Dear Lebanon Residents:
On behalf of the Lebanon Town Board, I am saddened to report the loss of a friend and community institution for the Town of Lebanon.
Deland Niles, 55, of Bradley Brook Road, passed away Thursday July 18, 2013 at his home.
Deland leaves behind two sons and many other family locally and throughout the east coast.
He also leaves behind a powerful community legacy that we will surely miss.
Deland was a refrigerator and farm equipment repairman for Fisher Farms in Canastota for over 30 years but that is not what he was known for in town and particularly the hamlet of Lebanon.
Deland was the Lebanon Community Club personified. He was the president, he was known for his enthusiasm, good time attitude and amazing chicken barbecues and secret sauce that he so joyously prepared for many community occasions. The delicious wafting smell of the traditional Lebanon Community Club chicken barbecue during town events were mainstays of those special days. Everyone remembers Deland as the master cook overseeing the large orders of chicken that were so popular and drew folks from many locales to sit down to eat or take home.
The picture attached shows Deland at his best when he was barbecuing and in the community spirit.
Deland was also a major force in starting up the Historical Society of Lebanon and helping to ensure programming for the community to enjoy. He enthusiastically took up the task of fielding a Town Ball team for the town’s bicentennial in 2007 where Lebanon competed with town ball teams from all over the county in a Town Ball Tournament at Morrisville, and kept it going for several years after. In the community spirit, it should be known that the Lebanon town ball team had players of all ages who had a good time while playing very competitively. He was active in and enthusiastic about local history and local programming.
The Lebanon Community Club was housed in the old train depot in the hamlet that hosted most of the historical programs for the township. Deland was also very interested in historic preservation and the old train depot was emblematic of that. It and Deland were inseparable institutions.
Deland’s favorite hobbies were bowling at Hi-Skor Lanes in Earlville, golfing, snowmobiling and hunting, according to his obituary, but we all know that his greatest love was the Lebanon Community Club and serving residents of the hamlet and township. He was always trying to come up with ideas to recruit members and kindle new interest through new activities.
The community has lost a great friend and a devoted enthusiast for town history and tradition. He will be missed and we extend our condolences to his family. Rest in peace, my friend.
Funeral services will be held at 11 am Wednesday, July 24, 2013 at the Burgess and Tedesco Funeral Home, 3 Preston Street, Earlville, followed by internment in the Earlville cemetery.
Friends are invited to call at the funeral home on Tuesday from 5 to 8 pm.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the charity of one’s choice.
You can add your anecdote or story about Deland by going to www.burgessandtedescofuneralhome.com/book-of-memories
Jim Goldstein, Lebanon Supervisor