A night of film and music at The Stissing Center
Kevin May, left, and Mike Lynch of The Guggenheim Grotto.
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Clayton Squire Smith
Dec 17, 2025
LAKEVILLE — Lifelong Lakeville resident, Clayton Squire Smith, 90, passed away peacefully on Nov. 24, 2025, at Noble Horizons in Salisbury, enveloped in the love of his attentive, tight-knit family.
Born on Dec. 16, 1936, in Sharon Hospital, Clayton was the son of Harold M. and Evelyn K. (Meiklejohn) Smith, both educators, of Lakeville,
Clayton was known for his sharp mind, gentle temperament, and lifelong curiosity. He had a deep interest in nature, history, meteorology, and data analysis; passions that reflected his inquisitive spirit and keen observations of the world around him.
After graduating from Salisbury School in 1954, Clayton went on to receive a BA in History from the University of Connecticut in 1958. With a strong acumen for analyzing data and attention to detail, Clayton furthered his education to become a nationally certified laboratory technologist, enabling him to secure a job as a lab technologist at Sharon Hospital, a position he held for 30+ years.
As a young boy, Clayton enjoyed annual summer vacations with his family to their lakeside cottage in Winthrop, Maine. With a desire to pass on the tradition of cherished, nature-filled experiences, Clayton took his family on yearly oceanside camping trips to Rhode Island (among other places) and devoted an entire summer to travelling across the country, visiting as many national parks and historical landmarks as the season allowed.
Throughout his life Clayton thrived on peaceful, restorative activities: tending to his garden and property, observing nature (especially birds), and listening to classical music from his carefully curated collection.
More recently, Clayton enjoyed a satisfying social life at Noble Horizons. His favorite outings included excursions to restaurants, ice cream parlors, and local historical sites. Back on campus, Clayton looked forward to attending musical and cultural events, participating in still-life painting classes, winning at Bingo, and sharing laughs and daily meals with his dear friends, Martha Eustis, Peter Reyelt, Joe Soper, and Sally Pohlemus.
Clayton is predeceased by his wife Cynthia “Cindy” of 53 years with whom he built a forever home on an idyllic, family-oriented street. He is survived by his son Darren Smith of Salisbury, his incredibly devoted sister Marion Romeo and her husband Fred of Lakeville,niece Susan Romeo of West Cornwall, niece Deanne (Romeo) and husband Jim Lyle of Sharon, niece Lori Romeo and husband Norman Leighty of Goshen, nephew David Romeo and his wife Suzanne of Quincy, Massachusetts, as well as two cousins, four grand nephews, and two grand nieces.
Clayton was admired for his kindness, gentle strength, and unwavering loyalty to those he loved. He was a steady presence to friends, neighbors, and all who knew him. His warm smile and thoughtful conversations will be remembered with great affection.
Our heartfelt appreciation goes to the staff and administration at Noble Horizons for their compassionate and tender care, especially during his final days.
In lieu of flowers, Clayton’s family invites you to honor his memory by stepping out of your comfort zone to help someone in need.
A celebration of Clayton’s life will be held in the new year at the Noble Horizon chapel. Ryan Funeral Home in Lakeville is in care of the arrangements. To offer an online condolence, please visit ryanfhct.com
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Murders in the Caribbean
Dec 17, 2025
On Sept. 2 of this year, a fishing boat propelled by an outboard motor was attacked by a missile from an American helicopter overhead. The boat was demolished as were nine of its eleven member crew. Two members of the crew remained alive, floating in the water. Within a few minutes, the helicopter returned with another missile to kill the two survivors.
The U.S. government reported the incident saying that it was an authorized attack intended to stop the importation of banned drugs into the US by a “narco-terrorist ‘“ nation, in this case Venezuela. This incident was not an isolated event and was followed by dozens more over the next few months. President Trump spoke enthusiastically about the attacks, describing them as a part of our “war on drugs” and indicated that they might well be followed by future attacks on land. He seemed oblivious to the law that only Congress has the right to declare war and had not done so.
