Maria Josephina Barbara Cosentino

Maria Josephina Barbara Cosentino, aka Nina, formerly Josephine Maria Barbara Lisi before her marriage to Frank John Cosentino, was born on July 22, 1934 to Jean and Sebastian Lisi, and went to Heaven on January 3, 2024.

She had an older sister, Aurora Seeley, and two older brothers, Michael and Samuel Lisi. The family lived in Princeton, New Jersey.

She won a “beautiful baby” contest at Princeton Hospital when she was 3 days old. She was an artist and attended the Academy of Arts Norman Rockwell in Ewing, New Jersey. She won $100 in 1951 for designing the best Halloween window display on the boulevard on Nassau Street in Princeton.

She was a model and an actress. She performed plays for several years with Pennington Players in the Open Air Theatre in Pennington New Jersey.

She was a gifted antique dealer and had her own shop at the Tomato Factory in Hopewell, New Jersey, called “Antiques and Bygones.”

She is survived by her devoted daughter and family, Laura Cosentino, Sally Bryant, and Suzanne Garrigues. She is also survived by her loving cousin Edwina Gaiser Marchev (daughter of Rose Gaiser who raised her as a child and championed her throughout her life), her nephew Jack Seeley, his wife Betty, and her niece Kristin. Also she loved animals and her present day cat family: Sophie (who went over the rainbow bridge), Theo, Zena, Ling, and Monkey.

She was lovingly cared for by friends; some of whom gave her their personal time regularly. Samantha Rickell, who cared for her like she was her own family; Mary Carol Reilly, a longtime friend who gave her spiritual companionship and provided cognitive activities and games; John McFadden, who provided religious support, prayed with her, and gave her Eucharist every week; and Beverly F. Di Benedetto, who was so loyal and consistent in her attention and phone calls to Nina.

Josephine was wonderfully cared for by the staff at Autumn Lake nursing facility in Ruxton, Maryland, from July 2020 until January 3, 2024. Gilcrest Hospice was also vital to her care the last three months of her earthly life.

Mass will be said for her in her familial church at St. Paul Parish in Princeton, New Jersey, on her birthday of this year, July 22, 2024 at 8:15 a.m. Her family attended this church since the 1930s. She went to grammar school at St. Paul, was married there, and had her daughter baptized there. If you cannot attend the mass, you can watch it on the website (stpaulsofprinceton.org).

If you would like to make a donation, please donate to your local wildlife center or animal shelter.

If you would like a prayer card or information concerning the Celebration of Life dinner we are having for her, please contact Laura: (609) 851–9555.

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Walter Marshall Schmidt

2/20/1926 – 12/29/2023

W. Marshall Schmidt died peacefully in his sleep on Friday, December 29, 2023, in his apartment at the Princeton Windrows in Plainsboro, NJ, where he lived with his beloved wife of 76 years, Cornelia “Kinnie” Schmidt.

Marshall was born on February 20, 1926, in San Francisco, CA, and grew up primarily in Pelham Manor, NY, and then Swarthmore, PA. He graduated in 1947 from Swarthmore College, where his academics were interrupted when he served in WWII on the battleship USS Wisconsin in the Pacific theater.

After graduating from Swarthmore and marrying Kinnie, Marshall began his business career in the financial sector in Philadelphia, first as municipal bond trader with Drexel & Co, and then with Hornblower, Weeks, Hemphill, Noyes where he made partner. In 1971, he became chairman of Schmidt, Roberts & Parke and finished his career with W.H. Newbold’s and then Janney Montgomery Scott, finally retiring in 2000.

