June 18, 2025

Obituaries 6/28/2025

Derek DiGregorio

On Thursday, June 5, Derek DiGregorio passed away at home in Princeton, New Jersey, far too soon at 27 years old.

Derek spent his brief but incandescent life in Princeton where he served as a center of gravity for the entire community. From the very beginning, Derek was different. Just after he was born, he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, which he would tell friends was “a bruise on his brain that makes him a little wobbly.”

Born on campus in the shadow of Princeton Stadium where his father, Steve, was a football coach, he was a mainstay on the sidelines of football and basketball games along with his mother, Nadia, and his brothers Zack and Aaron and almost always sitting alongside the Levy family, Howard, Riva, Lior, Mia, and Noa. Playing with friends at Riverside School and on the playground on Western Way formed even more friendships that would last a lifetime.

When he was just 4 years old, Nadia signed him up for Tae Kwon Do with Susan Winter where he was the youngest and smallest kid in the class, with Ms. Winter often having to pick him up when he fell because his sparring gear was too big for his short arms. Over the next 25 years, Derek’s commitment to Tae Kwon Do deepened as he won seven world championships — even after he was confined to his wheelchair — and worked with Ms. Winter to teach countless more students not just martial arts but perseverance, discipline, dedication, and integrity.

After more than a decade of diagnostics and different neurologists, Derek was diagnosed with Ataxia-Telangiectasia, a rare, degenerative genetic disorder that would eventually rob him of control of his arms and legs and confine him to a wheelchair. But the disease could never touch his indomitable will, his love and support for his friends and family, or his courage to keep pushing. His spirit inspired a movement around a disease that most people couldn’t pronounce, let alone recognize.

Suddenly, a kid from Princeton had inspired incredible campaigns to find a cure for A-T — from Rob Bonora and Anthony Greco to walking from San Diego, California, to Nutley, New Jersey, to a Make-A-Wish trip to London for a day on the set of Avengers: Infinity War to herculean fundraising events that raised nearly one million dollars. His walk across the graduation stage at Princeton High School with the assistance of a robotic exoskeleton was featured on Good Morning America and caught the attention of millions across the country. He even received an honorary degree from Princeton University in 2012 for his support of the athletic department and inspiration to its athletes and coaches.

As Derek’s body deteriorated, he continued to adapt to do the things he loved most: attend Comic Con with dear friends like Will Christiansen, ride horses at Unicorn Therapeutic Riding in Pennington, NJ, take pictures at Princeton High School sporting events, and teach Tae Kwon Do, even from his wheelchair. His friends and family will remember him for his grit and determination, but also for his Wheel of Fortune prowess, inexplicable love for mushroom pizza at Conte’s, and quickness to crack you up with a joke — no one more than himself.

Derek was welcomed into Heaven by his father Steve and grandparents Eileen, Andreas, Silvio, and Rose Marie. His life will continue to be honored by his mother Nadia, brothers Zack and Aaron; aunts and uncles Mark, Patty, Andrea, Bruce, Monica, and Lynda; and a flock of loving cousins Alex, Allison, Luke, Jack, Michael, Amalia, Leif, Lindsay, Patrick, and Jessie.

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Samuel Borden Starkey, Sr.
March 8, 1954 – June 7, 2025

Samuel Borden Starkey, Sr., beloved father, devoted community member, and generous host, passed away on June 7, 2025, at the age of 71. Born on March 8, 1954, in Princeton, New Jersey, Sam lived a life marked by deep affection for family, spirited generosity, and a passion for music, sailing, and tradition.

He was the son of Elizabeth Hance Starkey Cook and Austin C. Starkey, Sr., whose love of travel, music, education, and the sea helped shape the man he would become. Sam attended Princeton Country Day School and was a seasonal student at the Gulf Stream School in Florida. He graduated from The Lawrenceville School, where he discovered a lifelong love of singing through the glee club — an experience he fondly recalled for opening doors to performances (and friendships) at nearby girls’ schools. He also played varsity ice hockey and tennis, reflecting a competitive spirit and deep love of camaraderie. Sam continued singing throughout his life in the choirs at Trinity Church in Princeton and All Saints Church in Bay Head.

Sam earned his degree from Lake Forest College before beginning his career at Gerard Bank in Philadelphia. He later joined Salomon Brothers in New York City, where he was known for his integrity, insight, and sharp understanding of the markets. Drawing on his entrepreneurial spirit, Sam went on to found his own investment management firm, Starkey and Company. Under his leadership, the firm grew steadily, earning the trust of clients who valued his personalized approach and long-term vision. A respected voice in the investment world, Sam was known for balancing analytical rigor with a deep sense of responsibility to those he advised. He retired at 50 to spend more time with his family and pursue his many passions.

A lifelong sailor and proud Fleet Captain of the Bay Head Yacht Club, Sam welcomed all who wished to learn to crew or race. His openness on the water mirrored his life on land — where he could often be found walking the beach inviting friends and strangers alike to impromptu gatherings or hosting joyous celebrations, especially for milestone birthdays.

Sam was a dedicated class agent for The Lawrenceville School and took great joy in seeing his children become fourth-generation students there. Tradition and legacy were deeply held values in his life, reflected in his commitment to his communities and the institutions he loved.

He maintained long-term residences in Princeton, NJ; Mantoloking, NJ; and Gulf Stream, FL. Throughout the years, Sam was an active member of The Bedens Brook Club, The Nassau Club, The Nassau Gun Club, The New York Yacht Club, The Brook Club, The Gulf Stream Bath & Tennis Club, and The Bay Head Yacht Club.

Sam’s love for reading and history informed his rich conversations and wide-ranging interests. A lifelong learner, he believed that curiosity was the key to connection — and he passed that spirit on to his children and friends alike.

He is survived by his children, Emily B. Starkey, Betsy Starkey, and Sam Starkey Jr., all of whom he adored. Though separated, he held enduring affection for his former wife, Emily W. Starkey. He is also survived by his brother, Austin C. Starkey Jr.; daughter-in-law, Anna Hayne Starkey; and grandchildren, Rett and Hallie Starkey. He was predeceased by his brothers Ross Hewson and William Hewson.

Sam’s warmth, humor, talent for dancing, and love for bringing people together will be remembered and cherished by all who knew him. His legacy is one of deep love, community, and joyful generosity.

A service celebrating Sam’s life will be held later this summer.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the New Jersey Museum of Boating.

Arrangements are under the direction of Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton.

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Brian M. Hughes
May 5th, 1956 – June 10th, 2025

Brian Murphy Hughes, devoted husband, father, and public servant, passed away at home in Princeton, NJ, at the age of 69.

A longtime Mercer County resident and a beloved fixture in the community, he served in public office for over 25 years, carrying forward his family’s legacy of service.

He was an unassuming, witty, and deeply kind person, and brought those same qualities to his work on behalf of the people of Mercer County. His vision of government was one that centered on the residents who needed it most, always looking to expand services for disadvantaged communities and ensure that everyone — no matter their background — had an opportunity to pursue the American Dream.

The son of former New Jersey Governor and Supreme Court Justice Richard J. Hughes, he was born in Trenton on May 5, 1956. The third youngest sibling of Richard J. and Betty Hughes’ combined family of 10 children, he grew up in Trenton and Princeton surrounded by a tight-knit family deeply committed to one another and to public service. He attended high school in Princeton and as a proud graduate of Thomas Edison State University, he was a champion for expanding access to educational opportunities in Mercer County.

Before his time in government, Brian lived and worked in Washington, DC, where he became a lifelong fan of the Baltimore Orioles. Returning to Mercer County, he met his wife of nearly 35 years, Pamela Rago Hughes, when they worked together at the Alchemist and Barrister restaurant in Princeton. Married on August, 25, 1990, the couple shared a long love affair that spanned nearly 35 years — an unwavering commitment through thick and thin. Their son, Sullivan Parsons Hughes, was born in 1999, and grew up in Princeton in a home surrounded by immense love.

Having overcome his own personal struggles with addiction, Brian proudly served on the Governor’s Council for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. He was the Democratic nominee for Congress in New Jersey’s 4th District in 1992, before being elected to the County Board of Commissioners in Mercer in 1997, where he served two terms.

He was first elected as Mercer County Executive in 2003, narrowly winning an office that had been held by Republicans for 24 years. Reelected four times, he served more than 20 years as the County’s chief executive. In that time, he persevered through a challenging fight with profound chronic pain stemming from trigeminal neuralgia to bring about an exemplary record of accomplishments.

Under his leadership, Mercer County became a model of economic growth, environmental stewardship, and responsive government. He oversaw major infrastructure projects, including the expansion of Trenton-Mercer Airport and replacing Trenton’s century-old criminal courthouse with a new, state-of-the-art facility. Throughout his final years in office, he directed the county’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, helping to ensure access to testing and vaccinations.

Always prioritizing County residents in need, he mobilized millions of dollars on behalf of older adults, at-risk children and teens, and low-income families. His efforts helped to reduce family homelessness in Mercer by 74 percent. With the belief that all people deserve equal opportunity and equal protection, he spearheaded efforts to diversify county government, and ensure that women and minority communities were reflected in leadership. He also played a vital role in making benefits available to LGBTQ+ county employees in domestic partnerships in 2006.

As County Executive — and a lifelong animal lover — he championed an ambitious open space preservation initiative that protected more than 5,700 additional acres of land. Under his leadership, the amount of permanently preserved land in Mercer County grew to 40,000 acres, representing 27 percent of the county’s total area.

Brian was predeceased by his parents, his brothers Richard, Robert, and Thomas Hughes, and Timothy Murphy. He is survived by his wife Pamela, son Sullivan, brother John Hughes and wife Claudia, brothers Michael Murphy and Patrick Murphy, sister Mary Hughes, sister Helen Hughes Patterson and husband David, sister-in-law Michelle Rago, mother-in-law Sharon Naeole and partner Jeffrey Jost, many nieces and nephews, and his beloved dog, Nora.

His legacy will live on in the countless lives he touched with his quiet confidence, dry humor, and immeasurable kindness.

A celebration of life for family and invited guests will be held on Friday, June 20, 2025. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to the D&R Greenway Land Trust. Donations can be made “In memory of Brian Hughes” via drgreenway.org, by phone at (609) 924-4646, or by mail to D&R Greenway Land Trust, One Preservation Place, Princeton, NJ 08540.

Arrangements are under the direction of Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton.

June 11, 2025

Obituaries 6/11/2025

Thomas Vincent Leverich
(1949–2025)

With deep sadness, we announce the passing of Thomas Vincent Leverich of West Windsor, NJ, who died peacefully on June 4, 2025, at the age of 75.

Tom was born on August 12, 1949, in Rockville Centre, NY, to William B. Leverich and Marie R. Laliberte. He was a devoted husband to Michele, his beloved wife of 47 years, and a proud father to Jessica, Adam, and Emily.

Tom attended St. Pius X and graduated from Cathedral College in 1971. He built a meaningful and impactful career as a Senior Specialist for the Child and Adult Care Food Program with the Mid -Atlantic regional office of Food and Nutrition Service, USDA.

A lifelong lover of folk music, Tom shared his passion with the Friends of Worship and was often found with a guitar in hand, strumming along to the songs of Peter, Paul, and Mary and many others. He was an avid fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers and cherished memories of watching his favorite team play at Ebbets Field. Tom’s love of the game inspired him to play baseball throughout high school and college.

Tom’s lifelong passion was genealogy. He dedicated himself to researching and compiling the extensive history of the descendants of Rev. William Leverich (c.1606–1677) of England, New England, and Long Island, NY. His work connected Leverich family descendants across the globe and culminated in the co-authorship with Michael E. Leveridge and publication of A Godly Minister: The Reverend William Leverich of Great Britain, New England, and New York. His research can be found at leverichgenealogy.org.

Tom is survived by his wife, Michele Bouchard; his children, Jessica Leverich Rando (Carmine Rando), Adam Leverich (Rebecca Scott), and Emily Leverich (Carlos Villanueva); and four step-grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister, Mary Jo Leverich Lenihan (Edward Lenihan); sister-in-law, Mary Leverich (wife of the late William F. Leverich); and many loving nieces and nephews.

Tom’s legacy is one of integrity, kindness, resilience, and love.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 14, 2025, from 1 to 3 p.m. at Barlow & Zimmer Funeral Home, 202 Stockton Street, Hightstown, NJ 08520. Barlowzimmer.com.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made in Tom’s memory to a charity meaningful to you.

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Loretta Joy DeRochi
September 12, 1937 – June 5, 2025

Despite being diagnosed with on-set dementia over eight years ago, Laurie continued to live a full life until the very end, dying peacefully with her family around her.

Born and raised in Princeton, she lived over 87 years, and what an 87 years they were. Laurie was no ordinary woman. She was the most strong-willed, adventurous woman you will ever meet. And up for anything her friends could conjure.

In her early twenties, because of her infectious laugh and boundless enthusiasm, she counted many Princeton graduate students as friends (and several as would-be-suitors). They sang folk songs together in the basement of the Peacock Inn, skied together (she was a founding member of the Princeton Ski Club), and folk-danced together. Through this dancing, she met a group of Jewish students, who liked her and invited her to work on their farm commune on weekends. This led to an invitation to come to the Israeli Consulate in NYC, where they tried to recruit her to move to a kibbutz in Israel. She accepted their invitation to the kibbutz, but always her own person, bought her own passage on a freighter to cross the Atlantic. And as always, she was the life of the party on the freighter (so smitten was the First Mate that he proposed marriage to her).

But she continued on to the kibbutz in Israel, where she fit in well. Being the social person she was, Laurie also used every opportunity to see the sights and meet new people. Once, on a lark, she rode a horse to the Jordanian border and exchanged pleasantries with a border guard. But that proved to be her undoing. Soon after that she got a visit from the Israeli secret police, who had been keeping an eye on her. They expelled her from the kibbutz for her suspicious behavior. Apparently, in addition to her horseback riding, the nice Arab boy she was dating was the nephew of the only Arab member of the Israeli Knesset!

Undaunted, that set her off on a two-year hitch-hiking / working tour of Europe, and being Laurie, there were many other adventures. Always intrepid, one of the wildest was her run-in with the East German police, when, again on a lark, she poked her nose into East Berlin, just to see what was there. She had to pound her fist on some bureaucrat’s desk to get her passport back.

But finally, her funds exhausted, she returned home to Princeton, only to start saving money for her freighter passage back. Her plans changed however when she met Steve, another PU grad student (she accepted her first date with him for New Year’s Eve, on the condition that they went to her list of parties). Six months later, they were married, and Laurie lost her wanderlust and devoted herself to making their home.

She kept their three children on a very short leash, but she had their back at every turn. For instance, when her young son was being bullied by an older boy on his school bus, Laurie, true to form, did not complain to the school or call his parents. One day, she followed the bus to the bully’s stop and confronted him on the bus (she got a thumbs up from the driver as she left). Problem solved. You did not mess with Laurie’s kids.

Laurie was also a feminist before there were feminists, always sticking up for her female friends, not with placards, but in her daily life. Once, when an Air Force sergeant refused to let his immigrant wife drive his prized Pontiac GTO, Laurie taught her how to drive and helped her get a driver’s license. Another time, when an overbearing officer offered his wife a quarter to leave an Air Force outing, Laurie offered her a dollar to stay. And she told a bride-to-be in Switzerland that her intended was cheating on her, just days before the wedding.

And she didn’t suffer fools gladly, especially men. Once, on a guided tour of the Alabama governor’s mansion, Governor Wallace bragged that he himself fed the fish in a large aquarium. Laurie piped up, asking, “The black ones too?”

Ethnicity and racism were completely foreign concepts to Laurie. Instead, she had an open heart and a willingness to help anyone with a problem, as well as volunteering her time for many organizations over the years. She was valued for her excellent organizing skills, especially in raising 10s of thousands of dollars for the Princeton Hospital. As result of all this, as well as just being Laurie, her life was filled with many steadfast friends, friends that could count on her to help them any time.

But now after her 60 years of marriage and that full 87 years of life, her light is extinguished, leaving a void in our hearts that will never be completely filled.

Laurie was the daughter of Ernest and Josephine D’Andrea, and had a brother, Ernest (Chubby) D’Andrea, all now deceased. She is survived by her husband Steven; her three children, Andrea, Jonathan, and Elisa; and five grandchildren, Aidan, Lucia and Dominica Moix, as well as Charles and Jack Welles.

There will be a graveside Commitment Service for her at St. Paul Parish Cemetery, Princeton, NJ, at 11 a.m. on Monday, June 16, 2025. Family and friends are invited immediately afterward to join in a Celebration of her life at her home. Her residence was at 704 Georgetown Franklin Turnpike (Route 518), Skillman, NJ 08558.

Extend condolences and share memories at thekimblefuneralhome.com.

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Ann Marie Collson Johnson
August 6, 1940 – January 26, 2025

“A disposition is more valuable than gold.”

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Ann Marie Collson Johnson on January 26, 2025.

Ann leaves behind her beloved Husband, Thomas Johnson during their 63rd year of marriage.

Ann leaves behind her three children, Tamber (Stephen) Tosca (Scott), Terence (Sandra), and grandchildren Julia (Yordi), Sadie, Anna, Campbell, Calvin and her recent delight great-granddaughter Eva.

In addition to being MOM to the 3 Ts she was also “mom” to many others during her life. She was a a terrific sounding board offering unvarnished opinion, constructive criticism, and motivation to embrace independence to anyone who chose to step through her open door and into her heart.

Our Family grew through mom’s generous spirit — she leaves behind Shirley Jason, and Heather Resslar Yu along with her many circles of friends, her nursing class of 1962, her “up on the hill” friends, her library and book club friends. Ann was super tight with her paternal Collson cousins with whom she maintained lifelong bonds and a love of card playing.

Ann was a staunch humanitarian and was steadfast and expansive in her support of people from all walks of life. Ann was energetic and she loved to swim, dance and cook. Throwing together a meal for 5-25 was never a problem and all were welcome to her table.

Ann Marie Collson Johnson was born in Berkshire, New York, on August 6, 1940 to Eleanor Blanche Chaffee Collson and John Hilton Collson.

Ann was willfully independent and adored her early farm life with her grandparents. Although Ann was an “only child,” she was never alone. Outgoing from day one, she led an adventurous life in upstate New York surrounded by her Collson cousins. Ann embraced the energy of joining and belonging throughout her life.

By the fourth grade her father’s career carried the family to Lakewood, NJ, where Ann completed her high school education. She continued into a five-year nursing program at Hartwick College, graduating in 1962. At this point Ann and Tom had become much more than the fast friends they were upon meeting in the fourth grade. Ann married Tom, her high school sweetheart, in 1962 and traveled west so Tom could attend Art Center College of Design, eventually relocating to Motor City where Tom worked for Ford and Ann focused on raising their young and growing family.

By 1968 Ann and Tom had returned to New Jersey, settling in Hopewell. Ann’s favorite and final home. The kids working their way out of the nest, Ann returned to nursing and eventually started her own medically related business. Both as assistant director of Nursing at New Jersey Neuropsychiatric and at the helm of her company, Insurance Assistance, she continued fearlessly to untangle intractable issues while always keeping her focus on the prize — helping others.

Her disposition did indeed prove more valuable than gold as the riches of her friendships attest.

An educated medical professional Ann faced her prognosis with strength and dignity, mothering us even the morning she left us on January 26, 2025. It is that strength and her steady love that will guide us through our days without her.

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Dorothy C. Fullam

Dorothy C. Fullam of Princeton, NJ, and West Brookfield, MA, passed away on June 6 at the age of 92. She was a model of kindness to all she met and was devoted to family and the organizations she supported to persevere the best of the past, make land available for public enjoyment and promoting first generation women attending colleges.

She was born on May 9, 1933 to Dorothy Dane and Harold C. Cochran in West Brookfield, Massachusetts, where her family lived for generations. She attended Warren High School in Warren MA; Pine Manor Junior College in Brookline, MA; and the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA.  She worked at Guaranty Bank of Worcester after college.

In 1968 Dorothy (known as Dotty to everyone) married Walter F. Fullam, whose family also came from West Brookfield. They made their home in Princeton but continued to spend summers in West Brookfield. After his death in 2000, she continued to return to her family home each summer in Massachusetts.

She embraced all things Princeton including: the Historical Society of Princeton, McCarter Theatre, D&R Greenway, Nassau Presbyterian Church, the Nassau Club, Morven, Drumthwacket, and the Woman’s College Club, an organization dedicated to financially supporting young women in college. Through her work with the family, the Cedar Ridge Preserve was established in Hopewell, NJ.

Dotty also kept and grew all her connections to West Brookfield. She was a lifetime member of the First Congregational Church and a member of Old Sturbridge Village for over 70 years, where four generations of her family have worked. She was a member of the Village Council of Ambassadors. This is a job she took seriously and with enthusiasm. She always engaged anyone she met in a discussion about the Village and an invitation to visit. She was also a founding member of the Jedediah Foster Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, in West Brookfield. Her support for Lady Doak College, in Maduri, India, stemmed from her connection to Reverend Joseph Gaylord, whose daughter Helen co-founded the college for women in 1948.

Dotty attended decades of Adams Family Reunion Picnics at the Rock House in West Brookfield. As a long-term member of the Trustees of the Reservation, she and Walter established the Rock House Preserve. In addition, she continued to support the East Quabbin Land Trust, which recently established the Little Marshy Meadow pocket park in West Brookfield.

Preceded in death by her husband and stepson, Caleb, she is survived by her stepson W. Ross Fullam and his wife Wendy and stepson Francis A. Fullam and his wife Patricia, as well as five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her cousin, Ralph Cochran, and his family.

She left a legacy of kindness to all. She demonstrated this every day and was loved by many for her generous and thoughtful good nature. She kept track and acknowledged the birthdays of hundreds of people. And every kindness to her was acknowledged with a swift and heartfelt thank you note. Family was paramount to her and she remained the center of activities and gatherings. She was a blessing to all who knew her and will be sorely missed.

Funeral arrangements will be under the direction of Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton. There will be a graveside service at Princeton Cemetery on Saturday, June 14, 2025 at 11 a.m. Later this summer there will be a memorial service for her at the First Congregational Church of West Brookfield.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: The Women’s College Club of Princeton, PO Box 3181, Princeton, NJ 08540. The East Quabbin Land Trust (P.O. Box 5, Hardwick, MA 01037), designated to the Little Marshy Meadow.

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James Ernest Van Patten

James Ernest Van Patten, 85, of Princeton, NJ, passed away on Sunday, June 1, 2025.

James was a devoted husband to Gillian Sterling, who passed away in 2020, and a loving father, stepfather, grandfather, and mentor to many. Though he was a celebrated painter and influential art educator — known for his hyperrealist work represented by Ivan Karp at OK Harris Gallery in New York and Plus One Gallery in London — those who knew James best will remember him for something far more enduring: the way he showed up for others.

With over 42 years of sobriety, James transformed his life from the inside out. Through his decades in recovery, he became a quiet giant in the AA community — not by preaching or advising, but by listening deeply, sharing openly, and walking beside countless others through their darkest hours. In Princeton, some jokingly called him the “unofficial mayor” because of the sheer number of lives he touched through love, honesty, and presence.

His greatest masterpiece wasn’t painted — it was the way he learned to love, fully and without reservation. He wasn’t just a brilliant artist, he was a deeply human, heart-centered man who touched others well beyond canvas and classroom.

James is survived by his sons David and Michael, David’s wife Laurette and their children, Jacquie and Tate; Michael’s wife Christina and their children Ismael and Elisa; and his stepson Daniel Williams and Daniel’s wife Michelle Steffens and their nephew William Beavin. jamesvanpatten.com.

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Edward Charles Kopp III

Edward “Ted” Charles Kopp III, 91, passed away on Thursday, June 5, 2025. He was born in Princeton, NJ, graduated from the Hun School, and attended the University of Richmond, VA. He was a United States Air Force Veteran who served during the Korean War. He was the past Chief of Princeton Fire Department who served for over 50 years with Mercer Engine No. 3. He was an avid golfer and member of the Springdale Golf Club for over 40 years. Ted was a historical novel buff, and loved nature, gardening, and birds.
Predeceased by his parents Edward Charles Kopp Jr. and Miriam Hepler Kopp; he is survived by his children and spouses Stephen and Susan Kopp of Charleston, SC, Cynthia and Jim Meeker of Montgomery, NJ, and Julia and Anthony Santoro of Princeton, NJ; six grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.
Memorial visitation will be held on Thursday, June 12, 2025 from 6-8 p.m. at The Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vandeventer Avenue, Princeton, NJ 08542. Burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers please make donations to the Princeton Fire Police, 13 Chestnut Street, Princeton NJ 08542.

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Ellen Regan Kerney

Ellen Regan Kerney, 89, died at home, in Lawrenceville, May 30, 2005. She was born in Trenton, NJ, June 12, 1935. Her parents were Elsie R. Kerney and James Kerney, Jr. She grew up in Trenton and Princeton. She attended Miss Fine’s School in Princeton. Convent of the Holy Child in Suffern, NY, and Bennett College in Millbrook, NY, and the Sorbonne in Paris. She lived in New York City and traveled extensively, mostly in Europe. She returned to Princeton in 1971. She was an avid tennis player and enjoyed reading and loved her golden retrievers.

She is predeceased by her parents and her sister Mary Kerney Levenstein. She is survived by her brothers J. Regan Kerney and T. Lincoln Kerney, both of Lawrenceville; her nieces Cairistin Mills of Greenwich, CT, and Ruth McDaniels of Greenbrae, CA; three great-nieces; and two great-nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Friday, June 20, 2025 at St. Paul’s Church, 216 Nassau Street, Princeton. Burial will follow in St. Paul’s Cemetery, Princeton.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton.

June 4, 2025

Obituaries 6/4/2025

Frederick Martin Brubaker

Frederick Martin Brubaker, lovingly known as Fred or Bru, passed away peacefully on May 25, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of devotion, kindness, and achievement. For 60 years, he shared an enduring bond with his beloved wife, Sharon Carey Brubaker, together raising four children who were the heart of his life.

Born in Ashland, Ohio, to Donald and Margery Brubaker, Fred’s early years were rooted in the values of family and community. After graduating high school, he pursued higher education at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, earning a B.S. in Pharmacy and an M.B.A. It was there that he met Sharon Carey, his soulmate and partner in all things. They married in Ann Arbor and soon embarked on their life together in Evansville, Indiana, where Fred launched his distinguished career and began building his family.

Fred’s 30-year career with Mead Johnson, later Bristol Myers Squibb, was marked by dedication and impact. Beginning as a marketing intern, he rose to an executive role, playing a pivotal part in bringing innovative prescription drugs to market, improving countless lives. Equally meaningful to Fred were the relationships he forged, mentoring colleagues and fostering their professional growth with the same care he gave to all aspects of his life.

Alongside his professional achievements, Fred nurtured a vibrant 25-year family life in Evansville, where he and Sharon raised their four children: Mark, Kristin, Julie, and Matthew. In 1990, a new leadership role led Fred, Sharon, and Matthew to Princeton, New Jersey, where they created 25 more years of cherished memories. In 2016, drawn to be near Kristin, Julie, and Matthew, they relocated to Highlands Ranch, Colorado, where Fred continued to live with purpose and joy. His family is deeply grateful for the compassionate care provided by the wonderful Vi Care Center staff who loved Fred as much as he loved them.

Above all, Fred was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather whose love for his family knew no bounds. He took immense pride in their endeavors, offering unwavering support and celebrating their every achievement and milestone. In preparation for his marriage and family life, he embraced the Catholic faith with profound conviction and the spiritual foundation of his character. A passionate golfer, Fred found delight in the game, playing stunning courses throughout the world with friends and family, where his infectious enthusiasm and competitive spirit shone. A loyal and proud Wolverine, he cheered passionately for the University of Michigan football team and championed future generations through a pharmacy scholarship for promising students in need.

Fred is survived by his cherished wife, Sharon; children Mark Brubaker (Orange County, CA), Kristin Poister and husband Paul (Denver, CO), Julie Brubaker (Littleton, CO), and Matthew Brubaker (Littleton, CO); sister Becky Blong (Florence, AZ); daughter-in-law Shelly Brubaker (Dublin, OH); brothers-in-law Bill Carey and wife Kathleen (Kensington, MD), Mike Carey and wife Jan (The Villages, FL), Jim Carey (Ann Arbor, Ml); and grandchildren Hank Brubaker (Hilliard, OH), Jack Brubaker (Orange County, CA), Anna Brubaker (San Diego, CA), Jonathan Poister (Denver, CO), and Abby Poister (Denver, CO); as well as many nieces and nephews. Their lives are richer for his love.

He was preceded in death by brothers-in-law Tom Carey and Lee Blong.

In lieu of flowers, Fred’s family encourages you to honor his memory with a charitable contribution to a cause close to your heart or by performing an act of kindness, reflecting the generosity that defined his life.

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Eleanor Nelson

Eleanor Nelson passed away peacefully at the age of 97 in the early morning hours of May 31 at her home amongst her family and beautiful garden. She was born in 1927 in Perth Amboy. Her father died when she was 3 ½ and her mother raised her younger sister and her through the Great Depression with the help of family, friends and neighbors.

Her special talent for music led her to study at Trenton State Teachers College where, again with the help of her extended family of friends and neighbors, she was able to continue her studies and graduate with the top job offer at the time, at Valley Road School in Princeton. She was the first music teacher ever hired in the township.

She arrived in Princeton in 1949 and, along with her public school duties, quickly acquired a roster of private piano students. She was soon invited to join the Princeton Music Study Group who would meet at private homes of the members and perform music for each other. She recalled Professor Albert Einstein, also a member, performing a piece for violin and piano at one of these mini “concerts.”

She soon met and married Bob Nelson, a local Princeton boy who had just started his glass shop on Nassau Street, and they spent the next years starting their family of four girls, caring for her mother Rose (who lived with them for another 35 years), and renovating rental properties in the borough.

Her sister Lucille Carnevale and she founded The Fabric Shop on Chambers Street and when her daughter Nancy started attending the newly formed Stuart Country Day School which, at the time, needed help with extra-curricular offerings, she volunteered to teach a sewing class there.

Along the way, Eleanor became active in the Lioness Club and the Soroptomist Club, organizations who raised money for scholarships and supported local charities.  She was a founding member, with her husband, of Alphorn Ski Association and traveled to Europe for over 25 trips to the Alps.

She started playing piano at various events at her beloved church, St. Paul’s, and eventually, as her daughters headed off to college, became a volunteer with St. Vincent DePaul and the Senior Care Ministry, now renamed Senior Care Services.

As her love of playing the piano reemerged, she found herself also sharing her gift with residents of Princeton’s elderly care centers. Songs from World War I were particularly appreciated and she slowly came up with the notes and melodies that she remembered from her youth, listening to the songs her uncles used to sing.

Besides volunteering, she loved gardening, baking and her Church along with her adoring family, which has grown to include 11 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.

Eleanor’s positive attitude and enthusiasm for giving became quite infectious to all who grew to know her.  When she felt sad about no longer being able to donate her time to help others and wondered about the reason for her purpose on this earth after 97 years, she was reminded of what an inspiration she was to so many.

Predeceased by her parents, Robert and Rose McCracken, her sister and brother-in-law Lucille and Tony Carnevale, and her husband of 58 years Robert A Nelson, she is survived by her daughters and their spouses, Marguerite (Jay) Sarson, Nancy (George) Barna, Roberta (Roy Fennimore) Nelson, and Kristin (AR) Willey. Grandchildren Jane, John, Kelly, Johanna, Samantha, Corban, Christine, Drew, Tyler, Rob and Katie, along with (19) cherished great-grandchildren, nephew and niece Gary Carnevale and April Domby, Ron Milazzo, Cindy Hill Santiago, and many cherished friends.

In lieu of flowers please consider donation to Senior Care Services of Greater Princeton or to St. Vincent DePaul Society.

A visitation is on Wednesday, June 4 at 9 a.m. before a 10 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, 216 Nassau Street, Princeton. Burial will take place at the Princeton Cemetery following the funeral mass.

May 28, 2025

Obituaries 5/28/2025

Robert Edward Biddlecome
May 9, 1930 – May 17, 2025

Robert Biddlecome, esteemed bass trombonist, educator, and arts administrator, died on May 17, 2025. He was 95.

Mr. Biddlecome served as principal bass trombonist of the New York City Ballet Orchestra for an extraordinary 47 years, retiring in 2010, after playing his final Nutcracker. His work with the orchestra formed the foundation of a distinguished career that spanned concert halls, recording studios, and classrooms across the country.

During his long career he was selected by Leopold Stokowski as bass trombonist of the American Symphony Orchestra, was bass trombonist and manager of the Aspen Festival Orchestra for 30 years as well as a member of the Aspen Festival administration for more than 20 years. He played a key role in shaping the Festival’s artistic and educational programs and was also an artist-in-residence, contributing to its musical excellence both on stage and behind the scenes. He was bass trombonist of the American Brass Quintet (ABQ) for 28 years and was directly responsible for establishing the bass trombone in chamber music and building that repertory. He may be heard on more than 30 recordings with the ABQ.

Mr. Biddlecome was president of The American Brass Chamber Music Association, served as a board member of Chamber Music America, and was former president of the American Symphony Orchestra. He also served on the faculties of the Brooklyn College Conservatory, the Mannes School of Music and the Juilliard School. His principal teachers were Simone Mantia and Roger Smith. He was born in Somerville, NJ, and graduated from Somerville High School after which he attended the Juilliard School of Music where he received both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree. Following his studies, he joined The United States Army Band, serving as assistant first trombone and later solo euphonium. Upon returning to New York in 1961, he resumed performing with ensembles such as the Goldman Band and various symphony orchestras.

He is survived by three brothers, five sons, one daughter, one stepson, 11 grandchildren, and many great- and great-great-grandchildren.

He will be remembered not only for his exceptional musicianship but also for his devotion to family, education, and the advancement of brass music.

Family and friends are invited to attend a funeral Mass on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. at St. Paul’s Church, 216 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ.

Arrangements are under the direction of Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton, NJ.

