Located in historic Spencer’s Corners in the Town of North East, 331 Merwin Road was built around 1820. It was a stopping off point on the Salisbury Turnpike and retains much of its period charm and details. The four-bedroom home sold for $545,000 above its listing price of $525,000.
MILLERTON — November transfers reflected an active real estate market in the Town of North East, with six sales recorded during the month, including two in the Village of Millerton. The average sale price was $588,000, and four of the transactions exceeded $500,000.
As of mid-December, inventory remained limited, with just 10 single-family homes on the market, priced between $125,000 and $11.75 million, along with 11 parcels of land listed for sale.
Transfers
37 Simmons St. — 3 bedroom/1 bath renovated ranch on .17 acres in the Village of Millerton sold to Jenna Marie Garofalo for $330,000.
19 Traver Place — 3 bedroom/2.5 bath ranch in the Village of Millerton on 1.3 acres sold to Sheila Srere for $525,000.
23 Country View Road — 3 bedroom/2 bath home on 1.54 acres sold to Hyun Jo Jung for $410,000.
331 Merwin Road — 4 bedroom/2 bath home built in 1820 sold to Gregory Scheidler for $545,000.
82 Moadock Road — 2 bedroom/2 bath contemporary home on 10.29 acres sold to Robert Kaus for $1.1 million.
942 Smithfield Road — 4 bedroom/1 bath home built in 1870 on 71.18 acres sold to Colonial House & Barn LLC for $617,000.
*Town of North East and Village of Millerton property transfers for October 2025 are sourced from Dutchess County Real Property Office monthly reports. Details on property from Dutchess Parcel Access. Actual parcel numbers indicated by (#___) are included for properties without specific street address. Note that transfers often lag the date of closed sales. Market data from One Key MLS and Infosparks. Compiled by Christine Bates, Real Estate Advisor with William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty, Licensed in Connecticut and New York.
Millerton News
“Closer to the Sun,” a solo exhibition of nature-inspired paintings by Gabe Brown, opens May 2 with a reception from 4 to 6 p.m. at Kenise Barnes Fine Art at 7 Fulling Lane, Kent.
Millerton News
AMENIA — Barbara Ann Murphy, 93, passed away peacefully, leaving behind a legacy of faith, devotion, and unwavering love for her family. Born on Jan. 5, 1933, in Poughkeepsie, New York, Barbara was the daughter of Wallace and Catherine Schaffer. She dedicated her early life to caring for others, graduating from St. Francis School of Nursing in Poughkeepsie and later earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. Her calling to serve led her to the Army Nurse Corps, where she proudly served as a First Lieutenant during the Korean Conflict, stationed at Walter Reed Hospital. It was through her work as a nurse that Barbara’s life took a beautiful turn; she met her future husband, William E.P. Murphy, while caring for him as a patient at St. Francis Hospital. Their love story blossomed into a marriage that began on Sept. 20, 1958, and endured until his passing in 2000.
Barbara was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother who built a life centered on faith, family, and service. After raising her children, she returned to nursing at the Wassaic Developmental Center, where she worked until her retirement in 1990. She also served her community as a member of the Amenia Fire Company, volunteering as an EMT and offering care and comfort to those in need. Service was not just her profession, it was a defining part of who she was. She spent over 50 years in Amenia, New York, a place she proudly called home before moving to Geer Village in Canaan, Connecticut in 2013.
A deeply devout Catholic, Barbara lived her faith daily. She was a dedicated member of Immaculate Conception Church in Amenia, faithfully attending daily Mass and serving as a lector. Her commitment to her faith extended beyond routine; it was a guiding force in her life, one she instilled in her children and grandchildren. Whether it meant finding a church in an airport during travels or sharing quiet moments of reflection, she ensured that faith remained at the center of family life.
Barbara found joy in life’s simple and meaningful pleasures. She was an avid traveler, exploring Europe and enjoying riverboat cruises with her beloved husband Bill. After his passing, she continued her adventures with her sisters-in-law, embracing the world with curiosity and gratitude. At home, she was rarely without a book in hand, a voracious reader who found comfort and joy in stories.
She will be remembered for her wisdom, her steady presence, and her ability to find joy in laughter, especially a good joke, often shared and passed along from others. Above all, she will be remembered for her deep love of family, her strength, and the values she lived by every day.
Barbara is survived by her children; Christopher Murphy (Tamara) of Clermont, Florida, Maureen Morley (Thomas) of Lake Ariel, Pennsylvania, Eileen Ehlers (Richard) of Olathe, Kansas, Leah Rost (Ernest) of Brick, New Jersey, and William Murphy, Jr. (Mary) of Amenia, New York. She also leaves behind her cherished grandchildren;Richard Ehlers, Jr., Elyse Colon, Hillary, Lauren and Kurt Bennett, William Rost, Abbey, Krista and Liam Murphy, and Owen and Connor Lynch, along with ten great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister in-law; Veronica Rosen and her husband Ron of Poughkeepsie, New York, and Sandra Murphy of Simpsonville, South Carolina, as well as many beloved nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her husband, William E.P. Murphy, her grandson, Gregory Rost in 2018, and her sister, Joan Post in 2017.
