Obituaries

Tonya Larkins

Over the holidays, Tonya Larkins , a familiar face at Shelter Island’s South Ferry office for 35 years and sister of Tish Clark, passed away peacefully under hospice care. She was diagnosed with untreatable cancer in September.

Tonya was born in Gallipolis, Ohio. She moved to Riverhead in 1980, when she and her parents wanted to be closer to their grandchildren, Paige and Shelli Clark. She was hired as an office worker at South Ferry in 1982 and eventually became office manager, a position she held until last fall, when she could no longer work.

Tonya will be remembered for her infectious laughter that was easily triggered; for the candy jar at the South Ferry office, which she stocked daily with her own money for customers and crew to enjoy; for her quiet, thoughtful, random acts of kindness toward ferry crew, friends and family; and for her reliability, attention to detail and punctuality as a worker.

She was an active and faithful member of Mattituck Church of Christ. She will be remembered there for her deep biblical knowledge, her unshakeable respect for scripture and her beautiful singing voice.

Never married, she is survived by her sister, Tish Clark; brother-in-law, Cliff Clark; nieces, Paige and Shelli, and their husbands, Nicholas Morehead and Con Nicolet; and their children, Cayman and Larkin Morehead and Landon and Jackson Nicolet.

At Tonya’s request, there will not be a formal funeral service. She will be laid to rest Jan. 26 at a family plot in Malaga, Ohio, where her parents and grandparents are buried.

She and her family said memorial donations may be made to the Mary Boeklen Fund. Many will recall that in July 2016, Bill Boeklen, a captain at South Ferry, also died suddenly after a cancer diagnosis. All donations will go directly to Mary’s house mortgage so the family can remain on Shelter Island. Checks are tax deductible and should be made out to East End Church of Christ, with “Boeklen Mortgage” in the memo line, and mailed to South Ferry, P.O. Box 2024, Shelter Island, NY 11964.

This is a paid notice.