In the many lethal attacks on small boats that followed, no proof was ever offered that they were carrying drugs; the boats,their crews and any cargo were destroyed. Some experts have suggested that the September 2nd boat with its crew of eleven men wouldn’t have had space for a regular shipment of drugs.
In his many remarks on the matter, the President claimed that most of the illicit drugs entering the country, especially fentanyl, the most dangerous, were coming in by sea from South and Central America; actually, fentanyl largely arrives by land from Chinese sources via Mexico. The small boats in the Caribbean were probably transporting cocaine, if any drugs, with most of it going to other countries. Were President Trump really so distressed by cocaine traffic into the US, why would he have just issued a pardon to the former Honduran President who had recently been sentenced here for operating a very large international cocaine drug trafficking business?
Combating the international drug trade is an excuse for other Trump ventures south of the border. Perhaps it’s exercising military power in the mode of the Monroe Doctrine. Many notable observers (including The Lakeville Journal’s columnist Bill Schmick’s article 12/4/25) think that taking control of Venezuela’s enormous fossil fuel reserves might be Trump’s main goal.
But overthrowing Maduro’s government and controlling a replacement Venezuelan government might be very difficult for Trump to manage. The U.S. boarding and takeover of a giant Venezuelan oil tanker left us wondering if war might be around the corner, even more so if Trump decides to attack Columbia which he has threatened as well. Stay tuned!
Most commentators of late have been focused on the second strike of the September 2 attack where the two helpless individuals floating alive in the sea were killed. According to numerous military experts such a killing would be illegal in either a civilian or military context. If so, the question remains: who is responsible? Admiral Frank Bradley, the Commander of the overall mission?Secretary Hegseth?, the officer firing the missiles?, someone else?
As the recent video by six members of Congress made clear, a member of the military is not obliged to follow an illegal order; it’s right there in the Uniform Code of Military Justice But is a private in the Army going to tell a high ranking commanding officer that he won’t follow the officer’s order, that it’s illegal?
In this case nobody seems to want to take the responsibility. Hegseth, who has lately gone out of his way to demonstrate his machismo, recently told a gathering of military officers at Quantico that “it was time to take the gloves off ”.
Perhaps because he remains invulnerable to legal discipline because of his Supreme Court grant of immunity,President Trump has been lately left out of the public discussion regarding responsibility for the September 2nd attack and the killings. But this whole conflict, with its two dozen attacks and more than 82 killings of supposed “enemy combatants” is Trump’s doing. Like Hegseth he may not have been right there in the attack helicopter to give the order to fire.But he planned the overall campaign while letting subordinates receive any blame.
President Trump’s use of the military in the Caribbean has much in common with his sending of troops into American cities. Describing several of our foremost cities as “war zones”, he has used his own inaccurate characterizations of Washington, Chicago, Portland, Los Angeles and other cities as justification for sending in troops that the mayors and governors of these places have told him were, not needed and not wanted. In both the Caribbean and in US cities, Trump has concoctedridiculous excuses for illegal and provocativeincursions. Our cities are not “burning to the ground” as Trump publicly claimed to be the case.
We are on the wrong track if we continue to view the September 2nd attack as a military matter focused solely on the killing of the two men in the water. The Pentagon has admitted to more than twenty-two similar attacks on small boats and suggested that they killed at least eighty individuals.
What we know so far, prior to a serious Senate investigation, is that SecretaryHegseth,, Admiral Bradley and possibly others all have much to answer for; and so does President Trump who initiated and set in motion this whole shameful enterprise.
Architect and landscape designer Mac Gordon lives in Lakeville.
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The following excerpts from The Millerton News were compiled by Kathleen Spahn and Rhiannon Leo-Jameson of the North East-Millerton Library.
December 20, 1934
Christmas Baskets To Be Distributed Monday By Auxiliary Of Legion
Needy families of the Community are to be made happy Monday when the Millerton American Legion Auxiliary will distribute Christmas baskets. The baskets will contain an ample Christmas dinner, and toys, books and candy for the children. Mrs. C. M. B. Williams, president of the unit, has requested that all members meet at the Post rooms Sunday afternoon at 2 o’clock to pack baskets, wrap gifts and perform other similar tasks.
