Lonnie Lee Branham Jr.

Lonnie Lee Branham Jr. passed away with his wife and daughter by his side on Wednesday, April 15, 2026 in Glen Ridge, NJ. He was 79 years old.

Lonnie was born in Jersey City, NJ, March 24, 1947. Predeceased by his parents, Lonnie L. Branham Sr. and Vivian Black Branham, he grew up in the Hopewell-Pennington area before the family settled in Princeton. Lonnie graduated from Princeton High School in 1966 where he met his future wife, Antonietta. After graduation he enrolled in computer studies, earning certification in computer programming and computer operations.

Lonnie’s career began as a computer operator after he graduated with Dragon Cement and moved through several positions into customer relations and troubleshooting. He spent several years with ITXC (Internet Telephony Exchange Carrier) in Princeton resolving client problems in a customer relations capacity where he remained until the closing of the company in 2003. He continued in the customer service field at Princeton Hospital, when it was still a small hospital on Witherspoon Street, retiring in 2007.

Lonnie is survived by his wife of 57 years Antonietta (Tamasi) Branham. They met in their senior year of high school, married, and made their lives together in Princeton with a mutual love of the beach, rock and roll concerts, dancing, and ice skating. Lonnie was quickly welcomed into Antonietta’s family where he formed a close bond with “Mama Tamasi” and the rest of the family.

Lonnie’s love of cooking and serving others began with his first job as a baker’s assistant (at Eagle Bakery in Hopewell). His love of cooking and family was apparent as he was often found in the kitchen or behind the grill, cooking and planning future meals for his extended family. Family time meant everything to him, and he especially enjoyed the company of his brother-in-law, Ralph. The two were like peas in a pod —whether it was cooking, fishing, caring for the children, or helping to fix things, Lonnie and Ralph could be found together laughing, joking, and enjoying life while caring for family.

Lonnie’s outgoing, kind, and positive personality was loved by all. Lonnie had an easygoing way about him that attracted everyone around him, making friends easily and he was always generous with his compliments and time.

He extended his love of service to others by volunteering at Princeton Hospital and later years at Princeton Public Library.

Lonnie is survived by his daughter, Michelle Barshay of Verona and her two children, Connor and Marissa Barshay. Lonnie dearly loved his grandchildren, and spent his later years visiting often with his daughter and grandchildren. Michelle and Lonnie, often referred to as Lonnie 1 and Lonnie 2 spent afternoons cracking jokes and bonding over their shared love of classic rock, movies, historical fiction, pizza, and beer. He is also survived by sisters-in-law, Rita de Rose (Romeo), Long Island, and Pierina Thayer (Ralph) Princeton, LBI. Lonnie was “Uncle Lonnie” to his nephews, Aaron Thayer (Holly) and Adriano de Rose, as well as nieces, Genevieve (Jaseem)Thayer and her daughters (Esme and Zaira) and Mirella de Rose and her daughter, Lina. Lonnie had many other relatives in the Hopewell/Princeton area. Lonnie loved family gatherings. Enjoying a meal together was always a celebration. He will be greatly missed by his family.

The family will receive visitors on Saturday, May 9, 2026, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home 40 Vandeventer Avenue, Princeton, NJ 08542.

Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at 2:30 p.m., at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, a donation in his name to the Alzheimer’s Association of New Jersey, 425 Eagle Rock Avenue, Suite 203, Roseland, NJ 07068 or Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy in honor of Lonnie’s grandson, Connor (parentprojectmd.org).

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John Rogers Woolston

John Rogers Woolston, 93, of Princeton, NJ, died peacefully on April 28 at Princeton Medical Center, Princeton, NJ. Born in Trenton, NJ, Rogers — as he preferred to be called — made Princeton his home in 1960. There, he and his beloved wife, Lorraine, raised their four children.

Rogers was the son of the late Japhet Bishop Woolston and Edna Rogers Woolston. He was predeceased by his wife, Lorraine Potent Woolston, and by his son, Jonathan R. Woolston. He is survived by his son Japhet P. Woolston of Williamsburg, VA; his daughter Cynthia W. Maltenfort of Princeton, NJ; his daughter-in-law Amy S. Woolston of Madison, SD; and his daughter Gail W. Wilkinson of Williamsburg, VA. He is also survived by his brother-in-law Victor Jay Potent and his wife, Margaret, of Middletown, DE, and by his sister-in-law Charlotte Potent of Bordentown, NJ.

He is lovingly remembered by his nine grandchildren: Chris, Nicholas, and Julia Woolston; Alex and Martin Maltenfort; Timothy Woolston and Kaitlin Kahn; and Natalie Chambers and Alyson Wilkinson — along with several nieces and nephews.

Rogers was a devoted husband of 57 years, a loving father and grandfather, and a loyal friend to all who knew him. He brought curiosity and energy to everything he did, performing on his double bass, supporting classical music in the Princeton area, serving as a Scout Leader for many years, documenting family life through photography and videography, and tracing family history as a dedicated genealogist. He found joy on the water as captain of his boat, “Do It,” and remained deeply connected to Princeton University as an alumnus, never missing a reunion.

