Obituaries 4/1/15
Paul N. Colby
Paul N. Colby, affectionately known as “Nick,” was a resident of Princeton for many years. Nick died on March 7, 2015 in California at the age of 86. Nick was born to Jesse Van Horne and Paul N. Colby in Trenton, New Jersey on August 16, 1928.
Nick was an all-state football player for The Pennington School. At Princeton, he played football and was a member of the Elm Club. Nick graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Princeton University in 1950, and subsequently served in the Navy during the Korean War on the USS Rendova from 1950 to 1952.
Nick worked in the plastics industry for 60 years, designing and manufacturing feed screw systems for injection molding machinery. He and his wife, Illene, started their own company, Spirex Corporation, in 1978. Nick patented seven of his inventions in injection molding, machine screw and barrel technology. He served as president of the Plastic Pioneers and was inducted into the Plastics Hall of Fame in 2009. Nick was also a skilled pilot and regularly used his multi-engine, instrument license.
Nick’s sister, Marylou Sharrett, died in 2005. He is survived by his wife, Illene Colby; his daughter, Gale Colby Mirzayanov, of Princeton, New Jersey; his son, Paul T. Colby, of Incline Village, California; his daughter, Sarah Colby ’90, of Oakland, California; his grandchildren, Ted Colby, Steve Schauer, Sarah Schauer, Matthew Colby, Nicholas Colby, and Lucas Massa; and his great grandchildren, Camilla Colby and Angelo Pasquerella.
A memorial service will be held on April 27, 2015 in Bodega Bay, California. Memorial gifts can be made to the UCSF Memory Clinic or to a charity of your choice.
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Nancy Nalle Genung
Nancy Nalle (Lea) Genung passed away in peace on March 7, 2015 after a long and full life. She was 100 years old.
Nancy Porter Nalle was born to Dr. and Mrs. Brodie Crump Nalle of Charlotte, North Carolina on August 27, 1914. The Nalle family was well known in the Charlotte community. Brodie Nalle, MD was a prominent physician, who with other associates, founded the Nalle Clinic in 1921. The Clinic was very patient based, and flourished for nearly 80 years before it finally closed its doors, succumbing to a rapidly changing healthcare industry. As an aside, Nancy’s mother, Sadie Mayer Nalle, was reportedly the first woman to drive a car in Charlotte.
Nancy attended Charlotte public schools. She graduated magna cum laude from Sweet Briar College in 1937, majoring in history. After marrying Gilbert Lea in 1938 the couple moved to Princeton, New Jersey and she lived an active life there for most of her life.
During the Second World War the young family was stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma from 1942 to 1944. When Gil was transferred to the European theater, Nancy and their two children went to Charlotte to stay with her parents, until they returned to Princeton in the fall of 1945.
Nancy was a communicant of Trinity Church beginning in 1938. She was a member of its Altar Guild for decades. She was an avid gardener, always maintaining several flower beds, and was active in the Stony Brook Garden Club for years. She was a longtime member of the Pretty Brook Tennis Club beginning in 1940 and became an honorary member in her later years.
For a number of decades she held a real estate sales license into her 90s with what is now Henderson Calloway.
She lived at Princeton Windrows for over 10 years. The family would like to thank the staff of Windrows for making her life more comfortable. In particular, the family wishes to extend their love and regard for her personal caregiver, Comfort, who was unrelenting in her care and loyalty. Nancy moved to The Clare Estate in 2011, where she was wonderfully cared for during the remainder of her years. The family would also like to express its appreciation to Hospice of New Jersey for the palliative care and attention they provided her.
Given her advanced age Nancy was predeceased by many relatives and friends. In her immediate family she was predeceased by her brother Brodie Crump Nalle, Jr.; her first husband, Gilbert Lea and second husband, Alfred Genung, both ending in divorce; and her late son John (Biff) Lea. She is survived by her daughter Ann Lea Fries of Savannah, Georgia and her two daughters, Lea Erdman Marshall of Skillman, New Jersey and Lynne Erdman O’Donnell, of Portland, Oregon; and by her son John’s 4 children Molly Lea and Robin Scott Lea, both of Portland, Maine, and Tim Lea of Greensboro, North Carolina, and Kate Lea Luckett of Easley, South Carolina; and by her son Thomas Nalle Lea, of Cumberland Foreside, Maine, and his daughter Allison Porter Lea of Middletown, Maryland and son Halsey van Rensselaer Lea of Washington, D.C.; and by her great nephew, Brodie Crump Nalle, III, of Shreveport, Louisiana; and by five great grandchildren.
She will be interred in a family plot in Charlotte, North Carolina, next to her deceased parents, Brodie and Sadie Nalle. There will be a private family interment at her final resting place.
As of this writing a memorial service in Princeton has not yet been organized.
Arrangements are under the care of and have been entrusted to Huber-Moore Funeral Home, Bordentown, New Jersey.
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Leonard Godfrey
Dr. Leonard E.A. Godfrey (“Len”), born January 30, 1928 in Essex, England, passed away on Friday, March 20, 2015 in Princeton at the age of 87 from health complications.
