Marvin Israel
Marvin Israel, beloved husband, brilliant scholar, and lifelong seeker of knowledge, passed away peacefully on March 13, 2026, at the age of 83, just weeks shy of his 84th birthday.
For more than 30 years, Marvin and his devoted wife, Lillian, made their home in Princeton, where he lived a life defined by intellectual curiosity, warmth, and deep human connection.
A true Renaissance man, Marvin possessed an insatiable curiosity about the world and a profound love of learning. He earned a PhD in abstract mathematics, reflecting both his formidable intellect and his appreciation for the elegance of ideas. His interests spanned an extraordinary range of subjects, including physics, cosmology, philosophy, poetry, and the study of world religions, from Judaism to Islam.
At the time of his passing, Marvin’s personal library numbered more than 20,000 books — a testament to a life devoted to exploration, reflection, and understanding. He was endlessly curious, always embarking on what he liked to think of as “educational voyages,” whether through books, conversations, or the many road trips he enjoyed.
Marvin’s professional life was as varied as his intellectual pursuits. He taught mathematics at Goucher College and St. Mary’s College. He contributed his talents at Bell Labs and later served as a mathematics and computer science acquisitions editor at Springer Publishing. Earlier in life, he fondly recalled his teenage role as a Minimum Packaging Requirements Engineer in his cousin Sherwin’s widget manufacturing business — a title he carried with both humor and pride.
Known for his wit and originality, Marvin had a distinctive voice all his own. He often prefaced his thoughts with the phrase “roughly speaking,” and delighted in coining terms, including his playful designation “psycho-ceramics” for crackpots. He was, in every sense, an original — a man whose mind ranged widely and whose spirit embraced both ideas and adventure. A former supervisor at Bell Labs once called him a “national living treasure,” a description that those who knew him would wholeheartedly agree with.
Despite his extraordinary intellect, Marvin will be remembered most for his warmth, kindness, and the deep love he shared with his beloved wife. His smile lit up countless homes, offices, and institutions, and he had a rare gift for making others feel both seen and inspired.
He will be sorely missed by his brother, Robert; his sister-in-law, Monica; his niece, Rebecca, and her husband, Oren; his nephew, Ian, and his wife, Jenny; and their children, Owen and Theo. He is also lovingly remembered by his brother-in-law, Phil and his wife, Lynn; and by his cousins Ronnee; Martin and his wife, Carol; Sherwin and his wife, Susan; Merton; and many more extended family members and dear friends.
His absence will be deeply felt, but his legacy lives on in the countless lives he touched and the ideas he so passionately explored.
A service to honor Marvin’s life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages acts of kindness and the pursuit of knowledge in his memory.
Forever loved, forever remembered. A rara avis — roughly speaking.
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Mark David Atkin, MD
Mark David Atkin, MD, an esteemed Princeton pediatrician, renowned as a man of passion and compassion, wisdom and vision, integrity and joie de vie, grit and wit, died Thursday, April 9, 2026, at the age of 91.
Lauded by his wife Lorraine Atkin as the best possible role model for their blended family of nine children, Andrew and Douglas; Ronald, Scott, Laura, Thomas, Suzanne, Daniel, and David. The family has expanded to 16 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Dr. Atkin was predeceased by his first wife, Carol Atkin, who died in 2009.
The term role model became apparent to so many in the community who had the privilege and good fortune of receiving medical care from, working with, and being friends with him continuing through his six decades in Princeton.
Shortly after his birth on September 30, 1934 in Newark, then he moved to Irvington, where the family owned and operated The Atkin Department Store. Though raised in Maplewood, Dr. Atkin loved the Massachusetts area. He received his B.A. from Tufts University, graduated from the Tufts University School of Medicine in 1960, served as a captain in the U. S. Army Medical Corps in Fort Devens (about 35 miles from Boston), followed by serving as chief resident in medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital. He left Massachusetts to settle in Princeton with his wife Carol in the late 1960s.
