degrees from Tidewater Community College and currently worked at its Math Lab at the Norfolk Campus and concurrently was pursuing his engineering degree at Old Dominion University.   He was a Roman Catholic and an active member of St. Pius X Catholic Church for more than 50 years.   He was a member of its men's club and was a volunteer at many spaghetti dinners and Navy breakfasts.   He was a former Scout Master with the Boy Scouts of America Troop No. 381 and was active in Master Gardeners of Norfolk, Fleet Reserve Branch No. 60 and the Knights of Columbus, Ocean View No. 3548 Council.   He was an Officer of Elections for the City of Norfolk, Bayview precinct.

Joe (Harold Joseph) Funke Jr., was born on July 12, 1938, to Esther Grace (Gilbert) Funke and Harold Joseph Funke, Sr., in Bremerton, Washington. Raised in a Navy family, he followed in his father’s footsteps, making the Navy his career as well.   As a junior in high school, Joe was sworn into the Naval Reserve in Seattle, WA, by his father, Harold Joseph Funke, Sr.

Joe enlisted in the United States Navy on August 10, 1955, and served aboard and qualified in Submarines onboard: USS Chivo (SS-341), USS Cobbler (SS-344), USS Skipjack (SSN-585), served as COB (Chief of the Boat): USS Seahorse (SSN-669), and the USS Cavalla (SSN-684).   Joe Retired from Commander Submarine Force Pacific (COMSUBPAC) Staff after attaining the rank: TMCM (SS).

After retiring from the Navy, Joe went on to work for General Dynamics/Electric Boat, doing logistics report analysis for the USS Trident Submarine.   He retired from there in 2003.   Joe and Linda Beverly (Cronkhite) were united in marriage August 29, 2009.   They were meant to be together from the first time they met, and their time together was very special.   Joe brought goodness and humor into the lives of all his many friends and family.   We are blessed to have had him in our lives.

He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), the Tri-State Navy Chief’s Association (serving as president), and the Sub Vets Association of Groton, CT.   A memorial service will begin at 1:00 pm Saturday February 5th at St. Mark's Lutheran Church.

Kenneth Arthur Willard, 67, of Limington, passed away unexpectedly on Dec. 19, 2010, at Maine Medical Center, with his loving family by his side.   Ken was born in Lewiston on Aug. 14, 1943, the son of Dwight B. and Arline G. Willard.   He grew up in Turner, graduating from Leavitt Institute in 1961, where he played football and baseball.   Following high school, Ken attended the University of Maine in Orono for one year before enlisting in the United States Navy.   During his enlistment, from 1962 to 1966, Ken served aboard the submarines USS Angler and USS Chivo, where he acquired his electrical training.   Ken was awarded the National Defense Service Medal during his tenure.   After an honorable discharge from the United States Navy, he returned to Maine as an electrical instructor at CMVTI.   After obtaining his Masters Electricians License in 1972, Ken established KW Electric, an independent electrical contracting business, located in Turner.   In 1994, Ken became a partner in North Emergency Services, an electrical and plumbing business, based in Westbrook.   Following his self employment, Ken joined Wayne J. Griffin Electric Inc. in Holliston, Mass. in 1997.   For the past eight years, Ken continued to work as the District Electrician for MSAD #6, where he originally met his beloved wife, Susanne R. Willard, of 25 years.   Ken was an avid hunter and a lifelong member of the North American Hunting Club, National Rifle Association and the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine.

Ken is survived by wife, Susanne; daughter Kristen L. Willard of New Hampshire, daughter Janet L. Howe and soon to be son-in-law, Christopher McMahon of Maine, son Kenneth M. Willard and Wife Wendy of Connecticut; sister Pamela R. Gage and husband Bud Gage of Florida; and many grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins.   Family and friends are invited to a time of visitation and celebration on Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2010, from 4-6 p.m., with services and gathering to follow at Independent Death Care of Maine at 660 Brighton Ave., in Portland.

YNC(SS)   Earl H. Kelley   (1962 -1964)

departed December 1, 2010.

Ann and Earl Kelley

at our reunion in 2001

Bill G. Elrod, 68, passed away at his home on September 20, 2010.   He was born in Atlanta, Ga. on May 7, 1942 to the late Gordon Floyd and Mary "Savannah" (Gore) Elrod.   He married Dorothy (Gorman) Elrod on May 24, 2008 in South Windsor, CT.

Bill retired from the U.S. Navy after 25 years of service.   He served on the USS Scorpion, USS Chivo, USS Jack, and USS Cavalla as a Chief Sonar Technician, and USS Billfish and USS Dallas as Chief of the Boat.   He was one of the lone survivors of the USS Scorpion which was sunk in 1968.   After retiring from the Navy, Bill went on to work for Sonalysts, Tracor, Amgraph and retired from Electric Boat in 2007.   He was a member of the Masons and the Submarine Veteran's Club.   Bill attended our most recent reunion in 2009, and he was an active volunteer mailing out Chivo newsletters to his shipmates.