———

Valerie A. McKinney

Property of James R. McKinney

With a beautiful and infectious spirit, Valerie Ann Berger McKinney, was born February 21, 1959 in Lakewood, Ohio, and died in Princeton, New Jersey on May 19, 2025 at the age of 66 of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

An adored wife of 43 years to James “Jim” McKinney; loving mother to Mitchell (Nancy) McKinney and Ellen (Greg) Vandeloo; doting grandmother to Madelyn McKinney, Harper Vandeloo, Maxwell McKinney, and Olivia Vandeloo; devoted sister to Gregory (Phoebe) Berger, Jeff Berger and Nancy Johnson; attentive aunt to Fritz (Elizabeth) Schaub, Rachel Johnson and David (Ginny) Johnson; fond sister-in-law to Susan Laurence, and a steadfast enthusiastic personal friend to all she met.

Valerie’s parents, Wanda G. (Richardson) Talmage and Jack H. Berger, predeceased her.

All who knew her cherished Valerie for her compelling and compassionate personality, which bridged all facets of her life. In work, personal life, civic engagements, and with family and friends, she was generous, curious, offering a dry sense of humor, and a clear sense of direction as a leader. Big hearted but intolerant of bullshit.

She was proud of her lifelong mission of empowering women at every age, a legacy that lives on with all she touched.

Valerie’s blood was Girl Scout Green from her dedication to scouting and its positive impact on young women. At the age of 23, she started her own Girl Scout troop in an economically challenged part of Evansville, Indiana where she was a leader for 28 years. She became a board member of the Girl Scouts of Southwestern Indiana, serving for 18 years and eventually as President of the Board. She led her young women in camping locally as well as internationally with trips to Mexico, Great Britain, France and Switzerland. In recognition of her service to Girl Scouting, she was awarded the Thanks Badge II, the highest honor given to a Girl Scout volunteer.

Valerie created the McKinney Fund to pay for girls to be in scouting, securing troop leadership in neighborhoods where there was a shortage of able-bodied leaders, and a scholarship for young women in need of financial support to go to college upon their having achieved the highest recognition in scouting (the Gold Award).

Of course, scouting was of value in her home life. Valerie bragged that she was the best builder of bonfires on frigid fall nights.

In her professional career Valerie was known for her compassion and love for her peers and subordinates. Most important was her leadership and encouragement of rising women teaching them leadership skills while instilling personal belief in themselves and confidence to be strategic achievers. At her alma mater, Purdue, she created the McKinney Scholarship to provide undergraduate scholarships for female students enrolled in the university’s Integrated Business and Engineering Program.

Valerie graduated from Fairmont East High School in 1977 where she achieved outstanding scholastic accomplishments. She was President of the Student Council, a cheerleader, and actively engaged in numerous extracurricular civic activities. This culminated in her receiving the highly esteemed Rayburn Award for the school’s Senior Student Body Leader of the Year.

Enrolling at Purdue University, Valerie’s heart and soul was her Pi Beta Phi sorority where she became Social Chairman, a role she maintained for her class in the following decades. She served on the Senior Board for the Grand Prix Kart Race as the Ambassador in charge of Purdue Grand Prix campus activities. All while achieving her degree in Industrial Engineering in1981.

Following graduation, Valerie moved to Evansville, IN to work at ALCOA as a Senior Industrial Engineer. In 1994 she became a Senior Industrial Engineer at Bristol-Myers Squibb. She rose to Pharmaceutical Packaging Director, Plant Manager, Operations Director for Distribution, and ultimately moved to BMS offices in New Jersey to become Logistics Lead, and Global Serialization Business Integration Lead.

In 2014, after retiring from BMS, Valerie joined the Otsuka Pharmaceutical Companies, U.S. team to become Director of Supply Chain. Eventually she ascended to the position of Executive Director of Commercial Manufacturing Operations. Reflecting on her career at Otsuka, her heritage was best known for coaching and mentoring others to realize their potential. She had the ability to recognize and cherish each person’s best strengths before they could see it in themselves.

Beyond Valerie’s dedication to her family, she served as President of the Junior League of Evansville, was on the Evansville Board of Public Works, in Princeton and Evansville served on the Leadership Team for the Fund for Women and Girls of the respective community foundations, and engaged in numerous other civic organizations.

Valerie’s big heart was not only a gift to her fellow humans, but also to furry and feathered creatures of all kinds. Truly, she never met a dog she didn’t love. Many pleasant afternoon strolls were interrupted by her necessity to pet every dog on the walking path. Her much-loved pet labradors, Snickers and Emily, will keep her company for eternity.

In lieu of flowers, Valerie requested donations to either McKinney Fund for Girl Scouts – GSSI, 5000 E. Virginia Street, Evansville, IN 47715 or the ALS Association, 1300 Wilson Blvd., Suite 600, Arlington, VA 22209.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, May 29, 2025 from 4 until 6 p.m. at the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home 40 Vandeventer Avenue, Princeton.

A Celebration of life will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 30, 2025 at the funeral home.

———

Michael Stone Mathews

Michael Mathews, age 84, died peacefully, with family by his side, on May 17 at Princeton Medical Center from acute respiratory failure. Born in Columbus Ohio, he made Princeton his home for over 50 years.

Michael was known for his quick wit, charming toasts, and adventurous spirit. He scuba dived on the Great Barrier Reef, traveled to Borneo to see the orangutans, sailed the Irrawaddy by paddle boat, followed Genghis Khan’s footsteps on the Silk Road, and even taught Paul McCartney’s daughters to waterski in Barbados. He loved gardening, even taming the thorny hedges that lined their home on Elm Road. He loved the outdoors — hiking in the French Alps, paddling on Adirondack lakes, and applying lessons learned early as a Junior Maine Guide. He read voraciously and loved sharing the odd turn of phrase in the Economist with his wife late at night.

He graduated with the Class of ’62 from Princeton, where he was Editor of the Daily Princetonian and recipient of the Detwiler Prize. A graduate of University of Michigan Law School, Class of ’65, where he served as student body president, he began the practice of law at White & Case in New York City. He soon switched to investment banking when he joined Smith Barney in corporate finance. From there, he focused his career on Scandinavia, helping start investment banking and US operations for Swedish and Norwegian banks. In 1992, he became an independent financial consultant, public company director and private equity investor. He welcomed every opportunity to mentor young people both in business and life.

Michael believed cultural exchange to be a crucial cornerstone for peace and acted on his conviction. He served on the executive committee of the American Field Service; as trustee of the American Scandinavian Foundation; director of International Schools Services in Princeton; and member of the Council of Foreign Relations in New York. From 2019 until his death, he was a Trustee of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, also serving as treasurer.

He volunteered his time with social clubs where people could build new personal connections: The University Club of New York, where he served for years on the Council and as a Vice President, and Cap and Gown Club of Princeton, where he was on the graduate board for more than 40 years and Chairman for 13 years. He was a member of Pretty Brook Tennis Club and The Nassau Club, continuously growing his circle and enjoying decades-long friendships.

The most important focus of his life was his marriage to Cecilia in 1967 and the family they created together. He is survived by Cecilia and their children: Brandon (Kristina), Mark (Vickie) and Alexander and five grandchildren whom he adored — Elise, Cate, Nico, Jane, and Max.

A memorial service will be held this fall in Princeton. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that you might consider a contribution to the Princeton Symphony Orchestra or the Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts in Blue Mountain Lake, NY.

———

Galina Astashkina

Galina Astashkina, a deeply beloved mom, grandmother, wife, and friend, passed away on Friday, May 16, 2025, at the Capital Health Medical Center in Hopewell, NJ, after a nearly two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 72.

Galina was born in Moscow, Russia, and immigrated to the United States with her husband Anatoliy and their son Denis in 1993. Originally a musician in Russia, Galina was incredibly outgoing, loved to be around people, and loved to laugh. In the United States, Galina found her professional calling as a department store sales associate and worked at Lord & Taylor in the Quakerbridge Mall in Lawrenceville, NJ, for 20 years. Impeccable taste for fashion, great eye for detail and color combinations, and warm, caring personality earned Galina a dedicated following of multi-generational clientele at the store.

Galina’s true legacy is her family. First and foremost, she was an incredible mom. She was feminine, gentle, loving, and nurturing as the bedrock of moral support, yet firm and uncompromising when it came to values and work ethic. She pushed us to dream big and reach for the stars. She was incredibly proud when her son Denis was accepted to California Institute of Technology for undergraduate study and even prouder when Denis earned his Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Princeton University. Naturally, Galina took every opportunity to weave this into her conversations. When her grandson Alexander was born in 2020, Galina found new happiness and passion as a deeply involved grandmother.

Galina had an incredible thirst for life and laughter. When she was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in August 2023, Galina was determined to wrestle every possible day away from the disease, driven by the desire to see her grandson grow up. She fought valiantly, inspiring many, including the medical professionals who treated her. Seeing her grandson turn 5 was one of her biggest rewards.

Galina’s departure left an enormous hole in our hearts. Her bubbly personality and strong presence were larger than life. Yet, we take comfort in the end to the suffering, and in her reunification with her dearly departed parents, Ivan and Ekaterina.

Galina is survived by her husband Anatoliy, her son Denis, her daughter-in-law Jess, and her grandson Alexander.

Graveside service for Galina was on Monday, May 19, 2025 at Princeton Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (stjude.org/donate).

———

Gilda Kugler Aronovic

Gilda K. Aronovic grew up in a poor, immigrant Jewish family in New York City on the Lower East Side. Born on May 26th, 1929, a few minutes after her twin sister Hilda, they were the first children of David and Anna Steir Kugler, joined a few years later by sister Frieda and brother Michael. It was a family that expected hard work from every member, yet was also a loving one. David was a chicken butcher, and Anna took care of the home and children. They both worked hard to give their children opportunities in their wonderful, adopted country.

Growing up, Gilda was an excellent student who loved to read and was very athletic. She did well in school but also had to help with the family poultry business, delivering packages to Brooklyn via the subway. She graduated from Brooklyn College and became a math teacher. Unfortunately, her first placement was at a school in Harlem, and it proved to be a challenging experience. Around the same time, she met Sanford Aronovic, a PhD Analytical Chemist, and they raised a family. After a few moves, they landed in Princeton, NJ. Both Gilda and Sandy were active members of the Princeton Jewish Community. Gilda stayed home with the kids and later worked at The Jewish Center of Princeton, teaching Hebrew School. While her kids were in school, Gilda joined a painting class and became a successful local artist in Princeton, displaying her work in McCarter Theater shows and at The Jewish Center of Princeton, among other places. When Sandy’s father, who had retired and moved to Florida, found it too hard to live alone, she took him in to live in their house and even taught him to paint in his 90s, his works proudly displayed in a few shows in Princeton.

In the 1970s, Gilda took a course and became a real estate agent, joining John T. Henderson and Company, a firm later sold to Sotheby’s. Gilda worked hard and thrived in her job as a real estate agent, becoming the primary breadwinner for her family. She inspired her children as someone who could pivot when necessary and succeed. She worked in real estate into her 80s, walking across town to work when possible, and noticing when places were for sale by owner to secure listings. She also helped Jewish families new to Princeton integrate into the Jewish Community. Sandy passed away in 2016, and Gilda continued to paint and walk all over town into her early 90s.

After COVID and the onset of cognitive decline, which saw her son Asher taking care of her for a couple of years, she needed a more structured place to live and became a resident at Ciel Princeton. The people at Ciel took good care of Gilda, always marveling at her ability to clap, sing, and dance when the music started, until she couldn’t anymore. Gilda passed away on May 21, 2025, five days before her 96th birthday. It was a well-lived life, and she is survived by her sons, Daniel Aronovic and Asher Yaron, and daughter, Diane Aronovic, as well as her grandchildren: Stephanie Levy, Allison Hason, Margo Netzer, Anna Aronovic, and Sofia Yaron. Finally, too, by her great-grandchildren, Jonathan Levy, Tia Levy, and Atai Hason.

There will be a Memorial Service for Gilda on June 1st at 10 a.m. at the Jewish Center of Princeton, 435 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ.

May 21, 2025

Obituaries, 5/21/2025

Michael Joseph Ingwerson

Michael Joseph “Joe” Ingwerson, 71, of Princeton died on Friday, May 16, 2025 at home. Born in Evanston, IL he resided most of his life in Princeton, NJ.

A master mechanic and lifelong lover of cars, Joe was the owner-operator of Rocky Hill Automotive for many years. He was an avid tennis player and a passionate musician with an enthusiasm for blues and jazz. His musical achievements included playing the drums for the NY-based Red House Blues Band, as well as for Nexus, a NJ-area jazz quartet. He also enjoyed playing piano. Joe will
be remembered fondly by his loyal customers, his fellow tennis players, and his many family members and friends.

Son of the late Deles Denier and Jeanne Marie (Severt) Ingwerson, he is survived by three daughters: Cathryn Ingwerson, Erin Ingwerson, and Layla Ingwerson; two brothers: David Ingwerson and Kevin Ingwerson; two grandchildren: Nathaniel Wells and Ryker Elam; one niece, Amanda Ingwerson; and his ex-wife, Lori Ingwerson.

The funeral arrangements are private under the direction of the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton.

———

James S. Cascio

James S. Cascio, affectionately known as Jim (and “Cass” as he signed his paintings), passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 4, 2025, at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, NJ. Born on December 7, 1940 in Elizabeth, NJ, he was the son of the late James and Dorothy Cascio. Jim was a beloved, larger than life figure who touched the lives of many with his generosity and magnetic presence.

Jim grew up in Cranford and Mountainside, NJ, before establishing his home in Hunterdon County where he resided for the past 53 years. He served proudly in the United States National Guard in the 1960s after graduating from Nichols College in Dudley, MA. He went on to own Cassways Trucking, a tri-state tractor trailer company based in Garwood, NJ, building a family legacy.

A man of many talents, Jim was an artistic soul who became a skilled painter in oil, watercolor, and acrylics. He had a gift for capturing the essence of life in the area, becoming known for his renderings of farm animals and local landscapes. Some can be found hanging in restaurants in the Lambertville area, many of which were also immortalized by his paintbrush.

Jim’s love of animals extended beyond the canvas. He could often be seen in the company of his dogs, with whom he was inseparable. He enjoyed sharing stories about the Spinoni breed and his dogs in particular. He also loved horses and shared a passion for equestrian sports with his son, Stacy, and was a well-known fixture at local horse shows.

An avid gardener, Jim grew his own produce and transformed his harvests into delicious meals. Not only was he a skilled cook, but also a consummate host. His holiday table was always bountiful to be shared with friends (old and new) and family alike, creating lasting memories for all who gathered.

Jim was a devoted family man. He was predeceased by his parents and sister, Noel Reisdorf, and first wife, Tracy (Gruman) Cascio. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Sally (Swenson) Cascio, whom he married on January 3, 1987. He was a loving father to his son, Stacy J. Cascio, and step-father to Ingrid Reisner and Erik Reisner. He was also a cherished grandfather to Tristen Cascio and Aiden Cascio, as well as step-grandfather to Anabelle Reisner and Madeline Reisner, He will be remembered fondly by his niece, Rachael. Jim will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and all who had the privilege of knowing him.

A Celebration of Life service will take place at the family’s discretion in the fall. Burial in Rosemont Cemetery, Route 519, Rosemont, NJ was private.

For a tax-deductible memorial contribution in memory of James Cascio, checks may be made payable to LPHSA, Inc. (Lake Placid Horse Shows) and mailed to 5514 Cascade Road, Lake Placid, NY 12946. Federal ID#82-5074078.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Holcombe-Fisher Funeral Home, 147 Main Street, Flemington, NJ 08822. For further information or to send an online condolence, please visit Jim’s memorial page and guestbook below at  holcombefisher.com.

———

John L. Hoover, III
1958-2025

John L. Hoover, III, 67, of Princeton, NJ, passed away peacefully at home on April 18, 2025.

Born in Norristown, PA, John spent most of his life in Princeton and graduated from Princeton High School in 1976. John continued his education at Ashland University and the University of Maryland. He had an enduring love for nature, the outdoors and especially the ocean — his happiest moments were spent down the shore. John served on the Avalon Beach Patrol for seven summers, keeping a watchful eye on the young children vacationing at the Helen Diller Vacation Home for Blind Children. He found joy in the camaraderie of his fellow lifeguards and excelled in singles and doubles South Jersey Lifeguard rowing races.

As a cancer survivor in the early 2000s, John faced his battle with remarkable strength, courage, and determination, supported by the talented doctors at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, NJ. His resilience carried him through remission, allowing him many more years with those he loved.

John’s warmth and generosity were boundless. A gentle soul with an insatiable curiosity, he had a quiet wisdom that drew people in. He found joy in learning, music, laughter, and in the natural beauty of the world around him. In recent years he devoted himself to caring for his beloved mother, Jean, offering her companionship and unwavering love until her passing in 2024.

Preceded in death by his parents Jean H. and John L. Jr, John will be dearly missed and lovingly remembered as he leaves behind a family who cherished him: his sister and brother-in-law, Curry H. and Scott Simmel; three brothers and two sisters-in-law, Stuart G. and Carey Hoover, Eric D. Hoover, and Christian C. and Marianne Hoover; nieces and nephews Sarah and Whitney Reynolds, Alexandra and Samuel Stabert, Eric W. and Mary Hoover, Anne and Griffin Cardew, John R. and Sara Hoover, Grace B. Hoover, and several great nieces and nephews, all of whom carry his memory in their hearts.

Funeral arrangements will be private under the direction of the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton.

May 14, 2025

Obituaries 5/14/2025

William Kennedy Wakefield

William Kennedy Wakefield, of Princeton, died at home, surrounded by his family, on May 5. Bill is survived by Pam, his wife of 63 years, their children Wendy Davis, JB Wakefield, and Liza Peck, and Wendy’s husband, Steve Heaps. He leaves 13 grandchildren: Kylie, Dana, and Will Davis; Will, Tess, Gray, and Drew Wakefield; Griffin, Kirby, Merritt, and Sawyer Peck; and Owen and Emma Heaps; three grandsons-in-law Doug Shapiro, Jason Yanowitz, Kevin Halliday; and a great-grandchild, Adair Shapiro-Davis. He also leaves a sister Roxanne White and her husband David as well as many cherished nieces and nephews.

Bill was born on June 8, 1939 to Harold “Wake” Wakefield and Nancy Kennedy Wakefield in Montclair, NJ. A graduate of Montclair High School, he earned a degree in engineering from Cornell University. Bill started his business career with General Motors in Ohio, then moved on to Exxon and overseeing major projects worldwide, including an assignment with his family for three years in Exxon’s London office.

He continued his international work with FMC Corporation, leaving FMC as Director of Engineering and Construction. Bill completed his business career with Wakefield Consulting which he established in 1999 to provide training and management consulting to construction and engineering firms. In addition to industrial work, he managed a number of local projects, including the renovated Springdale Golf Club and the headquarters for Music Together.

Throughout his career, Bill served in leadership roles with industry associations such as The Business Roundtable Construction Committee and the Design-Build Institute of America. Bill’s partners in every endeavor respected his guidance and practical wisdom. He was also a reliable problem solver for family and friends, meeting challenges ranging from furniture assembly and overworked plumbing to managing the inevitable issues in timing and scope that are the hallmark of any building project.

As a Princeton resident, Bill engaged in a rich array of volunteer activities He was a member of the Site Plan Review Advisory Board and the Regional Planning Board of Princeton, as well as serving on the Boards of The Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund, First Friends (which serves immigrant detainees at the Elizabeth Detention Center), The Paul Robeson House of Princeton, and the Trenton Children’s Chorus. Bill was also an active member of The Campaign to End the New Jim Crow, served as a mentor to at-risk youth for Corner House and the YMCA, and, most recently, assisted asylum seekers through Solidaridad.

Additionally, Bill was an Elder and Deacon of Nassau Presbyterian Church, where he was a leader in the church’s outreach efforts for social justice and, specifically, advocacy for immigration reform and immigrant rights. He chaired the Presbytery of New Brunswick’s task forces on Immigration and Mass Incarceration and led major renovations of Nassau Church. In 2016, Bill was awarded the “Bud” Vivian award by the Princeton Area Community Foundation in recognition of his advocacy and work on social justice issues. Bill was deeply loved and respected by the Nassau Church community. Their faith, care and support lightened his last months.

At heart, Bill was an adventurer who chose a career that allowed him to travel widely. He never said no to an exotic dish, sometimes to the dismay of his family, and took every opportunity to explore the sea under sail or while decked out in scuba gear or both. He was pleased that he shares his birthday with World Oceans Day. His intellectual, spiritual and physical strengths sustained his family through times of despair while his generous spirit buoyed the family’s joyous moments. In his final days, Bill was grateful for an ‘exit ramp’ which allowed him time for visits with family and dear friends. He loved hearing the hubbub of a large family downstairs while he rested upstairs with his wife Pam who was his cherished companion on every journey including his final battle with cancer.

A service is planned for Sunday, June 8, at 2 p.m. at the Princeton Theological Seminary Chapel with a reception to follow at Nassau Presbyterian Church.

To honor Bill’s memory, gifts may be directed to Mission and Outreach/Wakefield Memorial Fund at Nassau Presbyterian Church (nassauchurch.org) or sent to the church office at 61 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ 08542. The fund will be used to ensure the equitable and compassionate treatment of immigrants.

Arrangements are under the direction of Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton.

———

John D. Wallace (“Jack”)

John D. Wallace (“Jack”), 92, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle, and friend, died peacefully at home in Princeton on May 1, 2025, with his wife, Happy, and children, Chris and Margie by his side. He was predeceased by his parents Margaret Cook Wallace and John H. Wallace, his younger siblings Bill and Penny Wallace, and his son John who died from AIDS in 1990. In addition to his wife and children, Jack is survived by his son-in-law, Peter; six grandchildren: Chris Gibson (Katie Kwon-Gibson), Katie Gibson, Cordy Gibson, Coby Gibson, John Wallace, and Lila Wallace; and his great-granddaughter Lucie Kwon-Gibson.

Jack was born in Trenton on February 12, 1933. He grew up in Princeton, attended Princeton Country Day, and graduated from The Hotchkiss School in 1951 where he enjoyed drama, debate, and soccer. He attended Princeton in the Naval ROTC program, and, after graduating in 1955 with a degree in international and public affairs, served in the United States Navy, eventually becoming Admiral’s Aide to the Vice Admiral in command of the Atlantic amphibious fleet.

After the Navy, Jack started a financial career with Hanover Bank and then Morgan Stanley in New York. In the fall of 1958, he met Happy Goebel. They enjoyed their first date at the Princeton-Dartmouth football game at Palmer Stadium and were engaged just six weeks later and married at Fort Myer Chapel, Arlington, Virginia, on September 12, 1959.

Jack’s career in banking took root close to home in Trenton. After early years on Wall Street, he joined First Trenton National Bank, a predecessor of New Jersey National Bank and eventually Corestates. He started as an assistant cashier and ended his career as CEO. After guiding the bank during the early years of interstate banking, he retired in 1993 so that he could focus on his family, a little bit of tennis and golf, and favorite community institutions.

While Jack loved advising and lending to businesses to help them grow, he took special pride in the town of Princeton and its vibrancy. Like his father who was mayor, Jack served on the Princeton Township Committee and as mayor, in 1969–1970, and again in 1972. In politics, his inspirations included George Washington — “who could not tell a lie” — and Abraham Lincoln with whom he shared the February 12 birthdate.

Many local nonprofit and educational organizations benefited from Jack’s leadership including McCarter Theatre, the Princeton Area Community Foundation, Princeton Day School (PDS), Princeton Senior Resource Center, Trinity Counseling, the University Medical Center at Princeton, and the Watershed Institute.

At PDS, with 23 years on the board, Jack was exceedingly generous with his strategic guidance and financial support. Indeed, he was the School’s longest-serving trustee. In 1993, for his impact, Jack earned the school’s highest volunteer and career service award, which was subsequently renamed the John D. Wallace ’48 Alumni Service Award. After the profound loss of their son John, Jack and Happy decided to memorialize John’s creativity and spirit by establishing the John D. Wallace Jr ’78 Memorial Guest Artist Series. This fund established Imagine the Possibilities, a schoolwide program, which brings renowned authors, poets, and illustrators to the PDS community. Happy and Jack returned every year to PDS to enjoy these guests and just this past April, Jack’s last outings were attending the 29th year of this remarkable Imagine the Possibilities program.

Throughout 2024 and into 2025, Jack remained active with the Bedens Brook Club and the Nassau Club, at Princeton Day School, Princeton Investors Group, and the Princeton Class of 1955. He regularly attended book club gatherings and lunches with a group of friends who playfully called themselves “Malaprop.”

In all of his activities, Jack gracefully blended a wry sense of humor, practical vision, and steady optimism to bring people together and make good things happen. While his presence in the community was profound, his devotion to his family was boundless and his love for his beloved Happy unwavering.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Trinity Church, Princeton, NJ, on Tuesday, June 17 at 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Princeton First Aid and Rescue, the Princeton Area Community Foundation, or any other cause meaningful to Jack’s legacy.

May 7, 2025

Obituaries 5/7/2025

Norbert Wetzel

Beloved husband, father, grandfather, colleague, teacher and, therapist, Norbert A. Wetzel, ThD, died at his home in Princeton, New Jersey, on April 27, 2025. He was 88 years old.

Norbert was born September 16, 1936, in Berlin, Germany, to Dr. Anton Wetzel and Maria (Kübel) Wetzel. During World War II, he spent his childhood in the peaceful village of Fehlheim on his uncle’s farm. After the war, his parents moved to Stuttgart, where Norbert attended gymnasium (high school). He completed a doctorate in Theology at the University of Innsbruck in Austria where his dissertation addressed crisis intervention and suicide prevention. During this period he was also ordained as a Catholic priest.

Norbert’s lifelong career of integrating counseling and social justice began shortly thereafter in Frankfurt, where he managed a suicide hotline and provided ongoing counseling. In the late 1960s, he became a leader in the radical priest movement in West Germany, which advocated for a progressive reimagining of the Catholic church. A growing commitment to counseling and frustration with the Catholic church led him to leave the priesthood and to pursue further training in family therapy. In 1975, he attended a postgraduate clinical training program at the Ackerman Institute for the Family in New York City, where he met his partner in love and work, Hinda Winawer, an Ashkenazi Jew from Brooklyn. The couple eventually moved to Princeton and were married in their backyard in 1979.

Norbert’s professional career was long and varied, but always dedicated to understanding and supporting people within their bio-psycho-social context. He and Hinda founded the Princeton Family Institute, where Norbert would go on to provide short- and long-term psychotherapy to families, couples, and individuals for over four decades. Later, they founded the Center for Family, Community, and Social Justice, which trained mental health and human services professionals to support and facilitate the development of children, adolescents, and adults within their families and communities in nine school districts across New Jersey. In the context of this work, Norbert developed the Kaleidoscope of Contextual Lenses, a practical tool in his model of Context-Centered Family Systems Therapy, an alternative to positivist linear, biologically-oriented thinking. In addition to training and counseling, Norbert taught for decades at the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology at Rutgers University. He authored several books and published many professional articles over the years, most recently in 2024.

Outside of his work, Norbert was a thinker known for his kind and gentle demeanor, a man who delighted in the small beauties and joys of this imperfect world, including a cardinal at the bird feeder, strong coffee, and good bread. He was an avid bicycle rider who did multiple long-distance cycling rides, including 500 miles in six days in Alaska to support AIDS research. A naturally curious person, Norbert traveled extensively, but particularly loved the alps of Südtirol and Martha’s Vineyard. He was a life-long student of philosophy and lover of classical music.

Norbert was predeceased by his parents, his sister, Gudula Wetzel, and his brother, Dr. Peter Wetzel. He is survived by his wife, Hinda Winawer; his brothers Winfried Wetzel and Dr. Konrad Wetzel; his children and their spouses, Erik Steiner and Tara Grote; Kurt Steiner and Amy Biltekoff; Sarah Winawer-Wetzel and Catherine Deneke (and his grandchildren Noah and Ezra); and Andreas Winawer-Wetzel. He leaves behind a legacy of many grateful students and colleagues.

A funeral and remembrance of life was held at Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church on Thursday, May 1, followed by a private burial in Princeton Cemetery and shiva at the family home. Memorial donations may be made to the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen.

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Carol Ann Fulmer

On Saturday, April 26, 2025, Carol Ann Fulmer passed away after a prolonged illness at Carnegie Senior Living in Princeton, NJ.  At age 85, she died peacefully surrounded by her family.

Born and raised in Claremont, NH, Carol Ann was a natural caregiver. Her desire to care for others led her to Grace New Haven School of Nursing at Yale where she became known for her intellect, sensitivity, and love of poetry and language. She graduated in 1960 and began her nursing career at Yale New Haven Medical Center in New Haven, CT. Soon her adventurous spirit and thirst for new experiences took her to Denver, CO, where she spent some time at the University of Colorado Medical Center doing research for the National Institutes of Health.  In 1962 Carol Ann returned to the East Coast to accept the position of head nurse on the Professors ward at Yale New Haven Medical Center. It was a fortuitous move as it was at this time she met a pathology resident, fresh out of Yale Medical School, who would become her husband in 1966.

After a move to New York City and working as assistant to a leading researcher at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital, Carol Ann and Dave settled in Princeton, NJ, to start and raise a family. Their three children, Katharine, Elizabeth, and Stephen, arrived in quick succession. Motherhood found Carol Ann immersed in school activities, soccer and football games, horse shows, and too many volunteer duties to count. To many of her children’s friends she became a 2nd mom and the Lambert Drive open door policy found her home full of activity and laughter. As her children became more independent, she began a new career as a travel agent. As travel had always been a passion, this new position opened opportunities for her and her family to enjoy many years of adventures to beautiful beaches, ski towns, exotic locales, and international cultural destinations.

When her children grew into adulthood, Carol Ann was thrilled that they all settled in New England. A perennial Red Sox fan, she was able to return to her beloved Fenway Park on many occasions to cheer for her now winning team with a cold beer and a Fenway Frank. Annual family vacations soon grew to include her seven grandchildren who were a constant source of pleasure and wonder. Each summer brought an oceanside holiday on Block Island or Maine where three generations of Fulmers enjoyed time spent together creating indelible and treasured memories. Carol Ann could also be counted on to spoil her grandchildren with her elaborate holiday efforts. Her Easter egg hunts, complete with hundreds of toy filled plastic eggs and her famous “Bunny Cake,” were unparalleled.

Threaded throughout were Carol Ann’s sewing skills. She spent countless hours over her sewing machine creating dresses, bags, and accessories that rivaled those found in high end boutiques. When her children were young, no Easter or Christmas was complete without matching holiday dresses for her daughters. The Princeton class of 1955 was also a lucky beneficiary of her creations where she applied her skills to the design of many class reunion costumes. When the grandchildren began appearing, Carol Ann was thrilled to sew beautiful dresses from vintage Lily Pulitzer fabric for her granddaughters.

Carol Ann was an enthusiastic supporter of Dave’s Princeton University class of 1955. For over 35 years she served on the reunion committee. She could often be found at the registration tent during reunions, welcoming classmates and families and assuring that they  were decked out in appropriate 1955 apparel and accessories. Carol Ann became an honorary classmate and was awarded the Order of the Claw in 1985.

Ever present was Carol Ann’s passion for reading and language. Never without a book, while traveling, nearly a quarter of her packing space was dedicated to paperbacks. No week was complete for Carol Ann without the New York Times Sunday crossword – and don’t even think about beating her at Scrabble.

Carol Ann is survived by her loving husband of 58 years, David Hoover Fulmer; her children, Katharine Fulmer of Newburyport, MA; Elizabeth Emery and husband, Richard, of Kennebunk, ME; Stephen Fulmer and wife, Whitney, of Duxbury, MA; and her cherished grandchildren; Helen, Lila, Sam, Charlie, Amelia, William and Madeline who affectionately called her NuNu.

A Memorial Service will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made in Carol Ann’s memory to Grounds For Sculpture, 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton, NJ 08619 (groundsforsculpture.org/memorials-tributes.

Arrangements are under the direction of The Mather-Hodge Funeral Home.

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Charles A. Stryker III

Charles A. Stryker III, 85, died suddenly and peacefully on March 1, 2025, at his Sarasota home. He was born in Princeton, New Jersey, on January 14, 1940, to Ann Finnegan and Charlie Stryker. They lived at 6 Fisher Avenue and spanned three generations in Princeton.

Charlie graduated from Princeton High School in 1957 and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. He was stationed three years just outside of London and traveled Europe on the RAF Mildenhall basketball team. He was always playing sports, especially baseball and basketball. He was a longtime member of the Harrison Street Athletic Club headed by Bob Smythe. He caught the golf bug caddying at the Princeton Springdale Golf Club.

After his four-year Air Force service, he worked and saved to go to college. A Princeton friend, the Reverend Colin L. Leitch, introduced him to Florida State University. At FSU, he majored in International Affairs with a concentration in U.S. history. Working hard, he was able to graduate in less than three years.After graduating from FSU, Charles started his marketing career. He spent 20 years as a sales executive with Xerox Corporation and another six leading Apple’s Florida’s education market.
Charles left the corporate world for academia and pursued a M.A. degree in History at the University of South Florida. He spent 15 years teaching U.S. history at Hillsborough Community College and USF. He thoroughly enjoyed teaching and influenced many students beyond his subject area with his encouragement and life experiences.
Charlie has always been a volunteer with political campaigns and community projects. He took his civic duties very seriously and made a difference. He mentored students, read to preschoolers, led organizations and served on lifelong learning boards.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Dr. Laurey T. Stryker; daughter Nicole Keating and son-in-law Kevin Keating, Orlando, Florida; daughter Erin Lee and son-in-law Allan Lee, Alexandria, Virginia; grandchildren Karly, Kelly; and Conrad; sisters Suzanne Meagher of Yarmouth, Mass., Cathy Brennan and Bob Brennan of Vienna, Va.; brothers Michael Stryker and sister-in-law Barbara Stryker of Houston, Texas; Bill Stryker (deceased) and sister-in-law Kathy Stryker of Malvern, Pennsylvania.
He is buried with military honors at the Sarasota National Cemetery.

