Neal W. Needleman

Neal W. Needleman of Westtown passed away Friday, Oct. 4, 2013, in St. Anthony Community Hospital in Warwick following a long battle with cancer. He was 54.

The son of Herbert Needleman and Arlene Griffin Needleman, he was born Jan. 28, 1959, in Margaretville.

Neal was a 1977 graduate of Richmondville Central School; SUNY Cobleskill graduate in 1979 and 1981 graduate of Cornell University majoring in agriculture.

Neal and his wife Anne resided in Westtown for the last 30 years, where they ran a dairy farm, Peaceful Valley. Neal was also employed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency as a regional director.

Survivors include his wife, Anna Lushkevich Needleman at home, parents, Herbert and Arlene Needleman of Richmondville; three sisters: Debbe Squairs of Barre, Vt.; Nancy Diefendorf of Cobleskill and Cathy DeWitt of Middleburgh. He is also survived by several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society Memorial Processing Center, PO Box 7, East Syracuse, NY 13057.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the T.S. Purta Funeral Home. To send a condolence online, please go to www.purtafuneralhome.com.