Len is survived by his wife of 60 years, Gillian Wendy Godfrey of Princeton; son Nicholas Godfrey, his wife Allison Godfrey and their children Slater and Alta Godfrey of Charlestown, Massachusetts; his daughter Dr. Phoebe Godfrey, her wife Tina Shirshac, and son Dylan Fedora of Willimantic, Connecticut. Len is also survived by his younger sister Pat Clark-Sutton of Worcester, England and nieces and nephews in both England and Australia.
Len earned a first class honor degree in organic chemistry from London University in 1953. Len and Gillian “Wendy” met and were married in 1955 in London, England. They departed for Trinidad shortly thereafter where Len worked until 1957. From there, his career moved them to Santa Barbara, California then back to London in 1960 where Len received his PhD at London University in 1961. Son, Nicolas was born in 1962 in London. The family then moved to Princeton where daughter Phoebe was born in 1964. Len then worked for the FMC Corporation in Princeton, as a research chemist and had a number of inventions patented. He stayed in the New Jersey branch until 1970 when his career allowed them another move to Geneva, Switzerland. From there, the next stop was Belgium where they stayed from 1972 to 1977. Returning to New Jersey, and staying with FMC until 1982. Len then began working at SUNY Albany and the University of Medicine and Dentistry in New York until his retirement in 1997.
Len had been an active Democratic member of the Princeton Township Committee beginning in 1989. He served his first term until 1991, and during his second term in 1997, suffered a stroke. It has been since this physical setback that he has dealt with health complications. His third term on the Township Committee ran through 2003, where he continued to attend and make effective strides for the Township of Princeton.
Len was a resident of Merwick Rehabilitation Center for the last two years where he received excellent care. He continued to be an avid reader of history, nature, and just about any book he could find. He would share his repertoire of limericks, jokes, and stories with anyone that enjoyed a good tale or laugh. His wit and intelligence will be missed!
Before his first stroke, Len was very active and always enjoyed playing tennis, skiing, bicycle riding, hiking, camping, and travelling all done with family and friends. He was very social and was never happier than when he was enjoying food and drink with loved ones.
A memorial gathering will be held on Saturday, June 27, 2015 in the home and garden of Wendy and Len’s house at 560 Lake Drive in Princeton. Everyone is welcome. Please respond to Phoebe Godfrey at phoebe.c.godfrey@gmail.com if you wish to attend or to get in touch with Wendy as the date moves closer.
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John V. Rossi
John V. (Chauncey) Rossi, passed away on Friday, March 27, 2015 at Merwick Care and Rehabilitation Center in Plainsboro, New Jersey at the age of 96. He was born on Humbert Street in Princeton on April 5, 1918 and was a lifelong Princeton resident.
After graduating Princeton High School in 1938, he served in the Military Police component of the U.S. Army in South America during World War II. After the war, he worked for F.A. Baman and Sons in Princeton from 1946 to 1964 then worked at Princeton University’s Caldwell Field House from 1964 until his retirement in 2004 at the age of 86. John was a well-respected member of the Athletic Department and thoroughly enjoyed working among the many athletes he came in contact with over the years.
John was known as a superior three-sport athlete at Princeton High School where he co-captained the 1937 football and baseball teams. He was a member of the ’37-’38 basketball teams that won the New Jersey State Championship and the ’37 football team that won the State Championship. John’s baseball career included receiving a tryout invitation from the New York Yankees and he was an All-Star softball player in the Princeton Community Leagues.
John was predeceased by his parents Giovanni and Tomasina (Nini) Rossi, both from Pettoranello, Italy, sister Angelina Rossi Marcoline, brother Louis Rossi, and niece Emma Marcoline Embley. Surviving are nieces Mari Rossi Daetwyler; Barbara Embley Brooks; his special niece, Julia Marcoline; nephews Louis Rossi, Jr.; John Rossi; and Richard J. Embley, Jr.; and 10 grand nieces and nephews.
John was a humble, quiet, and generous man who was much loved by his family and will be deeply missed by relatives and friends.
Funeral services will begin on Friday, April 3, 2015 at 11 a.m. in the Kimble Funeral Home, located at 1 Hamilton Avenue in Princeton, followed by burial at Princeton Cemetery.
Visiting hours at the funeral home are Thursday, April 2 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and Friday, April 3 from 10 a.m. until the time of the service.
Memorial contributions may be made to Princeton-Pettoranello Sister City Foundation, 120 John Street, Suite 3, Princeton, NJ 08542; SAVE Animal Rescue, 900 Herrontown Rd, Princeton, NJ 08540; or Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad, 237 N Harrison Street, Princeton, NJ 08540.
Extend condolences and share remembrances at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.
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Robert E. Flory
Robert E. Flory, 82, died peacefully on March 16, 2015. He was born to Leslie and Helen (Kezeler) Flory of Oaklyn, NJ. The family later moved to Princeton where he graduated from Princeton High School. Mr Flory (“Bob”) went on to receive degrees in electrical engineering from Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania. He lived and worked in the Princeton area most of his adult life, but was enjoying retirement with his beloved wife Marjorie in Oro Valley, AZ.