Falling With Gun, Boy Shot
Falling down stairs while carrying a rifle, Martin Palmer, 16, son of Mr. and Mrs. Russell Palmer of John Street, accidentally shot himself in the left leg at about 12:30 Р. М. Tuesday when the gun exploded, the bullet embedding itself in the depth of the shin bone just below the knee.
Dr. Gilbert S. Tabor was summoned and after administering first aid he ordered the boy moved to Sharon Hospital where X-ray pictures were taken. According to Dr. Tabor, the seriousness of his condition will be determined by response of the wound to treatment. An operation for removal of the bullet will not be necessary unless infection sets in, Dr. Tabor said.
Petition Asks State to Rebuild Route 22
A petition seeking reconstruction of the portion of State Route 22 lying in Dutchess County is being circulated among the citizens of villages and towns in the Harlem Valley.
December 18, 1975
Harlem Line Backers Make Last-Ditch Rescue Try
Railroad supporters have reached the final trench in an effort to preserve and improve the entire Harlem Division of the bankrupt Penn Central Railroad.
Unpaid Water Bills Irk Village Board
The Village of Millerton has a problem with people who do not pay their water bill and the Village Trustees discussed how to resolve it at their Thursday, Dec. 11, meeting.
Mayor John Hermans reported that 12 persons had delinquent water bills dating back to October and the largest was for $62.61. “They are the hardcore. They just won’t pay,” said Hermans, who also noted, “These people have been notified so many times.” The total Village water billing in October was $11,775.85.
December 14, 2000
Cell Phone Service Still Elusive in Millerton
MILLERTON — Everyone who has tried to use a cell phone within the village of Millerton and the surrounding area recently knows making calls from here is still next to impossible.
There is no service yet, despite Cellular One’s initial estimated completion date of Nov. 25 for cellular facilities atop the village water tower on Highland Avenue.
The company has been working to get cellular service to the village since mid-October, and may be completed soon. The building is up and the cables are laid. But as of now, there are no antennas to be seen atop the water tower.
Cellular One plans to place three 9-foot antennas atop the newly painted water tower in order to bring service to local areas that cannot be reached by the Silver Mountain tower. A fourth antenna may be needed, depending upon the strength of the nearest signal, in this case, from a Cellular One tower in nearby Connecticut.
Village Mayor Michael Cawley is pleased with the progress of the tower, and is glad Cellular One chose to bring service to Millerton, for there is an “immense need for cellular service,” he said.
Mayor Cawley also sang the praises of the Cellular One employees who have been working on this project:
“The Cellular One people have been perfect gentlemen. They have bent over backwards to accommodate us.”
North East Board Gives Soccer League a Raise
MILLERTON - Since the Webutuck Valley Youth Soccer League (WVYSL) was incorporated as a non- profit organization about two years ago, the town of North East has contracted with the program to provide monetary support.
After an informative presentation outlining the program and its budget by Mr. McCaffrey and Gary Murphy, the board recognized the league’s importance to the community, and offered to increase the contract’s amount by $250.
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Woodcrafts for a cause
Thanks to the Millerton News for the excellent coverage of the 2025 Woodcrafts for a Cause fundraiser and to everyone who came to support the sale. Our appreciation also goes to the Board of the Irondale Schoolhouse for the use of the building and to the Millerton Business Alliance for including the event on the Festival of Lights activity calendar.
All money raised will go to Grow Against Poverty’s education programs in Busia County, Kenya including “Pedal Power for Kenyan Education”, “Green Fields” and “Prevent Period Poverty”. These programs are helping over a thousand students attend school, learn, eat well and graduate.
John and Jean Roccanova
Ancramdale
Thanks to shoppers
The directors of the Salisbury Winter Sports Association would like to thank all of those who donated, purchased and attended our annual Ski and Skate Sale this past weekend.
We also greatly appreciate the use of the space that the Lakeville Hose Company allows us to use and their continued support for our community organizations.
Ken Barker
President
Salisbury Winter Sports Association
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