Merle S. Becker
Merle Louise Skoler Becker, 91, of Princeton, NJ, died on August 20, 2026 at Princeton Medical Center following a brief illness.
Merle was born on June 6, 1935 in New York City to Sam Skoler, an accountant, and Dorothy Fraiman, a homemaker. Merle’s mother Dorothy was an arts enthusiast who, despite a modest household budget, took both Merle and her younger sister Cara to a wide array of musical and theatrical performances. From a young age Merle showed an aptitude for music, giving her first piano recital at age 5. She quickly became a skilled cello player as well; and one of her fondest memories was attending music camp at Interlochen Center of the Arts where she made lifelong friends. After graduating from what is now known as the LaGuardia High School of Music & Arts and Performing Arts, Merle continued her musical studies at Barnard College, earning a bachelor’s degree. She later completed a master’s degree in music education at Smith College. While working as a music teacher in New York City, she was set up on a blind date with Dr. William Becker, a dentist from Norfolk, VA, who had also grown up in New York City. On their first date Bill called upon Merle, who famously played a piano duet with her sister Cara in the parlor to entertain him.
Merle and Bill were married in 1959 and began to raise their family in Norfolk. A diehard New Yorker, Merle steadfastly maintained her NY driver’s license, holding out the slender hope that she and Bill would return to the city of their birth. Eventually, she embraced life in Norfolk, playing cello in the Virginia Symphony and participating in the local Jewish community. Every summer she drove her sons to the Catskills so they could spend several weeks with her parents and Cara’s family.
While raising her boys Merle gave music lessons to neighborhood children and later became a music teacher at Norfolk Academy, a prestigious private school. Over time she transformed the school’s music department from a single room with a piano into an extremely popular, multidisciplinary program that included orchestra, choir, theater, and dance. In a sense, Merle brought NYC to NA. She ultimately served as Chair of the Fine Arts Department for several years and mentored many students who went on to pursue careers in the arts.
After retiring from teaching, Merle continued to play cello in a chamber music quartet and assisted Bill in managing his dental practice. She also spent as much time as possible in New York City seeing shows and exhibits with her cherished sister Cara, whose daughters Margot and Sabrina she dearly loved. Always a loving and attentive mother, Merle kept in constant contact with her four adult sons, supporting and encouraging them through every stage of life. When speaking with Merle on the phone, it was not unusual to hear her exclaim, “I got the beep!” when one of the other family members called at the same time. As the grandchildren arrived, Merle showered them with love, gifts, and time — including trips to the beach, pool, museums, aquarium, even the Metropolitan Opera. Cheerful, energetic, and patient, she was an amazing grandmother.
When Merle and Bill began to find it challenging to live in Virginia far from their sons, they moved to Princeton. Merle accepted aging, relocation, health issues, and the loss of her husband Bill with tremendous grace and dignity. In recent years she enjoyed frequent visits from her children and grandchildren and also developed new friendships with her fellow residents at 55 Witherspoon Street and other devotees of the Princeton Public Library. She never lost her passion for music and played her childhood cello until both she and the instrument became too fragile. Even in her last year she delighted in attending musical performances at the library, Hinds Plaza, the McCarter, and Richardson Auditorium.
Merle was predeceased by her beloved husband Bill (2018). She is survived by her four sons: Richard (Rachel), Paul (Lori), Daniel (Madeleine), Sam (Jennifer); grandchildren Olivia, Ben, Hannah, Joshua, Sophia, Corey, Robbie, Emily, and Kate; nieces Margot, Sabrina, Dana, Jodi, and Randi; and many friends.
The Becker family is deeply grateful to Dede Mitchell, Ashaki Mutema, and Marie Blythe, who lovingly cared for Merle for several years, as well as physical therapist Denise Cheskis. Special thanks are also owed
to Dr. David Barile and Dr. Regan Tuder for their exceptional care.
A memorial service was held on Sunday, August 23, at Mather-Hodge Funeral Home in Princeton. To honor Merle’s lifelong passion for the arts and education, donations may be made to the McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, NJ, or the Princeton Public Library.
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Doris W. Nini
Doris W. Nini passed away in the company of her loving children on Friday, August 14, 2026.
Doris was predeceased by her husband of 58 years, Joseph R. Nini.
She is survived by her daughter Anne E. Nini, her son Mark J. Nini, and his wife Olga G. Nini.
Her granddaughter Amanda E. Nini, her grandson Matthew J. Nini and his wife Kelly A. Nini brought her untold joy.
Her great-grandchildren William J. Nini and Alexander T. Nini never failed to provide Doris with laughter and happiness.
Doris was an avid gardener and wonderful cook.
She loved the earth and all its bounty and leaves a legacy of respect for the natural world that she shared with her children and grandchildren.
Her helpfulness to ALL who crossed her path was unmatched, as was her gratitude for the many people who touched her life.