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Grant Beske

Grant Beske, age 85, of Skillman, New Jersey, passed away peacefully on April 30, 2025, surrounded by his loving family. Born February 28, 1940, in Mankato, Minnesota, to Grace and Woodrow, Grant spent his childhood in the small community of Minnesota Lake.
Grant pursued his academic dreams at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, earning his undergraduate degree in 1962 and his Doctor of Science in 1965. While completing his dissertation, he married his childhood sweetheart, Carol Leininger. Shortly after defending his dissertation, Grant and Carol welcomed their first child, Kirsten. Following a move to Wilmington, Delaware, for his career at DuPont, they were delighted by the arrival of unexpected twins, Galen and Gavin. In the delivery room he famously quipped, “Now I’m going to have to buy a house,” a line that became family lore. Their youngest, Andrea, completed the family and brought even more joy and laughter to their home.

At DuPont, Grant’s early years in research yielded several patents bearing his name. He later transitioned into product development management, traveling extensively across Asia, Europe, and the U.S. West Coast to oversee projects that helped shape today’s electronics industry.

Grant and Carol enjoyed golf at Springdale in Princeton and at their vacation home in Palm Desert, California. For many years he was fond of playing in local tennis leagues and Friday-night mixed doubles alongside Carol. A lifelong learner, he maintained a vast personal library spanning science, history, religion, and science fiction — and delighted in reading J.R.R. Tolkien’s works aloud to his children.

Grant’s greatest pride was his family: his wife Carol; his four children, Kirsten (Kirt), Galen (Mitos), Gavin (Lise), and Andrea (Paul); and 11 grandchildren, who were the light of his life. Annual family gatherings — whether in Europe, Canada, or across the United States — were eagerly anticipated, and vacations ranging from backpacking in Alaska to rafting the Grand Canyon, hiking Peru’s Inca Trail, safari adventures in Kenya, walking China’s Great Wall, and retracing the footsteps of Jesus in Israel formed a lifetime of shared memories. Over a lifetime of exploration, Grant and Carol visited 29 countries.

A devoted Sufi, Grant’s deep spiritual curiosity led him to study multiple faith traditions with compassion and openness. His gentle wisdom, boundless generosity, and warm sense of humor touched all who knew him.

He is survived by Carol, his beloved wife of 62 years; his four children and their spouses; and his 11 grandchildren, as well as his two brothers, Kurt (Lisa) and Dwight (Valya).

A celebration of Grant’s life will be held on a later date. He always was looking to explore, to learn, and to love without reservation. He will be deeply missed and fondly remembered by all who were fortunate to have shared in his remarkable journey.

April 30, 2025

Obituaries 4/30/2025

Carl Herbert Haag

Carl Herbert Haag died peacefully at home on April 23, 2025. He would want you to know that he was 71 days shy of turning 97 years old. He was a traveler, collector, loyal friend, and family man, and fascinated by the world and people around him. He is remembered as being intelligent, kind, generous, humorous, creative, quirky and caring of everyone he met. He was known for having a prodigious memory of people, places, food, and factoids of every imaginable kind. He is survived by his wife Carol, children Cindy and Ken, daughter-in-law Nikki, and grandchildren Elia and Grace.

Carl was born July 3, 1928 in Cleveland, Ohio. He was the only child of Anna and Albert Haag. He explored the city and the surrounding area with his mother and his childhood friend Herb Field. He and Herb spent a summer with a Mennonite family in Virginia that was a treasured memory. One of his delights as a child was becoming a magician. His mother and he were avid bicyclers, staying in a youth hostel at an early age. Later he led cycling trips with Canadian Youth Hostel in Canada and Europe. Much later he took his wife and children on a cycling trip through the Canadian Rockies.

Carl was a bright child and attended accelerated classes in junior high. Following graduation from high school he enrolled in the US army knowing that the GI bill would help him go to college. Following WWII he was sent to Japan in the Quarter Master Corp and loved exploring the country and learning about the culture. There he searched through college catalogues A-Z and stopped at Antioch College. He graduated from Antioch College in 1952 after studying philosophy. Antioch was a significant influence on his life, and he took seriously Horace Mann’s challenge to “win some victory for humanity” before he died.

Following a short stint in the admissions office at Case Tech, he went to the University of Michigan achieving a PhD in Educational Psychology. He stayed on at U of M teaching some very creative and engaging courses to emerging high school teachers. In his desire to share the story of his creation of a fictious student from the days of working at Case Tech he responded to a job offer at Educational Testing Service (ETS) in Princeton, NJ. He was so intrigued with the Advanced Placement Program that he left Michigan and took the job. And the rest is history! He worked as the Director of the AP program for 27 years.

ETS brought many good things into Carl’s life including his wife Alice Carol Schwartz. He saw her in a play as Mommy in the “American Dream” and thought she was dreadful, but when they took a walk at ETS and he saw her take her shoes off in the mud he fell in love with her. They were married on his birthday in 1965 at the Unitarian Church and made their life in Princeton for the next 60 years. They built a house in the woods and raised their two children in that house. Cindy Lara was born on New Year’s Day in 1968 and Kenneth Alan was born November 8, 1970. Carl created a magical, loving environment for them to grow up in. Long before he died Carl wrote a note for his family to find saying: “You were the best things in my life and I loved you deeply.”

Carl was an avid photographer and his kids often remembered him with a camera in front of his face. His photography was his art and he was very skillful at capturing his life experiences through photographic images starting from an early age. He enjoyed photographing people and the natural world while camping, at every family occasion and throughout his many travels around the world. He loved to share his photographs with friends and family.

Unitarian/Universalism was very important to Carl, coming from a non-religious background. He was engaged at local, district and continental levels. As a member of the congregation, he served in many ways including being the president of the church, committee member, teacher, historian, library creator and welcomer. He was elected president of the Metro NY District and served continentally on the ministerial fellowship committee. He was instrumental as a board member of the Universalist Retreat Center Murray Grove, saving 200 acres of New Jersey shoreland. Growing out of his UU experience he also helped create and lead a men’s group that lasted for decades and continues on.

Carl was an avid collector and was fascinated by tools and antiques. He had all sorts of fun collections including old coins from many countries, candle molds, apple peelers and cherry pitters, stamps, postcards, saws, copper and brass scales and lanterns.

Traveling was one of Carl’s favorite activities. As he said he traveled to three corners of the world. He loved camping, canal barges, home exchanges, cruises and bicycle trips. He enjoyed and excelled in planning all the details of the trips.

We raise a glass of glögg to an amazing human. Those who knew him know that he was genuinely interested in the world and all the people in it and possessed a palpable joy for life. He valued relationships and was a great listener, asking engaging questions to draw someone out and learn about them. Carl’s creative way of seeing the world made him a great story-teller, talented historian and playful companion. He cared about the environment and social issues. He was a deeply loyal and caring friend, father and husband. Carl was a gentle, loving soul who made an indelible impression on the earth and will be deeply honored and missed.

There will be a memorial service later this summer at the Unitarian Church of Princeton. Send inquiries to: susan@uuprinceton.org.

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Dr. Marcia E. Bossart, Ed.D.

Dr. Marcia E. Bossart, Ed.D., a beloved educator, passionate community leader, and lifelong advocate for learning, passed away peacefully on April 18, 2025, in Princeton, NJ, at the age of 83.

Born and raised Marblehead, MA, Marcia’s journey of curiosity and pursuit of excellence began early. She graduated from Connecticut College in New London, Connecticut, where she met her devoted husband, David. They married in 1963 and, after a brief time in Connecticut, made New Jersey their home—living in Cedar Grove and Verona before settling in Princeton, Marcia’s home for over three decades.

Marcia’s dedication to education was profound and far-reaching. Holding a master’s degree in English from Montclair State College and a Doctor of Education from Seton Hall University, she devoted 35 years to shaping young minds and strengthening schools across New Jersey. Her expertise in curriculum design and educational administration was matched only by her unwavering commitment to students and educators alike. Beginning as a high school teacher, she rose through the ranks to become a building administrator, Director of Education, and ultimately Superintendent of Schools for Glen Ridge Public Schools and Princeton Regional Schools. Her passion for teaching extended to the college level, where she inspired future educators as an adjunct instructor at Caldwell College and Seton Hall University. She also shared her wisdom as an educational consultant, always striving to improve learning environments.

Marcia’s love for her community was as vibrant as her love for education. She served with grace and enthusiasm on the boards of the The Princeton Festival and The Princeton Symphony Orchestra as well as the Steinway Society of Greater Princeton, enriching the cultural life of the town she cherished. She was a cherished member of The Present Day Club, The Old Guard of Princeton, and the Rotary Club of Princeton, where she served as a past president, leaving a lasting legacy of service and friendship. Her commitment extended to the YMCA Board of Directors and as a trustee of the Princeton Nursery School. A devoted member of the Nassau Club, Marcia could often be found there with dear friends, planning their next adventure—always seeking new experiences and connections.

A lifelong lover of music, Marcia had a special passion for opera, theater, and the arts, which brought joy and inspiration to her life. She also treasured reading and travel, embracing the world with open arms and a curious spirit.

Marcia Bossart’s legacy is one of dedication, kindness, and an enduring passion for education and community—a life well-lived.

Marcia was predeceased by her beloved husband, David, in 1998. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Beth and Steven Milke of Florida; her cherished grandchildren, Heather Milke of New York, NY, and Miles Milke of Philadelphia, PA; and her sister, Joanne Hobin of Florida.

A private burial is planned.

Memorial donations be made to The Princeton Symphony Orchestra, continuing Marcia’s lifelong support of the arts. Marcia was involved with and supported each of their major programs, namely the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, The Princeton Festival, and their education programs: PSO BRAVO!. Gifts to the PSO can be designated for General Operations, or for one of these programs.

Princeton Symphony Orchestra, PO Box 250,

Princeton, NJ 08542, princetonsymphony.org/support/donate.

Arrangements are under the care of Mather Hodge Funeral Home.

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Sydney Shaffer Taggart
1932 – 2024

Sydney S. Taggart, age 92, passed away on November 15, 2024 in Princeton, NJ. Born on June 7, 1932 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the daughter of Dr. Ward and Marion Shaffer, she was a lifelong environmentalist and gardener, and became an active Garden Club of America horticulture judge.

Sydney graduated from Nichols Hills Grade School, Harding Junior High, and Classen High School, Class of 1950. She attended all of the major reunions and said, “I always had a ball.” She attended the University of Oklahoma where she became a Kappa Kappa Gamma. Sydney was Queen of the Corps at New Mexico Military Institute in 1950, Queen of the Oklahoma City Beaux Arts Ball in 1955, and was a member of the Junior League.

In 1955, Sydney married Charles Lutz Taggart, also of Oklahoma City. They moved to Princeton, NJ, in 1959 where they lived for 25 years. Sydney was active in the Princeton community, as Vice Chair of the Princeton Planning Board, and Chair of the Princeton Borough Traffic Safety Committee. She was also an active member of the Garden Club of Princeton, and actively volunteered for many local causes, including the Hospital Fete supporting Princeton Hospital.

After Princeton, the Taggarts lived in Dedham, MA, Dallas, TX and Worcester, MA, before settling in Wakefield, RI. In Wakefield, she found her paradise on 4 acres on a hill overlooking protected farm fields and forests, the Willow Dell Beach Club, Block Island, and Point Judith Harbor, where Sydney kept track of the time of day, with the comings and goings of the Block Island Ferry. She was active in the South County Garden Club, the Kingston Book Club, Courthouse Center of the Arts, and Willow Dell Historical Association.

Sydney and Charlie spent the last 15 years as residents of Stonebridge at Montgomery, in Rocky Hill, NJ. It became their home, and she remained active as Editor of the Stonebridge Monthly Newsletter and writing over 50 memoirs documenting her and Charlie’s family history.

Sydney is survived by her three sons Peter (Judy), Denver, CO, Ward (Rebecca), Las Vegas, NV, and Carl (Kim), Wayne, PA; 7 grandchildren; and her sister Mrs. Robert M. Rainey III (Rob) of Tulsa, OK.

A memorial service to celebrate the life of Sydney Taggart will be held Saturday, May 3 at 11 a.m., at Stonebridge at Montgomery.

April 23, 2025

Obituaries 4/23/2025

Helen Linda Mahler

Helen Linda Mahler, beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, known to all as Linda, died peacefully at home in Stockton, New Jersey, on March 14. She was 73.

Linda was born on January 5, 1952 in Long Branch, New Jersey, to Harry and Helen Mahler. Her childhood in Highlands, New Jersey, was spent on the beach and in the ocean. She graduated from Mater Dei High School in New Monmouth, NJ, where she was captain of the cheerleading squad, homecoming queen, sang in a folk band, and appeared on stage in a production of The King and I.

On graduating from The College of New Jersey (then Trenton State College) with an English degree, Linda married and relocated to New Hope, Pennsylvania, where she raised two children, Katie and Mike. She worked briefly as a teacher at New Hope-Solebury Elementary before she took a position at Princeton University as a College Administrator, a job she loved and was loved in, where she became known across campus for her warmth, humor, and deep care for students. She was a second mom to many hundreds of students over the years, often inviting them to share holiday meals with her family. The final chapter of her career was spent as a fundraiser in the office of Annual Giving, where she reconnected with some of the same students she knew from their freshman year who were then adults making gifts to the university. For those efforts, she was made an Honorary Member of the Princeton University Class of 1993.

In 2003, Linda remarried to Edward (Ted) Champlin, a Professor of Classics at Princeton University. After some cajoling, she convinced him to move into what became their dream house in Stockton, New Jersey. There they spent many happy years entertaining old friends and new, building a community that often centered on their daily trips to Rojo’s coffee shop. With Ted she travelled the world, and with him she was happy to return home; she loved the beauty and serenity of the rolling farmland land around her. She also loved and was proud to be a part of the community she found in Lambertville—she delighted in bumping into friends on the towpath or on the street. She was famous among her friends and family for her tomatoes, her love of the Phillies and Eagles, her love of reading, and her cooking. Her cosmo cocktails were incomparable, and she was known to deliver them to the door of friends in need. “They contain Vitamin C,” she often said. Her 70th birthday present to herself — a rare extravagance in the form of a convertible Mini Cooper in a color called “Zesty Yellow” — was known to turn heads and smiles around town.

Linda was a fearless survivor of breast cancer for 21 years. She kept journals of her medical journey, great piles of notes about her treatment history, and she shared her story online, building a community on social media. Her final years were spent caring for her beloved husband, who suffered from Alzheimer’s and predeceased her by two months. In the face of these hardships, Linda was naturally kind, loving, and funny. Elegant and beautiful, she had a rebellious spirit and was a proud feminist. She was a tireless advocate for democracy and equality. Most of all, she will be remembered for how she loved her family, for her easy warmth and boundless interest in the goings-on of her children and grandchildren, for the time she spent with them, which she cherished most of all, and for the legacy of quiet kindness she leaves in her absence. She died at home, her two loving children by her side.

Linda was predeceased by her parents, Helen and Harry, brothers Peter and Harry, and husband Ted.

Linda is survived by her daughter, Katie Loughran and son-in-law Joe Ujj of New Hope; son Mike Loughran and daughter-in-law Megan Johnson of Philadelphia; three grandchildren: Mimi and Eero Ujj of New Hope, and Hugo Loughran of Philadelphia; sister Dawn Stout of Rumson and niece Sarah Stout of Hoboken; and two stepsons, Alex Champlin of Toronto and James Champlin of Queensland, Australia.

For information about a celebration of life in memory of Linda and her husband Ted, please email her son, Mike Loughran at michaeljamesloughran@gmail.com.

Donations in Linda’s honor may be made to Doctors Without Borders.

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Edward “Ted” James Champlin

Edward “Ted” James Champlin, beloved husband, father, historian, and longtime member of the Princeton community, died of cardiac arrest at Hunterdon Medical Center on December 23, 2024. He was 76.

Born in New York City and raised in Toronto, Ted devoured the histories of England, Rome, and Greece throughout his childhood — at one point ordering so many old texts from a British bookseller that the owner was shocked to discover his customer was not an aged professor but a curious teenager. Ted would channel his passion into a lifelong career, completing a bachelor’s in modern history and master’s in classics at the University of Toronto before earning his doctorate at the University of Oxford.

An expert in Roman society, culture, politics and law, Ted joined the faculty of Princeton University in 1976 and retired in 2016. He was at home in the classroom, teaching more than 40 different courses while sharing his wit, insight, and love of antiquity with generations of students. Beyond the lecture hall, Ted served the University as master of Butler College and chair of the Classics Department. He was named an honorary member of the class of 1984.

Brent Shaw, the Andrew Fleming West Professor in Classics, Emeritus, of Princeton University, called Ted “a prince amongst the modern historians of the Roman empire. He combined the very best of high technique with the most creative ways of seeing things.” Shaw said his inbox has been flooded with memorial emails from scholars around the world.

Ted was a masterful writer, whose books probed unilluminated corners of Roman history and upended common perceptions of famous figures. For his seminal biography Nero, he scoured ancient manuscripts to demonstrate that Rome’s most notorious megastar was the mastermind of his own theatricality.

He began his last book, a study of the emperor Tiberius, in 2007 before setting it aside due to illness. In 2022, Ted’s longtime friend Robert Kaster approached him with the idea of bringing the book to fruition. Tiberius and His Age: Myth, Sex, Luxury, and Power was published in November of 2024 to glowing reviews, with Champlin as author and Kaster as editor.

Ted was happiest when making children laugh, but his warmth and mischievous humor were unforgettable to all who met him. For years he was a familiar sight around Princeton, sharing a sly remark with students and colleagues, skim latte in hand.

His final decades were spent in the rolling countryside of Stockton, New Jersey, growing vegetables with his wife, Linda Mahler, cycling along the towpath, and making mischief with his step-grandchildren, Mimi and Eero — often attending their sporting events and performances. He was a much-loved fixture at Rojo’s coffee shop in Lambertville where his sly remarks found a new audience of friends and neighbors.

Ted is survived by his sisters Elizabeth Champlin, Marion Jensen and Minota Austin; sons Alexander and James; stepchildren Michael Loughran and Katie Loughran; and step-grandchildren Mimi Ujj and Eero Ujj.

Donations in Ted’s honor may be made to Doctors Without Borders.

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Anthony O. Arcuni

Anthony O. Arcuni, 86, Financial Services Executive, died on Friday, April 11, 2025, in Naples, Florida.

Arcuni was born February 20, 1939, in New York City, and was also raised in New York.

He graduated from Cardinal Hayes High School in 1956, Fordham College in 1960, and Fordham University Law School in 1963. A standout debater, Arcuni served as President of the Fordham Varsity Debating Team.

He completed Army ROTC training and was recognized as a “Distinguished Military Graduate.” Arcuni was a First Lieutenant, and served as an Officer on the Staff and Faculty of the Judge Advocate General’s School at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA.

In 1965, Arcuni joined Citicorp as a trainee, and he became one of the youngest Vice Presidents in 1971. He ran Citicorp’s first Private Banking Units on Wall Street and then spearheaded International Private Banking with market management responsibility for Asia Pacific and Latin America.

In 1978, Arcuni joined Bankers Trust Co., serving as a Senior Vice President, with global responsibility for International Investment Management and International Private Clients. During his time at Bankers Trust, he served on the Boards of Financial Institutions in Africa and Europe.

While working for Citicorp and Bankers Trust, he lived with his family in Chappaqua, NY. The Arcuni family were members of the Whippoorwill Country Club and Seven Bridges Field Club, where he served as President.

In 1986, Arcuni and Family, were relocated to Princeton, NJ, by the Prudential Insurance Company of America, where he served as Corporate Vice President and Executive Vice President of Prudential Affiliated Investors.

In 1989, New Jersey Governor Thomas Kean asked Arcuni to manage the State’s Pension Funds. Arcuni served as Deputy Director of the Division of Investments, within the NJ Department of Treasury. During his tenure, the NJ Pension Fund, according to SEI, was the top performing Public Sector Fund in the United States.

In 1995, Arcuni joined Merrill Lynch/Bank of America, and served as First Vice President – Investment, and Senior Financial Advisor.

In his later years, after retiring from the Corporate world, Arcuni served as an arbitrator for securities cases.

His first wife, Evelyn Leary, predeceased him, with whom he had two children, Philip and Suzanne.

Arcuni then married Susanne V. Popkin.

Tony and Susanne divided their time between Princeton, NJ, Skillman, NJ, and Naples, FL. They were members of the Country Club of Naples, the Nassau Club, Springdale Country Club, and Cherry Valley Country Club.

He is survived by Philip Arcuni, son, Suzanne Arcuni, daughter, children from his first marriage; second spouse Susanne V. Arcuni; grandchildren Tyler Boissevain, Natalie Boissevain; Stepson Daniel Popkin; Shobnah Patel, wife of Daniel, and granddaughter Dilhara Popkin; sister, Anita Ferrante; and brother Oreste Arcuni.

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Reba Jordan Lippincott

Reba Jordan Lippincott, just one month shy of turning 91, passed away while residing in Charlotte, NC, near her younger son. She lived in Princeton, NJ, from 1970 until September 2023. She was born and raised in St Albans, WV, the eldest of four siblings. Education was always an important part of her life. She graduated third in her high school class. She attended West Virginia University (WVU) with hopes of going to medical school. Upon graduating, she was admitted to the Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia where she spent three semesters; thereafter, she worked for a pharmaceutical company as a lab technician in Philadelphia where she met her husband-to-be. She was a stay-at-home mother until 1974 when she returned to school at Rutgers University to earn a Masters of Library and Information Science. After earning that degree, she worked for 23 years as an education media specialist (high school librarian) in the Watchung Hills Regional School District in northern NJ. Her husband had an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and both of her children have postgraduate degrees. She also had some input into the education of her two grandsons. She lived for her family.

Later in life, she took many trips and went on many bike rides and hikes. Her husband died in 2005, but she continued with biking and hiking. She became a big sports fan.

She was a serious follower of the New York Yankees and WVU’s football and men’s basketball teams.

In 2008 she joined the Women’s College Club of Princeton and became active in the organization that provides college scholarship awards to deserving young women in the surrounding Princeton area. In 2012 she became the club’s President. She took that job very seriously.

Reba is preceded in death by her parents, Gordon T. Jordan and Mary Katherine Jordan; her husband, Clair (Buzz) Lippincott; and her brother, Charles T. Jordan.

She is survived by her sons, Jeffrey and Clark (Lisa); sisters, Julia Elcan and Mary Jo Santrock (John); grandsons, Connor (Dani) and Cole (Katie); sisters-in-law, Ann Jordan and Shirley Lippincott; and many nieces and a nephew.

Her final resting place will be at the Princeton Cemetery in downtown Princeton, NJ.

Memorial donations may be made to The Women’s College Club of Princeton (wccpnj.org) or curingkidscancer.org. Raymer-Kepner Funeral Home is assisting the family. Kepnerfh.com.

———

Tommy Williams

Tommy Williams, a beloved fixture in the Mercer County golf community and a passionate champion of Princeton, died at his home Saturday, April 19. He was 73.

A proud native of Jersey City, where he was raised in the Montgomery Gardens projects, Tommy retired after nearly three decades as an insurance agent for the Nelson & Ward Company, based in Iselin.

After settling in Princeton with his wife, Wendy, in 1996 Tommy became what could accurately be described as the soul of the Mercer County Golf system, generously sharing his knowledge and passion of the game with friends and struggling newcomers and strangers.

Tommy was a gifted and patient teacher, especially with first timers. His devotion was boundless – he could be found on the course helping someone improve their chipping game (his specialty) after the rain chased everyone else back to the clubhouse. He was widely popular with veteran players often shouting his name across fairways, thrilled to get his attention and share their scores.

Tommy played courses all over France and Ireland on his frequent travels to both countries with his wife and friends. He also played throughout the United States, with Torrey Pines near San Diego, Calif., his particular favorite.

Tommy was also one of the original regulars at the now-closed Little Taste of Cuba on Witherspoon Street, a cigar lounge where often regaling friends and customers with his golf course exploits and tall tales. His good nature, charm, and decency were infectious.

Tommy also was a great booster of the Princeton community and fan of F. Scott Fitzgerald. His passion for the author’s work led him to inspect Fitzgerald’s original manuscripts at Princeton University’s Firestone Library, an inspiring event that he often mentioned with pride.

Tommy is survived by Wendy Williams, his wife of 30 years; his daughter, Mellissa Carbone Moser, grandson, August Moser and son-in-law, Peter Moser of Mountain Lakes, N.J.; his brother Michael Williams, Sr., and sister-in law Ruth Williams, of East Windsor; nephews Michael Williams and Nicholas Williams; step-brother Jerry Bohrer, sister in-law Joanne Bohrer; nephews Jack Bohrer and Jerry Bohrer and a niece, Nicole Donio. He is predeceased by his mother, Mary Bohrer, and father, Robert Bohrer; and two sisters, MaryEllen Rozzell and Patricia Brennan.

An “Irish Wake” service will be held between 4 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, April 23, at the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vandeventer Avenue. Princeton. A period of storytelling and reflection about Tommy will begin at 730 p.m. Visitors are urged to bring their stories and a smile.

———

Theodora Wei

Theodora “Teddi” Wei, 82, of Princeton, died suddenly of a cardiac event on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Lisbon, Portugal, while traveling with her beloved husband, Fong. Born in Seymour, Connecticut, she had resided in Princeton for over 50 years.

A proud alumna of the Vassar College Class of 1964, Teddi was deeply committed to education, history, and the arts. She began her career as a middle school history teacher in Newton, Massachusetts, and then Scarsdale, New York, and later earned her master’s degree in counseling from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After living in Chapel Hill and Montgomery, Alabama, she and her family settled in Princeton in 1974.

In addition to her consulting work for various nonprofits, Teddi was a passionate and effective fundraiser, setting a class giving record for her 50th Vassar reunion and playing a role in McCarter Theatre’s capital campaign that concluded in the early 1990s. She also served on the boards of McCarter Theatre, Young Audiences, and Opera New Jersey, and was an enthusiastic patron of local arts communities. A lifelong learner, Teddi regularly audited classes at Princeton University in her favorite subjects — literature, philosophy, and history — and remained engaged through organizations like the Women’s Investment Group (WIG), the Present Day Club, and her reading circle.

Teddi had a love of opera, classical music, theater, good food, and travel, and visited more than 70 countries. She was fiercely independent yet deeply devoted to her family and friends, offering her full presence to those in her life.

Daughter of the late Harry Zopko and Julianna Cymbolic, she is survived by her husband of 58 years, Dr. Fong Wei, and their sons, Christopher and Alexander Wei.

She is also survived by daughters-in-law Michelle Christman and Katie Wei, and grandchildren Atticus, Imogen, Oliver, and Lily.

A Celebration of Life will take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 31, 2025, at Prospect House, Princeton University.

For those wishing to honor her memory, donations may be made to the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, McCarter Theatre, or the Princeton Public Library.

April 15, 2025

Obituaries 4/16/2025

George Britton Somers Jr.

George Britton Somers Jr., 72, passed away surrounded by his loving family on April 9, 2025, following a very serious illness. He was born in Washington, DC, and grew up and settled in Princeton, NJ.

George was a graduate of Georgetown University with a BS in Portuguese and a MS in Linguistics. He obtained his JD at Seton Hall University. He was an Attorney since 1983 in private practice in Princeton, NJ, handling primarily defense cases. George was formerly a Deputy Attorney General and an Assistant Prosecutor in Middlesex County. He spoke four languages including Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese. He was an active member of St. Paul’s Church and enjoyed playing squash and traveling.

Predeceased by his parents George Britton and Elizabeth Deborah (DiMeglio) Somers; he is survived by his wife of 22 years Hyesook (Lee) Somers; and children Melissa “Missy” Somers, John Somers, and Jeb Somers.

Arrangements are under the direction of Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton.

———

Franklin D. Moore

Franklin D. Moore, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend, passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 12, 2025 at the age of 79 surrounded by his loved ones. Born on May 13, 1945, in Atlantic City, NJ, and a Plainsboro area resident since 1975, Franklin’s life was one characterized by dedication, passion, and love.

Franklin’s legacy begins with his cherished family. He is survived by his loving wife, Wardell Robinson-Moore; his devoted sons, Franklin R. Moore and his wife Ally, and Joseph R. Moore and his wife Danielle; and his adored grandchildren, Mason, Mya, Kenzie, and Breland. He also leaves behind his caring sisters, Althea LaDrene Greer and Gloria Jean Barlow, along with a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends who will miss him deeply. He was predeceased by his parents, Dally and Estella Moore, who instilled in him the values of love and service he carried throughout his life.

Franklin’s professional endeavors were as impactful as his personal relationships. After serving in the Army Reserves, he taught in the Philadelphia public schools, followed by teaching as an Adjunct Instructor at Middlesex County College and serving as Assistant Director of admissions. He then moved on to Princeton University where he served as Associate Director of admissions until he became Assistant Dean at NYU School of Law. One of his greatest accomplishments was opening his own title insurance agency, remaining in this field until his retirement. His commitment to education and justice was further demonstrated by his involvement with the Association of Black Admissions and Financial Aid Officers in the Ivy League and Sister Schools, the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, serving as Vice Chair of the Board of Union Theological Seminary, and his leadership roles as Chair of the Board of Crossroads Theatre in New Brunswick and Co-Chair of the Board of the George Faison Firehouse Theatre in Harlem.

His interests painted the portrait of a man passionate about life. Franklin’s appreciation for sports cars, especially Corvettes, was well-known. He relished the tranquility of fishing and the camaraderie of playing and coaching basketball. His love for basketball was sparked by playing on Middle Township High School’s basketball team, which, in turn, led him to play for Cheyney University (then Cheyney State). Watching his sons on the basketball court and his son Joe’s lacrosse games were among his greatest joys. His passion for helping people was unmatched. Above all, he cherished the time spent with his family, delighting in the growth of his grandchildren in recent years.

Franklin Moore will be remembered as a loving husband, a passionate father, a selfless friend, and a man who touched the lives of many. His memory will continue to inspire those who had the privilege of knowing him. Franklin’s life was truly a testament to the profound impact one person can have on the world and the hearts of others.

Graveside service will be held on Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 11:30 a.m. at Fairview Cemetery, 416 Route 9 North, Cape May Court House, NJ 08210.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made in memory of Franklin D. Moore to the Thrive Charter School, 175 Leonard Avenue, Hamilton, NJ 08610. Condolences at radzieta.com.

April 9, 2025

Obituaries 4/9/2025

Richard Oliver Funsch

Richard Oliver Funsch died peacefully at home on Tuesday, April 1 at the age of 92. Born in St. Louis, MO, he graduated from St. Louis Country Day School before going on to Princeton University as a member of the Class of 1955. At Princeton he majored in history and was a proud member of the University Cottage Club.

After graduation he attended Columbia University Law School for one year before returning to Washington University in St. Louis for his last two years of law school. After passing the Missouri Bar, he entered the US Air Force as a judge advocate and spent 34 months at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho.

Following his service, he returned to St. Louis where he practiced law. In 1972 Richard ran for U.S. Congress, Missouri 1st Congressional District, against the veteran incumbent Bill Clay and lost. He enjoyed showing friends the scrapbook he put together from that unsuccessful run. In 1980 he started his own firm consisting of five lawyers with a primary focus on civil litigation. He was so enthusiastic about his trial work that he could recall details many years later, including just before he died, and recount stories about some of his favorite adversaries, including the famed Marvin Belli.

In 1983 his life took a dramatic change when he lost 96 percent of his eyesight within 24 hours due to an unidentified virus. This changed the way he practiced law, but he soldiered on for the next 10 years with the help of a reader. After retirement he volunteered for 13 years with the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) in St. Louis and later in Princeton.

In 1988 he married Mary Sutter whom he had known in St. Louis for 20 years through Princeton connections. Looking for new challenges they moved to Princeton in 1996. Richard often said that his return to Princeton fortified his belief that it was the “best old place of all.” In Princeton he enjoyed auditing classes without the necessity of taking notes or the stress of exams. Until his eyesight was completely gone, he would regularly walk the streets of Princeton from the YMCA, where he exercised, to his home. Never one to pity himself for his lack of eyesight, he was always looking to learn and often regaled friends with his lawyer “war stories.”

In addition to his wife Mary, he is survived by his children Randolph Funsch, Ted Funsch, and Cynthia Funsch-Sena and his stepchildren John H. Sutter, Mary Beth Womer (John), and Sarah Sutter Glazar (Christian). His grandchildren include Elizabeth and William Sutter, Molly Womer, Margaret and Ethan Glazar, and Felicia and Thomas Funsch.

Memorial contributions may be made to “Cottage 1886 Foundation” c/o University Cottage Club, 51 Prospect Avenue, Princeton, NJ 08540.

A memorial service will be held at Trinity Church on Saturday, May 10, 2025 at 11 a.m.
Arrangements are under the direction of Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton.

———

Thomas Vining Seessel

Thomas Vining Seessel, 87, of Featherbed Lane in Hopewell, died at his home on the morning of March 22.

Tom was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and came north to Dartmouth College on a Navy ROTC scholarship. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1959. After college, he became a Lieutenant on an ocean-going tugboat; as the navigator, he learned to sail by the stars. He met his wife, Diane, on a blind date on Saint Patrick’s Day, 1962, while on shore leave.
Tom and Diane married in 1963 and moved to Princeton, where Tom earned his master’s degree at the University’s School of Public and International Affairs. The school was filled with idealist young students who heeded John F. Kennedy’s call: “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” After working for one of the nation’s first anti-poverty programs in New Haven, Connecticut, they returned to central New Jersey in 1968 to raise their family.

Tom spent his entire career with nonprofit organizations like the Ford Foundation, where he was a grant officer administering employment and housing programs for lower-income families. He also worked as the deputy commissioner for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection in the 1970s. Later, drawing on his personal experience, he became the executive director of the National Council on Alcoholism. As he told The Dartmouth Alumni Magazine, his mission there was simple. “I want to teach the American public two things,” he said. “Alcohol is a drug, and it’s okay to say ‘no.’”

After retiring in 1998, Tom became a consultant and adviser for various nonprofits, including local ones like the Sourland Conservancy and the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum.

Filled with a quick wit and a restless mental and physical energy, Tom had many personal interests. He loved to read, talk politics, and was a devoted member of the Princeton Pro Musica choral group. He served on the Hopewell School Board in the 1970s and 1980s, and neighbors remember him as one of the township’s first joggers. When that became too physically demanding, he became a regular biker around his beloved Sourland Mountain. He and Diane traveled extensively, including Africa, China, Russia, and Europe, and they were regular visitors to the Adirondacks and the red rock country of the American West.