In addition to his business career, Marshall was very proud of his contributions to various executive and civic organizations. While at Windrows, he served on five finance committees and eight staff appreciation fund drives. Marshall served as chair of Swarthmore College’s Alumni Association and served on its Board of Managers for one term. He was on the board of directors (1981-1986) and served as vice president (1986-1989) of the Union League of Philadelphia, and he served as the 77th president of the St. Andrew’s Society of Philadelphia. He also had a lifelong commitment to youth development. Marshall was an original board member and emeritus trustee of Agawam Council, which operates Camp Agawam for boys in Raymond, ME. Beginning in 1971, he was actively involved with the Children’s Country Week Association (CCWA), which operates Paradise Farm Camps in Downingtown, PA, serving as president 1974-1994, and president emeritus beginning in 1994. Marshall was instrumental in helping to ensure the financial stability of CCWA, including creating a trust at the Chester Country Community Foundation for the benefit of CCWA. He and Kinnie were also members of the Yardley (PA) Friends Meeting.

In addition to his wife, Marshall is survived by his daughter Eleanor (“Peggy”) Clark (Robert) and his son John Schmidt (Liz Vogel). His son William Schmidt (Cathy) predeceased him. He is also survived by 10 grandchildren: Courtney Clark Metakis (Marc), Kenneth Clark (Kristen Ritenour), John Schmidt (Sarah), Sarah E. Schmidt (Scott Tremblay), Reid Schmidt (Corey Rosenbloom), Sarah A. Schmidt (Kyle Starr), Emily Schmidt (Kevin Stursberg), Margaret Schmidt, Abigail Schmidt (Matthew Caulfield), and William Schmidt, plus nine great-grandchildren.

Marshall led a life well-lived, marked by his devotion to his family, talent for connecting people, enthusiastic engagement in worthy causes, complicated baseball pool that predated online sports fantasy leagues, faithful attendance at Friday poker games, endless supply of stories, fascination with jigsaw puzzles, and fondness for raw oysters.

Marshall’s family offer their heartfelt thanks to David Barile, M.D., Marshall’s primary care physician, for his expert and empathetic medical care; Beth Morley, MSW, of Friends Life Care, for her accessibility and extraordinary support; and Booker Mbiti, home health aide, for his dedication and his perceptive care, which made it possible for Marshall to remain fully engaged in life at Windrows for the past three years.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any donations be directed to the Children’s Country Week Association, 1300 Valley Creek Road, Downingtown, PA 19335.

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Helen Joy Smith

Helen Joy Smith, of Princeton, passed away on November 24, 2023 at Stonebridge at Montgomery. She was 101.

Born in Istanbul, Turkey, where her parents were stationed, Joy grew up with four brothers — playing in formal gardens, exploring castle ruins, and hiking in the mountains. Choral music and piano practice were part of their upbringing, along with impromptu performances for visiting dignitaries.

At age 14, Joy left for boarding school in America as her brothers had before her. Home base became Thetford, Vermont, where the family had relatives, a house, and an association with Camp Hanoum. As a camp counselor, Joy discovered her love for working with children. She studied Biblical history at Wellesley, graduating in the class of 1943, and went on to do graduate work at Haverford. After receiving a degree from the Bank Street Graduate School of Education, Joy became an elementary school teacher in NYC. She had fond memories of taking students on field trips to the Natural History Museum and other attractions.

While volunteering at a Quaker workroom, she met Gale M. Smith, an engineer at AT&T. Gale had grown up in a coastal community in Florida and was fond of boating. Weekends, they often left the city for time on Lake Carnegie in Princeton. They were married in June of 1956, and, eventually, bought a little boathouse there — a wonderful place to raise a family.

Joy and Gale’s involvement with the Quaker Meeting continued in Princeton. Joy rode trains to and from Philadelphia for various committee meetings while the whole family enjoyed conferences in Cape May and the Pine Barrens. Joy was especially proud to be involved with the formation of the Princeton Friends School, and to share her knowledge of Quaker history.

Joy was predeceased by her husband, Gale, and her first daughter, Althea. She leaves behind two daughters, Allegra Anaya of Princeton and Delia Gardiner of Flemington; a son, Halley Smith of Robbinsville; and four grandchildren, Zach, Gavin, Jessica, and Michaela.

A memorial service will be held at Princeton Friends Meeting, 470 Quaker Road, Princeton, NJ 08540 later this year.

Extend condolences and share memories at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.