Admiral LeRoy Collins, Jr., executive director of the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs, was killed Thursday, July 29, 2010, when he was hit by a driver while riding his bike in Tampa.   He was 75.   Collins, the son of former Florida Gov. LeRoy Collins, was crossing a street when he was hit by an SUV just before 7 a.m.   Collins had a home on Davis Islands in the Tampa area.   He is survived by his wife, the former Jane Sisson of Tampa, two daughters, two sons and eight grandchildren.

Gov. Charlie Crist, who appointed the retired Navy and Navy Reserve admiral to head up the state’s veterans affairs agency, announced Collins’ death during a Cabinet meeting.   "The Collins family in Florida is synonymous with public service," said Crist.   "It’s a tremendous loss, and a great sadness."   Crist later requested that all flags at the Capitol, Veterans Affairs buildings, and all state buildings, courthouses and city halls in Hillsborough County be lowered to half-staff.

Collins ran for U.S. Senate in 2006, but lost in the Republican primary to then-U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris.

Collins’ father was a legendary liberal Democrat, who was governor from 1955 to 1961 and was one of the few early white advocates of civil rights in the South.   But the younger Collins had been a Republican for more than two decades.   In 2006, when he was running for Senate, Collins recalled that his father "gave me hell" when he switched to the GOP, after feeling like the Democratic Party no longer represented his beliefs.   During that campaign, the younger Collins told the St. Petersburg Times that he thought his father, who died in 1991, would likely have remained a Democrat, but had beliefs closer to the modern Republican Party.

After Collins’ death Thursday lots of praise flowed from several quarters.   Attorney General Bill McCollum, who also learned of his death during the Cabinet meeting, called Collins an "exceptional public servant" and noted that he moved from serving the country in the Navy to working for veterans in state government. "He dedicated his life to public service," McCollum said.   "He’s going to be missed."   McCollum suggested that a new veterans home in St. Augustine be named for Collins.

AARP Acting State Director Jeff Johnson said Collins played a major role in getting a new veterans’ hospital in Orlando as well, and noted that at his death, Collins was the oldest currently serving secretary of a state agency.   "With the death of Adm. LeRoy Collins Jr., Floridians have lost a leader and advocate who worked effectively on behalf of older veterans," Johnson said.

"Admiral Collins’ awful and unexpected passing is extremely upsetting to so many Floridians who share in this tragic loss," said Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, the chairman of the state Republican Party.   "Like his mother and father before him, Admiral Collins truly embodied a life of service to others.   From his decorated service in the United States Navy and Naval Reserve and respected career as a businessman, to his advocacy for and representation of our state’s veteran population, their families and survivors, Admiral Collins lived an exceptional story that will always have a place in both the history of our great state and in the hearts of all who knew him."

George "Russian" Yevchinecz passed away Saturday night about midnight.   George spent ten years as an engineman on diesel boats and then became an American Airlines pilot on international air routes for many years.   George and his wife, Louise, attended our reunions in 2001, 2003, and 2005.

In 2005 George donated this really beautiful, large Chivo model that we have raffled off at every reunion since then.   George asked that his donation be anonymous, but I think that now the crew should know just how generous he was.   Raffling that model at each reunion has raised over a thousand dollars for our reunion fund.   We will long remember George and his generosity.

Michael Lee Gore departed peacefully on eternal patrol while surrounded by his family on Tuesday, May 11, 2010, at the age of 72 after a courageous five-year fight with multiple health problems. Funeral Mass: 10 a.m. Friday at Most Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 2100 N. Davis Drive, Arlington. Interment: Michael's cremains will be interred at a later date in the St. Maria Goretti Cremains Garden. Vigil: 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the church. Memorials: In lieu of flowers, donations to Mission Arlington will be sincerely appreciated. Mike was born in Shelbyville, Ind., on Aug. 13, 1937, to James and Catherine Gore. The Gore family relocated to Arlington when Mike was just 4. He graduated in 1955 from Laneri Catholic High School, from which he still maintains many friendships.  Much to his mother's dismay, Mike then joined the U.S. Navy where he served for three years, 10 months and 11 days, as he liked to tell others. He qualified for submarine service, serving on the USS Chivo (SS-341).

Following his discharge from the service, Mike attended Arlington State College for three years and then received a marketing degree from North Texas State University. Securing the first step in his career prior to finishing college, Mike joined IBM's office supply division, selling a product that some might remember as a typewriter. After five years with IBM, Mike joined Merrill Lynch, from where he retired in 1999 as an assistant vice president and financial consultant. In 1964 he married Bonnie Sue Beebe, Miss Arlington of 1962. She was his beloved wife for 45 years.

If you were not onboard Chivo with Mike, you may still remember him and Bonnie from our 2001 and 2003 reunions. Mike was a good shipmate and he will be missed.

Angelo Cerchia, 78, of Fairmount, NY passed away 11/27/2009 at home with his family by his side.   Born in Seneca Falls, NY, he was a U.S. Navy veteran of the Korean War era and served as a chef aboard a submarine.   He attended SUNY Morrisville and the University of Georgia.   He was a food researcher for Borden Foods.   Angelo then worked as an inspector with the NYS Dept. of Agriculture & Markets for over 20 years.   He loved spending time with his children and grandchildren.