Tom loved his family and was much loved by them. In addition to his wife Diane, he is survived by his three children, Adam, Jessica, and Ben; and three grandchildren, Isaac, Sam, and Maeve.

Donations in Tom’s memory can be made either to the Hopewell Fire Department and Emergency Medical Unit or the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum.

———

Brad David Silver

Brad David Silver, of Hamilton, passed away on April 5, 2025 at the age of 70.

Brad was born in Queens, NY, to Aubrey and Sandy Silver. He graduated from Hofstra University majoring in Business Administration. After several years of work experience at major financial firms in New York, he founded his company, Princeton Tax Advisory Group in 2007. Brad and his wife took great pride helping people invest and manage their retirement assets.

Brad married Donna in 1989 and raised two daughters, Ariel and Shelly. They enjoyed over three decades of family life and activities. Outings with friends, travel, cruising, sailing the sea, and white-water rafting with his wife, and gatherings of the extended family for holidays and special occasions.

Brad is survived by his wife and daughters; two sisters Toni and Stacey; nephews Adam, Jonathan, and Benjamin; niece Alix; and several great-nephews and nieces.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, April 9 at 10:30 am at Orland’s Ewing Memorial Chapel, 1534 Pennington Road, Ewing, NJ. Interment was private.

For condolences please visit the obituary page at OrlandsMemorialChapel.com.

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Jane Jacobs

Jane Jacobs, of Princeton, died after a short respiratory illness on March 21 at the age of 99 at Princeton Medical Center in Plainsboro.

Born in 1926 in Rochester, New York, to George Shaw and Katherine (McGreal) Shaw, she graduated as the valedictorian of Brighton High School and received a bachelor’s degree in English from Smith College in 1948. After moving to New York City to take a position as an assistant editor in the children’s department at Oxford University Press, she was courted by and married William Jacobs. The two moved to Princeton in 1949, where Bill began a 40-year career as a professor of biology at Princeton University.

Jane received her master’s in education from Rutgers University and began teaching in the English department at Princeton High School in 1963. She was hired to teach a class that was so disruptive that five previous teachers had already quit by late October. She survived that class and taught at PHS until her retirement in 1987, including several years as chair of the department. Her dedication to this work cannot be overstated. Many of her students have shared that her name is the answer to the online security question, “Who was your favorite teacher?”

Jane was predeceased by Bill in 2019 and by her brother George Shaw II, of San Antonio.

She is survived by her sister Ann South, of Dallas, Texas; her son Mark, who lives in Phoenix with his wife, Ellen; her daughter Anne, of West Windsor; and by five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Except for walking, dancing, and infrequent swimming, Jane never exercised in her adult life. She did not lift a dumbbell or do a bridge pose. She savored rich food, good wine, good conversation, and reading. If she had a secret to long life, it was the certainty that she was, in her own words, “a lucky dame.” So are those of us who knew her.

There will be a memorial service for Jane at Mountain Lakes House on June 21. Please contact Anne Jacobs at jjmemorial2025@gmail.com for more information.

———

Lynn Cox Scheffey

Caroline “Lynn” Cox Scheffey died peacefully on Thursday morning, January 9, 2025, at Stonebridge at Montgomery in Skillman, NJ, where she had resided for 8 years. She was 94. She will be missed by her devoted family and friends, as well as by former professional colleagues and friends among the community of advocates for women’s rights and social justice.

Born July 29, 1930, in Scarsdale, NY, Lynn was the daughter of Howard Lee Cox, Sr. of Sharon Hill, PA, and Caroline Benham Cox of Columbus, OH. The family soon moved to a 71-acre farm on North Mill Road in Princeton Junction, NJ, that is now the site of the West Windsor Community Park. She grew up there with her beloved older brother Howard Lee Cox, Jr., a graduate of Princeton University, and WWII veteran who predeceased her in 1959.

Lynn and Lee had countless “stepsiblings” in the form of the first “real” Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy dolls, which were produced by their father to promote the celebrated series of children’s books authored and illustrated by Johnny Gruelle. The 23 Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy books were eventually published by The Johnny Gruelle Company, founded by Lynn’s father in partnership with the Gruelle family, after the original publisher folded. Lynn treasured her collection of Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy books and original dolls, as well as fond memories of her father’s work with the company.

As a child, Lynn contracted polio, but showing the grit and curiosity that stayed with her throughout her life, she survived and excelled in school. She skipped two grades and graduated from Princeton High School in 1947, when she was 16. Later that fall, following her 17th birthday, she entered Bryn Mawr College.

At Bryn Mawr, Lynn majored in Biology, but in her junior year romance eclipsed academics, and she interrupted her studies to marry Lewis C. “Lew” Scheffey, Jr. As Lew developed his career, Lynn had and cared for three sons as the family moved many times, most notably to Santiago, Chile (from 1952 to 1953), where Lynn became fluent in Spanish.

When the family returned to the US, they lived in Athens, GA, and Leesport, PA, eventually settling in Merion Station, PA. Three young sons, notwithstanding, Lynn determined to further her studies. She completed four semesters of immersive Art History study at The Barnes Foundation, followed by the University of Pennsylvania, where she received her BA in The History of Art in 1963.

Throughout her life, Lynn was continually engaged in civic and political activity. Notable among her accomplishments was “HAPPY RETURNS FOR UNICEF,” a project she created in 1969 as Chair of the International Currency Development Program for UNICEF in Philadelphia. Lynn created the project to raise funds for the U.N. International Children’s Emergency Fund, a program designed to raise money by collecting donations of unused foreign currency from returning international air travelers using secure, pre-paid mailing envelopes, designed by the eminent graphic designer Ivan Chermayeff. Lynn secured Pan Am as the exclusive airline partner for the UNICEF project, as well as the endorsement and participation of then Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kurt Waldheim. The project, which garnered nationwide media attention, was a notable success.

In the late 1960s, Lynn’s commitment to social justice drew her to feminist advocacy. She was an original leader of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Women’s Political Caucus. In 1972, Governor Milton J. Shapp appointed her as Co-Chairperson of the Pennsylvania Commission on the Status of Women. She served with Co-Chairperson Alma Speed Fox, a civil rights activist from Pittsburgh. The Commission was founded to implement the provisions of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Equal Rights Amendment adopted in 1971. Under Lynn’s leadership, the Third Annual Conference of The Interstate Association of Commissions on the Status of Women was convened in Philadelphia in 1973.

During the 1970s, Lynn directed and created a series of other community-based  educational, scientific, and social service programs at several institutions. She served as Acting Deputy Director of the World Order Research Institute at Villanova University; as a Consultant  for Special Projects to the University City Science Center in Philadelphia;  and as Coordinator of a Health Education Program at Philadelphia’s Lankenau Hospital that provided curriculum guidance to school districts across the state.

In the early 1980s, following a longstanding interest in entrepreneurship, Lynn enrolled in the MBA program at Temple University’s Fox School of Business in Philadelphia. She received her MBA in 1984.

Lynn used her business skills and creativity to originate, initially in conjunction with her son Thomas, a series of imaginative real estate development projects focused on historic properties in the Spring Garden neighborhood of Philadelphia. For decades, she was sole owner and manager of several successful real estate projects, including a complex of 16 still-fruitful, residential rental condominiums.

Throughout her life, Lynn was an energetic supporter of progressive issues and a dedicated volunteer in national, regional, and local Democratic political campaigns. She was a member of Princeton Friends Meeting and Haverford Friends Meeting.

Lynn enjoyed worldwide travel, food and wine, advanced learning programs and study in art history, science, political studies, and social research, as well as celebrating a lifetime of long friendships, while always cultivating new connections and learning adventures. She will be fondly remembered for her tenacity, wit, and beautiful spirit.

Lynn was predeceased by Lew Scheffey, from whom she was divorced in 1977. She is survived by her three sons, Thomas Benham (Melissa) of Ewing, NJ, Stephen Thun of Boulder, CO, and Daniel Cox, of New York, NY; four grandchildren, Nathan (Caroline), Aubrey (Christopher), Adrienne (Vikrama), and Leigh (Rafael); and three great-grandchildren, Maxwell, Penelope, and Bela.

A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, May 17, 2025 at 11 a.m., in the Meetinghouse at Princeton Friends Meeting in Princeton NJ, with a reception immediately following in the Meeting’s Friendship Room. Interment in the Cox Family lot at Arlington Cemetery in Drexel Hill, PA, will take place with family members at a later date. In Lynn’s memory, donations can be made to Princeton Friends Meeting.

———

Margaret “Peggy” Arlene Thompson
August 9, 1940 – April 3, 2025

Margaret “Peggy” Arlene Thompson, 84, of Pennington, NJ, passed away peacefully on April 3, 2025, after a long illness.

Born and raised in Princeton, NJ, Peggy was the daughter of Nelson W. and Anne T. Thompson. She spent her childhood near Lake Carnegie and later on The Great Road, forming a deep love for nature and community that stayed with her throughout her life. She graduated from Princeton High School in 1958.

In the early 1960s, Peggy moved to San Francisco, where she graduated from Grace Ball Secretarial College in 1963. While in California, she worked for the Freeman-Cooper Company, and later, back in New Jersey, she worked at the Ingersoll Rand Company in Rocky Hill.

From 1967 to 1969, Peggy lived in Vietnam during the war, serving with the U.S. State Department and the Agency for International Development. Stationed inside the U.S. Embassy in Saigon, she developed deep friendships and a lasting sense of service. She was a proud member of the American Foreign Service Association. While in Vietnam, she met Robert Spinner, a U.S. Navy officer. They were married in January 1970 and divorced in 1993.

Following her time in Vietnam, Peggy traveled throughout Asia, visiting Nepal, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and other countries. She later settled in Pennington, NJ, where she raised her family and built a 35-year career as an administrator at Princeton Montessori School — a school where her daughter now works and her grandchildren attend. She retired at 78.

Peggy had a lifelong love of horses and was a skilled and competitive tennis player, winning multiple titles in the USTA/Volvo League. She was also a proud member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and deeply connected to her family’s historical roots in Princeton, including their legacy at the Kingston Mill.

She is survived by her daughter, Tracey A. Baskin (Noah), and son, Steven B. Spinner (Katie); her four grandchildren, Brooke, Skylar, Amelia, and Colin; her sister, Annelle Beckenbaugh (Bill) of Houston, TX; and her brother, Nelson Thompson (Mary Lee) of Myrtle Beach, SC. She was a cherished aunt to many nieces and nephews.

Peggy was predeceased by her parents and her sisters, Joan-Anne Dismukes and Meta Rasmussen.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 12, at Hopewell Presbyterian Church in Hopewell, NJ. Calling hours will be from 9 to 10 a.m., with the service to follow at 10 a.m. Interment at Highland Cemetery in Hopewell will be private. A luncheon will follow at Salt Creek Grille in Plainsboro.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Peggy’s memory to Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines at www.ryerssfarm.org.

———

Eleanor Phyllis Hamel
October 16, 1927 – January 7, 2025

Eleanor “Phyllis” Hamel (Evans) passed away peacefully on January 7, 2025 in Eugene, Oregon. She was surrounded by the love of her children and grandchildren. She remained active and independent up until just days before her passing.

Phyllis was born in Bermuda to Richard Evans and Elizabeth Potter on October 16, 1927. Though she lived there for only a few years, Bermuda held a lasting place in her heart, with cherished memories of her grandfather’s garden. These early experiences fostered a lifelong love of nature and beauty that shaped her artistic and personal pursuits.

Her childhood was marked by challenges and resilience. Following her parents’ divorce in 1930, she moved to the United States with her mother and grandmother (Rosa Carlotta Vincent Potter, known as “Tuttie”), living in various places, notably Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. Despite frequent relocations and withdrawals from primary schools, Phyllis developed a deep love of learning. She attended Holton-Arms School in Washington, D.C., from 1939, graduating in 1947 and participated in war-time volunteer efforts.

In 1948, she married Leonard Francis Lloyd Baynham, with whom she shared a love of adventure and boating on the Potomac River. In 1948, Leonard took her on a trip to Wales to reconnect with long-lost family members on her father’s side. This reunion was a profound experience, allowing her to rediscover her Welsh heritage and family. The family lived in Arlington, VA. Between 1950 and 1957, Phyllis and Leonard had four children: Morgan, Owen, Meredith, and Gwyneth. They divorced in 1958.

In 1959 Phyllis married John Jacob (“Jake”) Hamel. They lived for a time in New York City where Gwyneth was adopted, then settled in Princeton, NJ, in 1960. Jake and Phyllis then had two children: Jennifer and John Eric. During her nearly five decades in Princeton, Phyllis immersed herself in community life. She served as a board member at All Saints’ Church Nursery School and the Neuro-Psychiatric Institute. She was a member and President of the Garden Club and played an active role at Trinity Church and its Altar Guild. For a brief time, Phyllis was a runway model for Bill Blass.

Her passion for art and nature flourished. She took horticulture courses at the New York Botanical Gardens, pursued painting, and started a successful floral design business, Flora Interior Designs, eventually owning and running the Princeton Flower Shop until its sale in 1986.

In 2008, Phyllis and Jake moved to Eugene, Oregon, to be close to Gwyneth and her two children. There Phyllis embraced a vibrant and fulfilling life as a “Tuesday Regular” volunteer at Hendricks Park, member of the board of Friends of Hendricks Park, and was instrumental in raising funds for the beloved rhododendron garden. She was active on the board of the Eugene Garden Club; member of the Maude Kerns, Emerald Art Centers; and the Campbell Center, where she participated in a weekly rug-hooking group. She joined the Plein Air Painters and created watercolor greeting cards sold in local shops. Her artistic talents were recognized in publications and art shows, and her work — including a rug design of a tiger rug featured in Rug Hooking Magazine — was widely admired. She found immense joy in Eugene’s artistic and nature-loving communities, especially after Jake passed away in 2012. Phyllis attended and volunteered arranging altar flowers at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. These activities helped her form deep friendships that enriched her final years.

Phyllis was a woman of resilience, creativity, and boundless curiosity. Her love for the people around her, beauty in nature and art, her pet dogs and cats all remained central throughout her life. She leaves behind a legacy of strength, courage, paintings, sketches, hooked rugs, and an enduring appreciation for the natural world. She is a role model for fierce independence and perseverance.
Phyllis is survived by her six children: Morgan Frances Baynham (Laura), Owen Richard Baynham (Patti), Meredith Amy Baynham Watters (John), Gwyneth Elizabeth Hamel Iredale, Jennifer Potter Hamel, and John Eric Hamel; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Eugene, OR, on May 31, 2025 at 1 p.m. Her remains will be laid to rest at the family graveyard at Trinity Church in Princeton.

If you wish to honor Phyllis’s memory please share in her support of Friends of Hendricks Park by making a donation on friendsofhendrickspark.org.

March 26, 2025

Obituaries 3/25/2025

Jael Judith Ramirez Bautista

Jael Judith (Judy) Ramirez Bautista, aged 38, mother, daughter, sister, loving partner, friend, and beloved co-worker, left us broken hearted and bewildered by her untimely passing from complications of breast cancer on Monday March 10, 2025.

Judy was born in Oaxaca, Mexico, on October 14, 1986. She attended grade school in Oaxaca. Beginning a new chapter in her life she made the brave journey to the United States on her own, ending up in Princeton, NJ.

Judith welcomed her incredible daughter Kaitlen Melgar Ramirez in August of 2008, whom she poured into all of her love, constantly raising her up to reach new levels of achievement.

Kaitlen is her mother’s most incredible legacy, and was her proudest gift of grace. She was overjoyed when Kaitlen was accepted as a student at Princeton Day School.

After many years of raising her daughter on her own, love and companionship walked in the door when she met Isac H. Roman Santos. Their combined families, including Isac’s two children Ana Lucia Roman Sanchez and Isac H. Roman Sanchez from a previous marriage, brought Judy much joy and laughter. Isac was Judith’s partner, lovingly caring for her until her final breath.

Judy was also supported by her faith, following the beliefs of Jehovah Witnesses.

After working at The Mexicana Grocery store, Judy landed at The Whole Earth Center where for 13 years, she served thousands of customers and touched the lives of her grateful coworkers.

Her radiant beauty, smile, and highly infectious laugh will always echo thru our lives. The mystery of where Judy has gone, or why she had to leave us so early will go unanswered, but her love will always remain, shining a light on our dark corners and grief.

In addition to her daughter Kaitlen and partner Isac, Judith is also survived by her mother Maria Guadalupe Bautista and her brother Juan Bautista.

———

Jael Judith (Judy) Ramírez Bautista, de 38 años, madre, hija, hermana, compañera amorosa, amiga y querida compañera de trabajo, nos dejó con el corazón roto y desconcertado por su prematuro fallecimiento debido a complicaciones de cáncer de mama el lunes 10 de marzo de 2025.

Judy nació en Oaxaca, México, el 14 de octubre de 1986. Cursó la primaria en Oaxaca. Comenzando un nuevo capítulo en su vida, emprendió el valiente viaje a Estados Unidos por su cuenta, llegando a Princeton, Nueva Jersey.

Judith le dio la bienvenida a su increíble hija Kaitlen Melgar Ramírez en agosto de 2008. Derramó en ella todo su amor, impulsándola constantemente a alcanzar nuevos niveles de logro.

Kaitlen es el legado más increíble de su madre y su regalo de gracia más orgulloso. Se llenó de alegría cuando Kaitlen fue aceptada como alumna en la escuela Princeton Day.

Tras muchos años criando sola a su hija, el amor y la compañía la acompañaron cuando conoció a Isac H. Román Santos. Sus familias, incluyendo a los dos hijos de Isaac, Ana Lucía Román Sánchez e Isac H. Román Sánchez, de un matrimonio anterior, le brindaron mucha alegría y risas. Isac fue su pareja y la cuidó con cariño hasta su último aliento. Judy también se vio apoyada por su fe, siguiendo las creencias de los testigos de Jehová.

Después de trabajar en la tienda de comestibles Mexicana, Judy llegó a The Whole Earth Center, donde durante 13 años atendió a miles de clientes y conmovió la vida de sus agradecidos compañeros de trabajo.

Su radiante belleza, su sonrisa y su contagiosa risa siempre resonarán en nuestras vidas. El misterio de adónde se fue Judy o por qué tuvo que dejarnos tan pronto permanecerá sin respuesta, pero su amor siempre permanecerá, iluminando nuestros rincones oscuros y nuestro dolor. Además de su hija Kaitlen y su pareja Isac, a Judith también le sobreviven su madre, María Guadalupe Bautista, y su hermano, Juan Bautista.

———

Felice Gordon

Felice Gordon, a longtime Princeton resident, passed away in her apartment in Princeton Windrows retirement community on Saturday, March 15, 2025. Her funeral took place on Monday, March 17 at Cedar Park Beth El cemetery in Paramus, NJ, with many family members present.

Felice was born on March 29, 1932 in the Sunnyside neighborhood of Queens. Her family included her parents Robert and Beatrice Dosik, and her younger brother Paul Dosik. Felice was an avid pianist, and her interest in music led her to enroll in New York’s High School of Music and Art. She attended Queens College and subsequently transferred to Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio.

Felice met her future husband Alvin Gordon at a Jewish folk dance event at age 17. Felice was 20 years old when she and Alvin married. Together, they had three sons: Mark (deceased in 2018), Joel, and Neil. Felice and Alvin moved to East Brunswick, NJ, in 1958, and then to Princeton, NJ, in 1970.

Felice was a very intelligent, academically accomplished woman. In 1982, she earned doctorate in American history, with a focus on women’s history. In 1986, Rutgers University Press published “After Winning: The legacy of the New Jersey Suffragists 1920 – 1947,” a modified version of her doctoral thesis that explored the New Jersey women’s suffrage movement.

Felice and Alvin had many interests, including folk dancing and participating in a book club, as well as classical music, Broadway musicals, and other performing arts.

Felice and Alvin sold their Princeton home in early 2018 and moved to Princeton Windrows retirement community the same year.

Their son Mark died in 2018, and Alvin died in 2020.

Felice is survived by her sons Joel and Neil, her daughters-in-law Patricia Gordon and Anna Pegler-Gordon, her sister-in-law Ginger Gordon and Ginger’s husband Jim Norman, and her sister-in-law Rosalie Dosik, as well as her seven grandchildren Bernard Gordon, Dora Gordon, Rebecca Coulson, Eli Gordon, Talia Gordon, Maya Pegler-Gordon, and Naomi Pegler-Gordon. Felice will be sorely missed by her family.

Memorial contributions in Felice’s name may be sent to The Jewish Center of Princeton.

———

Henry W. Jeffers III

It is with deep sadness we announce the passing of our beloved father, Henry W. Jeffers the III. Henry passed away in his sleep on Thursday, March 13th at the age of 92.

A man of unwavering strength who lived life to the fullest, Henry graduated from Princeton High School. He went on to college and graduated in 1955 from Rutgers University, Cook College of Agriculture. He attended Harvard Business School in 1956, he met through one of his roommates, Joseph Saliba, his future wife, Janet Brox Jeffers. Henry enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves in 1957 and was a member of the Signal Corps where he became a military photographer.

He started working for the family business Walker-Gordon Laboratory Company in 1958, Henry held a management position and rose to the position of President in 1971. For all those who knew Henry, he was a man with a curiosity that infiltrated all his many interests. This ranged from his early passions which included Trap and Skeet shooting, saltwater and flyfishing, and growing exotic chrysanthemums. Through the years he developed a passion for astronomy and astrophotography.

Henry joined the Nassau Gun Club in 1972 and won numerous trophies. For many years, he and his cooking team hosted the Lady’s Day luncheons. Through the 1980s and 1990s, Henry guided the Walker Gordon Laboratory Company through difficult years which led to the eventual success of prosperity and profitability. He developed company lands for housing developments and restored and leased the IRL Research Facility. Henry was part of a group who were in a partnership with the State, Town, and County connected to the 800-acre Plainsboro Preserve.

In 1982 Henry and his wife, Janet, purchased a home on Martha’s Vineyard and became fully engaged in the East Chop community where he developed a sailing program for children at the East Chop Yacht Club. He was Commodore from 1989-1999. He retired from Walker-Gordon and spent many joyful summers on Martha’s Vineyard.

Henry’s wife, Janet, passed away in March 2017; he is survived by his children, Katherine Jeffers Goldfarb and husband, Robert, of Princeton, New Jersey; his son, James Jeffers and his wife, Raquel; and his two grandchildren, Juliette and Jasper of Hopewell, New Jersey. It is with these thoughts Henry rests quietly in peace.

A celebration of Henry’s life will be announced in the near future. Arrangements are under the direction of at A.S. Cole Son & Co., 22 North Main Street, Cranbury, NJ.

———

Georgia E. Tams

Georgia E. Tams died on February 27 in Weaverville, California, following a battle with cancer. Georgia was born in Princeton, but her free spirit carried her to San Francisco, to Chicago, back to New Jersey, and back again to northern California. Georgia was a fiercely independent woman who had a heart of gold and clever humor, which her family and friends will cherish always.

Georgia attended Bard College at Simon’s Rock and Stuart Country Day School, where she met several of her lifelong friends. Georgia loved connecting with her nieces and nephews and was proud of her work with the children of the Wicoff Elementary School in Plainsboro.

Georgia was a gifted artist, always writing, always sketching, and often painting. She could pick up any instrument, but particularly piano and guitar, to sing and compose music on the spot. Georgia’s beloved feline friends regularly featured in her endearing stories and songs. She signed her many stories, letters, and cards to us with her trademark *star.* Now Georgia’s star shines forever.

Georgia was predeceased by her husband Warren C. Mernone, her parents Theodore and Lorraine Tams, sister Ruth, and brother Simon. She is survived by her partner Hugh Ashley; sister-in-law Daren Hicks (Simon); brother Colin (Debbie) Tams, brother Brian (Laurie) Tams and sister Daphne (Kent) Ireland; and seven nieces and three nephews.

Remember Georgia as you gaze at “Georgia’s Star” — named specifically for her — located in the night sky at the coordinates RA: 13H 40M 44.3S DEC: +54° 40’ 54”. Other memorial services will be private. Donations may be made to Villa Maria by the Sea, a retreat house at the New Jersey shore where Georgia found rest and inspiration.

———

Daniel J. Skvir

Father Daniel J. Skvir, 79, of Pennington died peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family. Born in Martins Ferry, OH, he grew up in Jersey City, NJ, until he matriculated at Princeton University, Class of 1966. Throughout his life, he remained a true Tigers fan, enjoying decades of football and basketball season tickets. After Princeton, he attended both Union Theological Seminary and St. Vladimir’s Seminary before returning to Princeton. He was a teacher and administrator at Princeton Day School for 41 years. Known as Fr. Dan and the spiritual father of the school, he wore a variety of hats over years (Director of Admissions; teacher of Russian, History and Religion; College Counseling and much more). With his wife, Tassie, he took students to the Soviet Union for years, introducing numerous students (and adults) to Russian culture firsthand. In 1989 Princeton Day School was selected to be one of the first schools to participate in a U.S.-USSR Exchange of high school students. In his heart, he was always a PDS Panther, supporting his students and his own daughters in the classroom, sports fields and life’s endeavors. While a full-time educator, he was always deeply involved in the Orthodox Church of America. In 1989 he was ordained to the priesthood after many years as a deacon and choir director. Shortly thereafter, he began his service as priest chaplain at Princeton University for 35 years, leading its Orthodox Chapel of the Transfiguration.

Son of the late Rev. John and Barbara Skvir of Ss. Peter and Paul’s of Jersey City, NJ, he was married in 1967 to Tamara Turkevich, daughter of Very Rev. Dr. John Turkevich and Prof. Ludmilla Turkevich. They taught together at PDS for 40 plus years and formed a true partnership in many ways. He is the father to Nika Skvir-Maliakal (Sanjiv) of Stamford, CT, and Kyra Frankel (Joshua) of Brooklyn; brother to Natalea Skvir of Edmonds, WA, and John Skvir of Westwood, MA; devoted grandfather to Sadie and Wylie Frankel of Brooklyn, NY, and Katherine and Madeline Maliakal of Stamford, Connecticut.

A music enthusiast, Father Daniel enjoyed choir directing and was an avid arranger of music for choral singing. He was the Recipient of St. Romanos Award for his work as director, arranger, and collector of liturgical music. He was a translator, along with his wife, of Rachmaninoff’s unfinished and only opera that was orchestrated by Igor Buketoff (Monna Vanna).

Father Daniel was responsible for the world premiere of Maximilion Steinberg’s Passion Week, which had never been performed, 90 years after it had been written.  Father Daniel will always be remembered as a March Madness aficionado who loved to follow the NCAA basketball brackets. He was a lifelong Mets fan and the biggest fan of his daughters’ various sports teams, never missing a game! Most of all, he was known for his calm, wise presence that impacted the lives of hundreds of students, parishioners, friends, and family.

The Visitation will be held on Thursday, March 27, 2025 from 5 until 7 p.m. at St. Vladimir Orthodox Church, 812 Grand Street, Trenton. The Funeral Service will begin at 7 p.m.

The Panahida Service will be celebrated 9:30 a.m. on Friday, March 28, 2025 at St. Vladimir Orthodox Church 812 Grand Street, Trenton.

Burial will follow in the St. Vladimir Russian Orthodox Cemetery 316 Cassville Road, Jackson, NJ.

For memorial contributions, please refer to the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home website.

March 19, 2025

Obituaries 3/19/2025

Helene E. Kulsrud

Helene E. (Laney) Kulsrud, 91, passed away on March 10, 2025, following a fall in her home in Princeton, NJ. A pioneering computer scientist, devoted mentor, and passionate advocate for the arts, she leaves behind a remarkable legacy of innovation, leadership, and perseverance.

Born in 1933, Laney earned her B.A. in Mathematics from Smith College in 1953 and later obtained an M.A. in Astrophysics from the University of Chicago in 1955. It was there that she met and married Russell Kulsrud, an esteemed astrophysicist and plasma physicist, now professor emeritus at Princeton University. She was a proud member of Phi Beta Kappa and the Association for Computing Machinery.

Breaking Barriers in Computer Science

At a time when computer science was an emerging field, Laney entered the workforce as a programmer at IBM, where she discovered her passion for computational problem-solving. She quickly made her mark, despite the rigid corporate culture that expected women to wear white gloves, stockings, and hats. “She not only smashed the glass ceiling, she shattered expectations,” said IBM Fellow Mark Wegman, who worked with Laney for decades. “At the time, few believed a woman could achieve what she did — but Laney did it with brilliance and determination — no one even thought someone like her could achieve what she achieved.”

Laney went on to serve as Head Programmer at the Educational Testing Service (ETS) from 1956 to 1957, where she pioneered the use of digital computing in scoring the SAT (Scholastic Achievement Test). At RCA Laboratories (1958-1965), she played a key role in the development of high-speed digital computing techniques, earning awards for her groundbreaking work in mathematical modeling and electron gun design.

Her career culminated in over 50 years at the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA), where she became the first female research staff member at the Center for Communications Research in Princeton. She led the development of programming languages and compilers that advanced parallel computing, paving the way for modern data mining and artificial intelligence. Laney also served as President of the Cray User Group, influencing the design of high-performance supercomputers.

Champion for Women in STEM

As a Smith College graduate, Laney was deeply influenced by trailblazers like Betty Friedan and Gloria Steinem. She faced gender discrimination in the early years of her career but never let it deter her. Over time, she became a mentor and advocate for women in STEM, helping to open doors for future generations of female scientists. Her advice to young women was simple yet profound: “Keep your standards high.”

Laney was also a valued member of Investment Partners, a women’s investment club that met monthly at the Princeton Public Library. She brought to the group no only her deep understanding of mathematics and the stock market but also a keen curiosity about emerging industries. Her insightful presentations and warm friendship will be deeply missed.

Laney’s legacy as a mentor and role model continues to inspire generations of women pursuing careers in technology and science. In 1986, the YWCA of Princeton recognized Laney as one of its “300 Women” honorees, celebrating her impact as a leader in science and technology.

Dedication to the Arts and Community

Beyond her career in computing, Laney was a driving force behind the Princeton Festival, serving as its Founding Chairperson and later as Treasurer and Chair of Lectures and Special Events. She helped the festival grow from its early productions including Sweeney Todd to grand operatic performances at Princeton University’s Tony Award-winning McCarter Theatre, such as Madama Butterfly, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Porgy & Bess, and Nixon in China. She remained deeply involved until the festival merged with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra in 2021.

She was also an Executive Committee Member of the Friends of the Institute for Advanced Study, supporting scholars and fostering connections between the IAS and the Princeton community.

A Life of Impact and Inspiration

Laney is survived by her husband, Russell Kulsrud, her daughter, Pamela Corey, and her son-in-law, Troy Corey. She was predeceased by her beloved children, Suzanne Allison Gammon (34) in 2001 and Peter Clifford Kulsrud (51) in 2009.

A trailblazer, mentor, and dedicated advocate for women in science and the arts, Laney lived by the Smith College motto: “Smithies Get Things Done.” And get things done, she certainly did.

A celebration of her life and achievements will be announced at a later date.

Extend condolences and share memories at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.

———

Alice Perry Strong

Alice Perry Strong, 79, of Plainsboro, died March 12 at Princeton Medical Center in Plainsboro.

Born in Princeton in 1945 to Paul Keely Perry and Ruth Grandison Perry, Alice graduated from Princeton High School.

Her memories of high school included cramming teenagers into a Volkswagen Bug so everyone could go to White Castle and sneaking into Princeton University eating clubs to dance to songs like the Contours’ “Do You Love Me.”

After high school, she attended Boston University, where she received a degree in early childhood education.

In addition to shorter stints at several other preschools, she taught for decades at University NOW Day Nursery in Princeton, which caters to the families of Princeton University faculty.

Alice delighted in working with two-year-olds, and was adamant about the importance of play and discovery in the development of young minds. Through the decades, she was a warm and supportive presence in hundreds of children’s lives.

Alice married Steven Brian Johnson in 1977. The two lived in Kingston until his death in 1982.

In 1985, she married Edward “Ned” Strong. They moved to Roseto, Pa., where she grew flowers like tiger lilies and geraniums and focused on raising the couple’s young son, Teddy. She loved to pick fruit and make jam, and to sing to her son as she worked.

After she and her husband divorced, Alice returned to Princeton, where she helped care for her father. In her spare time, she loved scouring antique stands, country auctions, flea markets, and yard sales for pieces to resell or to decorate her home.

After her father’s 2005 death, she moved to Plainsboro, where she lived in the Highlands at Cranbury Brook. There she made a number of close friends, grew still more flowers, watched and read many mysteries, and experimented with recipes, especially for soup. She also delighted in the companionship of a succession of pampered cats.

Though it was March, her geraniums were in bloom when she died.

In addition to her first husband, Alice was predeceased by a sister, Ruthmarie Perry Thomas of West Windsor, and a brother, Paul Grandison Perry of New York.

Alice is survived by her son, Theodore Grandison Strong, who lives in Durham, N.C., with his wife, Alexandria; her brother, Mark Williams Perry, who lives in Charlottesville, Va., with his wife, Mary Lou; and her ex-husband, Edward “Ned” Strong, who lives in Mount Airy, N.C.; as well as many beloved nieces and nephews.

Arrangements are being handled by Kimble Funeral Home, 1 Hamilton Avenue, Princeton. Visitation will take place Saturday, March 22 at 1 p.m., with a service to follow at 2 p.m.

———

Allen David Porter

Allen David Porter, of Princeton, NJ, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family, on March 16, 2025, three days after his 84th birthday. Quiet by nature with a wry sense of humor, everyone who knew him found him genuine, thoughtful, modest, and unassuming. He was a skilled listener who made time to be there for others.

His most cherished titles were husband of 57.5 years to Rhona, dad to Shara (Stephanie DeMeo) and Julie (Jason Jimenez), and Pop Pop to Charlie. He loved dancing with his wife, spending time with his family, playing tennis, taking photos, traveling, and cheering on his Princeton University basketball teams. Always needing to be active, he’d challenge his family to Ping-Pong games and rounds of HORSE on the backyard hoop. Not a foodie, but he had his favorites: potato chips, sour cream on anything, and coffee ice cream with pretzels.