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Julia Gallup Laughlin

12/29/1937 – 12/17/2023

On Sunday, December 17, 2023, Julia Gallup Laughlin, daughter of Ophelia Miller Gallup and George Horace Gallup, founder of the Gallup Poll, died at the age of 85.

Born December 29, 1937, in Princeton, New Jersey, Julia spent her early years at Miss Fine’s School before moving on to Bennett Junior College. She wed James Ben Laughlin in 1957, at the age of 19. Besides being a dedicated wife, mother, and grandmother, Julia occasionally modeled for a local Princeton clothing store, hosted dinner parties for friends and family, perfected her cooking abilities, and rescued numerous dogs.

The loss of Julia means the loss of her homemade strawberry shortcake (made with extra butter), her perfect pie crusts (check the trash for the three she threw out before deeming the fourth one edible), a best friend to all animals (her dogs only ate the best steak for dinner), and her firecracker personality that kept everyone laughing until the end.

We are fortunate that Julia left us with unforgettable memories. Who can forget her specialized vocabulary, calling all dogs “Doodee,” for instance, and answering the phone as “Mrs. Shnorflur.” We will treasure her numerous Le Creuset pots, her multiple sets of China, and her endless supply of tablecloths, which she used when entertaining her friends. Julia’s legacy also includes the stories she loved to share, like when she threw her teacher’s books out the window.

There will never be another “Juju.” We will cherish the memories we are so lucky to have, as well as the deep impact of her lively spirit on all of us and on all animals lucky enough to cross her path. 

Julia is survived by her two children, daughter Ophelia G. Laughlin and son James Y. Laughlin, and her four grandchildren, Eric and Alex Keller, and Katelyn and Margaret Laughlin.

Julia will be greatly missed.

Funeral arrangements are yet to be determined. Any contributions can be made in Julia’s name to SAVE – A Friend to Homeless Animals (1010 Route 601, Skillman, NJ 08558).

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Nils Steven Pearson

Nils Steven Pearson of Princeton died on Sunday, December 17, 2023 at Princeton Penn Medical Center. Born in Manhattan on February 24, 1943, he was the son of Frederick and Nina Harriton Pearson.

He received his BA degree and his PhD from Rutgers University. He worked at Catholic Charities until he opened his private practice, where he continued seeing patients for 35 years. Nils specialized in adolescents and, more recently, in post-9/11 trauma patients.

He enjoyed cycling, skiing, and travel.

He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Ann Maurer Pearson; his son, Stephen Nils Pearson of Atlanta, GA; his stepchildren, Ann Swart, David Kalb, and Hilary Kalb; and his grandchildren, Madison Hailey Pearson and Stephen John Pearson. He was predeceased by his brother, Frederick Theodore Pearson, and his sister, Nina Cecelia Pearson.

A memorial service will be held at Princeton Friends Meeting, 470 Quaker Road, Princeton, NJ 08540 on February 3, 2024 at 1 p.m.

Memorial contributions may be sent to the American Cancer Society (donate.cancer.org).

Extend condolences and share memories at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.

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Audrey Steinberg

Audrey Steinberg passed away on January 5, 2024 at the age of 100.

She was born in Jersey City in 1923, graduated from Weequahic High School in Newark, attended Ohio State University and graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from New York University with a major in English literature.

Audrey, a great beauty, married the love of her life, the late Howard L. Steinberg, an engineer and home builder, while he was stationed in the Army Air Corps in California during World War II. Audrey and her future mother-in-law drove unescorted cross country during wartime so that Audrey and Howard could wed. That love endured past his death, to the day she died.

Audrey worked as a legal secretary and as a substitute teacher at Orange High School and East Orange High School before receiving a Master’s Degree in Education and Business from Montclair State College (now University) after which she taught business subjects at Katherine Gibbs Secretarial School and East Orange Catholic School. In a second career, Audrey joined her husband working as sought-after title searchers for various title companies and private clients.