Music was at the heart of Rogers’s life; he was the steady anchor who helped sustain Princeton’s classical music communities. A professional double-bass player (AF of M, Local 62), he performed regularly in Princeton-area concerts. He served for 12 years as President of the Princeton Society of Musical Amateurs, later as its Executive Director, and as Secretary of the Music Club of Princeton. He was a founding member of The Collegium Musicum of Princeton, a chamber music group directed by the late Joseph Kovacs from 1972 to 1997. Subsequently, he became a longtime member of the bass section of the Westminster Community Orchestra, under the direction of Ruth Ochs.

Rogers spent 33 years at the former Princeton RCA Laboratories, where he was a prominent materials scientist and engineer with a career spanning semiconductor devices, materials characterization, and computer-based manufacturing automation. His work led to several notable patents, innovations, and many scientific papers. After retiring, he founded his own consulting business, JRW Custom Software, designing and producing specialized computer systems for engineering and manufacturing until he retired in 2000.

A proud member of the Princeton Class of 1955, Rogers served on the past seven major reunion committees and as a member of the Executive Committee. This included maintaining an extensive database of classmates, publishing several class directories, and producing a 1955 at 50 class comprehensive book containing a collection of autobiographical essays. He also served as a trustee of the Class of 1955 Foundation and was a Founder and Board Member of Princeton University Alumni Corps (previously called Project 55).

When he wasn’t in Princeton, he could often be found at his cabin hideaway in the Moosehead Lake region of northern Maine. There, he served as a director of the Beaver Cove Association, its treasurer, and a member of its Architectural Review Committee. He especially loved welcoming family and friends to the Beaver Cove cabin that he designed — and he never tired of taking visitors out on “Do It” for a tour of Moosehead Lake.

Burial in the Ewing Church Cemetery will be private. A memorial service for family and friends will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton, 50 Cherry Hill Road, Princeton, NJ on Saturday, 27 June at 3 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the Moosehead Maine Museum; P.O. Box 115, Greenville, ME 04441, katahdincruises.com/about-us.

Extend condolences and share memories at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.

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James “Jim” Dow Hedberg, PhD

James “Jim” Dow Hedberg, PhD. passed away peacefully on April 14, 2026, in Houston, Texas, at the age of 90.

Born in Maracaibo, Venezuela, in 1936, Jim spent his early years moving among Gulf Oil company encampments with his brothers and parents, Hollis and Frances Hedberg.

Jim received his Doctorate in Geology at Princeton University, his Masters at Stanford University, and his BS in Geoscience at Penn State, where he distinguished himself early as a national collegiate champion in soccer, and a member of the Nittany Lions Wrestling team. He went on to serve as an officer in the United States Navy before beginning a 31-year career with Exxon mainly as an exploration geologist in the USA, Libya, Spain, Singapore, and Norway, and retiring after attaining leadership positions in Exploration, Development, Technology, and Exploration Technical Assessment. During his tenure at Exxon, Jim was a visiting professor of graduate Geology at MIT, and an Adjunct Research Professor in the Earth Science & Resources Institute at the University of South Carolina following retirement. He was, in every sense, an “Exxon man”; rigorous in thought, disciplined in approach, and driven by a lifelong commitment to understanding the world beneath his feet.

At the center of his life was his family. Jim was a devoted husband to Nancy Marshall Hedberg and a proud father to Randi Hedberg, Linda Coddington, Kristina Hedberg, and Laura Spalding. He was a grandfather to seven and a great-grandfather to two.

As a father and grandfather, he instilled the importance of hard work, loyalty, and a sense of humor. Jim loved and delighted in teaching his children and grandchildren life lessons that might set them up for success. He took his children to visit over 20 countries, from rug-buying trips to Iran, safaris in Africa, to a monolith in Sri Lanka, and a stone age tribe in Borneo. He built hidden rooms in his houses for his grandchildren to discover, and constructed an elaborate doll house modeled after his childhood home. He compiled his own poetry book, giving copies to each of his daughters, because in his words, poetry expressed sentiments more eloquently than he could himself. A highly technical person with a passion for creative projects, he built an impressive collection of stamps and antique maps. Jim was also an avid tennis player — a lifelong interest he tried to share with some success with his children and grandchildren.

In Jim’s presence people felt not only welcomed, but seen and important. A gracious and attentive host, he always paused in his busy day for a quiet pre-dinner drink hour, engaging all those present in diverse, wide-ranging conversations.

We are, without a doubt, better off for knowing him. He would probably want you to remember him in your own way, and maybe to raise a glass and drink to your favorite memory.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy Marshall Hedberg; his daughters, Randi Hedberg, Linda Coddington, and Kristina Hedberg; his brother, Gus Hedberg, sister, Mary Hedberg, and sister-in-law, Sonnie Hedberg; and his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Laura Spalding.

Funeral Services will be held at the Princeton University Chapel on Friday, June 5, 2026, at 9 a.m. Following the service, Jim will be laid to rest at the Princeton Cemetery. At the family’s request, the interment is private.

Flowers are welcome and may be sent in honor of James D. Hedberg to Kimble Funeral Home by June 4 at the following address: 1 Hamilton Avenue, Princeton, NJ 08542. (609) 924-0018.

Extend condolences and share memories at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.