Barbara’s life was a testament to faith, service, and love, a life well-lived and deeply cherished by all who knew her.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at 11a.m. on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at Immaculate Conception Church, 4 Lavelle Road, Amenia, NY. Burial followed at Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Amenia, NY, with Standard Military Army Honors. Memorial contributions may be made to Immaculate Conception Church, 4 Lavelle Road, Amenia, NY 12501. To send an online condolence to the family or to plant a tree in Barbara’s memory, please visit www.conklinfuneralhome.comArrangements have been entrusted to Scott D. Conklin Funeral Home, 37 Park Avenue, Millerton, NY 12546.
Millerton News
MILLERTON — Ronald W. Murphy Jr., passed away peacefully on April 25, 2026, at his home in North Carolina, with his family at his side, leaving behind a legacy of love, dedication, and strength. He was born April 3, 1960, to Ronald W. Sr. and Janet Murphy. Ron lived in Millerton, New York before recently moving to North Carolina to enjoy the warmer southern weather. He lived a life full of passion for his family and the simple joys that brought him happiness.
Ron is survived by his loving wife, Beth Polanis-Murphy, who remains at home; his children, Kelly Kilmer (Walter), John Murphy, Bobby Murphy (Danielle), and Betsy Toth (Steve); stepdaughter, Sara Murali; and his sister, Inez Tierney. He was a proud and cherished grandfather to Victoria, Dylan, Jemini, Eric, Ronan, Morgan, Alex, Gage, Mira, Amelia, Carter and great grandfather to Colton and Gunner.
Ron was predeceased by his first wife, Jane Murphy in 2012; his parents, Ronald Sr. and Janet Murphy and his granddaughter, Karlene Ann Golden.
Ron had a deep love for classic cars and motorcycles. Whether he was restoring, admiring, buying/selling or simply talking about them, they brought him great joy.He was also a lifetime member of the Millerton Volunteer Fire Department.
Ron was never shy about sharing his advice, had a one-of-a-kind sense of humor, a joke to tell, and a truly big-hearted nature. His presence will be deeply missed but forever cherished by all who knew him.
Honoring his wishes, services will be private, with a quiet graveside service for family at Irondale Cemetery in Millerton, New York. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the National Kidney Foundation at 10286 Staples Mill Rd., Box 814 Glen Allen Virginia, 23060. To send an online condolence to the family or to plant a tree in Ron’s memory, please visit www.conklinfuneralhome.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to Scott D. Conklin Funeral Home, 37 Park Avenue, Millerton, NY 12546.
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Millerton News
Last week’s front-page article, “Surging gas prices stretch local budgets,” was timely and certainly of interest to everyone. However, I noted two obvious omissions. One, there was no mention of local governments adjusting their budgets by reducing spending as most families must do when confronted by rising prices in the face of fixed incomes. When costs rise for essential commodities such as gasoline, the logical response is to temporarily cut back on spending for non-essential things like entertainment and eating out, or postponing major purchases. The economy is cyclical and the cost of gasoline fluctuates. It will not remain high forever. Budgets can always be readjusted when things return to what passes for normal — for families and local governments, alike.
Speaking of which, the present cost of gasoline has risen from approximately $3.00 a gallon a year ago to about $4.00 presently. This is due to our current conflict with Iran, something which began 47 years ago. The Iranian mullahs declared war on us but we never responded. Every president just kicked the can down the road, expecting a successor to deal with it. “It,” of course, was the threat of a nuclear attack as soon as they completed a weapon to use. They got closer and closer until President Trump moved preemptively to eliminate the threat. Geopolitics are complicated and things do not get resolved overnight. The rest of us need to practice patience.
I noted one more thing in the article. While the cost of a gallon of gasoline rose from $3.00 to its current $4.00 in the past year, nowhere in was it mentioned that the average weekly retail gasoline price hit an all-time high of $5.07 a gallon in 2022 when Joseph Biden was President. Most people seem to have selective amnesia.
Richard Kopec
Sharon
I think that almost everyone knows someone or some family that has been affected by — or is currently affected by — Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia. There is some good news: medical science now knows of diet and other lifestyle changes that can help prevent or delay the onset of dementia.
There is FDA-approved biomarker testing that can inform people of dementia risks with a simple blood test. Biomarker testing is available for cancer risks as well. Early warnings of cancer can, of course, also help patients to fight this disease more effectively. As the old saying goes, “knowledge is power.”
Disappointingly, Governor Hochul has scaled back Medicaid coverage for these blood tests from her 2027 budget. I think that it is cruel and ultimately bad for our society as a whole not to provide Medicaid coverage for biomarker testing for those who are among the most vulnerable in our State.
I am hopeful that our representatives in the State Senate and State Assembly — Senator Hinchey and Assemblywoman Barrett — will use their influence to get Medicaid coverage for biomarker testing back in the 2027 budget.
Amy Rothstein
Pine Plains
Millerton News
Saturday’s shooting targeted an event designed to defend the First Amendment freedoms Donald Trump has spent years undermining — labeling the press as “the enemy of the people”. His takeaway? Washington needs a new ballroom. Sen. Lindsey Graham agreed, “It’s very difficult to have a bunch of important people in the same place unless it’s really, really secure.”
This from a president who, within hours of his inauguration, shut down the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention and has since ordered the rollback of background checks, defunded community safety programs, and made it easier to put weapons in dangerous hands.
So far this year, 69 children under 12 and 262 teenagers have been killed by gun violence — a number that grew since this was written. Firearms have been the leading cause of death for Americans ages 1 to 19 every year since 2020.
One man with a gun disrupted a dinner. Hundreds of children are dead.
The president’s solution? Build himself a ballroom. Call it a bunker if it helps.
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