In his four-decade career at RCA’s David Sarnoff Research Center, Mr. Flory focused primarily o`n television disk and tape recording technology. He also was part of the development team for a broadcast camera that was used by NBC studios for more than a decade and which earned RCA an Emmy award in 1981. In the latter part of his career, he helped to develop some of the earliest standards and technologies for High Definition TV.
He was an accomplished, albeit amateur astro-photographer who particularly enjoyed eclipse chasing. He and Marjorie took a number of jaunts to remote locations to observe and photograph such celestial events. He also directed his photographic interests toward the abundant wildlife in his adopted home state of Arizona.
Bob always enjoyed symphonic music and in the last decade he and Marjorie derived much pleasure from their subscription to the local orchestral series. He also appreciated good food and word play – from crossword puzzles to puns. He was an extraordinary engineer, a loyal friend, and a devoted family man.
He was predeceased by his first wife and the mother of his children, Eleanor (Collins) and his sister, June Ann Flory. He is survived by his wife of nearly 23 years, Marjorie Jelinek Flory (previously of Pennington NJ); two children, Robert G Flory (Pamela) of Hopewell NJ and Janice E Flory (Eric Stabb) of Athens GA; three step-daughters, Monica Housen (Tom), Marie Berrien, and Marsha Mimnaugh (Todd); five nieces, Linda, Chris, Ellen, Cynthia and Sarah; and nine grandchildren, Martin, Madeline, Katherine, Hayden, Riley, Ella, Connor, Rogan and Bryson.
A memorial service will be held 10 a.m., May 30, 2015 at Gravity Hill Farm (67 Pleasant Valley Rd, Titusville, NJ). Those wishing to honor his memory might consider a contribution to The Sarnoff Collection at the College of New Jersey or the Tucson Symphony Orchestra.
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Robert W. Ayling
Robert W. Ayling, 89, died on Sunday, March 22, 2015. He was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York and had lived in the Princeton area since 1970. He graduated from Fordham University Class of 1947. Robert worked as a sales executive in the office equipment industry, and worked for Friden Inc., for over 26 years. He was a communicant of St. Charles Borromeo Church in Skillman. While at Brooklyn Prep High School, he was a member of the National Champion 1 mile relay team. In his free time, he enjoyed playing bridge, reading, traveling, and rooting for the New York Yankees and Giants.
Surviving are his wife of 65 years, Margaret; his son Bob and his wife Ann of Bayonne, New Jersey; his daughter Patti Gilmour and her husband Tom of Asbury Park, New Jersey; his 3 grandchildren Tom, Linnea, and Daniel; his great grandchild Clara Louise; and a family friend, April. A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Thursday, March 26, 2015 at 11 a.m. in St. Charles Borromeo Church. Visiting for family and friends was one hour prior to mass from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Charles Borromeo Church in his memory. Arrangements are under the direction of the Hillsborough Funeral Home.
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Martha Coate Challener
Martha Coate Challener died peacefully at Stonebridge on Friday, March 27, 2015. She was 90 years young. Her love of reading, of painting, of appreciating the natural world, and of befriending everyone she met, will live on in her children, her grandchildren, her friends, and the generations of children that she taught.
Martha Coate was born in Dayton, Ohio and grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She earned her BA from Chatham College. In 1947, she married the love of her life, Richard Challener. The two of them raised three children, Cathy, Elisbeth, and Dan, and lived happily together for 55 years. They shared many passions, including teaching, reading, hiking, gardening, caring for dogs, visiting art museums, and spending time at their cabin in New Hampshire.
Martha began her teaching career in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania and continued it in Tenafly, New Jersey. She left teaching to raise her children, but returned in 1969 to teach kindergarten at Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart. She stayed at Stuart for 25 years and often claimed she loved every minute of it. She especially loved to teach children how to read, something she did over and over and over again. She also taught art appreciation, developing a series of talks and contests for elementary school children. She helped create the StuARTS summer program, served as a children’s docent at the University Art Museum, and taught water color to children and adults in her home for many years.
In 2004, two years after her husband died, Martha moved to Stonebridge and, with her dachshund Birdie, made many new friends. She continued to enjoy painting and also took up memoir writing. She wrote a series of vignettes about the many blessings in her life and gave copies to her family on Christmas Day, 2012. She and her family celebrated her 90th birthday in New Hampshire this past summer, and she continued to travel to see her children and grandchildren into this year.
Family members who will continue to hold Martha dear to their heart include her three children; Cathy Challener; Elisbeth Challener and her husband Brett Bachman; and Dan Challener and his wife Melinda and their three children, Brandon, Skye, and Dakota; as well as Martha’s brother David Coate, and his four children, Lisa, Andrew, Amy, and Dan.
Martha Coate Challener loved life. She often said, “Every day is a gift from God. Live it to the fullest, and enjoy every minute.” Her life is proof that we can do that.
A celebration of her life will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 2, 2015 at Stonebridge at Montgomery, 100 Hollinshead Spring Road in Skillman, New Jersey.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart in Princeton or the Stonebridge Employee Appreciation Fund.