June 12, 2024
“LET FREEDOM RING”: From left, Human Services Commission member Larry Spruill, Civil Rights Commission Chair Fern Spruill, and Councilman Leighton Newlin raise the Juneteenth flag at Monument Hall to commemorate Juneteenth 2023. (Princeton Symphony Orchestra staff photo)
By Donald Gilpin
Juneteenth, commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S. after the Civil War, is next Wednesday, June 19, and celebrations will be taking place at Monument Plaza and Morven Museum & Garden in Princeton, at various other venues in Central Jersey, and across the nation.
Events are also scheduled in the area for Saturday, June 15, with additional celebrations over the weekend of June 22-23.
It was on June 19, 1865, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, that enslaved African Americans in Texas were told they were free. African Americans have celebrated that day since the late 1800s, and in 2021 Juneteenth, on June 19, officially became a national holiday. The holiday is also called Juneteenth Independence Day, Freedom Day, or Emancipation Day. more
By Anne Levin
Nearly a century ago, it was possible to travel by trolley between Trenton and Princeton. The trip cost 10 cents and took 35 minutes.
The Johnson Trolley, also known as the Princeton-Lawrenceville-Trenton Fast Line, took travelers between Witherspoon Street near Nassau Street and North Willow Street in Trenton. The Trenton-Princeton Traction Company ran the trolley through this corridor from 1902 to 1940.
In recent years, it has been known as the Johnson Trolley Trail, part of the vast regional network of Circuit Trails used for biking, walking, and running. It is the subject of a public Zoom session being held Wednesday, June 12 from 6-8 p.m. by Mercer County and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission.
The purpose is to introduce the study and share preliminary routes to be considered that would extend the northern and southern sections of the Johnson Trolley Trail Corridor. Soliciting feedback from the public is a goal of the session. more
BEAUTIFUL AND BESIEGED: Princeton’s beech trees are being threatened with a new beech leaf disease caused by tiny worms called nematodes, which can destroy a tree in less than 10 years. Local arborists and residents are seeking the best ways to combat beech leaf disease. (Shutterstock)
By Donald Gilpin
Just 10 years since the emerald ash borer was first detected in New Jersey, and then proceeded to decimate many thousands of the state’s ash trees, a new threat, beech leaf disease, caused by tiny worms called nematodes spread by birds or the wind, has arrived and is likely to take a devastating toll on the area’s beech trees.
Princeton Municipal Arborist Taylor Sapudar reports sightings on private properties throughout Princeton and in Princeton Open Space. He has heard from private tree care companies that are trying to manage and treat the disease, but he cautions that “it’s still in the early stages,” and a number of questions about the origins and the most effective countermeasures remain unanswered.
“Staff will be monitoring the disease in the open space areas,” Sapudar said. more
CAMPUS CHRONICLER: This photo of workers sorting books at Princeton University is among those on display at “Credit Line, Please,” an exhibit of photos by Elizabeth Menzies, on view at the Seeley Mudd Library through April 2025.
By Anne Levin
From 1936 until the late 1960s, it was rare to find an issue of the Princeton Alumni Weekly (PAW) that didn’t feature a photo — usually on the cover — by Elizabeth Menzies. The photographer’s contributions, a selection of which are on display at the University’s Seeley Mudd Library starting Thursday, June 13, represent a visual chronicle of Princeton University through the decades.
“Credit Line, Please” features photos on Mudd Library’s walls and display cases. Curators Phoebe Nobles, Emma Paradies, and Rosalba Varallo Recchia, who work at Princeton University Library, wanted to celebrate the woman whom Princeton history professor Julian Boyd said had “the intellect of a scholar, the heart of a concerned citizen, and the hand of an artist.” more
By Donald Gilpin
With the wrap-up of the June primary, New Jersey voters and candidates are setting their sights on the November general election.
The national races, with Congress, the Senate and the U.S. presidency on the line, appear to be more hotly contested than the local contests.
Democrat Mark Freda is running unopposed for reelection as Princeton mayor, while in their bids for two Princeton Council seats in November, new candidate Brian McDonald and incumbent Leighton Newlin are so far facing no competition.