Actively athletic, Audrey played doubles tennis until she was 80 and golf until she broke her hip at the age of 90. She was a member of Brandeis Women and the Organization for Rehabilitation and Training (ORT), as well as a volunteer at East Orange General Hospital.

After moving to Central New Jersey at 70, Audrey became a docent at Grounds For Sculpture.

She was an avid reader and enthralled with the arts and the news. Possessed of a wonderful sense of humor and a gentle, loving nature, she was worshiped by her husband, and was devoted to her family, who adored her. In love with life, she hauled her children to every available lesson, play, concert, and museum within 50 miles.

With a soft little girl’s voice, and a small stature, she was a fierce defender of her family when necessary, always full of surprises.

Some 67 years later, after her son’s teacher humiliated him, St. Cloud Elementary School still vibrates with her yelling; “You try that again and I’ll wipe the floor with you.”

Her children, Sally Steinberg-Brent and Robert J. Steinberg; her son-in-law, Daniel F. Brent; her daughter-in-law, Sura Steinberg; her five grandchildren; and her six great-grandchildren, all cherished “Grandma Audrey,” and gathered in Princeton in September to celebrate her 100th birthday with her. She enriched us all.

Funeral services were held on January 7 at The Jewish Center of Princeton, followed by burial at Mount Lebanon Cemetery in Iselin, NJ.

Memorial contributions may be made to ORT, Grounds For Sculpture, CARE, or The Jewish Center.

Funeral arrangements are by Orland’s Ewing Memorial Chapel. For condolences, please visit Audrey’s obituary page at OrlandsMemorialChapel.com.

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Richard D. Kuhn

Richard D. Kuhn, 89, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away at his home in Princeton, NJ, on January 1^, 2024. He personified the “Renaissance man” as a firm believer in the importance of having a broad-based education and set of pursuits. He was highly accomplished as author and scholar, respected attorney for over 65 years, amateur athlete and musician, committed to giving back to his community, and devoted family man.

Richard “Dick” Kuhn was born and raised in New York City (Staten Island), and graduated from Columbia College (undergraduate and law schools) and Georgetown University (Masters of Law in Taxation). Dick and his wife, Perla, moved to Princeton in 1991, where they have resided since.

Dick served in the U.S. Army from 1958 to 1960, and then worked in Washington, D.C., for the IRS early in his career. He was in private practice for almost 60 years, most recently at the Staten Island, NY, law firm of Kuhn O’Toole & Maietta, LLP, only recently retiring. As a practitioner, Dick assisted thousands of clients with their estate planning and had a particular passion for and represented numerous nonprofits where he was instrumental in their formation, support, and fundraising efforts. He was honored by many of these institutions, including the Jewish Community Center, where he was a past president (1976-1978); the Staten Island Mental Health Society (1984 Man of the Year); and Lavelle Prep (for his efforts towards establishing the school).

Apart from his professional and charitable pursuits, Dick had many other interests. An avid musician, he formed and played (sax) in a professional “big band” jazz ensemble, which helped pay his way through college and law school. Dick continued to play piano (mostly jazz and classical music) at countless social gatherings over decades. As an amateur athlete, he had success in many sports, including a SI Men’s Open Tennis Doubles Championship. He was also an author of scholarly and professional publications and a self-published book, Against the Grain, which embodied much of his philosophy on life.

Married over 60 years to his beloved wife, Perla, they resided in Staten Island until 1991 before relocating to Princeton, NJ. He is survived by his wife, Perla; sons Daniel, Jonathan, and Eric; seven grandchildren; and siblings Bob and Betty.

A memorial service will follow later in the year. In lieu of flowers, donations are welcome to the Dorothy Delson Kuhn Music Institute at the Jewish Community Center of Staten Island.