Allen was born in Rahway, NJ, to Fred and Tillie Porter, and was brother to Gerald Porter. His parents were a hard-working couple with a small business — the family lived upstairs. They didn’t attend college; his father didn’t even graduate from the 8th grade. Their major aspiration was to be able to provide their sons with a good education.

Allen graduated Magna Cum Laude from Princeton University (1963) and earned his law degree from the University of Virginia Law School (1966). After serving for one year as a judicial clerk in the Federal District Court in Trenton, Allen was hired by attorney William Miller. For the next 53 years, he practiced law with Miller, Porter and Muller as Senior Partner before becoming Of Counsel to the Van Dyck Law Group Firm. He represented the Princeton Planning Board for 40 years.

His community involvement included serving on the Boards of Friends of the Princeton Public Library, the Princeton Library Foundation, the Funeral Consumer Alliance of Princeton, and the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer. Allen was Counsel to the Princeton Area Community Foundation, having served as a Board Member and Treasurer for many years. Last fall, he was honored for his 50 years of legal counsel to The Jewish Center.

In Allen’s memory, donations can be made to The Jewish Center: thejewishcenter.org or the Princeton First Aid & Rescue Squad: pfars.org.

———

Nannette Louise (Binford) Gibson

Nannette Louise (Binford) Gibson, born 10 November, 1930, of Princeton, New Jersey, passed away peacefully in her sleep on 11 March, 2025.

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, lived in Petersburg, VA, as a young girl, and later moved to Berea, Ohio, with her parents and brother, Henry. She graduated from Fisk University with a B.A. in English; trained at The Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute, Detroit, Michigan; earned a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Michigan; and earned a Master’s degree in Child Psychology from Rutgers University. She chaired The Princeton Committee of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, NY, NY; and served as a Board Member of Crossroads Nursery School in Princeton. She worked for the State of New Jersey as a consultant in early childhood development, the Project Child program, and in the East Windsor school system as a learning consultant for students with special needs. She also served on the board of the Senior Resource Center in Princeton.

While at Fiske she was a member of The Jubilee Singers; she played classical piano, and especially enjoyed playing Chopin; she always made sure to bake the birthday cake of your choice on your birthday, her specialty being vanilla cake with chocolate fudge frosting. She had a fondness for letter writing, and delighted in sharing a joke. She had a lifelong love of music and other performing arts, and for many years she and her husband held season tickets to The Metropolitan Opera and Symphony at Lincoln Center.  She enjoyed Broadway shows, as well as performances at McCarter Theatre.

Her husband of 59 years, Edward L. Gibson, Sr., predeceased her on 6 January, 2015. She is survived by her three children: J. Kathleen Gibson, Edward L. Gibson, Jr., Paula N. Lutz (Gibson); her brother, Henry C. Binford; three grandchildren; and one great-grandson.

A funeral is planned for 22 March, 2025 at 2 p.m. at Trinity Church, 33 Mercer Street, Princeton, NJ, 08540. (609) 924.2277.

Burial will take place at Princeton Cemetery following the funeral.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc., 40 Rector Street, 5th floor, New York, New York 10066, (212) 965.2200 or online at naacpldf.org/contact-us; as well as Crossroads Nursery and Infant Center, ECP building, 225 Olden Lane, Princeton, NJ 08540.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton.

———

Betty Bonham Lies
November 25, 1935–March 10, 2025

Betty Lies, 89, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, friend, poet, and teacher extraordinaire, died on March 10 after a short illness.

She will be remembered for her laughter, warm smile and wry wit, and a love of world travel that included Easter Island, Ireland, Japan, and more. She enjoyed good food, was deadly at Scrabble, had a passion for reading, and possessed an ability to provide an appropriate Shakespearean quotation to fit any daily situation. She once remarked upon a bowl of burnt potatoes: “What are these, so withered and so wild in their attire, that look not like inhabitants o’ th’ earth and yet are on’t?” (Banquo, Hamlet). She had a keen sense of social justice and fairness, working with the League of Women Voters and taking part in several mission trips in Appalachia.

Born and raised in Minnesota, Betty attended Carleton College and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, earning a BA and Master’s in English Literature. She spent one of her undergraduate years at The University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and during vacations, bicycled around Europe. This was fodder for stories like riding down out of the Alps with no brakes, or drinking champagne from the bottle because it was the “cheapest wine available” in the Champagne region. These adventures, the start of a life spent traveling the globe, sparked wanderlust in her children.

On her first day of graduate school, she met the love of her life, Thomas Lies. They married in 1959 and moved to a house they built in Princeton, New Jersey in 1961. Their daughter Elaine was born the day they moved into that home, followed a year and a half later by their son Brian. Betty remained there for 60 years, tending a vegetable and rose garden, and with her husband, a backyard vineyard.

But her great passion was teaching. She taught English at Stuart Country Day School for over two decades, and was Head of the English department for many years. She was known for her love of Shakespeare and the famed “Macbeth Project,” along with guiding student groups to Stratford-Upon-Avon.

After retiring, she became a talented poet, taking part in the Cool Women poetry collective as well as many poetry festivals. Her poems appeared in chapbooks and numerous magazines, with at least one nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She was a Poet in the Schools in New Jersey and taught adults at the Evergreen Forum in Princeton. Many of her students became close friends. In addition, she was named a NJ Distinguished Teaching Artist in 2000 and 2003, received a Governor’s Award in Arts Education, and received several fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

She is survived by her children, Elaine and Keiichi (Ozawa) of Japan; Brian and Laurel (Keith) of Duxbury, MA; her granddaughter Madeline, of Brookline, MA; her sister and brother-in-law Mary Jo and Henry Boots of Redwood Falls, MN; nieces and nephews; and friends. She was predeceased by her husband. A celebration of her life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of your choice in her memory.

Extend condolences and share memories at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.

 

March 12, 2025

Obituaries 3/12/2025

Ruth Steward

Ruth Steward (née Silberschmidt) passed away on the morning of January 2, 2025.

Ruth was born in Basel, Switzerland, on September 19, 1944, to Robert and Elizabeth Emma Silberschmidt-Veraguth. The night of her birth marked the first time streetlights were illuminated after a long blackout during World War II.

Ruth had a joyful childhood alongside her siblings Sabine, Martin, and Richard. In 1948, the family moved to a large home with a garden in Bruderholz, a vibrant suburb where children played freely in the fields and streets. She formed a lifelong friendship with Christina Lüscher-Ballard in kindergarten, a bond that endured throughout their lives.

As a child, Ruth was frequently tasked with accompanying her brother Richard, who had polio, on school outings, birthday parties, and summer camps. Often the youngest participant, she was doted on and occasionally allowed to bend the rules. With their parents attending international pharmacological congresses during the summer, Ruth and Richard spent many summers in mountain camps throughout Switzerland.

Ruth attended Mädchen Gymnasium, a public girls’ school in Basel, where she pursued a classical curriculum that included French, Latin, and English, alongside mathematics and sciences. She had an innate curiosity about different cultures, nurtured by family trips across Europe. These travels left a lasting impression on her, particularly the poverty she witnessed in post-war Italy and Spain.

Eager to explore the world, Ruth studied at the École d’études sociales in Geneva, earning a degree as a medical technologist in 1965. She then moved to Los Angeles to work as a technician, following her brother Martin and his wife. The cultural contrast between Switzerland and California was striking, but she embraced the era’s vibrant social movements, including the anti-Vietnam War protests and the rise of feminism.

In Los Angeles, she met David Steward, a friend of her brother who worked in the Forest Service and wrote books. Inspired by his passion, Ruth realized she needed a fulfilling career of her own. She and David returned to Switzerland, married in April 1971, and she pursued undergraduate studies in biology, later earning a Ph.D. from the University of Basel in 1978.

The late 1970s were a difficult period for Ruth, as she lost both her brother Richard and her father Robert within a short time. However, she found solace in her research at the laboratory of Walter Gehring, where she became deeply interested in genetics. This passion led her to the University of Virginia, where she joined the laboratory of esteemed Drosophila geneticist T.R.F. Wright. Her groundbreaking research on the dorsal gene, crucial for embryonic development, took her and David to Tübingen, Germany, and later to Princeton University, where she successfully cloned and characterized the gene.

Ruth’s contributions to molecular biology were significant, helping to demonstrate genetic conservation between species and uncovering key developmental pathways. Despite facing challenges as a female scientist in a male-dominated field, she made lasting impacts through her research and mentorship.

In 1994, Ruth became a full professor at the Waksman Institute, where she taught until the spring of 2024. She found great joy in guiding students and postdoctoral researchers from around the world. She particularly cherished the cultural exchanges in her lab, where students celebrated the holidays with dishes from their home countries. Many former students visited her in the final weeks of her life.

Beyond academia, Ruth and David traveled extensively, taking yearly trips to destinations across Europe, South America, Asia, and Australia. Some of their most treasured adventures included sailing the Black Sea, the Mediterranean, the Galapagos, Indonesia, and Fiji with David’s longtime friend, David Dillard.

Ruth maintained close ties with her Swiss family, including her sister Sabine and many Silberschmidt and Veraguth cousins. She shared a special bond with Tenzin Dolma (Monica Silberschmidt), with whom she traveled the U.S. in 1967, and Catherine Silberschmidt, with whom she and David spent time in the Swiss mountains. Her lifelong friendship with Claude, a fellow art and literature enthusiast, was another source of great intellectual and personal fulfillment.

A particularly close relationship in Ruth and David’s life was with Botagoz Temirbayeva, an English teacher from Kazakhstan. They met on a flight from New York to San Francisco when Bota was traveling to California as a camp counselor. She later visited Princeton, decided to stay, and earned a degree in Reading and Language Arts. Over the years, she lived with the Stewards on and off for more than a decade, and they became dear friends.

In her final months, Ruth was supported by her nephew Tom, who traveled from Switzerland to be with her. In her final weeks, her niece Eva Silberschmidt-Viala, her nephew Noah Silberschmidt, and Bota Temirbayeva were also by her side.

Ruth will be deeply missed by her family, friends, colleagues, and former students, whose lives she enriched through her kindness, intellect, and unwavering passion for science and learning.

A celebration of life for Ruth and David Steward will be held at the Quaker Meeting House in Princeton on June 7 at 11 a.m. If you plan to attend, please RSVP by May 1 to Beth Behrend at beth.behrend@gmail.com.

Arrangements are under the direction of Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton.

———

Rosanne Jacks (nee Miller)
July 27, 1935 – March 2, 2025

Rosanne Jacks (nee Miller) passed away peacefully at her daughter’s home, surrounded by family and wrapped in her daughter’s loving embrace.

Rosanne was born in Indianapolis, IN, on July 27, 1935, the first child of Mahlon and Loa Miller. She grew up in Fort Wayne, IN, and earned her BA from DePauw University in Greencastle, IN. After graduating from DePauw, Rosanne married her college sweetheart, Bob Jacks, in August of 1957. Bob passed away in June 2002, just two months shy of their 45th wedding anniversary.

Rosanne launched her career in special education in Princeton, NJ, while Bob attended Princeton Theological Seminary. After brief moves to Medford, OR, Wyandotte, MI, and Indianapolis, IN, Rosanne and Bob returned to Princeton in 1967. Bob began his teaching career at Princeton Theological Seminary, and Rosanne took time away from teaching to raise a family while earning her MA from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ.

When their youngest entered kindergarten, Rosanne resumed her teaching career, first as a teacher at (and later as principal of) The Newgrange School, offering individualized instruction to students who were not learning to their full potential in a traditional classroom setting. Rosanne’s passion for teaching extended into retirement, as she continued mentoring and tutoring young students in her home.

Throughout her life, Rosanne pursued many interests, including extensive volunteer work, gardening (earning the title Master Gardener), reading, knitting, and other fiber arts. Upon retirement, Rosanne discovered a love of travel and enjoyed many globe-trotting adventures with family and friends. Rosanne remained in the Princeton area until 2021, when she moved to Wisconsin to be with her daughter.

Rosanne was a longtime, active member of Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton, NJ.

Rosanne is survived by her three children, Daniel (Adrienne Kilin) Jacks, Lisa (Al) Cantrell, and Stephen (Molly) Jacks; her grandchildren, Andrew, Matthew (Jieyang), Marta and Elisa Cantrell, and Ellie and Maia Jacks; and her sister, Cindy (Doug) Shock.

A Memorial Service will be held in the spring. Memorial donations can be made to Nassau Presbyterian Church, 61 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ 08542-4502.

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MEMORIAL SERVICE

Margaret Morgan

There will be a service for Margaret Morgan at The Mary Chapel of Trinity Church, 33 Mercer Street, on March 29, 2025 at 10 a.m. Reception to follow. Please join us.

March 5, 2025

Obituaries 3/5/2025

Alan Rauch

Alan Rauch, 70, of Princeton passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 1, 2025, at Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center surrounded by his loving family.

He was born in Astoria, Queens, NY, on July 18, 1954, the youngest child of Grace and Julius Rauch. At a young age the family moved to Hollis Hills, Queens, and Alan was proud to call that home. Alan graduated from Martin Van Buren High School and later SUNY New Paltz with a BA in Biology. He then went on to obtain a Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, NJ. After completing a residency at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (formerly Middlesex County Hospital), Alan established a solo dental practice in Somerset, NJ, where he treated patients for 40 years. Alan was beloved by his many patients, known for his kindness, generosity, and most of all skill as a “painless dentist.” Over the years Alan became active in the RV Tucker Gold Foil Study Group and passionate about the use of gold as a restorative dental material. In 2007, while still maintaining his private practice, Alan joined the faculty of Penn Dental Medicine as a Clinical Assistant Professor and held that position until 2021. His love of teaching was apparent to the many former students who continued to reach out long after their graduation.

In 1983 Alan met his future wife, Julie Bien, on a blind date set up by his brother-in-law Mark Sonnenshein. After a whirlwind courtship, Alan and Julie married on February 25, 1984. The couple welcomed their first child Rebecca in 1986, and she was quickly joined by brother Benjamin and sister Sarah. The family moved to Princeton from South Brunswick in 1990 and Alan resided there until the time of his death. Alan loved family life and was active for several years as a Little League coach for his son’s team. At Alan’s urging, the family traveled to many American national parks on their summer vacations. Alan loved the New York Yankees and accumulated a large baseball card collection. He was also an avid Lionel train enthusiast and spent many hours perfecting a home train layout. Over the years Alan used his carpentry skills on many types of home improvements and masonry jobs, with his crowning achievement being the Rauch family treehouse. Alan was very proud of his three children and never tired of hearing about their accomplishments. When the role of grandfather became his, Alan truly came into his own and reveled in spending time with Hannah, Emily, and Neil.

Alan is survived by his wife of 41 years, Julie Bien Rauch; his children Rebecca Rauch Hart (Benjamin Hart), Benjamin Rauch (Melissa Rauch) and Sarah Rauch; grandchildren Hannah Hart, Emily Hart, and Neil Rauch; sister Linda Sonnenshein; brother David Rauch (Evelyn Rauch); brothers-in-law Jeffrey Bien (Heather), Joseph Bien (Juel), David Bien (Maggie) and Andrew Bien (Betty); many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews; as well as a vast number of friends who supported him over the years. When Alan was diagnosed with a severe medical condition in 2021, several friends, Michael Mann, George Lane, and Robert Twomey, made sure that he continued to live life. Alan is predeceased by his parents Julius and Grace Esther (Katz) Rauch, and brother-in-law Mark Sonnenshein.

A Visitation will be held from 10:30 to 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 6, 2025, at The Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vandeventer Avenue in Princeton, NJ. A Funeral Service will follow at 11 a.m. A graveside service for immediate family will be held at the Princeton Cemetery. Friends are encouraged to join the family for a luncheon reception at the Nassau Inn, Princeton, at 12:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation (give.myotonic.org/campaign/622795/donate) or to the charity of choice.

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Sabry Joseph Mackoul

Sabry Joseph Mackoul, 84, reposed in the hope of the Resurrection on February 25, 2025, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. A 40-year resident of Princeton, Sabry leaves behind a legacy of kindness, wisdom, and generosity, and many circles of people who loved him, admired him, and will miss him deeply.

Sabry Mackoul began his career in banking as a teller for United Jersey Bank, was selected for a management training program, and through his career rose to the upper echelons of bank management, at different times heading the retail and the commercial divisions and serving as president and CEO of United Jersey Bank, prior to a series of mergers and acquisitions. At the time of his retirement, Sabry was Senior Executive Vice President and member of the management team of Summit Bancorp, Summit Bank. He served on many professional and advisory boards, including as Chairman of the New Jersey Bankers Association. A Veteran of the Air Force reserve, Sabry was called to active duty and served through the Pueblo crisis.

Those who knew Sabry will know of his love for the game of golf. He was a longtime member of Trenton Country Club and also, after retirement, of the PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens. His love for the game led him to introduce many family members to golfing and to his vast collection of cast-off clubs. He took great joy playing with his daughter Stephanie and other family members in the annual St. Mary’s parish and Pennington School Alumni golf tournaments. His competitive nature and skill were legendary; younger golfers knew not ever to count out Sabry and his teammates. Sabry, aka “the assassin,” was a formidable force in tournaments.

Patriarch of the family, Sabry’s deep attachment to the Christian Orthodox faith was the foundation of his character, inspirational to the generations that follow him. He was raised by his parents Theodore and Nellie Mackoul in an Orthodox home, visited by bishops and patriarchs over many years. Sabry served in many church advisory and leadership roles, and at the time of his passing was a parishioner at St. Mary’s Antiochian Orthodox parish in Bay Ridge, New York.

Sabry leaves bereft his wife of 42 years Anne Glynn Mackoul, and his two daughters Candice Marie Mackoul (Ryan Flanagan) and Stephanie Anne Mackoul, as well as his sister Kathleen Mackoul Haselmann (Ralph Haselmann), his brother Theodore Ramsey Mackoul, many sisters and brothers-in-law, nephews, nieces, cousins and friends, one of whom described him as “a man with a heart so big, so generous and so full of life” who will be sorely missed.

Condolences were received on Monday, March 3, 2025 at Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vandeventer Avenue, Princeton, NJ. The Orthodox funeral was served on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at Mother of God Orthodox Church, 904 Cherry Hill Road, Skillman, followed by interment at Sts. Peter and Paul Cemetery, 1166 Millstone River Road, Hillsborough, NJ.

The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations in Sabry’s memory be made to either St. Mary’s Orthodox Church, 8005 Ridge Boulevard, Brooklyn, NY 11209, or Mother of God Orthodox Church, 904 Cherry Hill Road, Princeton, NJ 08540 or the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 7023, Merrifield, VA 22116.

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Nicholas T. Ryan

Nicholas T. Ryan of Princeton, New Jersey, and Downey, California, the eldest son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Francis Joseph Ryan of the Bronx, New York, and Princeton, New Jersey, passed away February 28, 2025.

He is predeceased by his former spouse, Michele M. Ryan of Princeton, New Jersey. He leaves behind daughter Kelly K. Ryan of Princeton, New Jersey; son Richard T. Ryan of Princeton, New Jersey; granddaughter Alexa Trani of Princeton, New Jersey; grandson Nicolas Trani of Toms River, New Jersey; nephew Christopher D. Ryan of Princeton, New Jersey, currently Brookeville, Maryland, and his spouse Rachel L. Ryan of Baltimore, Maryland, currently Brookeville, Maryland; grand nieces Katherine L. Ryan and Emma Lynn Ryan of Brookeville, Maryland; grandnephew Joshua D. Ryan of Brookeville, Maryland; and brother Geoffrey T. Ryan of Florida.

Mr. Ryan was a member of the Princeton High School Class of 1968. He graduated from the Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon in 1972, and Wichita State University, Kansas in 1979, and served in the United States Army from December 1976 – December 1979. Mr. Ryan was a Physical Education and English teacher with the Los Angeles Unified School District in Los Angeles, California, from 1987 to 2019.He retired in June of 2019. Additionally, Mr. Ryan worked for Cooper and Schafer Roofing and Sheetmetal Company in Princeton, New Jersey, for a number of years.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Little Sisters of the Poor, 2100 S. Western Avenue, San Pedro, California 90732. A Funeral Mass will be on March 6, 2025, 8:45 am. at Saint Dominic Savio in Bellflower, with interment following at Riverside National Cemetery at 11:15 a.m.

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Elizabeth Elferink Cayer
May 30, 1930 – January 6, 2025

Elizabeth (“Betsy”) Elferink Cayer, 94, of Princeton, NJ, passed away at her home on January 6, 2025. She was born in Rochester, NY, on May 30, 1930, the eldest child of Dutch immigrants John Henry Elferink and Jellina Anna (Van Niel) Elferink. Betsy grew up in Rochester, where she attended local public schools as well as the Eastman School of Music Preparatory Department, where she studied piano, harp, cello, theory, and music history. She received her A.B. (with honors) from Vassar College in 1952 and her A.M. in English from Harvard University in 1955.

While at Harvard, Betsy met and married David A. Cayer, a fellow member of the Graduate Student Council, in 1953. Betsy later taught English at the Winsor School and Beaver Country Day School in the Boston area. Shortly after their daughter Susan’s birth in 1958, they moved to New Brunswick, NJ, where Dave started his career as an assistant professor of political science (and later a university administrator in many roles) at Rutgers University, while Betsy continued graduate study at Rutgers.

Starting in 1965, Betsy taught English at the Hartridge School, an independent K-12 school for girls in Plainfield, NJ, where her talent for school administration led to her appointment as principal from 1968 to 1976. She then guided Hartridge through a school merger with a local independent school for boys, becoming the associate head of the newly formed Wardlaw-Hartridge School. (A second merger also occurred from the two schools’ affiliation: Betsy and Dave’s daughter Susan met her future husband, Robert Stout, during their high school years at the not-quite-yet-joined schools!)

Betsy later continued her career in education administration at the New Jersey Department of Higher Education, with roles in the offices of Senior Institutions, Academic Programs, Academic Affairs, and State University and Professional Schools. Subsequently, she managed a federal grant program for Bloomfield College. She also worked as an independent educational consultant until her retirement in 2005.

As a committed volunteer, Betsy served over the years as a board member for the Wardlaw- Hartridge School, Rutgers Preparatory School (where she became board president), and the White Mountain School. She also founded and managed the Plainfield/Westfield YWCA chapter of the TWIN Program, designed to honor and advance women in business and industry.

After 44 years in Plainfield, Betsy and Dave moved to the senior community of Princeton Windrows, where they were both active participants. Betsy served on multiple committees, including Finance, Transportation, and Buildings and Roads. One of her favorite roles was as a writer, copy editor, assistant editor, and ultimately, associate managing editor of the quarterly community magazine Windows on Windrows. She also found meaning and connection in the Great Books and Great Decisions discussion groups. She and Dave co-taught classes on a favorite playwright, George Bernard Shaw, both at Windrows and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute of Rutgers University (OLLI-RU).

Betsy and Dave shared a love of the arts, going regularly to classical and jazz concerts, ballet, theater, opera, and museums. They particularly enjoyed arts-related travel, with a special place in their hearts for their annual trek to the George Bernard Shaw Festival and International Shaw Society Symposium in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.

Betsy’s husband Dave passed away in November 2017. She is survived by her siblings Barbara Greenstein of Princeton, NJ, Dorothy Maples of Williamsport, PA, and George Elferink of West Orange, NJ; her daughter Susan Cayer (Robert Stout) of Madison, CT; grandchildren Amanda Stout (Kenzie Blondin) and Zachary Stout; and multiple nieces, nephews, and cousins. Betsy was incredibly loved and will be dearly missed by her family, friends, colleagues, and the many students whose lives she touched.

A celebration of life will take place at a later date. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute of Rutgers University (olliru.rutgers.edu/donate) or to the Elizabeth E. Cayer Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund at the Wardlaw-Hartridge School (whschool.org/endowment).

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Edith Neimark

Edith Neimark, 96, of Princeton Windrows, died on February 25, 2025.

Professor Emeritis of Rutgers University, and founder and longtime coordinator of the Graduate Program in Developmental Psychology, before becoming Chair of the Douglass College Psychology Department. She also taught at Tulane, Goucher, NYU, and the UNM, Albuquerque.

Edith is the proud author of Adventures in Thinking, as well as several edited books, chapters, and research articles on problem solving, memory, and formal operations thought. She was a fellow of AAAS, APA, APS, NY Acad. Sci., SRCD, and Sigma Xi.

Edith served as President of the Jewish Historical Society of Central Jersey and LWV Princeton. She was an amateur artist, and she was also involved with 55+ and CWW House 3.

She is survived by a nephew, David Bloom and his wife Amy of Mt. Airy, MD, and their son Derek.

A private graveside service was held on Thursday, February 27, 2025, at the Temple Beth-El Cemetery.

Arrangements under the direction of the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home.

February 26, 2025

Obituaries 2/26/2025

John William Hurley III

On January 19, 2025, John W. Hurley III age 59, of South Pasadena, CA, passed away at home surrounded by loved ones after a brief struggle with cancer.

Born and raised in Princeton and a member of the PHS class of 1983, John was a lecturer in Computer Science at California State University.

John is survived by his father and step-mother, John W. Jr. and Susan M. Hurley of Princeton, his step-sister Molly Nunez, his wife of 38 years and world travel companion Nancy, daughter Che (Alexander), son Theo, and granddaughters Aurelia and Paloma Aquino. He was predeceased by his mother Sharon Haupt. A lifelong learner, John earned a BA in English from UC Berkeley, MA in American Civilization from Harvard, MS in Computer Science from California State University, and was nearing completion of a Masters in Philosophy at the time of his passing.

John loved learning, teaching, world travel, hunting, family time, and spoiling his granddaughters.

Services and interment were held at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles, CA. May he be in heaven a full half hour before the devil knows he passed.

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Eunice Davis

Eunice Patricia “Pat” Davis passed away peacefully on Thursday, February 20, in her home, in New Orleans, LA, at the age of 98. Raised in Princeton, NJ, by freethinking, bohemian, entrepreneurial parents, Ruth and Murray Sloshberg Bailey, Pat was an athletic child and natural leader to her younger brothers, Ralph and Larry. Their tight-knit family was surrounded by an enormous array of aunts, uncles, and cousins on both sides. This sprawling but close family structure shaped Pat’s entire worldview and inspired her to become the matriarch of her own expansive, close tribe.

At 19, Pat married Morton J. Davis, a handsome soldier from his own sprawling family. After a short stint at Dartmouth, they moved to Brooklyn, NY, where daughter Susan and son Richard were born. The family spent years in Roslyn, NY, and Princeton, where Pat aspired to be the ultimate mid-century housewife — keeping house and hosting soirees. Her business ambitions peeked through, however, when she and a friend launched a bookmobile business. Family was always at the heart of her life; she made sure to keep loved ones close, also embracing her teenage niece Laura, into her home as another daughter.

After 23 years of marriage, Pat chose to forge a new path, divorcing and embracing the swinging ’70s as a single woman. She spent joyful years living near her now-adult children in Washington, DC, where she formed a lifelong friendship with James Kabler. She later returned to Princeton to be near her parents and brothers. In a bold move, she opened her own interior design business. With impeccable taste and fearless independence, she pursued a career in an era when few women struck out on their own. She had an eye for beauty, a love for elegant spaces, and a deep appreciation for artists, including her dear friend Linda LeBoeuf, who created renderings of her designs.

In the 1980s, Pat embarked on a new adventure in Manhattan, where she lived until 2010. It was during this time that she became a grandmother, affectionately known as Baba. Living in the same building as her daughter Susan, she played a central role in raising her granddaughter Zoe. Baba was a bon vivant, a lover of the arts, an active board member of Urban Stages NYC, and a lifetime member of National Council of Jewish Women. She instilled in her grandchildren an appreciation for art, design, theater, and travel, ensuring they carried on her love for culture. She was a devoted people-watcher, a sharp observer of the human condition, and the proud organizer of many family reunions. As president of the “Cousins Club,” she brought together nieces, nephews, and extended family for summers at the beach.

In 2005, a health crisis meant it was time for the village she had built to care for her. Alongside Susan, Rick, Laura and Ina, dedicated caregivers including Maka Peradze, Olga Lizardo and family, and Tanya Gill, ensured that Baba’s later years remained joyful and laughter-filled. In 2010, Pat moved to New Orleans to be closer to her son, settling into a lovely apartment overlooking the oak trees and Mardi Gras parades of St. Charles Avenue. She continued to love parties and large gatherings until the very end. At 96 years old, when she could barely walk, she found the strength to shake and shimmy at her grandson Matthew’s wedding.

Pat is survived by her brother, Larry Bailey, and was predeceased by her brother, Ralph Bailey. Larry’s late wife, Nancy, and Ralph’s surviving wife, Eileen, remain cherished members of the family.

She leaves behind her beloved children, Richard Davis (Ina), Susan Davis, and Laura Boyd (John).

Pat was also a loving aunt to Kimberly Borek (George), Cynthia Landis (Jon), Brad Bailey (Cathy), Jenifer Wirtshafter (David), and Scott Bailey (Jory), and adored cousin of Renee Bretton.

Her memory lives on through her cherished grandchildren: Matthew Davis (Marc), David Davis (Vassiliki), Brett Davis, Zoe Lukov, Josh Boyd (Heather), Jordan Novak (Alexandra), and Ian Boyd (Rebecca). She delighted in seeing her family grow in numbers and love across the generations.

As the end drew near, Pat found comfort in knowing that her beloved parents, Ruth and Murray, were ready to pick her up on the other side and take her to the next big party. Wherever she is, we can all smile knowing Pat is laughing, dancing, and shouting out her tagline: “We’re having fun now!”

Funeral services were held on Tuesday, February 25, 2025 at 12:30 p.m. in Kimble Funeral Home, Princeton, NJ followed by interment, beside her parents, at Princeton Cemetery, Princeton, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to Desert X, National Council of Jewish Women, Greater New Orleans or a charity of your choice is greatly appreciated.

Extend condolences and share memories at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.

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Paul Joseph Salomon Benacerraf

Paul Joseph Salomon Benacerraf, famed philosopher and Princeton University stalwart, died in his home on January 13, 2025, at age 93.

Paul was born in Paris on March 26, 1931, to two Sephardic Jews: Abraham from Morocco and Rica Henriette (de Lasry) from Algeria. The family fled to Venezuela in 1939 as the Nazis approached, and soon landed in New York City. Following the war, his parents returned to France, leaving Paul and his beloved brother Baruj in the States. Paul proudly retained his French citizenship for his remaining years.

Paul spent the entirety of his academic life at Princeton University. Princeton was an unfamiliar world for a rebellious young Paul, who was initially rejected by its undergraduate program in 1948 because the university had already filled their Jewish quota. Once on campus, he quickly distinguished himself for being the only bearded student in sight. During these undergraduate years, he attempted to single-handedly take down the eating club system (and instead founded the first all-inclusive one), failed his junior year for spending too much time with beatniks in the West Village, and chose to major in philosophy because it was his only subject with a B-grade.

Paul’s position at Princeton would soon shift once he was admitted to the PhD program in Philosophy, where he was taken under the wing of Hilary Putnam, a young professor, mentor, and friend. Together, the two led an insurgent movement to establish analytical philosophy as the department’s primary focus and strength, a move that carried global reverberations.

Paul served as Chair of Philosophy from 1975 to 1984, and again from 1992 to 1999. During these times, the department was repeatedly ranked first in the world. Paul’s research was focused on logic, linguistics, and, most famously, the ontology of numbers. His essays “What Numbers Could Not Be” (1965) and “Mathematical Truth” (1973) are considered definitive texts in the philosophy of mathematics. His early difficulties on campus fueled his lifelong passion for mentorship, which endeared him to countless students, as his distinguished colleagues remembered in an obituary published on the Princeton University website.

Another significant aspect of Paul’s contributions to Princeton was his service to the administration, most notably when he worked alongside his dear friend and colleague, William G. Bowen. When Bowen was Provost, he asked Paul (then Associate Provost) to lead Princeton’s initiative to become the first all-male Ivy League university to integrate female students. This accomplishment was one of the proudest in both of their careers.

Throughout his time at Princeton, Paul enjoyed pushing its culture to become more worldly, inclusive, and forward-thinking. He opened Princeton’s first espresso café and decorated its walls with newspapers. In 1969, Paul commissioned a young Michael Graves to create an addition to his home, which was Graves’s first design ever to be constructed. Benacerraf House, where Paul raised all of his children, proved immediately controversial for mixing old and new aesthetics, but it also garnered worldwide acclaim for the same reason.

All who were fortunate enough to visit Paul’s home learned that he was a remarkably generous host. His culinary artistry and his knowledge of exquisite wines were incomparable. One of his favorite pastimes was chatting with loved ones and guests as he prepared their meals. He will be remembered for his selflessness, his wit, his uncompromising honesty, and his effusive warmth.

Paul is survived by his children Marc, Tania, Andrea, Nicolas, and Natasha; his grandchildren Sophie, Lucas, Audrey, Dillon, and Seth; his granddog Dante; his grandnephew Oliver; his grandniece Brigitte; his devoted friend and former wife Dr. Suzanne Miller; and generations of beloved colleagues and protégés. His first wife, Carlotta Benacerraf, passed away in 2020. Over the last decade, Paul grew increasingly close to his longtime friend, Edith Jeffrey, who became his intimate companion. Edie passed away on February 1, 2025, just three short weeks after Paul.

Paul’s remains are buried in the Princeton Cemetery.

Information about Paul’s memorial is forthcoming. To remain informed of these plans, please send an email to benacerrafmemorial@gmail.com.

Please consider making a donation in Paul’s honor to your local National Public Radio station.

Arrangements are under the direction of Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton.

February 19, 2025

Obituaries 2/19/2025

Isabelle Peck Sanders
October 14, 1933 – February 7, 2025

Isabelle Sanders of Waterbury, Vermont, passed away peacefully on February 7, 2025, at the age of 91. Belle, as she was affectionately known, was born on October 14, 1933, in Ottawa, Illinois, to Mary Livek Peck and Joseph H. Peck, Sr. Her life was a tapestry of love, dedication, and unwavering faith.