In the primary race to represent the Democratic Party in the fall election for the New Jersey U.S. Senate seat currently held by Robert Menendez, Andy Kim handily defeated two other candidates, receiving 75 percent of the vote to 15.9 percent for labor organizer and political leader Patricia Campos-Medina, and 9.1 percent for Lawrence Hamm, human rights activist and leader of Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign in New Jersey. Tammy Murphy, wife of Gov. Phil Murphy, entered the primary race for Senate, but ended her campaign in March. more
By Anne Levin
Alexis Peart
(photo by Stephen Laschever)
When Mozart’s comic opera Cosi fan tutte is staged by the Princeton Festival this coming weekend, there is likely to be a substantial cheering section for the mezzo soprano taking the role of Dorabella.
She is Alexis Peart, and her artistic roots in the local area run deep. In fact, the accomplished 26-year-old opera singer cites her first operatic experience as a member of the children’s chorus at the Princeton Festival — in Carmen one year, and La Boheme the next.
Peart grew up in Titusville, in the house where her mother still lives. She studied voice, cello, flute, and violin at Westminster Conservatory of Music. She took classes at Princeton Ballet School. Her family attended Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church.
“Coming back here to perform is a very ‘kismet’ journey, and I’m so excited about it,” Peart said during a telephone interview last week. “With all that I have been doing, I haven’t been able to perform in proximity to where I grew up. I understand that a huge group from the church are coming. And of course, my mom is coming to all three shows.” more
By Stuart Mitchner
Go, seize the day
Wake up and say
This is an extraordinary life ….
Less than a week before Father’s Day, my son and I are talking about the time he fell off the sofa dancing around to Asia’s “Heat of the Moment.” It was mid-May 1983; he was 7. “But it wasn’t the sofa,” he tells me; he’s 48 now. “It was a bunch of cushions I’d piled onto a chair. I didn’t cry, I yelled, I kept jumping around. John Wetton was singing.”
Wetton’s Power
I italicized “John Wetton” to show the 7-year-old’s excitement still alive in the 48-year-old’s voice. In fact, when Wetton sings, the whole world is italicized, there’s no such thing as was; his is the power of is, is, forever is, and the first time I heard him singing Asia’s anthemic “An Extraordinary Life” on the 2008 “come back” album Phoenix, I had to know more about the musician my son had been mourning for the better part of five years. When Wetton sang “Go seize the day, wake up and say this is an extraordinary life,” he had less than a decade to live, after surviving 20 years of heavy drinking and smoking, plus triple-bypass surgery. He died of cancer on January 31, 2017, at 67, same age as my heavy drinking and smoking mother, who also died of cancer and was very much on my mind as Wetton sang of “the smiles and frowns, the ups and downs, of fortune turning … the twists and turns, the lessons learned.”
Asia’s first single, “Heat of the Moment” was a huge hit, spending 26 weeks on the charts while the group’s debut LP was the No. 1 album in the U.S. for 1982, according to Billboard and Cashbox. As Wetton puts it in a 2014 HuffPost interview, “We got let out of the elevator at the penthouse instead of the ground floor.” In a 2011 interview about “Heat of the Moment,” he says that he and keyboardist Geoff Downes wrote the song in an afternoon: “The lyrics are an abject apology for my dreadful behavior towards a particular woman (the woman I would eventually marry, but divorce 10 years later), the chorus began its life as a 6/8 country song, but when Geoff and I started writing together, we moved the time signatures around, and ‘Heat of the Moment’ emerged.” more
By Nancy Plum
New Jersey Symphony ended its 2023-24 Princeton series with a concert of American works featuring two longtime collaborators. Led by Music Director Xian Zhang, Friday night’s performance in Richardson Auditorium included George Gershwin’s immortal Porgy and Bess, as encapsulated into a symphonic suite by noted arranger Robert Russell Bennett, along with Gershwin’s towering Concerto in F Major for Piano and Orchestra with guest piano soloist Daniil Trifonov. Complementing these two American classics was a world premiere of Daniel Bernard Roumain’s orchestral concerto Autumn Days and Nights, which Roumain, the Symphony’s resident artistic catalyst, had dedicated to Zhang. more
CASHING IN: Rosanne Cash is among the musical artists appearing at McCarter Theatre in the coming cultural season.
McCarter Theatre is now selling tickets for new and returning programs in its 2024-25 season.
Among the events on the schedule are “An Evening with David Sedaris” on October 3; “Encanto: The Sing-Along Film Concert” on October 4; Rosanne Cash with John Leventhal on October 18; The Hot Sardines on November 8; The Moth on November 23; and A Christmas Carol December 3-28.
