Obituaries

Hal Buckner, who for more than 20 years focused on the female figure as the central imagery in his artwork, died at home in Water Mill on Jan. 26. He was 85.

Frank R. Sofo of Springs, a prolific painter and illustrator who was active in the South Fork’s arts community for many years, died on Jan. 16 at Stony Brook University Hospital. The cause was complications of inflammatory vasculitis. He was 80.

Marshall (Gene) Roarick of East Hampton, an outdoorsman, woodworker, business manager, and Air Force veteran, died at home on Jan. 27 at the age of 92.

Barbara B. Clarke, an all-around horsewoman and lifelong teacher of “the art and skills of horsemanship,” died at home in Bridgehampton on Feb. 15, a day after her 83rd birthday.

Martha M. Whelan Robinson, who grew up in East Hampton, died at home in Connersville, Ind., on Feb. 7. She was 65 and had been ill with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, for seven years. An obituary will appear in a future issue.

Norah McCormack, a social worker who volunteered with the food pantry in Sag Harbor and the Friends of the John Jermain Memorial Library, died last Thursday at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital following a stroke. She was 81.

The Star has received word that Allan Weisbecker, “a surfer, a seeker, an author, and, above all, a pirate,” in the words of a friend, died on Sept. 24 in Northern California. The cause of death is uncertain. Mr. Weisbecker, who spent many years in Montauk, was 75.

Allan Abraham Retzky of Amagansett, who came to creative writing later in life and published works of fiction in the pages of The Star and elsewhere, died at home on Saturday with his wife of 61 years, Susan Retzky, at his side. He was 86 and had congestive heart failure.

Elisabeth Louise Bastion Varese, who had worked in advertising in New York and London, died last Thursday in Florida. Formerly of East Hampton, she was 101.

Harry Alan Meeker of Springs and Melbourne, Fla., a retired teacher and Korean War veteran, died on Feb. 5 at Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne after a fall at home. He was 96.

Patricia Wadzinski, a vice president, associate broker, and global real estate adviser for Sotheby’s International Realty in East Hampton, died at home on Talkhouse Walk here on Sunday. She was 74.

Mary A. Hyer, who had a 20-year career with Bridgehampton National Bank and volunteered with the Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church outreach program, died on Jan. 30 at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital. A 44-year resident of Amagansett and East Hampton, she was 91.