Belle’s academic pursuits led her to the University of Texas, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, and later worked as a teacher in the Dallas public school system. Belle’s life took a serendipitous turn when she met Robert Sanders during what was supposed to be a three-day church retreat in Princeton, New Jersey, in the winter of 1963. Their love story was nothing short of extraordinary, with Bob proposing just nine days after their initial meeting at a reception at the Princeton Seminary. They married less than five months later in Dallas, surrounded by friends and family, almost all of whom were meeting them as a couple for the first time.

Belle and Bob’s life blossomed together as they raised their two children, Mark, and David. Their lives were enriched by their deep involvement in various Presbyterian church communities over the years, where Bob served as the senior pastor, from Utica, New York, to Ann Arbor, Michigan, and finally Greenwich, Connecticut. She complemented Bob’s ministry tremendously through her loving spirit and engagement with every parish in countless ways. This further deepened her faith, a pursuit that continued throughout her life through her avid reading and ongoing exploration of Christian theology. After moving to Princeton in 1981, Belle’s career continued in Manhattan, a city she loved, and commuted to daily while working for the Public Relations Society of America until her retirement.

Vermont held a special place in Belle and Bob’s hearts. They spent many summers vacationing there and eventually built their dream home in Waterbury in 1978. When they retired in 1990, they chose to embrace the beauty of Vermont, moving permanently to Waterbury to start a wonderful new chapter in their lives. Belle quickly became active in the community through volunteer work, and meeting new friends while playing bridge and mahjong. She was a devoted member of the St John’s in the Mountains Episcopal Church in Stowe for over 30 years, where she helped form a women’s spirituality group, in which she continued to remain active at the time of her death. She always looked forward to her weekly gatherings with her close, loving friends in her St John’s community.

Belle leaves behind a legacy of love and devotion. She is survived by her two children, David Sanders and his wife, Bronwen, of Fairfield, Connecticut, and Mark Sanders of Manhattan, in addition to many nieces and nephews. She is pre-deceased by her brother Joseph H. Peck, Jr., and her husband, Bob, who passed away in 2020 after 63 happy years together.

A memorial service to celebrate Belle’s life will be held on March 22, at St John’s in the Mountains Episcopal Church in Stowe. She will be laid to rest beside her husband in Princeton, New Jersey, where a small graveside service will take place later this spring. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to either the St John’s in the Mountains Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 1175, Stowe, VT 05672, or the Waterbury Ambulance Service. Inc., 1727 Guptil Road, Waterbury Center, VT 05677.

Belle’s spirit will forever live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.

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Clodius Harris Willis, Jr.

Clodius Harris Willis, Jr. was born on August 4, 1937 in Schenectady, NY, and died on February 10, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at 87 years of age. He was the youngest child to Clodius Sr. (Lignum, VA) and Katherine Vaughan Willis (Richmond, VA).

Clodius graduated from Princeton High School in 1955, where he was happy to be inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame at the age of 70 for his contributions to the state champion high school track team from 1952-1955. Hitchhiking himself to his interview at Amherst College, he enrolled and studied French language and excelled at varsity soccer, graduating in 1959. He went on to study linguistics and phonology at University of Rochester where he not only earned his doctorate, but also met the love of his life, Maxine Cooper Willis. They got married in the scenic mountains outside of Pittsburgh where she grew up, and they spent their honeymoon at Lake Willoughby, Vermont; a place that continues to be special for his whole family.

His education and academic prowess led him to several teaching positions including implementing French-immersion education in Prince Edward Island, Canada, and at the University of Richmond. He then changed career directions and became a skilled software engineer drawing on his linguistic understanding of language and syntax.

People are multifaceted and can show up differently as time, health, and other circumstances change. This was all true of Clodius. He once described himself as preferring to take pleasure in accomplishments over seeking fun. When faced with unrelenting health challenges he once shared that his motto was “Choose life and stand tall.” Although he was sparing in expression of his thoughts and feelings, he exhibited great depth to both when he allowed himself to express it to others. This depth showed up in a love of his family, including his sisters and their children. More so, it showed up in his actions and accomplishments, which he would proudly share with those he loved most. Such accomplishments included planning elaborate and special family vacations, building one-of-a-kind beautiful wooden objects for the home, playing classical guitar, learning to use a hand loom and weaving lovely useful textiles, and baking Parisian delicacies before they were available in the small town of Gettysburg, PA. In addition, he made time to explore and learn about what his children loved to do whether it was supporting playing soccer or learning to portage a canoe. He was very sharp and well read. With these skills combined he could be quite a wit, especially with the written word. He was one who believed in working towards peace in the world. May his spirit rest peacefully, bring peace to each of us, and contribute to peace in the world.

He is survived by his wife Maxine, sons Henry (Sukanya) and Sam (Jeremy), three grandchildren (Neelkumar, Anisha, and Dahlia), two of his sisters Lee and Sally, and many nieces and nephews. His family is thankful for the support provided by his caregivers and doctors.

A family service was held at Rodef Shalom in Pittsburgh. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in his memory to Adams County Habitat for Humanity (habitatforhumanityadamscountypa.org), where he volunteered, or the charity of your choice.

Arrangements by John A Freyvogel Sons, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA. (freyvogelfuneralhome.com).

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Owen Shteir
(May 30, 1933 – February 9, 2025)

Owen Shteir loved his family, the natural world, art, classical music, and learning. He will be remembered as a wonderful husband, caring father, and skilled physician, but also for his devotion to learning, his kindness, and his tenacity.

Owen was born and raised in Dutch Neck, New Jersey, where he fished for pickerel in Assunpink Creek, watched birds in the woods, and worked in his parents’ general store. He attended Princeton High School. He excelled in science. In 1951, he was a finalist in the Westinghouse Science Talent Search (now the Regeneron Science Talent Search).

Owen graduated from Princeton University, where he majored in biology, in 1955. He received an MD from The Yale School of Medicine in 1959. He was a dermatologist at Princeton Medical Group for more than 30 years. Owen also had a deep interest in tropical skin diseases and volunteered in Brazil and on the island of Saint Lucia, serving as a visiting physician and treating residents with skin conditions.

Owen loved to learn and had many hobbies. While living on a two-acre wooded property on Stuart Road, he created a beautiful native plant, wildflower, and rock garden. Some of Owen’s favorite native plant species were trout lilies, bloodroot, and pink ladies’ slippers. He loved the trees that towered over his Stuart Road property: American beech, shagbark hickory, white oak, red oak, black oak, and tulip. Owen also enjoyed watching the many songbirds that frequented the garden for food, shelter, and nesting sites. He was passionate about nature and believed that plants and animals had their own inherent value and right to exist.

Owen had many gifts as a learner and a teacher. He was inquisitive, patient, and calm, but also perseverant, self-motivated, and stoic. Each night after dinner, Owen joined his wife in the living room where they read until they went to bed. His interest in literature ranged from modern fiction to ecology, from Shakespeare to ancient Greek history. He instilled his love of learning and his love for good writing in his children.

He is survived by his wife, Marilyn Shteir, of Princeton, New Jersey, and his two children, Rachel Shteir, of Chicago, and Seth Shteir, of Montana.

February 12, 2025

Obituaries 2/12/2025

Dr. William (Bill) A. Sweeney

The world lost one the kindest people as Dr. William (Bill) A. Sweeney died on Saturday, January 11, 2025, at home surrounded by family. He was 91 years old. Born in Philadelphia, PA, on November 26, 1933, to the late Dr. John and Olive Sweeney, Bill spent his childhood in the Philadelphia area, eventually matriculating at the University of Pennsylvania first as an undergraduate and subsequently to pursue his medical degree.

After serving our nation for two years in the Air Force, Bill transitioned into the career that defined his professional life as a Radiation Oncologist. He was one of the founding members of the Radiology Group of New Brunswick, where for over 40 years Bill served the local community with wisdom and grace. He was a former Chairman of the Radiology Department at Saint Peter’s University Hospital and a past President of the Saint Peter’s Executive Committee. Bill was well respected by his co-workers and became a valuable mentor to the next generation of aspiring Radiologists.

Bill and his first wife, Jeanne, eventually settled in Princeton, NJ, and were joined by son John, son Mark, and daughter Rita. Their house on Mercer Street became an open living room to their children and all of their friends. The years flew by in a series of sporting events, ski trips, and tennis matches.

After the untimely passing of Jeanne, Bill found a second chance at happiness when he married Dorothy (Dede) Shannon in 2010. Dede and Bill made it their mission to enjoy and savor life as witnessed by travels to Europe, Patagonia, Bermuda, and many treasured moments on the island of Virgin Gorda.

Bill was a voracious reader and lover of history and could often be found under a floppy hat sitting on a porch with the topic of the day in his hands. His wisdom seemed never ending yet he always made you feel like the smartest person in the room. Bill loved to travel, loved to be on the water, and most of all loved to be with family. Bill was a true gentleman and his warmth, generosity, and kind spirit shown through until the end. In his later days with limited mobility, the sense of humor never wavered and each, “Good to see you Bill” was met with his reply, “Well it is good to be seen.”

Bill is survived by his wife Dorothy (Dede); his son John (Cary), daughter-in-law Catherine Sweeney, son-in-law Charley Ehmann; three stepchildren Mike (Sarah) Shannon, Lawrence (Sarah) Shannon, and Courtney Shannon; four grandchildren Evan Sweeney, Heather Sweeney, Charley Ehmann, and August Ehmann; and six step grandchildren, Sam Shannon, Meghan Shannon, Addy Shannon, Peter Shannon, Simon Ehmann, and Ruby Ehmann. Bill was predeceased by his first wife Jeanne Sweeney, son Mark Sweeney, daughter Dr. Rita Sweeney (Ehmann), and brothers Joseph (Joe) Sweeney and John (Jack) Sweeney.

Memorial contributions in Bill’s honor can be made to SAVE, A Friend to Homeless Animals, 1010 Route 601, Skillman NJ 08558. SAVE had connected Bill and Dede with their beloved Zeke, who stayed by Bill’s side at all times.

A celebration of Bill’s life will be scheduled for the spring.

———

Dr. William Parnelle Burks

Dr. William Parnelle Burks, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, doctor, and friend, died peacefully at the Princeton Medical Center on January 28, 2025, following a brief illness. He was 91.

Bill was born February 28, 1933, in Elizabeth, NJ, to the late Catherine Parnelle and Harry G. Burks, Jr. The middle of three brothers, he spent his early years in Hillside, NJ, and attended the Pingry School, where he was a standout scholar-athlete, quarterback, and third baseman.

Bill graduated from Princeton University with a BS in Biology in 1955. He was a member of the Quadrangle Club, active in tennis and golf, and quarterback of the sprint (150 lb.) football team, leading the team to an undefeated season in his senior year.

From an early age, Bill aspired to be a physician. He received his MD from the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and did his surgical training at St. Luke’s Hospital, New York, advancing to Chief Resident, General Surgery. Following residency, he served as Captain in the United States Army Medical Corps, from 1964 to 1966, including a one-year tour of duty as a trauma surgeon in a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital unit in Vietnam.

Bill joined Princeton Surgical Associates as Partner in 1966. He was a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and Attending Surgeon at the Medical Center of Princeton, including a tenure as Chief of General Surgery. An expert in arterial vascular surgery, Bill was a doctor of the old school. He offered compassionate care, a steady hand, and trusted counsel to patients, community members, family, and friends.

Throughout his life, Bill committed countless hours to ensuring the durability and vitality of the Princeton area community. Numerous institutions were dear to his heart. He joined the Board of Trustees of Princeton Area Community Foundation (PACF) in 1993, two years after the organization was founded and continued as trustee from 1993 to 2021, serving as Board Chair (1997–2006) during the organization’s critical, early growth years. Bill was a passionate fundraiser and fierce champion of PACF, believing that by raising money for the organization, he could help many nonprofits in the region. Honored as a Trustee Emeritus in 2021, he remained active with PACF until his death, serving on the investment committee and recruiting and mentoring new generations of fundraisers.

Bill also served on the Princeton Medical Center Foundation’s Board of Directors for nearly 20 years, playing an instrumental role in advocating and fundraising for the new hospital campus. In 2012, the Foundation honored Bill as the inaugural recipient of the Physician Philanthropist Award, an honor created in his name, as a tribute to his legacy of service, leadership, and generosity. He was named Trustee Emeritus of Princeton Day School, after a decade of distinguished leadership as Trustee (1970–80) and Board Chair (1975–80), and remained active in that role until his passing.

Bill was a patriarch, a healer, a gentleman, and a trusted and admired friend. He was a keen and curious listener, who somehow always knew the right thing to say. His love of athletics led him to tennis club championships and golf adventures with family and friends. A savvy investor, he delighted in the company of fellow members of the Princeton Investors Group.

Bill nurtured and sustained a deep affection for his alma mater Princeton, with yearly appearances in the P-rade, as season ticket holder and regular attendee at football and basketball events, and as a member of the Varsity Club. He served in a leadership capacity for his class, as Alumni Schools Committee regional chair, and, along with classmates in the great Class of 1955, founded Project 55, an organization that provides support for Princeton graduates seeking careers in public service.

For most of his life, Bill spent his summers in Madison, Connecticut, reveling in the company of generations of friends and family and enjoying the view overlooking Long Island Sound from his perch on the front porch. A faithful member of Trinity Church, Bill was a longtime member of the Bedens Brook Club, the Pretty Brook Tennis Club, and the Nassau Club.

Bill was predeceased by the love of his life, Judith S. Burks (1933–2021), whom he met at a tea dance hosted by his mother when he was 17. They were happily married for 66 years and raised four children in the Princeton community. Together with “Hoppy,” “Doc Doc” cherished and inspired their 14 grandchildren. He was their true north.

Bill is survived by his children and their spouses: Katharine and William Hackett (Skillman, NJ), Elizabeth (Holly) Burks and Paul Becker (Lawrenceville, NJ), Deborah and Michael Southwick (Old Greenwich, CT), and William Jr. (Whip) and Katrina Burks (Duxbury, VT), 13 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and his brother, Robert W. Burks (Morristown, NJ).

A service of remembrance will be held at Trinity Church, Princeton (33 Mercer Street), on February 22, 2025, at 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Judith and William Burks Fund at the Princeton Area Community Foundation and the Princeton Medical Center Foundation.

———

Carol Lynne Jefferson

Carol Lynne Jefferson née Southwick, a classy woman of grace and wisdom, passed away peacefully on February 4, with her loving husband and daughters by her side. She fought a fierce battle with ovarian cancer. Her bravery was an inspiration.

Carol attended Trenton Junior and Trenton State College where she studied music and education. Before having children of her own, Carol gave her love to many little children as a kindergarten teacher at St. Hedwig’s School.  She continued to delight in her love for teaching as a substitute teacher at Stuart Country Day School, where her daughters attended.  Carol also taught piano for more than 50 years and thoroughly enjoyed the connections she made with her students and their families.

Carol, with her seemingly endless energy, was involved in many clubs and organizations including the Soroptimist Club of Princeton, the Princeton Dogwood Club, the PHCC Auxiliary, the Princeton Lioness Club, and St. Vincent DePaul at St. Paul’s Church. She was a former president of The Present Day Club, past fundraising chairman at Catholic Charities, program chairman at Plainsboro Senior Club, past board member of the Crawford House, a sustaining member of the Princeton Junior League, and past Commodore of The Great Oak Yacht Club on the Chesapeake Bay. Carol cherished all the special friendships she made with her fellow members in all these clubs and organizations.

Carol published a children’s book, Beanie and the Dolphin, which she dedicated to her grandchildren. Carol loved to travel and saw a lot of the world thanks to her “do it while you can” attitude! She enjoyed her yearly winters in the Florida Keys, years of boating fun on the Chesapeake Bay, and summers spent at the Jersey Shore. Carol lived a full life and touched the lives of everybody she met. She had a kind and giving spirit, and a caring soul full of love she wasn’t afraid to share. She loved her family fiercely and nothing made her happier than spending time with her grandchildren, her daughters and their spouses, and her dear husband. Carol’s love shines a bright light wherever she is and that light will shine on from heaven.

Carol is survived by her incredibly loving husband of 54 years, Bruce; their daughters and their spouses, Tracy Jefferson Shore and her husband Peter, and Jill Jefferson-Miller and her husband David; Her grandchildren, Molly and Meredith Shore; her brother Bob Southwick of Boone, NC; her sister-in-law, Shirley Kreszl; her nephews Tom and Doug; her goddaughter Nicole Schofer, and many other relatives and friends who each helped make her life special. Carol believed that she was put on this earth to love people and that she did with all her heart.

Friends and family can visit at Mather Hodge Funeral Home in Princeton on Wednesday, February 12 from 5-8 p.m. Mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Paul’s Church in Princeton on Thursday, February 13 at 10 a.m. The family will have a private burial.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Carol’s memory can be made to the Fox Chase Cancer Center, Office of Institutional Advancement, 333 Cottman Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111 (foxchase.org/giving/ways-give/donate-now) or St. Vincent DePaul Society at St. Paul’s Church, 216 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ 08542 (stpaulsofprinceton.org/st-vincent-de-paul-society).

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Cathleen Rolston Litvack

Cathleen Rolston Litvack passed away on February 9, 2025. Cate was born in Austin, Texas, on July 18, 1943, to Air Force navigator William Rolston and Edith Sperry. She attended 11 different schools and lived in three countries before she headed to Wellesley College, where she majored in political science. There she met James Litvack, whom she married two days after graduating in 1964. They lived in Cambridge while Jim attended MIT for graduate school in economics and then came to Princeton in 1966 when Jim joined the faculty.

Cate had an incredibly accomplished and varied career in politics and service. In local government, she served on the Princeton Planning, Recreation, and Library boards; two terms on Princeton Township Committee; and two years as Mayor of Princeton Township. She was also on the boards of the Princeton Area Community Foundation, American Red Cross, and First Fidelity Bank of Princeton. She was active in greater New Jersey politics as well, serving as the first female Executive Director of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee, and worked on many political campaigns including Rush Holt’s Congressional campaign, Barbara Sigmund’s US Senate campaign, and Bill Bradley’s and General Wesley Clark’s Presidential campaigns.

As Mayor, two of her proudest accomplishments were the negotiation with the Institute for Advanced Studies and Princeton Township to designate the Institute Woods as a protected space, and establishing the Princeton-Pettoranello Sister City Foundation. The Italian government recognized her efforts as well, naming her Cavaliere (Knight of the Italian Republic). She studied Italian whenever she could, and when she gave her grandkids and their friends frequent rides around town, they also had the chance to learn Italian by way of the tapes that played in her car.

Cate was a huge supporter of land conservation and preservation, serving on the Board and as chair of the D&R Greenway for many years, helping to lay the foundation for the well-established organization it is today.

She combined her love of land preservation and history while serving as the first Executive Director of the Crossroad for the American Revolution for which she secured designation from the federal government for its National Heritage status. Most recently she served on the boards of the Old Barracks Museum, the Advocates for New Jersey History, and Trenton Arts Fund. Cate had an amazing memory for dates and trivia. Her family joked she was a walking encyclopedia, which she proved when she went on Jeopardy! as a contestant — and won!

Her drive for launching new initiatives and taking on anything that seemed fun and interesting also included working as VP at J&M Advertising, sales representative at Kea Wines, and even riding the dot-com boom as Vice President of Marketing at govWorks.com.

Cate was an avid gardener, and her gorgeous garden has hosted many events over the more than 50 years she and Jim have lived on Laurel Road. She loved to travel and explore architecture, art and theater. She enjoyed sharing this passion with her daughter on their many adventures together, and later with her grandchildren as well.

She and Jim played a lot of golf together in their over 60 years as members of Springdale Golf Club. During that time she served on the Board of Governors and chair of the Golf Committee; Cate could out-drive many men, and won the women’s club championship, along with many other tournaments.

Cate’s amazing determination, strength, wit, and graciousness was with her through to the end. In spite of her battle with ovarian cancer, she died peacefully at home with her family around her. She leaves behind her husband of 61 years, James Litvack; daughter Dana Molina and her husband Alberto Molina; grandchildren Catalina Molina and Milo Molina; sister Virginia Parrott Scott (Tim Scott); brother Benjamin Rolston (Lee Ann Ellison); niece and nephew Skye Parrott (Jeremy Malman), and Hank Parrott (Sara Dowling); and great-nieces and nephews Stig Malman, Oona Malman, Nova Malman, Nolan Parrott, and Blake Parrott.

There will be a celebration of life for Cate in April at Springdale. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the D&R Greenway, The Old Barracks Museum, or Trenton Arts Fund.

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Raja E. Soudah

Dr. Raja Elias Soudah of Princeton, New Jersey, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on February 9, 2025 at the age of 94. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Antoinette; his children Randa (Brian) of Los Angeles, California, Jumana of Lawrenceville, New Jersey, and Alex (Dina) of Flemington, New Jersey; grandchildren Alexandra, Anna, Jane, Matthew, Arthur, Claire and Kate; his sister, Dr. Ferial Jumean of Coral Gables, Florida; and many nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his parents, Elias and Salma Soudah, brother Ibrahim, and sisters Clemanse, Laurice, Alice, and Mary.

Born on April 1, 1930 in Tulkarm, Palestine, Raja carved a path far from his birthplace. Given the opportunity to pursue a scholarship and studies in the United States, he arrived at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, at the age of 24 with enthusiasm and an unwavering drive. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Purdue, a master’s from Penn State University, and a Ph.D. from Rutgers University, all in agriculture, supporting himself through school along the way through various odd jobs that were the focal point of many an entertaining story.

Following school, Raja moved to Amman, Jordan, to pursue a career in his field. He met his future wife, Antoinette Saba, while she was working at the United States Cultural Center in Amman. They married in 1968, lived in Istanbul, Turkey, for a brief time, moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and then to Iselin, Somerset, and finally Princeton, New Jersey.

After stints at Rohm & Haas and New York Life, Raja concluded that he would be happiest being his own boss. In 1974, he started a small export automotive goods firm with a $500 loan and a typewriter. A natural salesman and entrepreneur, through hard work and grit, he built A.M.E. International into a profitable global business with its own line of products, and worked until he retired reluctantly in his late 80s.

Raja was the quintessential immigrant success story and self-made man, with an intrepid partner in Antoinette, who moved far from home to join him on his adventure. When he wasn’t working, Raja loved to garden, and each summer, he was happiest tending to his large backyard garden, yielding bumper crops of every vegetable you could imagine, including those sourced from his native Middle East. He collected antique clocks and liked nice cars. He traveled widely, and enjoyed Western movies, poker and blackjack, Johnny Walker Black, and beach vacations with his children and grandchildren at his and Antoinette’s home at the Jersey Shore. He was devoted to his family, both immediate and extended. He was deeply grateful for the opportunities America afforded him to build a full and rewarding life. He was an unstoppable force, always moving and moving quickly. He will not be forgotten by those lucky enough to know him.

Family and friends may visit on Thursday, February 13 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Kimble Funeral Home, 1 Hamilton Avenue, Princeton. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Friday, February 14 at 10 a.m. at St. Paul Church, 216 Nassau Street, Princeton, followed by interment at Princeton Cemetery.

Donations in Raja’s memory may be made to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (pcrf.net) or Anera (anera.org).

Extend condolences and remembrances at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.

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Sotirios J. Vahaviolos

Dr. Sotirios J. Vahaviolos passed away peacefully in his home in Princeton, New Jersey, on February 6, 2025 at the age of 78. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Aspasia Felice (Nessas) Vahaviolos.

Sotirios was born in Mystras, Greece on April 16, 1946, to Ioannis and Athanasia Vahaviolos. His childhood in Mystras was filled with a large and loving extended family and friends, with wonderful memories of adventures, diligent studies by candlelight, and caring for his beloved olive and fruit trees. Sotirios learned about hard work and grit as an apprentice at his father’s butcher shop.  This skill later helped support him during his academic studies by working as a butcher at a local supermarket. Upon arriving in the U.S., Sotirios enrolled at Farleigh Dickinson University where he earned his B.S. in Electrical Engineering (graduating first in his class), and later at Columbia University where he received M.S. degrees in both Electrical Engineering and Philosophy, followed by a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering.

At the ages of 21 and 19, Sotirios and Aspasia met at a Greek community event, and the rest is history.  Together they raised their daughters, Athanasia, Stephanie, and Kristy in West Windsor and then Princeton, New Jersey, with family summer vacations in Greece, which Sotirios always hoped would instill in his daughters a love of his village and of his motherland.  Sotirios relished the simple things in life. Loud family gatherings filled with food, laughter, and love were what he enjoyed most. Watching his daughters and nephew grow, gaining sons-in-law, and becoming a grandfather brought him so much joy.  He motivated his family to be hardworking and to never forget their Greek roots.  Most of all, he admired his wife’s kindness and loyalty. He credited her for creating a beautiful life for them all.

Sotirios’ career revolved around the field of Acoustic Emission and Non-Destructive Testing, first at Bell Labs and later at the company he founded in 1978, Physical Acoustics Corporation which would later become MISTRAS Group, Inc. He worked very hard to realize his dream of taking his company public and managed to do so in 2009 on the NYSE.  He was a revered scientist and pioneer in the field he was so passionate about.  He was able to industrialize something that was a mere theory and created innovative equipment and services for the Oil & Gas, Aerospace, Transport, and Infrastructure industries to name a few. Throughout his career, Sotirios was a member of, or held leadership positions in, various industry and scientific organizations including the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the American Society of Nondestructive Testing (ASNT), the Acoustic Emission Working Group (AEWG), and NDT Academia International.

Sotirios valued the Greek Community and loved his fellow Hellenes.  He sought to remain connected to Greece and was active in the Hellenic diaspora while also supporting and giving back to fellow Greeks and Greek-Americans as many had done for him.  Some examples of his community involvement include serving as President of St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Hamilton, NJ where he congregated and enjoyed chanting at church. He was also proud to be named an “Archon” of the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle of the Holy Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. Additionally, Sotirios was very involved with Greek politics from a young age and was delighted to be chosen for an honorary position on the ballot for the at-large election list for the New Democracy party in 2012.

Sotirios leaves behind his children Athanasia Tia (Nikolaos Koufakis) Vahaviolos, Stephanie Vahaviolos (Michael) Foglia, Kristy Vahaviolos (Georgios) Kyriakopoulos, his nephew Dimitri Nessas, his beloved sister, Stavroula Xenofanes, and the grandchildren he adored so much – Alexander, Maya, Alana, Melina, Peter, Nicholas Sotirios, and Georgios Panagiotis. He was preceded in death by his parents Ioannis and Athanasia Vahaviolos and his brother, Apostolis Vahaviolos.

Calling hours will be on Wednesday, February 12, 2025 from 5-8 p.m. at the Brenna-Cellini Funeral Home, 2365 Whitehorse Mercerville Road, Hamilton, NJ 08619. A morning visitation will be held on Thursday, February 13 at St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 1200 Klockner Road, Hamilton Township, NJ 08619 from 10-11 a.m. followed by funeral services and then a burial at Princeton Cemetery at 29 Greenview Avenue, Princeton, NJ 08542. Memorial contributions may be made in Sotirios’ memory to Columbia Engineering (engineering.givenow.columbia.edu), specifying the “Electrical Engineering Support Fund,” Columbia Alumni Center, 622 West 113th Street, MC 4524, New York, NY 10025 (and please be sure to note: “In Memory of Sotirios J. Vahaviolos) Or the SPARTA NURSING HOME FOUNDATION “OI AGIOI ANARGYROI” (girokomeio-spartis.gr/?page_id=65) at Episkopou Vresthenis 30, 231 00, Sparti, Greece.

February 5, 2025

Obituaries 2/5/2025

Edith (Edie) Esther Kelman Jeffrey

Edith (Edie) Esther Kelman Jeffrey b. October 10, 1932 d. February 1, 2025. Beloved mother, grandmother, mother-in-law, sister, aunt, and friend to many people near and far of all ages.

A remarkable woman, born in Boston, MA, daughter of immigrants (beloved Abraham and Miriam Kelman), Edith attended Brandeis University and later went back to school for her Master’s Degree in History from Princeton University.  She met and married a Dorchester boy Richard C. Jeffrey, and traveled the world with him, starting a family in Palo Alto, CA, when he was an assistant professor of Philosophy at Stanford and then moving with two young children across the country to Princeton, NJ, where she lived for the rest of her life.

A political activist, Edith was blacklisted and lost an important job opportunity as a young woman based on her attendance at student political events. Community and community organizations were important to Edith. She was active in the League of Women Voters, Community Without Walls (House 2), and the Evergreen Forum and was a founding member and first president of Princeton Research Forum.

Edith was an intrepid traveler and experiencer of life, an artist, and a poet, she had a curiosity about and interest in all people, places, and things and was a lifelong learner. She was our family historian and story teller. After the untimely death of her beloved husband, our father Richard Jeffrey, she continued to live a rich, full, and active life in her community and beyond.

We are grateful to Edith’s many dear friends who enriched her life until the end, in particular for the love and companionship of Paul Benacerraf in her later years, a longtime family friend and honorary family member, who we sadly lost in January.

We were thankful to be able to carry out Edith’s wishes for end of life (her goals of care) in consultation with her doctor David Barile, to whom we are incredibly grateful. Our hearts are broken yet warmed by the love we all shared. She will live on in us forever.

Edith is survived by her son Daniel Jeffrey, daughter Pamela Jeffrey and her husband Sean O’Connor, granddaughters Sophie Jeffrey O’Connor and her husband David Lonergan and Juliet Jeffrey O’Connor and her fiancé Ben Klein, sister Bernice Kelman, nephew Dan McCormack, and grandniece Heather McCormack. Edith loved all and was loved by all.

Finally, we are so grateful to Hannah Aryeetey for the care she provided, that enabled Edith to live independently in her own home despite her physical challenges. Hannah was a bright light in Edith’s life. Thank you Hannah.

Burial was held on February 3, 2025 at 1 p.m. at Princeton Cemetery.

A celebration of Edith’s life is being planned.

Arrangements are under the direction of Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton.

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Carol M. Kahny

A significant amount of kindness and light went out of the world on January 27 when Carol Mary Kahny passed from it, leaving it a little colder and darker, but vastly better for her having been here.

Carol was born September 30, 1935 in Princeton, NJ, to Harry J. and Mary A. (O’Kane) Kahny. She was the fifth of six sisters, Helen, Margaret, Rosemary, Jean, and Mary Louise, each of whom preceded her in death.

She is survived by 20 nieces and nephews and their many children, all of whom she treasured and doted upon.

Slight of body but large of heart, Carol had a calm, generous, easy-going personality and a thoughtfulness that everyone who interacted with her experienced and benefited from. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Trenton State Teachers College, specializing in Kindergarten-Primary grades, and taught in Lawrence Township. She received her Master of Science from Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York, and continued to teach in the Syracuse City School District, notably developing and running a ground-breaking program for children with special needs, as well as managing an after-school drama program for all ages. Everything she undertook when working with others was always done with patience and humor.

If there is anything that could accurately showcase the selfless, beautiful soul that was Carol Kahny, it is the role of caretaker she calmly and easily undertook for every member of her family, from her grandmother to her parents to her sisters. The Kahny family was a significant part of early twentieth-century Princeton — Carol’s father was a city engineer who insisted his six daughters would each attend college, and each of them did, most of them to the Master level, including Carol. Over the years, as her parents, followed by her sisters, began to succumb to illness, Carol was their steadfast protector, even as her own vigor eventually began to decline.

Throughout her life, Carol shared an incredible relationship with her youngest sister, Mary Louise Sweeney. They traveled extensively and nurtured friendships with a few women that have endured through today. Mary Louise had one child, Meghan, and Carol was extremely involved in her upbringing, ultimately blessed to become a very hands-on Great Aunt to Meghan’s two children, interacting with them through the final day of her life.

As her health became more fragile, she lived with Mary Louise and her husband of more than 50 years, Edward. For the past several years, all three were lovingly supported and cared for by Meghan, her husband Bucky and their children. Mary Louise passed away just two weeks before Carol did, cementing forever in Heaven the close and loving bond they had always shared.

To the children and grandchildren of the Kahny family, there is little surprise that once her last sister passed away, Carol followed. Her work on Earth was done.

There will be a viewing on Thursday, February 6 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Kimble Funeral Home, 1 Hamilton Avenue, Princeton, NJ.

The funeral mass will be celebrated at St. Paul Parish, 216 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ, on Friday, February 7 at 10 a.m., with the burial immediately following in St. Paul Parish Cemetery.

All are cordially welcome to attend, as Carol would have wanted.

Extend condolences and share memories at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.

______

Anna Kost

Anna Kost of Kingston, New Jersey, passed away on January 28, four days before her 97th birthday.

Anna, was born in Lindenhurst, New York, to Jennie and Frank Frole on February, 2, 1928. She was 18 when she met Tom Kost in church while Tom was home on leave from the Navy. They were married six weeks later.

The short courtship turned into a long union with the pair married for over 50 years. During that time, Anna enjoyed her post as First Lady of Lindenhurst while Tom served as Lindenhurst Mayor, population 33,000, for 17 years.

The couple welcomed a daughter, Jeanne, in 1950. Three years later in 1953 they welcomed a second daughter, Lynn.

Anna volunteered at Good Samaritan Hospital. She had a passion for food. Italian pastries on Sunday and delicious homemade meatballs were staples in their home on South 7th Street. Anna and Tom had a wide circle of friends of all ages.

In 1994 Anna and Tom moved to Kingston, New Jersey, to be closer to their daughters.

She enjoyed the occasional trip to Atlantic City and was known for her strong will and warm sense of humor. Her house was always pristine.
She is survived by her daughter Jeanne Kost Cook, son-in-law John Cook, and daughter Lynn Susan Kost. She is also survived by five grandchildren and their spouses, Emily Cook and Jonathon Smith, Hilary Cook and Mike Engström, Jack and Liz Cook, Robin and Jon McConaughy, and Mike and Meredith Cook, along with eight great-grandchildren.

There will be a service for Anna on March 3 at 11 a.m. at Breslau Cemetery in Lindenhurst, where she will be laid to rest with Tom, followed by a reception at Belfast Gastropub.

———

Eugenia “Jean” Procyk

Jean Procyk, 92, of Princeton, passed away at home surrounded by her loving family on Wednesday, January 29, 2025.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, Jean was a proud, deeply rooted New Yorker. She was a woman with a sharp mind and quick tongue and would deliver the classic zinger at the perfect time of a conversation. Jean lived her life to the fullest and did not let social parameters limit her ability to do so. As such, being a woman ahead of her time, Jean was employed with Metropolitan Life Insurance Company as their first female agent. She retired from MetLife after over 30 years of service. Knowledge and education was extremely important to Jean. Despite not having the opportunity to attend college in her youth, Jean earned her Associates Degree from Kingsborough Community College while in her 70s.