Empire Records, Ballet Hispanico, and “Duel Reality” are also being presented, among other works. Visit Mccarter.org for specific dates and ticket prices. McCarter Theatre Center is located at 91 University Place.
Vinroy D. Brown Jr.
The Princeton Festival salutes Juneteenth with a “Celebration Honoring Black Choral Music” on Wednesday, June 19 at 7 p.m. on the grounds of Morven Museum & Garden with free community events offered beforehand in partnership with the Municipality of Princeton.
Choral conductor Vinroy D. Brown Jr. of Westminster Choir College leads a choir drawn from the community and anchored by the Capital Singers of Trenton. The program includes remarks by Union Baptist Church’s the Rev. Simeon Spencer and features Robert Ray’s Gospel Mass, with additional choral selections highlighting the spirit of Black music.
In addition to Robert Ray’s Gospel Mass, the program includes Mark Miller’s “I Believe,” Marques L. A. Garrett’s “Sing Out, My Soul,” traditional spirituals, and James Weldon Johnson and John Rosamond Johnson’s “Lift Every Voice & Sing.” For more information, visit princetonsymphony.org/festival or call (609) 497-0020.
Vocalists LaKisha Jones, Nova Y. Payton, and Matthew Johnson premiered “The Music of Tina Turner” in front of a full house at the Princeton Festival on Saturday, June 8, with Lucas Waldin conducting the Princeton Symphony Orchestra. The concert was part of the first weekend of the annual music festival, in a performance tent at Morven, which also included performances by opera star Angel Blue with the orchestra, and Sonia De Los Santos. The activities continue through June 22. (Photo by Princeton Symphony Orchestra staff)
MODERN TAKE ON “MIDSUMMER”: Lysander and Hermia (Jawan Julian of Trenton and Tara Eve Mershon of Lambertville), and Helena and Demetrius (Maggie Gronenthal of Lawrenceville and Zach Caruso of Bordentown) in a modern retelling of the Shakespeare classic “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” June 14-23 at the Kelsey Theatre on Mercer County Community College’s West Windsor Campus.
Shakespeare 70 presents William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream June 14-23 at the Kelsey Theatre on Mercer County Community College’s (MCCC) West Windsor Campus.
In this updated version of the classic comedy, it’s the 1960s in a college town called Athens, somewhere in America, where Hermia loves Lysander, but her father wants her to marry Demetrius. Helena loves Demetrius, but he seems to have forgotten all about her. The young lovers all run away to the woods outside of Athens, and get caught up in the disputes and trickery of supernatural fairies – who look an awful lot like hippies. more
“KENTUCKY DERBY HORSE RACING”: This oil painting by Christine Seo is featured in “Capture the Rhythm, her exhibition with Matt DeProspero and Daniel Michael Sierechio, on view through January 12 at Ficus Bon Vivant on Nassau Street.
“Capture the Rhythm,” on view through January 12 at Ficus Bon Vivant, showcases distinctive artworks by Matt DeProspero, Christine Seo, and Daniel Michael Sierechio.
By delving into their personal interpretations of rhythm, these artists open a gateway for viewers to connect with the art on an intimate level — almost as if they are immersed in a dance of colors and shapes themselves. Each stroke tells a story, each hue sings a tune, inviting viewers to experience the essence of rhythm in a visual symphony. more
AWARD-WINNING PROJECT: Members of Princeton Girl Scout Junior Troop 71829 are shown with one of their “Sidewalk Murals for our Community” at Community Park North.
The efforts of Princeton Girl Scout Junior Troop 71829 have culminated in the recent unveiling of their Bronze Award project, “Sidewalk Murals for our Community,” at Community Park North, located between Pettoranello Gardens and Princeton First Aid & Rescue Squad. The troop, consisting of 12 fifth-grade girls, brought their vision to life through four sidewalk murals adorned with imagery of bees donning Girl Scout uniforms and uplifting messages inspired by the Girl Scout Law.
The Bronze Award represents the pinnacle of achievement for Girl Scout Juniors, and Troop 71829’s dedication and creativity shine through in their endeavor. Under the guidance of troop leaders Alexia Salinas and Bethany Sierra, the girls embarked, devised, and executed a project aimed at fostering positive change in their community. With the support of the Princeton Recreation Department, along with paint material donations from Home Depot stores in West Windsor, South Brunswick, and Ewing, the troop brought their vision to fruition.