Dr. Atkin joined The Pediatric Group of Princeton in 1969, where he remained for the next 30 years providing clinical services as a primary care pediatrician. In 1970, Dr. Atkin served as chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at Princeton Hospital and in 1979 as president of the Medical Staff.
His retirement was spent doing everything but retiring. After leaving office-based primary care in 1994, Dr. Atkin became director of Princeton Educational Resources, a nonprofit educational center providing testing and counseling and pro-bono support for schools.
He then continued his own professional education and development, when he began practicing developmental pediatrics at Hunterdon Medical Center. In recent years, he directed his seemingly boundless energies to being an instructor with the Center for Modern Aging Princeton (CMAP) Evergreen Forum, a board member of the Children’s Home Society of New Jersey, and an advisor to anyone who called him for professional or personal help. In the words of one of his close associates, he had a remarkable way of putting people at ease, listening without judgment, and offering comfort simply through his presence.
His zest for life was most evident in his passion for skiing, biking, and bridge. He had the remarkable good fortune to visit every continent joined by family and friends. His favorite adventures were his trips with his grandchildren. He savored his bridge games, lunches with friends and former patients, and the camaraderie with the Boys of ’34 — Princeton colleagues who all were born in 1934. He rarely turned down an opportunity to attend a concert, visit a museum, or a Boston Red Sox game.
In addition to his wife Lorraine and the nine children mentioned above, he is survived by: the children’s partners James, Elena, Cheryle, Kristin, Ken, Vincent, and Judith; his grandchildren Sara, Brian, Peter, Michael, Nicholas, Justina, Natasha, Kris, Callen, Molly, Cameron, Tyler, Hunter, Samantha, Calvin, and Gabriel; and his great- grandchildren Aiden and Sierra.
Generations of children in New Jersey flourished under his care.
Memorial services were held on Sunday, April 12 at The Jewish Center of Princeton, with burial in Princeton Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to The Children’s Home Society of New Jersey, based in Trenton, NJ (chsofnj.org).
Funeral arrangements are by Orland’s Ewing Memorial Chapel. For condolences, please visit the obituary page at OrlandsMemorialChapel.com/Mark-Atkin.
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Paul Bernard Kelley
Paul Bernard Kelley, beloved husband, father, grandfather, friend and teacher, passed away on Easter morning, April 5, 2026, in Princeton, NJ.
Born in Middletown, CT, on October 18, 1946, to William and Kathleen Kelley, Paul was a man of boundless intellect, wit, and love (“agape” in his case). A student of the world and of the classroom, he held degrees from St. Michael’s College, UConn, and Syracuse, culminating in a PhD in Theater from New York University.
Paul’s love of culture and connection began during an undergraduate year abroad at Loyola of Rome. A cornerstone of his life, this was the birth of his love of Italy and The Frog, a tight-knit circle of friends that remains inseparable to this day. His career spanned the footlights of the stage and the bright lights of television. Though he started as a high school history teacher, the “theater bug” eventually led him to teach at Rutgers University. As a pioneer at QVC on television, his charisma as an original on-air host and 50/50 Tour Ambassador allowed him to share his warmth and knowledge with all of America as he traveled the 50 states on a broadcasted four-year journey.
After traveling the world Paul settled down in Princeton in 2013. He focused his time on writing and combined his love for education and performance by directing Revolutionary War “Eyewitness” videos for the Princeton Battlefield Society.
He is survived by his loving wife Rosemary Kelley; sister Erin Kelley of Centerbrook, CT; son Damian Kelley and daughter-in-law Amber Isak, grandchildren, Declan Kelley, Quinn Kelley, Teagan Kelley, all of San Mateo, CA; and his step-family in West Windsor, NJ: step-daughter Jennifer Kelley and husband, Adam Kelley, their children Elizabeth, Katherine, and James Kelley; and countless friends and acquaintances around the world. Everyone who knew Paul felt a singular kinship. He will be missed by all.