She loved to say a home isn’t just a building, it is what you make it — a place of comfort and love, for pot luck dinners, for winter picnics, for watching seeds grow and produce wonders out of the earth.
Cherish friends, as they make the journey worthwhile.
Welcome them at your home at any time.
Remember, happiness is sunshine even in the rain.
In honoring her wishes, her remains have been donated to medical research in order to help others, as she did in life.
There will be no calling hours or services.
In memory of Doris, donations may be made to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation.
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Esterina Sferra
Esterina Sferra, 88, of Princeton, NJ, passed away on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at Brandywine Assisted Living at Princeton.
Born in Pettoranello del Molise, Italy, Esterina came to the United States in March of 1958, to Princeton, NJ, and has been a lifelong Princeton resident.
She was a homemaker, was an exceptional cook and baker, and enjoyed gardening.
She was a member of St. Paul’s Church, it’s Altar Rosary Society, and the Ladies Auxiliary.
Esterina was a wonderful mother, mother-in-law, and a great Nonna.
Predeceased by her parents Vito and Carmella Cifelli Tamasi, and her siblings Antonio Tamasi, Cleonice Nini, and Ida Ciccone, she is survived by her loving husband of 66 years, Umberto Sferra; her sons, Ralph Sferra, and his wife Dianna, Riccardo Sferra, and his wife Roberta, and Nicholas Sferra; his grandchildren, Luke Sferra, Angelina Sferra-Giovacchini, and her husband Jordan, Francesca Sferra, and Adrianna Sferra; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
Calling hours for family and friends will be held on Thursday, August 27, 2026, from 8:30 to 10 a.m., at the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home,
40 Vandeventer Avenue, Princeton, NJ 08542.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be Celebrated on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at 10:30 a.m., at St. Paul’s Church 216 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ 08542.
Burial will follow at Princeton Cemetery.
The family would like to take this time to thank her caregiver, Tetyana Kuchma, for her special care shown to Esterina for the past
four years.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Esterina’s memory to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research at michaeljfox.org/give-tribute.
“Thank you for all the love.”
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Amy Rowen
Amy Rowen died on August 21, 2026, at her home in Princeton, NJ, surrounded by family and friends, after a six month battle with acute myeloid leukemia.
Amy was born on January 27, 1952 in Waltham MA, to Herbert H. Rowen and Mildred (Ringel) Rowen. She moved around the country with her family as a child, following her father’s academic career from Massachusetts to Iowa, New York, California, Wisconsin, then to the Netherlands (where she went to 4th grade in a Dutch school and became fluent in the language), back to Wisconsin, and finally to Rocky Hill, NJ, in 1964. She attended Princeton Public Schools and graduated from Princeton High School
in 1969.
Amy was a true artistic prodigy. She drew prolifically and constantly throughout childhood, producing drawings of extraordinary skill and likeness from an early age. When most of us were still making stick figures, Amy was rendering people in motion — a three-quarter face, a swirling skirt, a well-turned ankle in a high heeled shoe, the entwined strands of a braid — and she never stopped drawing. She explored many media over her decades of making art, especially pen and ink, water color, oil, and finally acrylic and mixed media. Although she had many other talents — for music, for languages and literature, for laughter and empathy — it was art that drove her and formed her unwavering center.
After graduating from Indiana University in 1973, she moved back to Rocky Hill, and studied illustration at The School for Visual Arts in New York City, receiving an honorary degree in 1976. She then moved to Manhattan where she worked as a freelance illustrator. Her work was published in magazines and newspapers, including The New York Times Op-Ed page. She also illustrated children’s books and worked as a portrait painter, represented by Portraits, Inc.
Amy married Thomas H. Bishop in 1981, and their daughter Karina Rowen Bishop was born in 1986. In 1988, Amy was baptized at Grace Church in New York. After her marriage ended, she earned a Masters in Social Work from New York University in 2004, returned to the Princeton area, and worked as a social worker at Princeton House Behavioral Health. She then moved to Northampton, MA, where for a decade she counseled homeless veterans through the Veterans’ Administration in Leeds, MA.
In 2024, Amy retired to Princeton, where she was a devoted parishioner of All Saints’ Episcopal Church. Once again, she immersed herself full time in art. After 50 years of making representational art, she turned now to abstraction, producing a final body of work of astonishing variety and depth of feeling. An exhibition of this recent work, Making a Mark, was shown at Princeton Windows at the end of her life.
Amy is survived by her daughter Karina Rowen Bishop (Alejandro Fernandez de Mesa); her beloved grandchildren Luis Tomas Fernandez de Mesa and Clara Rowen Fernandez de Mesa; her sister Marthe Rowen (Craig Barton); as well her nieces, nephews, and cousins.
She was predeceased by her brother Douglas Rowen.