ART TALK: Artist Renata Pugh, whose work is shown here, is the featured speaker for the “Inside the Artist’s Studio” series on Friday, June 14 at 6:30 p.m. at Princeton Makes in the Princeton Shopping Center.
On Friday, June 14 at 6:30 p.m., artist Renata Pugh will be the featured speaker for the “Inside the Artist’s Studio” series at Princeton Makes in the Princeton Shopping Center. Pugh, a Princeton Makes artist cooperative member, is a multi-disciplinary artist originally from South Brunswick.
Pugh, who earned her BFA at the School of Visual Arts, has worked as a storyboard artist, muralist, and illustrator, but mainly as an art restorer in sculpture restoration. Presently, she is focused on creating stained glass objects with a unique modern design approach utilizing solder as an additional sculptural element. more
Works by Marlon “7oveChild” Davila are featured in “Phases of the Heart,” on view through June 29 in Solley Lobby Gallery on the second floor at the Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street. For more information, visit artscouncilofprinceton.org.
FIBER ART: Works by Katie Truk will be featured in “Structures and Constructions in Fiber,” on view June 29 through August 18 at New Hope Arts in New Hope, Pa. An opening night celebration is on Saturday, June 29 from 6 to 8 p.m.
New Hope Arts in New Hope, Pa., will host a juried art exhibition, “Structures and Constructions in Fiber,” June 29 through August 18.
Curated by Rita Romanova Gekht, the exhibit will feature the work of over 32 international and regional artists who have come together to present over 80 original works involving fiber. Artists include Marilyn Cowhill, Rita Romanova Gekht, Bojana Leznicki, Nelly Kouzmina, Susan Martin-Maffei, Michael Ross, Mary-Ann Sievert, and Katie Truk. For the complete list of participating artists, visit newhopearts.org. more
ACTION JACKSON: Princeton University men’s track star Jackson Shorten competes in the steeplechase last week at the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Ore. Sophomore Shorten placed fifth in his preliminary heat on Wednesday to qualify for the final. Two days later, he took 10th in the final, earning second-team All-American honors. Seven other Tiger athletics competed in the NCAA meet including Casey Helm in the men’s discus, Nicholas Bendtsen in the men’s 5,000 meters, Siniru Iheoma the women’s discus, Shea Greene in the women’s javelin, Alexandra Kelly in the women’s long jump, Georgina Scoot in the women’s triple jump, and Tessa Mudd in the women’s pole vault. (Photo provided by Princeton Athletics)
By Bill Alden
As the crème de la crème of the college track world converged last week at the mecca of the sport in the U.S., Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., for the NCAA Championships, the Princeton University squad had eight athletes make the stellar field.
For sophomore star steeplechaser Jackson Shorter, earning a trip to Hayward was the culmination of a superb spring.
“As I look forward to the coming week, I feel an immense sense of gratitude,” said Shorten as quoted on the Princeton sports website. “I am so thankful for the way that I have continued to progress this season, my coach, and my incredible teammates. I would not be where I am today without such an incredible support system. Ahead is an incredible opportunity and I want to make the most of it.” more
HOT SHOT: Princeton High throwing star Sean Wilton, center, enjoys the moment last Saturday with assistant coaches Brandon Willams, left, and Fred Samara after he placed first in the shot put at the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 4 state track and field championship meet. Junior Wilton produced a best throw and personal best of 57’5.25 to win the title. Wilton will next be in action when he competes in the NJSIAA Meet of Champions on June 12 at Pennsauken High.
By Justin Feil
Sean Wilton was not satisfied as he stepped into the circle to make his final throw at the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 4 state track and field championship meet last Saturday at Franklin High.
The Princeton High junior stood in second place in the boys shot put behind South Brunswick’s Braden Paulmenn, just how he had finished at the sectional meet the week before – second behind Paulmenn. Wilton had thrown a personal-best 56’1 on his second throw of the group meet, but Paulmenn took the lead minutes later when he threw six inches further. Wilton fouled each of his next three throws to set up his last chance to pull ahead. more
SISTER ACT: Stuart Country Day School lacrosse player Lauren Lee defends a foe in a game this spring. Freshman midfielder Lee combined with her older sister, junior attacker Allison Lee, to trigger the Tartan offense. The younger Lee tallied 21 goals and 10 assists while her sister led the way for Stuart with 88 goals and 10 assists. The Tartans posted a final record of 6-12. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)
By Bill Alden
Enduring some ups and downs this spring as it incorporated a number of young players into its lineup, Stuart Country Day School displayed its growth by ending the season on a high note.