Celebration of Paul’s life to be held on Saturday May 16, 2026 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Music Together, 225 Pennington-Hopewell Road, Hopewell, NJ.
Extend condolences and share memories at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.
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Lucille E. “Ceal” Wetherald
Lucille E. “Ceal” Wetherald, 89, of Hopewell, passed away on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at Ciel Assisted Living in South Brunswick, surrounded by her loving family.
Born in Rahway, New Jersey, Ceal grew up in East Aurora, New York, and later made her home in Hopewell Borough, New Jersey, for more than 55 years. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a master’s degree in Library Science, where she met her beloved husband, Richard T. “Dick” Wetherald.
A devoted member of Stone Hill Church, Ceal participated in small-group Bible studies, volunteered as a teacher in the AWANA program, and took part in multiple mission trips to Morocco. She loved to travel and, with her husband, visited China, Egypt, Australia, Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, and Israel.
Ceal enjoyed nature, gardening, reading, sewing, crafting, and art. She had a tender spot for animals and delighted in rehabilitating orphaned baby raccoons with her children. A strong and faithful Christian, she especially treasured spending time helping to raise her grandchildren.
She was the daughter of the late Bernard L. and Cora Leona (Thompson) Wiggin; the beloved wife of the late Richard T. Wetherald; and the sister of the late Ruth Lois Reading and Leon Lyford Wiggin.
She is survived by her son, Kenneth R. Wetherald; her daughters and sons-in-law, Barbara R. and John G. Owen, and Cindy L. and Bryan T. Shane; and her five grandchildren, David J. Owen, Daniel R. Owen, Tanner J. Shane, Cora L. Shane, and Taylor M. Shane.
A memorial service will be held at 11a.m. on June 13, 2026 at Stone Hill Church, 1025 Bunn Drive, Princeton, NJ 08540.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her name to Stone Hill Church, 1025 Bunn Drive, Princeton, NJ 08540.
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Michael Anthony Walker
Michael Anthony Walker, age 58, from Ship Bottom, NJ, formerly of Allentown, after valiantly fighting cancer for five years has finally gone to his heavenly home. Michael passed in the early hours of April 9 surrounded by his wife and children.
The son of Robert and Joan, husband of JoAnne (O’Connell), father of Isabella and John Michael, and lifetime friend of people he met in the first and second grade at Maurice Hawk elementary School. Michael leaves behind his sisters Tracy Murray and her husband Paul, Lee Ellen Redd and her husband Eric; his brother Robert and his brother-in-law Timothy O’Connell and his wife Heather; his nephew and nieces Paul Jr., Cathryn and Ava Murray, as well as Delaney and her brothers Kyle and Jake O’Connell.
Michael was a graduate of West Windsor Plainsboro High School (now South) class of 1986. He played varsity baseball, basketball, and football and had nine varsity letters. He was inducted into the WWPHS Hall of Fame in 2011. Michael went on to graduate from Rider College where he played baseball in his freshman year. Michael earned his graduate degree at Rutgers’s School of Business.
Michael was employed at American Standard as a Divisional Vice President.
His five-year journey with cancer started with rectal cancer which spread to his lungs and other vital organs including the brain. Cancer was detected during a routine colonoscopy at age 52. The question to think about is what if he had had the exam when he was 45.
Michael was a defender of the disadvantaged, made everyone laugh, was the master of inappropriate jokes, a low handicap golfer, he kept himself physically fit running and biking. Michael loved his family, his wife and children more than anything in the world and believed in his Lord and Savior our Lord Jesus Christ.
Michael’s viewing will be from 5 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 15, at Mather Hodge Funeral Home on 40 Vandeventer Avenue in Princeton. NJ. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at St. David the King Church in West Windsor on Thursday, April 16, at 11 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Michael’s name may be made to the Colorectal Cancer Alliance (colorectalcancer.org) or a charity of donor’s choice.