WEST EDMESTON – Horace Root, 93, passed away Monday April 9, 2007 at Chenango Memorial Hospital, Norwich. He was born Nov.r 25, 1913 in Manlius, the son of the late Jay and  Lillian (Fitch) Root. Horace attended school in Manlius and was the first graduating class at Morrisville’s Auto Mechanic program in 1936. He worked as a mechanic in Bridgewater, Hamilton and Waterville before coming to West Edmeston as an auto mechanic for I.T. & C.A. Welch & Sons in 1941. A position he held for 50 years.
Horace was a Charter Member of the West Edmeston Volunteer Fire Department serving as Assistant Chief under Warren H. Belden, then as Chief for 28 years. He also served as Fire Commissioner in later years. He was a past trustee of the First Baptist Church and for many years had a route transporting adults and children to Church and Sunday School. One of his interests was talking on his CB radio as “Monkey Wrench” and had made many friends on the airwaves. He also enjoyed the coffee runs to the local diners with his friends and working at the Fire Department fundraisers. Horace was honored in 1981 as the Otsego County Fireman of the Year.
On April 7, 1939 he married Doris Burch of Bridgewater; she predeceased him on Dec. 12, 2001. Daughter, Karen Root, granddaughter Connie Snell and his four siblings also predeceased Horace. He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law Gail and Tom VanBrink; granddaughter and grandson Brenda and Darren Belden, grandson Don Snell; great grandchildren Chris, Erica, Brad, and Amanda Belden and Amber Snell; one niece Nancy and Joe Gennosa, nephews Ronald and Katie Burch, Rod Hurlbutt, Greg and Blanche Hurlbutt, Bill and Stacy Hurlbutt, Don and Kate Jones, one sister-in-law
Wanda Burch Landon and husband Burt, as well as many close friends.
For the past three years Horace has resided at the Gilmour Health Facility in Norwich where he gained many friends.
Friends may call at the Houk-Johnston-Terry Funeral Home, Edmeston from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday. The Otsego County Fire Association will be conducting a service at 8 p.m.
 Funeral Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the First Baptist Church, West Edmeston with Rev. Don Buck officiating. Burial will follow at West Edmeston Cemetery.
Memorial Contributions may be sent to the West Edmeston Fire Department, PO Box 39, West Edmeston, NY 13485.
Funeral arrangements are by the Houk-Johnston Terry Funeral Home, Edmeston. 
Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.hjtfuneralhome.com.