Stuart defeated the Solebury School (Pa.) 16-1 and then topped Gill St. Bernards 14-7 in its season finale on May 20 as the Tartans posted a final record of 6-12.
Stuart first-year head coach Paige Meszaros saw the pair of wins as a culmination of the effort her players put in this spring. more
FULL EFFORT: Princeton Day School baseball player Keegan Fullman fires a pitch in action this spring. Freshman Fullman starred with his arm and bat in his debut campaign, helping PDS go on a late run that saw it win four of its last five games, including a victory in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) South Jersey Non-Public B tournament. The Panthers ended 2024 with a 6-17 record. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)
By Bill Alden
When the Princeton Day School baseball team lost 2-1 to Trenton High in mid-May to suffer its seventh defeat in its last eight games and drop to 2-16, it appeared that the Panthers were heading to a rough homestretch.
But PDS head coach Eric Schnepf saw the loss to the Tornadoes as a step forward.
“That was a really close game,” said Schnepf. “That got us going, we started to play better.” more
SUPPLY CHAIN: Troy Jones puts up a shot for Princeton Supply last year in the Princeton Recreation Department Men’s Summer Basketball League. Star guard Jones helped Princeton Supply win the league’s best-of-three championship series in 2023 as the squad broke through for its first crown. Princeton Supply is back to defend its title as the league tips off its 35th year with a doubleheader on June 12 at the Community Park courts. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)
By Bill Alden
For the Princeton Recreation Department Men’s Summer Basketball League, its slogan of “#Still Here” is ringing true in a big way this week as the league is tipping off its 2024 campaign with nine squads ready to hit the Community Park courts.
With the venerable hoops circuit entering its 35th year, Rec Department executive director and league commissioner Evan Moorhead is proud of its staying power.
“It is a lot of the same faces from last year, there are a lot of returners which is good,” said Moorhead, reflecting on the 2024 campaign with which will start with a doubleheader on June 12 at Community Park. “There is good loyalty to the league, guys come back, year in, year out. We know them, they know us. It is always a big one when you are on the 5s or the 0s. It is another nice milestone to reach considering where we started in the summer of 1989 and here we are in 2024. We are still going strong, it is still a popular league and still drawing fans. It is one of the top leagues, if not the top outdoor league, in the area. A lot of leagues have moved inside.” more
To the Editor:
As I head into the general election for my second term on Princeton Council, I’m feeling deeply grateful for the opportunity to continue serving this community that I love. Being on Council is both an honor and a privilege, and I start every day with that in mind.
When I first ran three years ago, I promised to be part of a movement building a broad infrastructure of care in Princeton — focused on housing, affordability, education, social services, transportation, public safety, and the arts. My colleagues and I have worked hard to deliver on that promise. But we’re not there yet. A few things that come to mind that are on my radar screen — an absentee landlord policy, regulating Airbnbs, and expanding our towns tree canopy equitably in all neighborhoods.
Our next phase keeps the focus on smart growth and wise choices. Building a human infrastructure for Princeton’s future that is truly inclusive of people at all income levels. As I’ve said before, diversity is a core strength of our community, not a weakness to be papered over. We’ve made progress, but there is still much work to be done. more
Agnes Dunn Dalley
Agnes Dunn Dalley died June 1, 2024 at her home in Wilmington, NC. She was born in 1928 in Washington, DC, to Richard Price Dunn and Agnes Davis Jones. She married Lawrence Cutting Dalley Jr. in 1950 and together raised four children: Laura Dalley Tobin, Lawrence Cutting Dalley III (Kip), Richard Dunn Dalley, and Sarah Dalley Shannon. Following her husband’s death in 2007, she remarried to Philip Hyland Burch.