She resided in New York City for most of her life, and had an additional residence in Bucks County, PA. She ultimately moved to Princeton to be closer to her family during her golden years. Jean was never one to have idle time on her hands, so following her retirement, she kept a busy social and philanthropic calendar to ensure she always had something to look forward to in the days ahead. She loved to play cards, especially bridge. Jean thoroughly enjoyed sharing her fondness for art and culture with her family and friends with regular outings to all of the local theaters, playhouses, and museums. As a founding member and benefactor of St. Anna’s Greek Orthodox Church in Flemington, NJ, her faith and heritage was her pride and joy. Jean also enjoyed being a volunteer Grand-Pal, reading books to kindergarten students at the Princeton Public Schools. She also loved to travel, with Greece being one of her top destinations.

Predeceased by her parents, Michael and Anna Manicatakis; her husband, Michael Procyk; her mother-in-law, Anna Procyk; her sister, Mary Manicatakis; and her nephew-in-law, Michael B. Zapantis. She is survived by her niece, Victoria Zapantis (Michael B. Zapantis); her great-nephew’s family, Michael J. Zapantis and Cortney T. Gray and their daughter, her great-great-niece, Olive Jean Zapantis (who bears her namesake); her great-nephew, Kristofer A. Zapantis; and her great-niece, Melanie N. Zapantis.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Wednesday, February 5, 2025 at St. Anna’s Greek Orthodox Church, 85 Voorhees Corner Road, Flemington, New Jersey.

Private interment will be held at St. Michael’s Cemetery, East Elmhurst, NY 11370.

Visitation for family and friends was held on Tuesday, February 4, 2025 at A.S. Cole Son & Company, 22 North Main Street, Cranbury, NJ.

Eugenia’s family is asking that in lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Eugenia’s memory to St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church, (For donations by check, please note the memo for the Mortgage Fund), 85 Voorhees Corner Road, Flemington, NJ 08822. Donations can also be made on their website at stannagoc.org. (For the website donations, please mark the memorial request for the Mortgage Tray.)

Saulfuneralhomes.com.

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John Tiebout, Jr.

When John Tiebout was born on August 6, 1925, he was welcomed by his parents, John Tiebout, Sr. and Irene Walmsley Lynch, and his sisters, Anna and Mary. Young John grew up in Larchmont, NY, and upon graduation from New Rochelle High School, enrolled in the Admiral Ballard Academy. He then enlisted in the U.S. Navy, beginning officer’s training school at Yale. John served as a Lieutenant JG on the LST 1020 in the Pacific during WWII. Upon his honorable discharge from the Navy, he returned to Yale to finish his studies, graduating with the Class of ’48.

Through mutual friends, he was introduced to Patricia Peck. Their 72-year marriage began in 1949. John worked at W & J Tiebout, a marine hardware business that had been established in 1853 by his ancestors in New York. John and Patty lived in Levittown, LI, where they welcomed their son, John Tiebout III, and daughter, Janet. After a move to Dobbs Ferry, NY, their daughter Mary was born.

In 1957, the family moved to Hastings-on-Hudson, where John’s long career of community service began. He joined the Riverview Manor Hose Co., #3, serving as Captain in the ’60s. At the same time, he served as Deacon at the South Presbyterian Church in Dobbs Ferry, and he was elected for two terms as a Trustee of the Village of Hastings-on-Hudson.

Following the sale of W & J Tiebout, John worked for the Campbell Chain Co., first as a Territory Sales Manager. With his warm sense of humor and thoughtful interactions, he was loved by his customers and deeply appreciated by younger team members whom he mentored. In 1979, John and Patty moved to Seattle, WA, where John became the company’s Regional Sales Manager for the Pacific Northwest. While preparing to move back East, and having enjoyed the university community in Seattle, they chose to live in Princeton, moving here in 1982.

John continued to work for several more years, and when he retired he brought his warm and cheerful spirit to the Medical Center at Princeton (the old hospital) where he contributed 1,626 hours volunteering on the menus team. He also served as an usher at Nassau Presbyterian Church, and on the Board of the Newgrange School. He was a member of The Old Guard of Princeton.

John was a fan of the NY Yankees and was in the stands in October of 1956 when Don Larsen pitched that perfect game. Along with watching his kids play sports, and hours of playing catch, John enjoyed boating, waterskiing, and playing paddle tennis. After he retired, he was able to join a group of friends at the Princeton Country Club. In golf, as in life, he followed this good advice: Try not to make too many unforced errors.

“Poppy” brought joy to his grandchildren, Jack and James Tiebout, Meredith and Christopher Hanson, and Johanna and Eli Evans. He enjoyed the company of his son- and daughters-in-law, Nato Evans, Wendy Satin and Barbara Johnson. His great-grandchildren, Finn, Eleanor, Thea, Henry, Penelope, and those to follow, will delight in memories and stories about him.

Throughout his life John spent vacation time with his high school buddies, Jim Huntington, Howard Snider, Fred Yarrington and Ferris Conklin, and their families. Among his many friends in Hastings were “The Piggers,” a group connected to the firehouse, most of whom were Patty’s high school friends. They got together often, a couple of times to roast a pig, but most often to roast a hamburger while all the kids ran around in the backyard. Gatherings with John’s sisters and their families, the Vosburghs and Reismans, brimmed with laughter and love.

Patty was the love of John’s life, and when he began to show signs of dementia, she showed her great strength and devotion by doing all she could to help him at home. Following her death in 2022, at age 98, John was able to stay at home with the help and companionship of his three children. A bit of luck led to the discovery of Town Square, an adult activities center near Princeton. For nearly two years, John brought joy to the other members and to the staff, in particular, Shannon and Nicole, who, with unlimited goodness and humor, have created a delightful community of friends.

Many thanks to Ana for bringing her magnificent smile and caring heart every Sunday afternoon for almost three years. Deepest thanks to neighbors who have offered their friendship, who have offered their help, and then their sincere condolences. We’re grateful to Dr. John Sierocki, and members of his staff, especially Allyn, for decades of skillful and kind-hearted care.

On January 7, John watched the funeral service for President Jimmy Carter, hearing the beautiful Navy Hymn just moments before he died. A brief celebration of John and Patty’s lives was held at Rowayton Union Cemetery, in Connecticut, where members of the Navy Honor Guard played Taps and presented the flag. Arrangements were made by Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, and the family is grateful for their guidance. We would also like to thank members of the Princeton First Aid & Rescue Squad and the Princeton Police Department, especially Patrolman Frank Pinelli, who provided assistance, information, and genuine humanity, somehow holding John’s beautiful spirit aloft in that moment. That was a gift.

The passing of John Tiebout leaves a great chasm in the lives of family members, neighbors, and friends, who loved John’s joy of living. If you knew John and wish to remember him, any act of warmth or kindness would honor his memory and brighten our world, and we would be most grateful.

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David Smith

David Smith, 86, a longtime resident of Princeton, New Jersey, passed away peacefully on December 28, 2024. Born in Palo Alto, CA, David was the second son of Earle Smith and Louise Silver. He was a devoted Son, a wonderful Brother, beloved Uncle, Cousin, and Great Friend, who will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

David’s early years were spent enjoying time with his mother, father, and brother in Palo Alto, and for several years in Bisbee AZ, where his father worked as a rancher. Back in Palo Alto he enjoyed working with the family at Smith’s Sport Shop. In his teens, he attended Palo Alto High School, and later went on to attend Stanford University. After graduating he became a Chemical Engineer at FMC Corporation. Throughout his career, he was highly respected for his knowledge, and problem-solving skills, always enjoying working with his fellow engineers.

David enjoyed many hobbies, spending time at the Wooley Camp, flyfishing on the Klamath and Eel rivers. He also enjoyed hunting, riding horses, and working the machinery at the ranch in Paso Robles with his brother Derry. Later he was a tennis enthusiast; he also enjoyed skiing at Dodge Ridge and trout fishing in Pinecrest, where he spent many summers. He enjoyed hiking in the redwoods, educational seminars, and dining with his great friends. He was also an avid traveler.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Earle and Louise; stepmothers Dottie and Dorothy; his brother Derry, his sister-in-law, Margaret. David is survived by his nephew Douglas, and cousins Suzy, Kalaine, and Vicky of Switzerland, as well as many dear friends.

David will be dearly missed by all who knew him, but his legacy will live on through his family and friends.

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Robert Kirby

Robert (Bob) Marvin Kirby, died pretty much as he always hoped to: efficiently and at home on January 13, 2025. He just did not quite reach 100 years but got pretty close at 96.

Now we will move forward and build on the smiles and good times he gave us.

Bob was an avid downhill skier, private pilot, sailor, software engineer, businessman, scuba diver, model airplane enthusiast, and kindly person (dogs and small children came right up to him).

He really learned to ski at Dartmouth when guys across the hall said “Hey, do you want to go skiing with us?”

With a week of experience using an illustrated book, he said “Sure!” and learned to keep up with them. They had been in the Army’s 10th Mountain Division during the war.

As a young man, he bought a small plane and learned to fly. As soon as he got his pilot certificate, folks at the airport joked “Now you can fly to the Caribbean.” He did, and on his way back, stopping for fuel, a guy said “You flew to the Caribbean in that!” and sold Bob a better airplane.

Bob was born in Phillipsburg, NJ, to Anna White Kirby and George Stanley Kirby on April 19, 1928 and was named Irwin Marvin Kirby. After several months, the family moved to New York City. Bob graduated from Bronx High School of Science in 1945. In the middle of his senior year, he was recruited into the Army where he served as a quartermaster in the last few months of WWII. While in the Army, he took courses at Clemson University and sometime after the Army discharge changed his first name to Robert. He entered Dartmouth College on the GI Bill as a sophomore in the class of 1950 and pursued a five-year program in engineering and business. After graduation he worked for some large companies, did coursework at Columbia, and then started his own company, Kirby Computers, later called Kirby Microprocessors. In the 1950s and ’60s, this was one of the first businesses that successfully harnessed the power of new-fandangled technology using building-size hardware that now fits on a chip inside a smartphone!

Bob married Dorothy Bierman in 1957 and they divorced in 1979. He partnered for 14 years with Virginia (Ginny) Haase of Edison, NJ, and became a father figure to Ginny‘s daughter Amy.  Bob eventually partnered with Susana Schwarcz for 10 years until her death in 2011 and maintained a warm relationship with her family, including her son, Daniel and daughter Alicia Schwarcz and Alicia’s children, Liam, Tim, and Nicole.

Bob met his second wife (Marian) Brownlee McKee on the tennis courts and their first date was to fly a Cessna out of Princeton Airport.

They married four years later in September 2015. They had 14 adventurous and happy years together, including car camping across our continent and back.

People would often comment that they looked like newlyweds still, only to be told that they were, in fact, newlyweds. Even after 10 years, they could be seen dancing sweetly at a restaurant, town square, or just at home.

Bob was vivacious, athletic, curious, and tenacious, and had many interests: skiing at 91 years old, playing tennis until a month before his death, flying small airplanes, sailing his 34-foot Irwin, scuba diving, and traveling often to ski, to learn more Spanish or French in classes, and to see solar eclipses. He was an inspiration for many people in his life, in various ways. His zest for life, and disregard for the aging process was an attitude that Ann Taylor, Bob’s stepdaughter, and cousin Michelle Poulin aspire to.

Every year he drove to New England for Dartmouth class of 1950 annual reunions and to visit cousin Susan (Sue)  Poulin  and her husband Jim at Sebago Lake in Maine, often seeing their children Michelle Poulin with her son Rado, and Scott Poulin with wife Txiki (a Basque name) and son Ian.

Bob made sure to keep in touch with more distant cousins: Matt Spector and wife Lisa Griffin Vincent, Claire Spector and partner Charles Sepos, Marcia Schertz and her son Peter.

Bob was predeceased by his mother, Anna White Kirby, father George Stanley Kirby, first cousins Frederick W. Barten, Margaretta Barten Hommel, Debra Ann White Jackrel, his first wife Dorothy Bierman, and his partner Susana Schwarcz.

He is survived by his wife (Marian) Brownlee McKee, her two children Ann Dilys Taylor and Ben Taylor, Susana’s daughter Alicia Schwarcz and her three children, Timothy, Liam, and Nicole, and Virginia Haase and her daughter Amy Haase, cousins Susan Poulin and family, and cousin Sanford White with his wife Vicki and their children Lawrence and Jared and grandchildren.

Very satisfactory funeral arrangements were made by Mather-Hodge/Star of David Funeral Home including good coordination with Riverside Cemetery in Saddlebrook, NJ, where Bob was buried alongside his mother Anna White Kirby, her brother J. Gerald White, and J. Gerald’s wife Augusta White.

Funeral and burial were held on January 15, 2025.

Memorial donations may be made to Friends of Herrontown Woods (herrontownwoods.org) or the charity of your choice.

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Marcia F. Shissler

Marcia F. Shissler, of Princeton, NJ, former longtime Haddonfield resident, died on January 28, 2025, at age 84. She was predeceased by her husband, Dr. Ronald H. Shissler, Jr., and is survived by daughters Suzanne Roth and Janine Shissler; sons-in-law Lawrence Roth and David Bae; and three grandchildren, Ethan Roth, and Gus and Adelaide Bae. She is also survived by her brother, Neil Facchinetti of Storrs, CT.

Marcia grew up in Lansdowne, PA. After graduating from Lansdowne Aldan High School, she went on to Ursinus College, where she met her husband Ronald. She worked for many years as a reading teacher in South Jersey, then returned to school to obtain a J.D. from Temple Law School. During their later years, she and Ronald enjoyed visiting their daughters in California and New York City, spending time with grandchildren, and keeping up with the Eagles, Phillies, and international tennis.

Services for Marcia will be private. In celebration of her life and in honor of her long-time interest in early childhood education, memorial donations may be made to the Center for Family Services, centerffs.org, 500 Pine Street, Camden, NJ 08103, in support of their Mosaic Early Learning programs.

January 29, 2025

Obituaries 1/29/2025

Thomas Griffith, II

Thomas Griffith, II passed away on Friday, January 17, 2025, following a courageous three-year battle with a rare and incurable form of cancer. He was 85 years old.

Tom is survived by his devoted wife of 58 years, Marion Griffith, of Princeton, NJ; his son, Bob Griffith, of Lookout Mountain, TN; his daughter, Katie Griffith, and son-in-law, Ben Francis, of Gorham, ME; and his cherished grandchildren, Luke and Sophia Francis. He was preceded in death by his parents, Bob and Louise (Chamberlain) Griffith of Lookout Mountain, TN; his brothers, Doug and infant Morrow; and his infant daughter, Mary Elizabeth.

Born and raised in Tennessee, Tom was a proud graduate of Woodberry Forest School (VA), the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Indiana University. At UNC, he was a member of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and played on the varsity soccer team.

Following graduate school, Tom dedicated over 50 years of his life to coaching soccer, impacting countless players. His coaching career included positions at the University of the South, the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay, Dartmouth College, Princeton University, Princeton Day School, and George School (PA). He served as the first soccer coach at the University of the South and the second coach for both the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay men’s team and Princeton University’s women’s team.

Tom was proud to have been part of the Olympic Development Program and a coach for the inaugural United States Under-19 Women’s National Team. He also coached men’s and boy’s lacrosse for over 30 years, and received coaching honors in both sports. His achievements include multiple “Coach of the Year” awards at the collegiate level, along with commendations from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

Beyond coaching, Tom found joy in all types of sports and music and was a lifelong, devoted supporter of Liverpool FC. An advocate for animal welfare, he volunteered extensively with animal transportation efforts, completing nearly 100 rescue transports to help give dogs a chance at better lives.

Tom’s legacy is one of kindness, mentorship, and unwavering love for his family, friends, players, and the causes he championed.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in Tom’s memory to an animal shelter of your choice.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, January 31, 2025, at Heritage Funeral Home, 7454 East Brainerd Road, Chattanooga, TN, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., followed by a graveside service at Forest Hills Cemetery at 2 p.m.

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Margaret “Margie” Croll Morgan

Margaret “Margie” Croll Morgan, 98, of Princeton, NJ, died peacefully on Friday, January 24, 2025 in the company of her daughter, Caroline Frothingham, daughter-in-law, Pamela Frothingham, and her longtime caregiver and friend, Lenore Mason.

Margie was born on November 30, 1926 in Paris, France, to Janet and Alexander Morgan, where he was studying architecture. She grew up in New York City, NY, along with her brother, Perry, and sister, Caroline. Margie graduated from Miss Porters School in Farmington, CT, and was an active alumnus throughout her life. She moved to Princeton in 1953 where she raised her family first at the family home, Constitution Hill, then on Elm Lane in a lovely house that she designed.

Margie had many interests and passions in her long life. She was a 50-year volunteer for the Auxiliary for the Isabella McCosh Infirmary at Princeton University as were her mother, Janet Croll Morgan, and grandmother, Josephine Perry Morgan. Margie was a celebrated artistic photographer with her works commissioned and exhibited in galleries. She excelled as an athlete having played for the United States Women’s Squash Team and was passionate about tennis and an avid golfer. Being very competitive, Margie always tried to improve her athletic skills. As an adventurous world traveler, her journeys had her banding penguins in Patagonia, hiking in the Andes and Himalayas, and with her sister, exploring a family connection in Japan.

Margie is predeceased by her parents; brother, Perry Morgan; sister, Caroline Macomber; and her son, David Frothingham. She is survived by her children, William Frothingham and Caroline Frothingham; daughter-in-law Pamela Frothingham; four grandchildren, David, Gillian, Morgan, and Liam; her sister-in-law Elizabeth Morgan; and stepchildren Ellen Fisher Stockmayer and Pieter Fisher.

Memorial contributions, in her honor, may be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (alzfdn.com) or Save (savehomelessanimals.org) 1010 Route 601, Skillman, NJ, 08558. (609) 309-5214.

Services are private.

Extend condolences and share memories at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.

January 22, 2025

Obituaries 1/22/2025

Katharine Joan Peterken Tate
03/27/1932 – 12/29/2024

Katharine Joan Peterken Tate, a beloved mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away on December 29 after a brief illness. She was 92.

Born in New York City on Easter Sunday 1932, to Katharine Von Elling Peterken and Albert Edward Peterken, she was forever called “Bunny” by her family. She was raised in the Bronx by her aunt and uncle, Frederick and Ann Veit, and attended Walton High School. Summers spent in Winsted, Connecticut, gave her time with her mother and sparked a lifelong affection for the New England landscape and life on a lake.

Some of Katharine’s best memories derived from her years as an honors student at Swarthmore College. After graduating in 1953, she taught at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School in New York and lived for a time in Greenwich Village. While visiting her uncle in Morocco during the summer of 1951, she met Robert Wood Tate, a Swarthmore alumnus who was an engineer in the U.S. Air Force. They reconnected years later and, after a few dates, married in 1956.

The family lived in California and Washington, D.C., before settling in Princeton, New Jersey, in 1968 with their five children. There Katharine took on the role of landlady to, among others, many Princeton graduate students from all over the world. She took up work outside the home when the children were older and in the 1980s became part of the staff of the development office at Princeton University, a position she held for 10 years. Much of her time in subsequent years was devoted to faithfully caring for her aging aunt and uncle.

Katharine was an excellent cook and enjoyed bringing people together. One friend recalled, “I have such a vivid memory of her … always welcoming, always putting people at ease, and always curious about others.” Many who lived for a time in the Tate’s Victorian house became lifelong friends. The community she built extended to mid-coast Maine, where the Tates spent summers beginning in the 1970s. In her last year, she was still enjoying living in her summer cabin in the woods.

Until her final days, Katharine was thinking about how to feed family and friends, what new tastes she could enjoy, and how to be a good host, while she was watched over by family members and visited by many of her dear friends.

Katharine is survived by her children Jacques Tate (May, deceased), Anne Tate (Robert Massie), Thomas Tate, Laura Tate Kagel (Martin), and Carol Tate (David Schrayer); her half siblings Nancy Connole (Michael) and James Maguire, nieces Valerie Tate (Gregory Arms) and Louise Tate Hood (Murray); longtime friends François Bontoux and Christine Wüthrich; 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband of 63 years, Robert Wood Tate.

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Joseph L. Stonaker

Joseph L. Stonaker, longtime Princeton attorney, died at age 92 on January 17, 2025 at Stonebridge at Montgomery, where he had resided for the past eight years.

Joe Stonaker was born in Princeton, son of Joseph Stonaker and Barbara Cavanaugh Stonaker, and lived in Princeton, except for his education and Navy years, until his move to Stonebridge.

Educated at St. Paul’s School and Princeton High School, Class of 1950, where he was a track team runner and class officer, Stonaker went to Lafayette College on a full track scholarship, graduating in 1954, and then served a two-year term in the U.S. Navy in Guided Missile Research.

With the GI Bill Joe went to Georgetown Law School and came back to Princeton where he practiced law from 1959 until retirement in 2008. Joe was a solo practitioner with a general practice and later representing various townships such as Plainsboro, Cranbury, Lawrence, and West Windsor as well as the Mercer County Planning Board. He was involved with rezoning of those townships from farmland to residential uses with open space and farmland set-asides, setting the current development pattern, and he litigated Affordable Housing matters before New Jersey courts.

Joe was married to Francesca Benson with whom he had two children, David and Laura, and to Janice Stonaker, his law partner, who died of cancer in 2001, and then to Julia Bowers Coale for the past 22 years.

A true gentleman, an understanding and feeling person, practical and effective attorney and problem solver, Joe is an example of the best in true humanism and professionalism. He is greatly loved and missed.

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Ian C. Bowers

Ian Curtis Bowers, age 82, a resident of Princeton, passed away at home on January 13 following a brief illness.

Born somewhere between the bean fields and corn fields of Mount Pulaski, Illinois (population 1,500, more or less), Ian was the only child of Glenn and Maxine (nee Cowan) Bowers, who predecease him. After attending Mount Pulaski High School (home of the Hilltoppers), Ian attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne (home of the Fighting Illini), where he earned a BS degree in Communications and a MS in Journalism, before moving to New Jersey and earning a PhD at Rutgers University (home of the Scarlet Knights) in Cultural Anthropology.

Ian’s education stood him in good stead as he progressed through his working life. Teaching gigs at Fordham University, Rutgers University, a stint with the Guggenheim Foundation, and a position as Assistant Publisher of Automobile Quarterly paved the way to a long tenure as a senior executive in both the Human Resources departments of Home Life Insurance Company and the Phoenix Home Life Mutual Insurance Company, formed in 1992 when Phoenix and Home Life merged.

Ian’s passions included skiing, long summer days at the beach, engaging in countless do-it-yourself projects at home in Princeton, and getaways in Vermont and at the Jersey Shore. None however, took precedence over his passion for his spouse of 49 years, Peg Bowers, who survives him. In addition to Peg, his presence will be sorely missed by his sister-in-law Helen, her spouse George, his brother-in-law Frank, his nephew Joseph, Joseph’s spouse Hannah, his grandnephew Leo, his longtime bestie Ron, and countless others who miss him dearly.

Perhaps Ian will be most often remembered for his willingness to pitch in and serve as a gentle éminence grise, the moderator of the various and sundry crises that inevitably occur in the course of home and family life. He will also be remembered for his subtle and sometimes surprising flashes of Midwestern wit, never failing to note at family gatherings that “…There are only two kinds of pie that I like … hot and cold.”

Arrangements are under the direction of Mather-Hodge Funeral Home. While no funeral service will be conducted, a celebration of Ian’s life will be held at a date to be determined. Memorial donations in Ian’s name may be made to the charity of your choice.

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Constance C. Moore

Constance Cook Moore, a native of Princeton, died January 16 at home in Philadelphia after a short illness. She was 92.

She devoted her long life to art, to serving her community, to the Episcopal Church, and to her family and her friends. She was an artist who depicted the world around her in sepia pen-and-ink drawings, and a mother who found constant joy in her family. She loved Cezanne, Puccini, and dressing up for costume parties; she was creative in endless ways from excellent cooking to elaborate and funny handmade birthday cards. She traveled from Morocco to Turkey to Cuba and every year her Christmas card was a drawing of a scene from her adventures.

Throughout her life she believed her own blessings meant she had a responsibility to help others, and doing so is where she found meaning.

Born in Philadelphia and raised in Princeton, N.J., she was the daughter of George R. Cook III and Margaretta Roebling Cook of Princeton and Naples, Fla., and a descendant of John A. Roebling, designer of the Brooklyn Bridge. She graduated from Garrison Forest School in Baltimore, Md., and made her debut at the Present Day Club in 1950. Defying her parents’ wish that she go to Katie Gibbs secretarial school, she graduated from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Barnes Foundation, where she studied with Violette de Mazia.

She was the widow of Norman C. Moore, Dean of Students at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana, where she raised her family. There, she acted and created costumes at the college theater, hosted a show on local access TV, and taught classes in parenting skills to women struggling with domestic violence. She picketed George Wallace while pushing a stroller, supported Eugene McCarthy, and boycotted nonunion grapes. She served on the vestry of St. John’s Episcopal Church and in 1977 was present at the first ordination of a female Episcopal priest.

In Philadelphia, where she moved in 1981, she was deeply involved in her Center City neighborhood. A progressive Democrat, she worked at her local polling place every November. At her antiques-filled trinity on Camac Street, she hosted a New Year’s Day party as lengthy as the Mummers Parade. As president of Friends of Louis I. Kahn Park, she helped lead the park’s renovation from concrete beach to flower-filled retreat. She was on the board of the Washington Square West Civic Association and a member of the Diva Committee for the Opera Company of Philadelphia. She served on the board of directors of Associated Services For the Blind (ASB) for more than 15 years and was a full-time volunteer at Radio Information Center for the Blind, recording newspapers for visually impaired listeners. For her service, she received ASB’s Louis Braille Award in 2011.

During her 40 years as a parishioner at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, where she will be buried in the historic churchyard, she served on the vestry, as a lay reader, and as rector’s warden.

Her husband died in 2002. She is survived by her children Allison (Allan Ells) of Swarthmore, Martha (Kent Gibbons) of New York, Charles (Susan Finch Moore) of Wilson, Wyo., and Patrick (Sandra Jerez) of Seattle, and grandchildren Margot, Charlotte, Adrian, Nate, Katie, Eva, Alexander, and Theo.

A funeral service will be held at St. Peter’s Church, 313 Pine Street, on Saturday, February 8 at 11:30 a.m. Memorial donations may be made to ASB, 919 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107 or The Friends of Louis I. Kahn Park, P.O. Box 1830, Philadelphia, PA 19105-1830.

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Dante B. Nini

Dante B. Nini, 84, of Pennington, passed away peacefully at home, Saturday January 18, 2025, surrounded by his loving family, the very people who brought him the greatest joy in life. Born in Pettoranello di Molise, Italy, he immigrated to the United States in 1955 on the S.S. Homeric. Dante graduated from Princeton High School (Class of 1960) where he met his wife Judy (Seville), the love of his life. He resided in Princeton, Hopewell, and settled in Pennington. He was a member of St. James Church, Pennington and Roma Eterna of Princeton.

Dante was the proud owner of Dante B. Nini Home Improvements founded in 1978. With an unmatched work ethic and a skilled hand, Dante dedicated his career to earning the respect and trust of clients and colleagues alike.

Dante was an avid gardener, loved to cook, and enjoyed watching sports. Above all, he was a family man. His favorite pastime was being surrounded by the people he loved. Whether it was a lively holiday gathering, Sunday dinner, or a casual visit, his happiest moments were spent in the company of his family. He never missed an opportunity to share a story or teach a valuable life lesson.

Predeceased by his parents, Albino and Marianna (Antenucci) Nini, in-laws Orville and Elizabeth Seville, sister and brother-in-law Polina and Joseph Ercolano, brother-in-law Robert Seville Sr., and son-in-law Joseph Vaccaro Jr.

He is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Judy Nini; daughter Denise Vaccaro; son and daughter-in-law, Michael and Jodie; sister Cesina (Joe) Mangone; brother Tony (Donna) Nini; sister Mickey (Sam) Procaccini; grandsons, Steven and fiancé (Brittany) Jamison, Brandon and wife (Kayla), Michael, Ryan; and two great-grandsons, Radik and Liam. He will be missed by many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

The visitation will be held on Wednesday, January 22, 2025 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Wilson Apple Funeral Home, 2560 Pennington Road, Pennington, New Jersey.

Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Thursday, January 23, 2025 at 10 a.m. at St. James Roman Catholic Church, 115 East Delaware Avenue, Pennington, New Jersey. Burial will follow at Highland Cemetery, Hopewell, New Jersey.

Condolences are welcome at wilsonapple.com.

January 15, 2025

Obituaries 1/15/2025

Catherine Morgan-Standard
November 11, 1952 – December 20, 2024

Catherine Moore Morgan-Standard, a passionate wife, mother, grandmother, sister, artist, and visionary, passed away on December 20, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn., at the age of 72 from complications associated with lung cancer. Born on November 11, 1952, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Arthur Palmer Morgan and Mildred Underwood Morgan, Catherine’s life was a journey of artistic creativity and civic leadership.

Raised in Princeton, NJ, Catherine attended the Princeton Day School and graduated from Miss Porter’s School in 1970. During her senior year at Miss Porter’s she and a group of her classmates participated as Nader Raiders publishing a nationally recognized report on the state of elderly care. She showed an early passion and skill in the arts studying at The Franklin College, Lugano, Switzerland, and went on to pursue a formal arts education, graduating from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, MA. Catherine’s artistic drive fueled her lifelong career as a printmaker.

In 1978, Catherine married her high school sweetheart, John Edward Standard. Together, they lived a romantic dream, one rich in love, adventure, and the kind of mutual respect that lasts a lifetime.  After they married, Catherine and John moved to Lincolnville, ME, where they spent 13 years building their family and careers. In 1991, they took a leap of faith and moved their young family to the Big Island of Hawaii. They fell in love with Hawaii’s beauty and deep cultural history and for over 30 years, made their home in Hawi.

Catherine was a passionate leader determined to create community through spaces where people can grow, connect, and thrive. She was the founder of Peopleplace, the first co-operative preschool in Camden, ME. Upon arrival in Hawaii, finding no recycling program, she worked alongside local waste management groups to launch the first Island-wide recycling program and during the 1990s served on the Board of Recycle Hawaii. Starting in 2006, she launched Kenji’s House and undertook a significant project restoring and preserving the art collection of the little-known Hawaiian free-diver, naturalist, and sculptor Kenji Yokoyama. Through her meticulous care, Catherine ensured that his prolific work would be safeguarded for future generations, a testament to her deep reverence for the place of art and the artist’s legacy in building community.  Most recently, Catherine’s civic contributions were focused on the formation and leadership of the Kohala Artists’ Co-Operative in Kapaau, HI, a gallery and community space for local artists. This endeavor allowed her to share her love of collaboration, and support for the arts with many, ensuring that the legacy of artistic expression would endure in her beloved community.

In all her roles — as a mother, grandmother, sister, friend, artist, and community leader — Catherine demonstrated an extraordinary ability to connect with people from all walks of life. Amongst her most defining and constant gifts were her selfless interest in the well-being of others and her unshakeable belief in the goodness and importance of every person, particularly those most often overlooked or marginalized.

Catherine shared her contagious love and celebration of life in innumerable ways, including as an avid ukulele player, singer, dancer, artist, wine enthusiast, and toastmaster.  She instigated countless celebrations of humanity through theater, dance, art, and always celebrated the global fraternity of the Olympics. Catherine’s impact on her communities, her family, and the many individuals who knew her is immeasurable. Her spirit will continue to inspire those who loved her, reminding us all first to be kind, to give of oneself generously, and to celebrate the beauty of the world and the people around us.

Catherine’s greatest joy and source of pride was her family. She is survived by her husband, John; her three children, Celina (Dan Fuller), Silas (Cali Standard), and Eloise (Patrick McGowan); and five grandchildren, Jackson, Sophia, Eve, Mason, and Maverick, and her dog Juri. Catherine is also survived by her siblings, Anne Battle and Cynthia Pastuhov, many nieces, nephews, and adopted (“Hanai” in Hawaiian) family. May she rest in peace knowing that her love and vision will continue to inspire us all.

All are invited to gather in remembrance and celebration of her life at the Megunticook Golf Club in Rockport, ME, on June 30, 2025 at 4 p.m.

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Donna Sondra Komar Laurie

Donna Sondra Komar Laurie, born December 1, 1936, passed away on December 29, 2024. She was born in Red Bank, NJ. Donna graduated Salutatorian from Red Bank High school in 1955. From there, Donna attended Wellesley College. She later received an honorary Fellowship from Duke University in 1996.

Donna was predeceased in 2023 by her loving husband Dr. Victor Laurie, and is survived by her children, Charles Stempler (Sally McKenzie) of Oak Harbor, WA, and Margaret Spicer (Greg Spicer) of Tinton Falls, NJ; grandchildren, Samantha Spicer Cohen (Matthew Cohen), Lindsay Tuten, Tucker Stempler (Sierra Stempler), Morgan Spicer (Zachary Brown), and Timothy Spicer; and four great-grandchildren, Quint and Barrett Tuten, and Eliana and Jacob Cohen.

Donna married Vic in 1980 and lived in Princeton for over 40 years before recently moving to Red Bank to be closer to family. Vic was a chemistry professor at Princeton University while Donna worked at The New York Times as the first female Deputy Editor of National Editions. Donna’s media career began at the Red Bank Register, followed by the Asbury Park Press, Star Ledger, Philadelphia Bulletin, and finally, The New York Times.

After retirement, she and Vic were intrepid travelers. They spent many years traveling the world, including to remote places where few Americans ventured. When flying became difficult they drove to every state in the USA, always wintering in Wrightsville Beach, NC (their happy place). Their adventures were captured in Donna’s stunning photographs that hung on the walls of their home.

Donna was an avid reader and an eclectic collector and admirer of art and artifacts. Her home was full of books and beauty; everything that surrounded her held special meaning. Donna also had an engaging and lively intellect. She never stopped reading the Times and the New Yorker, and kept abreast of world events up until her death. Donna loved good company, good conversation, and good food. She never met a cheese she didn’t like.