A Celebration of Amy’s Life is being planned for later this year. Extend condolences and share memories at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.
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Susanna Peck Waterman
Susanna Peck Waterman, known to all as Susy or Granny, died at home in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, on August 20, 2026, after a brief illness. She passed surrounded by her family and the native woodland gardens she cultivated with devotion; gardens tended with the same steadfastness, care, and quiet determination she brought to every endeavor and every cherished relationship.
Born on November 16, 1929, in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Susy was the daughter of James Knickerbocker Peck and Rebecca Stoughton Peck. She was predeceased by her sister Rebecca Peterson, her brother James Peck, and her husband of 73 years, the renowned underwater filmmaker and lecturer Stan Waterman. Voted Queen of the Anthracite Valley in her senior year at Scranton’s Central High School, she frequented local dance halls where she was a much sought after swing dance partner.
Susy is survived by her three children: George (and MarySue) Waterman, Susannah (and John) Reid, and Gar (and Thea Buxbaum) Waterman; her six beloved grandsons: Gar (and Dr. Samyukta Dore) and Tory (and Katie) Waterman, Durry, Jesse (and Rachel), and Lonson Becker, and Geffen Waterman; and her great‑grandchildren Avery Becker (Durry), Calla Becker (Jesse and Rachel), and Jamie Waterman (Tory and Katie). Her family shared many joyful summers together in Maine and countless holidays gathered in various family homes, memories that remain among her greatest gifts.
A passionate environmentalist, Susy was an early activist in establishing New Jersey’s first glass recycling program in a parking lot at Princeton University. She was also a founder of Princeton’s Whole Earth Center, a natural food market and restaurant that has endured for more than five decades — outlasting national chain competitors — and continues to donate its proceeds to environmental education and justice initiatives, just as it has since its founding in 1970.
In 1965 she traveled with Stan and the family to Tahiti for a year, a watershed experience that resulted in a film that became one of National Geographic’s first television specials. A genteel and graceful revolutionary, Susy was the first woman to wear pants to back to school night at Princeton Day School in the 1960s. Never one to be put in a box, Susy disappeared for eight months in midlife to trek in Nepal, had an audience with the Dalai Lama, and developed an enduring penchant for sleeping on the ground under the stars, a habit she shared with her grandsons as often as possible on the beach in Maine. She made wicked good spiced plum jam and arguably the best mac and cheese on the planet.
Susy was a devoted appreciator of art, opera, and learning. She had a curator’s eye for beauty and filled her home with art and natural objects — leaves, mushrooms, shells, stones, and sea glass — each chosen with intention and delight. Her genuine curiosity and openness endeared her to everyone she met. Children in her community insisted she be invited to their birthday parties, a testament to her warmth and the ease with which she connected across generations.
Above all, Susy’s greatest passions were her family and trees. She lived a long, deeply loved, and beautifully engaged life and will be profoundly missed.
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Barbara Hinkle-Azzara
Barbara Mary Hinkle-Azzara, longtime resident of Princeton, NJ, completed her life journey on August 15, 2026, and is now reunited with her beloved husband Joe. Barbara’s passing leaves a deep quiet, as she was one of those rare souls whose generosity, kindness, and instinctive thoughtfulness made life sweeter for everyone around her.
Born in Macedonia, Ohio, Barbara grew up in the Nordonia schools and received her sacraments at Our Lady of Guadalupe. She graduated from Nordonia High School in 1983 and earned her degree in Medical Records Management from Bowling Green State University in 1987. She soon moved to New York City, beginning a long and respected career in medical records at St. Vincent’s Hospital and other major institutions, where colleagues admired her expertise and her unfailing willingness
to help.
In the mid-1990s, while working at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital, Barbara met Joseph Azzara, the love of her life. They married in 2001 at a favorite Long Island vineyard and built a warm, welcoming home in Princeton. Joe’s sons, Michael and John, lived with them part-time, and Barbara embraced them with wholehearted affection, creating a family life defined by support, humor, and shared experiences.
Barbara and Joe shared a deep love of travel, especially their many trips throughout Italy, where they delighted in food, wine, and the simple joy of exploring together. They also treasured visits to France to see her sister Julie, ski trips, and countless weekends spent cheering at the boys’ soccer games. Barbara approached every journey — near or far — with curiosity, gratitude, and her signature generosity of spirit.
Her faith was a steady anchor throughout her life. She was a devoted member of St. Paul’s in Princeton, where her spiritual life deepened over many years. After the loss of her father and later Joe, Barbara found profound comfort and support at the Chapel of All Saints in West Cornwall, Connecticut, where she spent meaningful time held in prayer, companionship, and quiet strength.