Agnes was raised in Washington, DC, and attended The Potomac School and Mt. Vernon Seminary and College before graduating from George Washington University. Following her marriage to Larry, the newlyweds enjoyed a honeymoon in Paris and Beirut, as they traveled to Calcutta, India, to live, while Larry served in the Foreign Service. Their return to Washington, DC, marked the start of their young family. While raising her children, Agnes began a career with J. F. Begg Realtors in the 1960s — her 45-year career was punctuated throughout with many awards from the Washington, DC Association of Realtors. She was active in many volunteer activities as a member of the Board of Trustees of The Potomac School, the Board of Lady Visitors Children’s Hospital, Vice President of the Junior League, Founder and twice President of The Acorn Garden Club, and President of The Antique Study Group. Agnes developed strong and loyal friendships, many of which lasted a lifetime. A highlight in any given year, was spending quality time with family, hosting lively gatherings especially at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Her interests were many and included gardening, birding, antiquing, auctions, reading, and bridge — somehow all sandwiched between ferrying her children to and from swim meets, figure skating events, and ice hockey games. She was particularly fond of gardening and maintained beautiful gardens at her houses on Martha’s Vineyard and Maryland’s eastern shore — they were labors of love — digging, planting, and enjoying the seasons. Barely second to gardening, Agnes was a dedicated birder, an interest she shared with Larry, an interest that took them on memorable travels. As a fifth grader, she was invited to display her collection of bird nests complete with identifications and drawings of the many different inhabitants — a passion that lasted a lifetime. She enjoyed recounting how she would pay her sister, Adrian, a nickel to bring her a nest she didn’t have. Her youthful summers were spent on Nantucket Island before building a house on Martha’s Vineyard Island to escape the DC summer swelter.
Agnes and Larry moved to Princeton, NJ, in 2007 to be closer to their children as Larry declined from Lewy body disease and whom she lovingly care for at home. She lived and enjoyed her 15 years in Princeton which included her eight-year marriage to Philip Burch. Agnes then followed her children to Wilmington, NC, in 2022.
Her memberships included The Chevy Chase Club, The Sulgrave Club, The Vineyard Haven Yacht Club, The West Chop Club, The Junior League of Washington, The Nassau Club of Princeton, NJ, and The Present Day Club of Princeton, NJ.
She is survived by three children Kip Dalley (and wife Kim), Richard Dalley (and wife Alison), Sarah Shannon (and husband Mike); her son-in-law Jim Tobin; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her daughter Laura Tobin, her sister Adrian Dunn Bellinger, her half-brother Elliott Hunter Muse Jr., and her second husband Philip Burch.
Memorial contributions may be made to The American Brain Foundation, 201 Chicago Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55415-1126, or go to americanbrainfoundation.org, in an effort to support finding a cure for brain diseases such as Lewy body dementia and multiple sclerosis.
The family will be celebrating Agnes’ life privately.
Condolences may be expressed online at quinnmcgowen.com.
Harrison James Marks
Harrison James Marks, 26, tragically passed away on June 7, 2024. He grew up and was raised in Princeton. He was the nicest person who had a big heart, and beautiful and gentle soul. He was caring, sweet, and generous to others. Harrison was beloved by all and was a loving son, brother, grandson, and friend. He adored animals.
He was an out-of-the-box thinker who was very creative and artistic. He enjoyed building cars and motorcycles, and working with technology. He was a hard worker who worked as a customer engineer with Vertiv Corporation.
He is survived by his parents Stephen and Linda Sweet Marks; brother Spencer “Ash” Marks; maternal grandmother Merriel Sweet; and aunt Marcelle Sweet and aunt Linda Marks.
Funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 13, 2024 at Star of David Memorial Chapel of Princeton, 40 Vandeventer Avenue, Princeton, NJ 08542. Burial will follow in Beth Israel Cemetery, 19 Ridgedale Avenue, Cedar Knolls, NJ 07927.
Patrick Joseph Keenan
Patrick Joseph Keenan died on May 30 in his home with his children beside him. He was 90 years old.
Patrick was raised in Jersey City, NJ, with his seven sisters: Kitty, Ellie, Pat, Peggy, Anna, Rose, and Mary. His father and mother, William John Keenan and Agnes Maguire Keenan, emigrated to the U.S. from Newry, Ireland, in 1920. Patrick described his childhood as full of fun and mischief. A Catholic nun at St. Michael’s grammar school, who saw potential in him for broader pursuits, warned him that he was “going nowhere fast.” She thus began a program of study to prepare him for the entrance exam to Saint Peter’s Prep, a Jesuit high school. He was admitted and later continued his education at Saint Peter’s College.
