La Verne “Tootsie” Gatch

La Verne E. "Tootsie" Wilcox Gatch, 76, of Jacksonville, NY, passed away unexpectedly on March 3rd, 2018 in New Port Richey, FL after a short illness.

Born March 25, 1941 in Ithaca, NY, she was the daughter of the late La Verne and Rose (Smollen) Wilcox. Tootsie was a member of the Ithaca High School Class of 1959 and was proud to have served as president of the Elvis Presley Fan Club while attending. Following high school, she married Ed Gatch of Ithaca, NY and they eventually settled in Jacksonville, NY where they raised their three children. During her working career, Tootsie held various jobs at Babcock's Chicken Farm, Loblaws & Great American Grocery stores, North American Insurance Company, and retired after working at the Ithaca College Health Center. Tootsie was known for being a great cook, always getting a great "deal" shopping, loving to dance, especially to any Elvis or Billy Idol song, having beautiful flowers around her yard and most of all, for her unconditional love and devotion to her family, especially her grandchildren. For the last 20 years, Tootsie and Eddie loved to spend their winters in Florida and at their home in New Port Richey, FL, where they had many cherished friends.

Tootsie will be sadly missed by her husband of almost 59 years, her daughter Kim (Scott) Salino of Trumansburg, NY her sons Tim (Debbie) Gatch, and James (Melissa) Gatch, both of Jacksonville, NY, her grandchildren Ryan (Emily) Salino, Sarah (and fiancé Matt Kosinski) and Nathan Gatch, Amanda (Nick) Robertson and Alex Gatch, her great grandchildren Brayden Hutt, Rylee, Avery and Kyla Salino, Chase Robertson, her sister Nancy Valentine, of Geneva, NY, honorary daughter, Rubie Schmidt Sievers, and many nieces, nephews and cousins. She was predeceased by her parents and brother, Ken Wilcox.

The family will be present to receive friends from 11:00am to 12:00pm on Saturday, April 21, 2018 at the Ness-Sibley Funeral Home, 23 South Street, Trumansburg. A funeral service will immediately follow at 12:00pm at the funeral home. Prayers of Committal will follow in Grove Cemetery.