January 8, 2025

Obituaries 1/8/2025

Andreas “Andy” Franz

Andy Franz died on December 27 in the home that he built and loved in Titusville, NJ.

Andy was born on March 3, 1935, in Batchka, Palanka, Austria-Hungary to Josef and Katharina Franz. In 1944, his family and their ethnic-German neighbors were displaced at gunpoint from their homes. He spent the next four years as an enslaved child in the work camp Jarek, where he, unlike others, survived hunger and typhoid. In 1948, he and his parents escaped by foot to Austria, entering freedom in Hungary on Good Friday, and began their lives as Displaced People. He attended school until age 15, when he apprenticed as a Tischler — a cabinet maker — supporting his family in Graz, Austria, and building cabinets across the country. In 1956, he immigrated through Ellis Island on a Liberty Ship with $12, a cardboard suitcase, and a sponsor in Trenton, where he, along with other Danauschawben refugees, started his life as an American.

In 1958, Andy and his friend Adam Martini found work as master craftsmen at Nakashima Studios in New Hope, PA, where he learned the aesthetic that would shape his life. With the help of his friends, he went on to build a home outside Pennington, NJ. In 1969, after an accident on the day of the Moon Landing, he left Nakashima and accepted a job at Princeton Day School as an Industrial Arts teacher, where he remained for 29 years. He also served as an advisor and liked to say that he “lived in many houses” thanks to the skills and work of former students. He retired from PDS in 1998 and found a second home in Hope Town, Abaco, Bahamas. Only a year later he boarded one of the first planes to arrive after Hurricane Floyd, taking a chainsaw and his toolbox to help others recover and rebuild. He also salvaged and restored the “shack” he named “Wrecktory,” and spent 20 winters with a community and friends in the “most beautiful place in the world.”

In recent years, Andy found continued joy and purpose building and creating objects from wood (and the occasional conch shell) in his home workshop. Surrounded by wildlife, he fed the birds each day and nurtured the many relationships he had forged throughout his life.

Andy is predeceased by his son Christopher (daughters Veronica and Bridget of Ewing, NJ). He is survived by his daughter Susan Franz Murphy (of Lumberville, PA, children Cassidy, Robert, Anna, and Jacob), his son Robert (of Tampa, FL, wife Mia, and sons Owen and Gareth), and remembered by many friends and former students.

While Andy loved flowers, gifts to Doctors without Borders (donate.doctorswithoutborders.org) or the Hope Town Volunteer Fire and Rescue Foundation (donorbox.org/hope-town-volunteer-fire-and-rescue-hurricane-dorian-relief) are welcome.

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Nancy Carole Forslund Jang
January 22, 1937 – December 25, 2024

Nancy Carole Forslund Jang, 87, of Princeton, NJ, died on December 25, 2024 at Princeton Medical Center, following a brief illness.

Nancy was born in Callao, Peru, in 1937. Her parents, Evar Forslund, a miner, and Ella Nikula Forslund, a school teacher, left their Finnish American community in Upper Michigan during the economic ravages of the Depression. Eventually Evar found work in Peru, where Nancy and her two sisters were born. The family lived In a tiny mining encampment in the Andes Mountains at an altitude of 13,000 feet. Nancy’s childhood was indelibly shaped by this magical place, a remote, treeless world infused with Spanish and steeped in Quechuan culture. Taught by her mother in a one-room schoolhouse, Nancy would forge lifelong friendships with three of her classmates: brothers Juan and Manuel Proano and their cousin Lucy. The tightly knit group also included Nancy’s sisters Marion and Charlotte.

When Nancy was 13, her family returned to the United States — sailing through the Panama Canal! — and resettled in the Upper Peninsula. A diligent student, she attended high school in Bessemer, Michigan, and worked as a waitress in her mother’s restaurant, The Evergreen Dinette. Nancy attended Michigan State University and studied to become a teacher, as her parents had intended. Yet after graduating Nancy discarded these plans: she had no appetite for disciplining children and longed to see more of the world. After a stint working for the Studebaker Packard auto company in Indiana, she stunned her family by moving to New York City. Arriving with a few dollars in her pocket, she crashed on a friend’s couch until she leveraged her fluency in Spanish to land a job as a social worker in Spanish Harlem. Although Nancy described herself as “poor as a church mouse” and was even mugged on the subway, meeting new people and exploring New York thrilled her. Several years later, after a difficult breakup, she took another leap by moving to Germany to work for the United States Army as a civilian. Nancy rambled throughout Europe on the weekends, soaking up new cultures and sights. In Germany, she met Donald Jang, a Chinese American artist who also worked as a civilian for the Army. A fellow dreamer, Don had shocked his own family by rejecting a practical path after college: he too wanted to see and experience more of the world. Together, hazel-eyed Nancy and Don — with his signature rakish mustache — explored Germany and as much of Europe as they could, making lifelong friends and amazing memories.

After returning to the U.S., Nancy and Don got married in Las Vegas, once again defying family expectations and social conventions as interracial marriage was not only uncommon but, in fact, illegal in many states in 1964. Within a few years, they grew tired of the desert and casinos; so Don — now a high school art teacher — applied for jobs in the San Francisco Bay Area where he had grown up. When he was offered a job in Palo Alto, they picked up stakes; Nancy found work again as a social worker and Don taught art at Palo Alto High School. In Palo Alto they raised two daughters, Jennifer and Samantha. Nancy stayed home with her girls for several years, then landed a job at Stanford University at the Johnson Library of Government Documents, where she worked until her retirement.

It is no secret that Nancy’s greatest joy was being a mother and, later, a grandmother. She worked hard to ensure that Jennifer and Samantha could enjoy an array of middle-class activities and experiences that had been unavailable to her and Don during their respective childhoods: music and dance lessons, Girl Scouts, summer camps, bicycles and roller skates, visits to museums and the theater, and road trips throughout California to appreciate the state’s natural wonders. Nancy was also fiercely proud of her roots in the Upper Peninsula and took her daughters to the Midwest whenever she could. She was also deeply grateful to be an American and exposed Jennifer and Samantha to as many states and regions of the U.S. as possible.

Once she became a grandmother, Nancy showered her granddaughters Emily and Kate with love and affection, books, and her famous near-weekly letters, studded with stickers. A born storyteller, she regaled “Bellina” and “Carissima” with tales of her youth in Peru, her Finn-Swede heritage, and fanciful yarns she invented just for them. In retirement Nancy never lost her love of travel and delighted in visiting family and friends in Lake Tahoe; Sea Ranch; and Hayward, Wisconsin.

Nancy was predeceased by husband Don (1996). She is survived by daughters Jennifer (Sam); Samantha (Danny); granddaughters Emily and Kate; sisters Marion (Jack) and Charlotte (Dick); many, many nieces and nephews; and a host of friends.

A memorial service was held on December 30 at Mather Hodge Funeral Home in Princeton. A second celebration of life is planned for later in the year in the San Francisco Bay Area. Memorial donations may be made to her favorite arts organizations: the McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, NJ, or the de Young Museum in San Francisco.

“Sisu” is the Finnish word for grit and determination. Nancy demonstrated her sisu countless times throughout her life and particularly during her last difficult days. We are heartbroken that she has left us, but deeply grateful she is at peace. Her kindness, warmth, generosity, lively mind, sense of humor, and huge heart will be sorely missed. But we know that she will always be with us, especially when we raise a glass of her favorite prosecco, open an enchanting book, or turn our faces into the Pacific Ocean breeze, dreaming of another adventure.

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Dr. Gerald (Jerry) Berkelhammer

Dr. Gerald (Jerry) Berkelhammer passed away peacefully on December 31, 2024 at the age of 93 at his home at Stonebridge in Montgomery Township, New Jersey. Jerry was born in Newark to Max and Cecelia (Schein) Berkelhammer on February 3, 1931 and raised in Summit.

He graduated from Summit High School and went on to earn an AB degree from Brown University in 1952 and then a PhD, both in organic chemistry, from the University of Washington in 1957. His first job, though, was working at his father’s hardware store in Summit every Saturday and summers.

After receiving his PhD, he went on to work for the American Cyanamid Company for 42 years, first at the Stamford, Connecticut Laboratories and then at the Agricultural Research Division in Princeton where he rose to be the Executive Director of Chemical Discovery. During this long and successful career he received 41 patents and was the author of 11 chemical journal papers. Jerry was a member of the American Chemical Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science and of the honorary societies, Sigma Xi and Phi Lambda Upsilon.
Jerry married Sheila Rosenson on June 20, 1954. They first “met” back in 1934, when Jerry was 3 and Sheila an infant in a baby carriage, because their parents were friends and both families lived in the same apartment house in Irvington. They became re-acquainted in 1953 when Jerry came back to Summit for a visit, and after a courtship carried out mostly long-distance by U.S. mail between Elizabeth, New Jersey, and Seattle, Washington, finally tied the knot.

During his long career at Cyanamid Jerry served his community as a member of the Board of Education in Ewing Township from 1966-1968 and in retirement as President of Princeton’s Allison Road Association, as a volunteer at the Princeton Hospital pharmacy, and at Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic, now known as Learning Ally. Jerry was a member of House 1 of the Community Without Walls, and its treasurer for three years. As a member of the Old Guard, he chaired its Arrangements Committee.

For over 70 years Jerry was an avid tennis player and competed with great success in the Mercer County Men’s Tennis League. He loved skiing and camping and instilled that love in his children and eventually, in his grandchildren. In retirement he spent many happy hours on local tennis courts. In addition, after he retired, he audited over 25 courses at Princeton University, especially history, and read everything ever written about World War I. For 21 wonderful years he called himself the “head groundskeeper” at his and Sheila’s home on Allison Road, where he grew amazing vegetables including bumper crops of asparagus and many varieties of salad greens and tomatoes, and provided all his friends with tomato seedlings. His asparagus bed at Stonebridge lives on!

Jerry is survived by his wife, Sheila, his daughter Jill Zorn and her husband, Jonathan, his sons Fred and Paul and Fred’s wife, Debra, and five grandchildren: Abigail and Hannah Zorn, Sam and Sara Berkelhammer, and Shira Berkelhammer, as well as his sister Ruth (Berkelhammer) Fink.

Funeral services and burial were held January 3 at Mount Lebanon Cemetery in Woodbridge. Contributions in Jerry’s memory may be made to causes of the donor’s choice.

Funeral arrangements are by Orland’s Ewing Memorial Chapel. For condolences please visit OrlandsMemorialChapel.com.

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Arlene Sinding

Arlene Sinding, a 50-year Princeton resident whose teaching and mentoring career touched the lives of thousands of high school and college students, died January 3 at her home. She was 75.

The daughter of Sidney and Ruth Katz, Arlene grew up in Nutley, N.J., before graduating from Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey) in 1971 with a bachelor’s degree in speech and theater education. She went on to earn three master’s degrees in administration and supervision of education, English as a Second Language, and Library Science.

In the 1970s, Arlene taught English at Princeton High School, primarily in the alternative school-within-a-school called The Learning Community. One of her proudest achievements was directing a class play of Michael Weller’s Moonchildren, which the high school principal found objectionable due to what he considered offensive language. The principal insisted that certain words and phrases be removed, causing two 18-year-old students to file a lawsuit claiming a violation of their First Amendment rights. The lawsuit failed, and the students (with the playwright’s permission) performed the expurgated version of the play at the school. Later, they were invited to perform the unexpurgated version at the Unitarian Church of Princeton, charging a small admission fee and donating the proceeds to the American Civil Liberties Union.

Arlene spent most of the 1980s and 1990s teaching English at Hillsborough High School. In 2000, she returned to Princeton High School as the school librarian, a position she held until her retirement in 2012.

In addition to her public school career, Arlene offered a private tutoring service, called The College Connection, helping students prepare for the SAT. She consulted on test development and graded AP English exams for Educational Testing Service, and taught courses in a variety of subjects at Thomas Edison State University, The College of New Jersey, Berkeley College, Mercer County Community College, and Middlesex County Community College.

Arlene had three abiding passions: books, theater, and international travel. She was a voracious reader, never hesitating to offer unfiltered recommendations to family and friends. Her regular trips to Broadway plays and membership at numerous off-Broadway theaters generated a bookshelf full of Playbills. Her travels took her to 87 countries and all seven continents, and she organized numerous Spring Break trips for high school students to Europe, Asia and Africa, in addition to chaperoning a Princeton High School choir trip to Russia and three high school orchestra trips to Europe, China, and Argentina.

Those who knew Arlene well were familiar with a fourth passion: shoes. Her wall-to-wall collection of Birkenstocks alone gave new meaning to the phrase square footage. And she wore her obsession with pride; her license plate holder declared, “She Who Dies With The Most Shoes Wins,” a point reaffirmed by her vanity license plate, SHUZ.

Surviving Arlene are her husband of 53 years, Rick Sinding of Princeton; sister and brother-in-law Judy and Marty Furman of Yorba Linda, Calif.; brother- and sister-in-law Steve and Monica Sinding of Washington, D.C.; nieces and spouses Marlee and Brian Cowan, Randi and John Sedigh, Kate and Pat Daly, and Jenny and James Bradbury; nephew and spouse Adam and Jackie Furman; 10 great-nieces and nephews; and a wide circle of friends.

A memorial service/celebration of Arlene’s life will be held at a time and place to be determined. Donations in her name would be welcomed by the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association, and the ACLU.

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Sally Pitcher Sword

Sally Pitcher Sword passed away peacefully, of natural causes, on January 1, 2025, in her Princeton, N.J., home. She was 99 years old.

Known affectionately as “Howie” by her friends and family, she was married for 55 years to William Sword, a former partner at Morgan Stanley and founder of Wm Sword & Co., investment bankers in Princeton, until his passing in 2005. Together they had four children, 10 grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.

Howie’s friends and family were the center of her world. Always offering a positive comment or caring question, she was a loving and kind presence to all who knew her. Everywhere she frequented in Princeton, from the post office, to the library, to the grocery store, she was known and loved.

After raising her children, Howie was eager to continue exercising her inquisitive mind. With her high school degree from the Park School in Buffalo and an Associate’s Degree from Bradford Junior College in hand, she was accepted for transfer into the Princeton University Class of 1981. At the age of 55, she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Art History.

Howie took advantage of her degree to serve as a docent at the Princeton University Art Museum until well into her 80s. She also gave back to the University community by serving on the Auxiliary to the Isabella McCosh Infirmary.

Caring for others was a hallmark of Howie’s life. She was a board member and chair of the board at Trinity Counseling Service in Princeton, where she initiated the idea of hosting an annual Bastille Day Ball as a major fundraiser. To thank her for many years of service, the organization honored Howie at a Paris-themed event at Drumthwacket, the N.J. Governor’s residence, on July 14, 2007. She was also a recipient in 1977 of the Gerard B. Lambert Award for service to the greater Princeton Community.

For more than 50 years, Howie served as an admissions volunteer at Princeton Medical Center, offering a smile and warm welcome to patients and families. In the 1960s, she co-chaired the Hospital Fête, an important annual fundraising event for the Medical Center. After the Princeton YMCA and YWCA built their shared facility on Avalon Place, she was asked to chair the joint board. Additionally, she was president of the board of Princeton Nursery School, which provides quality childcare and pre-school education for families in need.

Howie also contributed meaningfully to several organizations throughout Princeton. In the 1950s, she was president of the local chapter of Planned Parenthood. She was a former board member of Princeton Day School, a former trustee at The Hun School, a member of the Pretty Brook Tennis Club, a charter member of the Bedens Brook Club, and former member of The Nassau Club.

Beyond her philanthropy and community involvement, Howie was an accomplished musician. She delighted friends and family with her talent for playing the piano by ear. As a 70+-year member of Nassau Presbyterian Church, and a former elder, she sang alto in the choir for many years. She also co-founded the “Opposite Sextet,” an all-women’s a cappella group, which performed in the annual Spring Sing concert — a tradition that continues to this day after 68 years. She and her sister Mary also co-founded the singing group “Tabooz” in college.

She is predeceased by her parents, Mabel (Swisher) Tynan Pitcher and Ralph Morgan Pitcher, her husband of 55 years William Sword, her son William Sword, Jr., and her sister Mary Pitcher Stewart. She is survived by her children Richard Morgan Sword and his wife Elizabeth of Jackson, Wyo.; Molly Sword McDonough and her husband Peter of Pennington, N.J.; Sarah Sword Lazarus and her husband Ken of Concord, Mass.; and her son Bill’s widow Martha Sullivan Sword of Skillman, N.J. She is also survived by her beloved 10 grandchildren: Gretchen Liddell Sword, Richard Morgan Sword, Jr. (Lindsay), Hope Tynan Sword, Bayless Hauge Sword (Andrew Byron), Sarah Pitcher McKani (Kunal), Elizabeth Payson Houfek (Nicholas), William Sullivan Sword (Anne Sekley), Thomas Mangan McDonough (Theresa LaColla), Samuel Skinner Lazarus and Molly Fradin Lazarus; and nine great-grandchildren.
A service of remembrance will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, April 12, 2025 at Nassau Presbyterian Church, 61 Nassau Street, Princeton, N.J., 08542. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton or the Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad.

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Dr. William F. Haynes, Jr.

Dr. William F. Haynes, Jr., retired cardiologist, author, educator, and beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend, died peacefully December 31, 2024, at age 98 after a short hospital stay surrounded by his wife, Aline; daughter, Suzie Haynes Halle; son, David Haynes; and son, Bill Haynes. He leaves eight adoring grandchildren who affectionally called him “Pop-Pop.” He was their inspiration and model of how to live a loving and fulfilling life. Bill’s life was punctuated by his deep faith, his undying kindness and gentleness, his ever-present smile, his quick wit, and his persistence, or as his wife said — his stubbornness. His love of Aline was profound, and their relationship only deepened the last few years of his life as his health was slowly declining. He also had a deep love of nature, his trees (he often bragged he had planted 5,000 at the farm that he so loved in PA), and he enjoyed walking in the multiple fields surrounding the farmhouse. He was a quiet man who found contentment in just being.

Bill was born in Newark, NJ, in 1926. His father died when he was 12, and being an only child, he had a beautiful relationship with his mother, who instilled in him his love of God. He graduated from Newark Academy in 1944, having left in March of his senior year to attend the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY. After attending 17 classes in four months, Bill was on a Merchant Vessel in the Pacific. He served in World War II in the Pacific Theater till the end of the war, then spent the summer of 1946 as a Third Mate on a ship carrying German and Italian POWs to the U.S. and American GIs to and from the U.S. His years at the Merchant Marine Academy and serving in the war and later in the Navy were a formative part of his life and he treasured those years and the relationships he made there. He credits the education he received there and the responsibilities he shouldered at an early age (17) as essential building blocks for the rest of his life, including his legendary perseverance and discipline.

Bill began his studies at Princeton in the fall of 1946, graduating in 1950. At Princeton, he was active on the Swimming team and a member of the Cottage Club. He loved Princeton and never missed a reunion except once and he cherished walking in the big Reunion P-Rade. Bill enrolled at Columbia P&S Medical School in the fall of 1950, graduating in 1954. After a one-year internship, he went on active duty in the Navy as Lt JG, as a Medical Officer and served an additional two years (1955-1957). While on this tour of duty, which was during the Hungarian Revolution, he tended to escapees his ship picked up in Bremerhaven and was taking to the United States. He was very proud of his 64 Atlantic crossings, his four in the Pacific and his two voyages in the Caribbean. As he treated numerous patients from many countries and backgrounds, he was instilled with an awareness and empathy towards the hopes and dreams of all people. He loved being at sea, high up on the ships looking out at the water and the beautiful sky. So peaceful!

Upon return from his Navy duty, he finished his four-year residency and moved to Princeton, NJ, with his new bride, Constance Simpson. They raised three wonderful children and were both active in the community. He began his practice as a cardiologist in 1960 and soon founded Princeton Cardiology Associates, a premier cardiology group still in existence. He also served as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Four years after his divorce, he married Aline Linehan James in 1984 and they shared a beautiful 41 years together. After a very successful practice, he retired in late June 1997 at age 71 and started his studies at La Salle University in Philadelphia in September to attain his Masters in Theology. He graduated with honors in 1975. He then served as an Adjunct Professor of Theology at LaSalle and as a guest lecturer at the Princeton Theological Seminary. Never one to stay inactive, he then wrote several books on medical issues and the power of prayer. He and his co-author of Is There a God in Healthcare, Geffrey B. Kelley, became quite the duo for giving talks up and down the East Coast, which he loved doing. He also wrote a book on his time at sea, which he dedicated to his grandchildren. Bill was a believer in exercise, and throughout his life until the pandemic, he either swam daily or worked out at the Princeton gym. He was an excellent athlete, which he passed on to his three children. He took up golf at the age of 88 to join Aline on the links.

Bill was one of the original members of the Princeton Officers Club, and quite proud that he could still wear his dress uniform decades after leaving the Navy. Bill often served as the Group’s Chaplain, saying prayers at the beginning of each dinner gathering. He served twice on the Vestry at Trinity Church (his parish for many years), he was an active member of the 3rd Order of St. Francis, just meeting with a dear friend and fellow member a month before he died. He served as President of the Princeton University Friends of Swimming and was helpful in the planning and fundraising efforts for Denunzio Pool. He competed often in swimming events culminating in his winning two third-place medals at the WORLD Masters Championship Meet at Stanford University right after his 80th birthday. He served as President of his Class of 1950 at Princeton.

Bill was always young at heart. He loved to dance with Aline and he even took tango lessons with her for a cruise they were about to take when he was in his late 80s. He was always quick to pick up his harmonica whenever his son, David, or his grandson, Curtis, arrived with their guitars. They formed a little band called the “Rhône Riders.” He was found tapping his drumsticks to music just a month ago. He certainly lived life to the fullest. That smile rarely left his face. He will be so missed.

Bill was enthused with a love of God and the “feeling of the Presence” which gave him a great sense of peace and contentment. He was blessed with this great spirituality throughout his life – never one to shout it out to others but one had to be impressed with his calmness and sense of serenity. It was a gift. His love of nature was passed on to his children and grandchildren, and the times spent at his farm were a highlight in all our lives.

We would like to thank especially his wonderful, caring internist, Dr. Doug Corazza, for his excellent care and his empathy, and for Bill’s wonderful two aides, Booker and Rana, for their tireless help and good humor – they were each so caring with Bill and we are so thankful.

There will be a Funeral Mass at Trinity Church, January 10 at 11 a.m. with a reception following at the Nassau Club. In lieu of flowers, one can make a charitable donation to Friends of Princeton Swimming. Visit makeagift.princeton.edu/athletics and select “Friends of Club Swimming” from the “Give to Clubs or Campus Recreation” dropdown menu; or call (609) 258-8508.

Arrangements are under the direction of Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton, NJ.

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Sheila Albert

Sheila Albert of Princeton, NJ, passed away at home on December 23, 2024. She was 81 years old.

Sheila was born in Philadelphia and earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Rutgers University. She had lived in the Princeton area with her husband Steve since 1982.

Sheila had a long and successful career devoted to the service of others. She was a Case Manager and Development Director for the Association for the Advancement of Mental Health, the Executive Director of the Private Industry Council, a public/private partnership devoted to building the local economy and acting Executive Director of the Millhill Child and Family Development Center. After receiving her MSW she spent 16 years with the Trenton Board of Education, working as a school social worker and then on the child study team until her retirement.

She could do almost anything — and would light up people with her infectious smile and positive attitude. She and Steve enjoyed many adventures together including skiing in the Swiss Alps, biking through Provence, France, going on a tent safari in Tanzania, and numerous cruise vacations. After her retirement she played a lot of bridge and really loved it, accumulating hundreds of Master’s Points.  She was also an enthusiastic member of both the Present Day and Nassau Clubs.

Sheila was a bright light with a broad smile and an infectious laugh. She lived her life with the utmost integrity and love for her family and friends. She was a blessed woman and will be missed by everyone she touched.

Sheila is survived by her husband Steve; her children, Ira Goldstine and Cindi Finley; her stepdaughter, Lauren Albert; her grandchildren, Jake Goldstine, Zachary Goldstine, and Jordan McDonald; as well as two new great-granddaughters, Parker and Spencer.

Funeral services were held on December 26, at Orland’s Ewing Memorial Chapel. Burial followed at Beth Israel Cemetery in Woodbridge, NJ.

For condolences, please visit Sheila’s obituary page at OrlandsMemorialChapel.com.

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Victor Auerbach
(6/8/1934 – 12/8/2024)

Victor Auerbach passed away in his sleep at Meadow Lakes, East Windsor, NJ, after having lived a rich and complete life of exactly 90 1/2 years. Vic was born in the Bronx, NY, to Rose and Jacob Auerbach and was an accomplished skier and sailor, a lover of all things musical as long as it was classical or folk songs, a noted electrical engineer, and a 46 year-long life mate and partner of Arlene Ceterski in Hamilton, NJ.

He was president of the Princeton Ski and Sail Club from 1964-65, and served in many roles, while enjoying skiing and sailing all over the world with them. His other loves were sharing the ski lodge in Vermont, which he and Arlene owned with four others from the Club, documenting and memorializing trips and activities with photographs; skippering his own boat “Gotcha” in Barnegat, Chesapeake, and Narragansett Bays, and in Maine; and singing in the Princeton Society of Musical Amateurs. He loved sharing holidays and celebratory events with his sister Adele, brother-in-law Kurt, three nieces, one nephew, and seven grand-nieces and nephews.

Vic graduated from the Bronx High of Science, then attended and graduated from the City College of New York with a degree in electrical engineering where he earned membership in the Tau Beta Pi honor society. Later he was awarded a fellowship and earned an MS in electrical engineering from the University of Southern California.

His working career was primarily at RCA’s Astro Electronics Division in East Windsor, NJ, where he was part of the team that developed an early weather satellite known as Tiros II and also a video disc for household movie watching, among other interesting projects. Vic retired from RCA in 1991.

His fluffy beard, his shirt pocket with pens and pencils at the ready, his knowledge of Gilbert & Sullivan, and his deep and loyal love for Arlene will be missed.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Those interested in being notified of the date and location are asked to email marymcpaint@gmail.com.

January 1, 2025

Obituaries 1/1/2025

Lynne Long

Gwendolyn Marie Long passed away peacefully at VNA Hospice House in Vero Beach, Florida, on Tuesday, December 24, 2024. Lynne, as she was called by those who knew and loved her, was born in Moberly, Missouri, on October 29, 1944, to Gwynne and Marjorie Shields, the oldest of four sisters.

She attended high school at the Convent of the Sacred Heart (City House) in St. Louis and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Loretto Heights College in Denver.

Shortly after graduation, Lynne married David Long at the Basilica of St Louis (old Cathedral), St. Louis, MO. They settled in their first home in Cherry Hill, NJ, where Lynne taught high school history. Shortly thereafter Lynne returned to St. Louis as David was called to active duty (U.S. Army) and subsequently gave birth to their first child. After David’s deployment they moved to New York and finally settled in Princeton, NJ, in 1972 where they raised their four sons.

While her primary focus in life was being a stay-at-home mom to her boys, she nonetheless found many ways to contribute to the betterment of the community. She served on the boards of the St. Lawrence Rehabilitation Center and the American Red Cross of Central New Jersey. In addition, she volunteered much of her time to the University Medical Center at Princeton, co-chairing the Center’s two primary fundraising events — The Hospital Fete (the year it celebrated its Silver Anniversary), and, for two years, the Christmas Boutique. In addition, she was chosen and served for 10 years as the first Docent of the Drumthwacket Foundation, which was founded in support of the historic mansion when it became the official residence of the Governor of the State of New Jersey.

While Lynne was beloved and respected for her gentle, soft-spoken demeanor and her kindness, she could also be a fierce competitor, on the tennis court as well as the bridge table, where she excelled, achieving the rank of Bronze Life Master and also serving as an instructor at the Fishers Island Club on Fishers Island, New York, where she and David summered for the past 26 years. And, while it didn’t involve any competition, her completion of the New York Times crossword puzzle every day in ink also attests to her tenacity and mental acuity.

She is survived by her husband, David; and her sisters, Judith Ann Flynn (Anthony) of St. Louis, Deborah Christine Shields of Princeton, and Mary Lucille Frye (Douglas) of St. Louis. She is also survived by her sons, David Ill (Jane), Jeffrey (Jenny), Christopher (Merrill), and Nicholas (Alex); her beloved cousin, Meg Shields Duke; and by her grandchildren, Alexander, Patrick (Rosa), Clare, Marjorie, Megan, Gwynne, Christopher, Kate, James, Annie, Maggie, Austin, Timothy, Sophia, and Aubrey.

She will be laid to rest at the Princeton Cemetery in a private ceremony.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the J. Thomas Davidson, MD, Surgical Education Fund of the Princeton Medical Center Foundation.

Arrangements by Strunk Funeral Homes & Crematory, Vero Beach, FL. A guestbook is available at strunkfuneralhome.com.

December 25, 2024

Obituaries 12/25/2024

Dawn Cooper Rosso

Dawn Cooper Rosso, 72, of Skillman, NJ, died peacefully at Princeton Hospital surrounded by her loving family after a short illness.

Born October 12, 1952 in Schenectady, NY, to the late Rev. Dr. Jack Cooper and his wife Jean, Dawn spent her youth in Belle Mead, NJ. While attending Princeton High School Dawn met her future husband, Mark Rosso. Dawn graduated from Dickinson College in 1974 with a B.A. in English and from Rider University in 1978 with a master’s degree in business administration. Dawn pursued a career in marketing in the telecommunications industry for 30 years, retiring as Sr. Vice President of InterSearch Marketing Research Corp in 2008.

Dawn valued time with family, regularly visiting her parents in Pennington, NJ, and siblings in upstate NY, Virginia, and Texas. She enjoyed activities with her many friends and kept in close contact with her extended family of Coopers, Ritchies, and Rossos.

A great lover of the arts, especially live theatre, Dawn spent many weekends in New York city enjoying every cultural adventure time would allow. She was also an avid traveler, having visited all seven continents which included a very eventful boat ride in Antarctica with Mark.

After retirement Dawn kept busy not only with the arts and travel, but also with classes in music and languages as well as volunteering with the Dickinson Admissions Volunteer Society and Princeton University Art Museum.

Dawn is survived by her beloved husband of 50 years Mark Rosso, her sisters Deborah Kruesi and Ruth Sawin, her brother John Cooper, nieces Larissa Kruesi and Elizabeth Sawin, and nephew Austin Kruesi.

Memorial contributions to S.A.V.E. Princeton are appreciated.

A memorial service celebrating Dawn’s life will be held at the convenience of the family.

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Ted S. Strempack

Ted S. Strempack, 81, of Princeton, NJ, passed away peacefully on December 15, 2024.

Born and educated in Millville, NJ, Ted graduated from Millville HS, Stockton University with a degree in art and advertising design, and a Master’s in Education from Seton Hall University.

He was a gifted athlete whose ability earned him football scholarships to the University of Memphis and Louisiana College. After college, he played professionally for the Philadelphia Bulldogs.

Ted joined the NJ State Police in 1967, retiring as a Captain after 30 years of service. A talented artist, he worked for many years as their composite artist.

Ted had so much talent and many varied interests and accomplishments. He owned several antique stores in Atlantic County, he built and ran his marina, and was an active volunteer and board member for several organizations for many years. He had an undeniable presence and was our family’s and everyone else’s go-to guy, always willing to help with any project — plan it, build it, fix it, or whatever it took to get the job done. Great advice was dispensed along the way, but only if one asked.

He loved visiting art museums as well as traveling extensively.

Predeceased by his parents Stanley and Katherine Strempack and his sister Joan Meinzer, Ted is survived by his wife, Susan, his daughter Kymberly Clark, his son Guy Strempack (Joy), and his three beloved granddaughters, Taylor Clark, Cameryn Clark, and Mia Strempack as well as his brother-in-law, Rob Murphy, numerous cousins, and lifelong friends.

Arrangements are being handled by the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home. A Celebration of Life will be held in the spring. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for memorial contributions to The Michael J. Fox Parkinson’s Foundation (tribute.michaeljfox.org/tribute-page.php?id=3049).

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Barrie Joan Kale

Barrie Joan Kale passed away peacefully on December 10, 2024. Born on November 29, 1942, in Lawton, Oklahoma, she grew up in Princeton, New Jersey, and lived most of her life in Lawrenceville.

Barrie graduated from Princeton High School and worked at Opinion Research Corporation and Princeton Radiology for many years. She was a longtime member of the Nassau Club and Present Day Club, where she held various roles. One of Barrie’s many talents was bringing people together; she had a unique gift for building meaningful relationships and inspiring a sense of belonging among everyone.

Barrie was a member of the Lawrenceville Presbyterian Church. Growing up, her family was active in the church, and she continued this tradition by participating in many programs and serving on countless committees.

Barrie was a loving, kind, and generous person to everyone. She thoroughly enjoyed meeting new people and nurturing old friendships. Above all, she adored her family. Her grandchildren were the light of her life. Known to her grandchildren as “Emmy,” Barrie was overjoyed when her great-granddaughter was named Emmeline “Emmy” Jane in her honor.

Barrie was predeceased by her parents, Herbert and Elizabeth Kale, and brother-in-law, Ed Morris.

Surviving are daughter Lynn Brown (Jeff) and son Rob Chibbaro; grandchildren Eric Brown (fiancé Suzannah), Elizabeth Comisac (Michael), and Caroline Brown (fiancé Joseph), Derek and Alex Chibbaro; and great-granddaughter Emmeline “Emmy” Jane Comisac. She is also survived by a sister, Mary Beth Morris, a brother, Doug Kale (Wendy), and several nieces and nephews.

Barrie will be greatly missed by her family and countless number of friends.

A memorial service is scheduled at Lawrenceville Presbyterian Church on Saturday, January 18, 2025, at 11 a.m.

If you wish to donate in Barrie’s memory, a fund has been set up to benefit the NICU at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane, Washington, where her great-granddaughter received excellent care. Please visit give.providence.org/inw/nicu and add Barrie’s name in the “tribute information,” or make a check out to Providence Inland Northwest Foundation, 101 W 8th Avenue, Spokane, WA 99204.