He left Jersey City to attend graduate school in Chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh. A shared ride back to Pittsburgh with Roseanne Reilly, a fellow Jersey City native, led to an introduction to Roseanne’s college roommate, Margaret McGurty. Patrick and Margaret married in 1959 and spent their first years together in Pittsburgh, where their sons, Patrick and Sean, were born. Although he lived most of his life in NJ, Patrick’s attachment to Pittsburgh and the friends he made there was steadfast, as were his allegiances to the Steelers and Pirates.
After receiving degrees in Chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh and Business Administration from Mellon Institute (now Carnegie Mellon University), Patrick accepted a position at Kerry Chemical. He travelled from Pittsburgh to NJ in search of a family home. He described driving west on Washington Road from Route 1 — a road lined with Dutch Elms that crossed Carnegie Lake, ran through the Princeton University campus, and ended at Nassau Street in the town of Princeton. He fell in love with the town. His daughters Kate and Elizabeth were born in Princeton, and 17 Random Road was the Keenan Family home for 45 years.
Intersecting expertise and interests in chemistry, energy, economics, and finance yielded diverse working environments and collaborations. Early in his career, Patrick served as a financial analyst focusing on the utility industry at Chase Manhattan Bank. He collaborated on the development of and patented the Dynaflux, an alternator capable of increasing the output power for a given shaft speed via the positioning of the rotor at an oblique angle. For five years, he wrote a monthly subscription newsletter, The Income Builder, within which his economic analysis on utility and other stocks was paired with his wry humor.
Patrick was remarkable for his ingenuity. He was an imaginative problem solver, especially when it came to extending the lives of dying family cars. His methods included supporting corroded exhaust pipes with orange juice cans and replacing missing knobs with Parcheesi pieces. He produced fantastic Halloween costumes for himself, often from discarded items in the basement, and wore them as he accompanied his children trick or treating, while on occasion requesting his own treat by extending an empty shot glass. For his grandchildren, grandnieces, and nephews, he fashioned secret decoder rings from milk carton tops, created treasure maps, and led treks though Herrontown Woods to spy on the witch’s house.
Patrick and Margaret were married for 60 years. Most days, perhaps each day, they shared laughter. Patrick was still making others laugh with his witty retorts the week before he died. Join us as we come together to celebrate Patrick and his mischief, creative ingenuity, warmth, and humor on Saturday June 29, 3-5 p.m., at The Dinky Bar & Kitchen, 94 University Place, Princeton, NJ.
June Crehore Gulick
June Crehore Gulick passed away peacefully on August 17, 2023, at the age of 94 in Charlottesville, VA.
June was born in New York, New York, on February 2, 1929, to Austen Ballard Crehore and Katherine Dennis Crehore. She grew up in Westfield, New Jersey, and attended Wellesley College where she graduated in 1950 with a degree in Economics.
June’s diverse and impressive career spanned over six decades. She worked as a bridal fashion buyer, and then as a Wall Street analyst and accountant in New York. Though she cherished finance and accounting, her most enduring legacy stems from her role as a devoted school teacher of various grades, first through high school. Throughout her teaching career, June educated students at Miss Mason’s School, Miss Fine’s School, Princeton Day School, and The Hun School. Her passion and dedication to building strong foundations in reading, writing, and mathematics left a positive and lasting impact on the many students who adored and appreciated her.
June was described as hardworking, good natured, and compassionate. She co-founded and ran the Wellesley Club of Central New Jersey Antique Show to fund scholarships at Wellesley College. Throughout her lifetime she provided assistance to numerous local businesses and organizations in managing their accounting and finances, a commitment that extended well into her 80s.
June is survived by her daughters, Katherine “Kobby” Hoffman and Anne MacCurdy (Doug) and her son, John “Jack” Gulick (Steve). June’s legacy extends to her granddaughters: Courtney Aquilla (Joseph), Austen Brown (Nathan), and Katherine MacCurdy. Additionally, she is survived by a great-grandchild, Hugh.
In accordance with June’s wishes, there will be no services held to commemorate her life. Instead, she requested that each person give two hours of your time and energy to someone needing assistance as a way to honor her memory.
June Gulick will be dearly missed by her family, friends, and all those whose lives she touched.