Barbara’s kindness was quiet but constant: thoughtful notes, small gestures, meals delivered, and an uncanny ability to sense when someone needed comfort. She lived by a line from her favorite band, Dave Matthews — “Celebrate we will, because life is short but sweet for certain.” And she truly did: celebrating others, celebrating love, celebrating the everyday moments that make a life full.
In 2025, Barbara faced her diagnosis of a rare, inoperable brain glioma with courage, hope, and unwavering faith. A new treatment brought brief encouragement, but she ultimately passed peacefully in Connecticut, surrounded by those who loved her.
Barbara was preceded in death by her husband Joseph and her father William. She leaves behind her stepsons Michael Azzara of Charlotte, NC, and John Azzara (Gina) of Asbury Park, NJ; her mother Mary Jean Hinkle of Hudson, OH; and her siblings Steve (Gloria), William (Nancy), Mary Ann (Peter), Mark (Joan), Kathryn (Jim), Peter (Evelyn), and Julie Saint-Jacques. She was a beloved aunt to many nieces and nephews across both families.
Barbara’s legacy is one of tenderness, generosity, faith, and radiant kindness. Those who knew her will carry her light forward, comforted by the belief that she rests in peace and is reunited with the loved ones who went before her.
There will be a memorial for Barbara with Chapel of All Saints @Trinity Retreat Center, West Cornwall, CT at a future date.
There will be a livestream Funeral Mass celebrated Saturday, August 29, 2026 at 10 a.m. at St Paul Catholic Church, 218 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ 08542.
The family will be there to receive guests at 9:30 a.m. Here is the link for the livestream: https://venue.streamspot.com/event/Njk4ODEzNQ==. Note: The link will go live about 9:45 a.m. and conclude at 11:15 a.m. If someone clicks on the link before the link goes live, they will need to hit the “refresh” button to get the live link.
Donations can be made to National Brain Tumor Society: braintumor.org/donate.
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Royce Donald Barr
Royce Donald Barr, known as Don by his loved ones, was born in North Tarrytown, NY (Sleepy Hollow), on June 19,1934 and died on August 23, 2026.
He and was raised in Pelham, NY. After graduating from Pelham Memorial High School, he continued his education at Iona College and then transferred to Springfield College in Massachusetts. An athlete his whole life, he played basketball and baseball in high school and college. Summers were spent on Long Beach Island, NJ, where he was a lifeguard for Ship Bottom and Harvey Cedars for many years. Don served in the U.S. Navy from 1957-1963 and was stationed in Washington, DC, and Norfolk, VA, aboard the repair ship USS Vulcan. He also played basketball for the Atlantic Fleet Service Force.
Don began his career in Recreation and Parks in Montclair, NJ, as Director of Activities from 1959-1961. He then served as Superintendent of Recreation in Pelham, NY, from 1961-1964 before becoming Executive Director of Princeton Borough and Township for its newly created Recreation Department, a position he held from 1964-1991. He was actively involved in developing programs and facilities for his beloved Princeton.
He was also involved with the New Jersey Recreation and Park Association, serving as President from 1974-1975. Don was appointed by Governor Brendan Byrne as a charter member of the State Commission of Recreation for Individuals with Disabilities and served from 1976-1991. He was a member of the National Recreation and Park Association from 1959-1991, served as Chairman of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council from 1979-1980, and served on the National Recreation and Parks Board of Trustees from 1986-1992.
Don met the love of his life Valerie Monahan in fall of 1951. After raising their family in Princeton Junction, NJ, Don and Valerie moved to Ship Bottom, NJ, upon retirement and enjoyed winters in Sarasota, FL. In addition to loving basketball, baseball, and softball, Don was an avid fisherman and hunter and always had a tomato garden. Through the ups and downs, the Yankees and Giants have always been his teams.
He and Valerie enjoyed traveling, especially to Ireland. There has never been a St. Patrick’s Day that Don did not celebrate. He adored his children and grandchildren and always said how lucky he was to have such a loving family. He cherished the friends he made throughout his life.
Don was predeceased by his parents, Alfred and Catherine Grady Barr; his brother, Alfred Barr, Jr.; and his nephew, Alfred Barr III. He is survived by his wife, Valerie (Monahan), of 69 years; two daughters and a son, Donnel and David Barnum, Kim and Michael Cunningham, and Scott and Kathleen Barr; seven grandchildren, Katie (Fernando) and Drew Barnum, Leigh Cunningham, Taylor (Brooke), Kelsey (Mike), Kamryn, and Jordyn Barr; two great-granddaughters, Hayden and Hunter Barr; and two nieces, Catherine Barr Heimbach and Betsy Barr Coffin.
Viewing will be held on Friday August 28, 2026 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Bugbee-Riggs Funeral Home, 1119 Long Beach Boulevard., Ship Bottom, NJ. Funeral Service will be at 11:30 am. Burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: LBI PBA #175, PO Box 175, Ship Bottom, NJ 08008.