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Michel Mockers

Michel Mockers, fifteen days short of turning 101 on December 17, 2023, left us from this world on December 2, 2023, to continue his well-earned journey in God’s love, eternal light, and peace. Michel moved to Princeton in 1984 and lived there for 20 years before passing away in Franklin, Somerset. He left behind his wife Claudine Mockers, four children and their spouses, eight grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

Born on December 17, 1922, in Nantes, France, Michel Mockers was a World War II Veteran. At the age of 18, he joined the French Resistance and eventually became a leader overseeing about 2,000 resistance soldiers over the course of the war, while he kept in mind: “I am an artist. All I want is peace. Therefore, I serve my country.” On March 21, 2023, at the age of 100, he was decorated at the town hall of Franklin Township, with the highest French honor, the Insignia of Knight of “La Legion D’ Honor,” on the behalf of the French Government through the French Consulate of New York. He accepted that honor in respect to all the resistance soldiers he had served with.

Michel Mockers lived in Cannes and Paris, France, before he became an American citizen and moved with his family to the USA in the 1970s. He was an oil painter, a sculptor, a traditional lithography printer, a philosopher, a book author, and an admirer of classical music. He cared about humanity, searching for solutions expressed in his philosophy, believing that all human beings had a right to the basic needs of life and that nature was to be respected and cared for.

According to his wife, Claudine Mockers, Michel’s art was infused by his Catholic background and his educational upbringing at the Benedictine Abbey of En Calcat, a monastery located in Tarn-et-Garonne of France. There, he attended a traditional boarding school from the age of 10 to 15 where he learned classical humanities, Greek, and Latin. The presence of the monks, who themselves held different kinds of talents (artists, farmers, builders, musicians, painters, writers, artisans, cooks, etc.) within the walls of the Abbey, had an important influence on the students’ lives. The monastery also offered a Gregorian Choir Chant environment on a daily basis. There, the students learned patience, humility, and the desire to complete their work with perfection.

When Michel started a painting, he first carefully selected a piece of flat, wooden board and painted over it with a traditional coating. Then, he would trace his pencil drawing on paper onto his board until he deemed it ready to be painted. In his atelier, while listening to classical music, he would work on several paintings at the same time. He would give time for them to dry or would retouch them or even modify them until he felt his work was completed. He used a traditional painting technique, called “L’art du Glacis,” that he had learned in his early twenties following the end of the war under the guidance of a professor from “Des Beaux Art de Paris.” Michel used colored pigments, layering them on the painting, playing with transparency and the natural lighting. Therefore, starting with a simple piece of wood, with infinite patience and perfection, he would create a masterpiece.

Over the course of his life, Michel did drawings, oil paintings, sculptures, and frescos, as well as some artwork renovations. In general, the subjects of his paintings were of biblical inspiration and his most repeated theme was the Virgin Mary holding her infant, Jesus. He also painted angels, musicians, prophets, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and Jesus on the Cross. On occasions, he painted other themes such as horses, boats, portraits, roses, and other figures. He did bronze portraits and statues as well. His art work was mostly sold in Europe and the USA.

In the 1970s, Michel provided to the Saint Thomas Aquinas Church of Brooklyn with several of his oil paintings. One was the Tree of Life representing Jesus and all the prophets of Israel. The other painting is the Pentecost, which is still there inside the church. In the Bronx, at the entrance of St. Frances de Chantal Church there is one of Michel’s bronze statues. This statue represents St. Frances De Chantal holding a globe in her hands with a cross standing on the globe.

On November 5, 2023, Michel had just finished renovating one of his paintings representing the Virgin Mary holding infant Jesus in her arms. While he was looking at that painting, he was asked: “Why did you paint so many paintings of the Virgin Mary and the infant Jesus in her arms throughout your life? Why the Virgin Mary?” After a short reflective pause, he replied: “She is the most beautiful woman in the world. She is my greatest inspiration.” He then added, “Maybe the day I go to the other side I will see the Virgin Mary the way I see her in my painting today” and he peacefully smiled.

Yes, at the age of near 101, he was still painting or renovating some of his artwork that needed to be retouched. How amazing is that? He lived a modest life to its fullness, until he was called to return to the Divine Source of Life.

Michel, we love you forever and thank you.

Your family and friends.

Extend condolences and share memories at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.