I just received news from my friend Tom Burhyte, who was a long-time
employee of Eldridge Park, Elmira, New York, of the death on November
26, 2015, of sculptor-carver Lawrence Pefferly.

Larry has long been known for his dedication to, and skill at, carving.
He has written and lectured on carousel horse carving and is especially
well-known in New York State for his replication of the horses on the
Eldridge Park carousel owned by Robert "Bob" Long, member of the famous
Long family of amusement park owners, until his death in 1983.

Quoting from the 12-12-2015 issue of the Elmira, N.Y., Star-Gazette:

  "Larry Pefferly, of Cornersville, Tennessee, died Nov. 26 with
  his wife, Jerry, at his side.  The original Eldridge Park carousel
  animals were carved in the 1890s, but the carousel was shut down and
  the animals auctioned off in 1989.  When Elmira dentist Robert Lyon
  discovered that all the carousel machinery was intact and conceived
  the idea of restoring the ride, his then-wife, Mary, was the one
  who found Pefferly through a website about his carving studio in
  Cornersville, Tennessee."

Another historic figure in the industry gone but leaving his mark!

Matthew Caulfield
Irondequoit, New York

Ref.  http://www.marshalltribune.com/story/1192004.html 
http://www.stargazette.com/story/news/2015/12/11/eldridge-park-carousel-animal-carver-dies/77149888/