November 30, 2022

Obituaries 11-30-22

Architect Barbara A. Hillier, AIA

Architect Barbara A. Hillier died peacefully on November 21, 2022 from Alzheimer’s disease. She was 71 years old and in residence at Brookdale in Dublin, Pa.

Barbara was born in Philadelphia, Pa., on June 20, 1951, the first of two children for Colman and Shirley Feinberg. Her parents had a thriving men’s clothing store where Barbara, as a young woman, helped out as a salesperson.

From an early age, she demonstrated a knack for drawing and an innate artistic talent. Despite her natural skill and drive to succeed, academic advisors continuously pushed Barbara towards cosmetology-related roles. However, her aspirations were higher. Barbara enrolled at Temple University, where she received a BA in Psychology. Wanting to nurture her artistic talent, she decided shortly after graduation to enroll at Beaver College, now Arcadia University, where she studied Art and Interior Design, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

In 1978, with the country in recession, Barbara reputedly sent 138 letters to architectural firms in the Philadelphia Region. One of those letters landed on the desk of a young architect in Princeton, J. Robert Hillier. So impressed with the letter, he called Barbara in for an interview. She claimed that Hillier was the only respondent to her letters.

Barbara’s senior thesis at Beaver was a proposed casino for Philadelphia’s Fairmont Park. The design did not appeal to Hillier, but he could not get over Barbara’s passion for design and her communication of it. Hillier asked General Manager Joe Bavaro to also interview her, and his determination was they should hire Barbara, “not because of her pretty face” and not until there was a project for an interior designer. That project soon came along with a call from the Los Angeles Dodgers to transform their Vero Beach training camp into a conference center when the team was not there. Barbara was hired. From that point on Barbara began winning interior design commissions and the firm expanded its services to include interior design.

In 1984, Barbara asked if she could open the firm’s first branch office in Philadelphia. The answer was “yes,” but only if she had a large enough project to warrant it. Barbara learned of a large company that was relocating from New York to Philadelphia. While the Facilities Manager, a Princeton resident, originally refused to meet with Barbara, she finally persuaded him by offering to connect with him on the train for his commute home. Barbara won the project and was able to open the Philadelphia office.

The new office took on the creation of corporate headquarters for Vanguard, Motorola, Bell Atlantic, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Merck. It also took on educational work for Temple University, the Wharton School, and several private secondary schools including the unique Solebury School near New Hope, Pa. For Solebury, Barbara created the stunning Abbe Science Center which won design awards from the National Cedar Council, the New Jersey and Pennsylvania AIA, and the extremely prestigious Pennsylvania AIA Silver Medal which is awarded by discretion only to a project far above all the entries in a particular year.

Bob Hillier and Barbara were married in 1986, as a working relationship turned into a love story. Together, they built their magnificent Autretemps on the banks of the Delaware River. Barbara became a dedicated homemaker with her home cooking, her vegetable gardening, and entertaining. She had the amazing ability to turn away from the practice on Friday afternoon and enjoy her own time over the weekend, including reading the New York Times cover to cover.

Barbara loved to travel, so before she and Bob started a family, they traveled the world, visiting Egypt, Kenya, Turkey, Denmark, Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Chile, Venezuela, Mexico, Israel, the UK, France, Switzerland, Italy, their beloved Venice three times, China, and Japan. They always took a winter week to visit the enchanted island of Anguilla where they had spent their honeymoon.

Their life was full of travel, entertaining, Broadway shows, movies, and dances where Barbara starred with her beautiful, spins, dips, and curls. Her all-time favorite movie was the 1984 film Flashdance, with its musical scores, photography, and storyline that so closely paralleled her own life story of unconventional routes to success.

Back at the office, it became quite clear that Barbara was more interested in architecture than interior design. Pennsylvania had a historic “craft” law that said after working for an architect for 10 years, you could undertake a three-year internship and then take the architectural licensing exams without the usual required architectural degree. Barbara took on that challenge and started taking the exams, but she kept failing the site planning exam. Bob helped her through her third and “must pass” site planning exam by forcing her to build a topographic site model out of sheets of cardboard to better understand site grading. In 1992, Barbara became a licensed Architect!

In 1993, after a wonderful trouble-free pregnancy, Barbara delivered a beautiful daughter, Jordan Rebecca, and took a full year off to properly begin her daughter’s life. Soon after, she retired from the Philadelphia office, and joined Bob in Princeton, balancing her new career as a wonderful Mom — helping out in classes at Buckingham Friends school and taking Jordan to riding lessons when she turned 5, and training her two beloved Vizslas Zoe and Chance (and later, Suri and Bowie, who filled Barbara’s final years with endless joy).  Barbara’s dedication to Jordan’s equestrian activities went above the call of duty, with early morning drives to horse shows, the assurance that Jordan had the right outfit, and the constant search for the perfect horse for Jordan to own. Barbara continued to attend horse shows with Jordan through 2021. There was always one guaranteed way to make Barbara smile — and that was to talk about Jordan. As Jordan grew, Barbara stayed deeply engaged in her life, and was Jordan’s best cheerleader, confidant, and role model, teaching her the importance of having a career, but that being a mom was above all else.

After her extended maternity leave, upon returning to the Princeton office, Barbara organized a very talented and design-dedicated studio for special projects with both great design challenges and opportunities. Barbara’s attitude about design was to challenge the conventional through the creation of totally new forms that better met the client’s needs and aspirations while still respecting concepts of Place, Community, History, and Culture.

In 2003 Barbara won an interesting project for Becton Dickinson. The corporation was housed in two buildings, separated by a beautiful and treasured lawn at its entry drive. Management felt that the groups in the two separated buildings should be talking more and working together. They proposed an employee services center between the two buildings to bring people together with its central dining function plus other services. Rather than building it upon the great lawn, Barbara proposed a building under the lawn that would break out of the ground in the rear with views to the woods beyond. The building was honored by design awards from the New Jersey and Pennsylvania, AIA Chapters, and, unexpectedly, it received the prestigious Chicago Athenaeum National Award for architectural excellence.

In 2007, Barbara and Bob were working on the Master Plan for the Las Colinas development in Irving, Texas, of which one element was a Convention Center being designed by a New York firm. One day Barbara got a call from the director of conventions asking if Barbara would design the Convention Center instead. In her usual way Barbara explored alternatives to the large flat boring boxes that defined most convention centers. She created a vertical convention center that soared 170 feet into the Texas sky with convention rooms at different levels, all connected by amazing escalators and with expansive terraces protected from the hot Texas sun. The design minimized its land consumption, and the center had a huge visual presence from the highways to the Dallas airport. The building has won every imaginable award including several for its sustainability and structural finesse. It is also fully booked far into the future.

With the completion of this and other major projects, Barbara resigned from the firm and spent two years at Princeton University’s School of Architecture, achieving her lifelong cherished goal: a Master’s Degree in Architecture. Her happiness on the day they draped the hood over her shoulders was second only to the day Jordan was born.

Barbara then set her sights on the “Renaissance” of Witherspoon Street with an updating of its historic structures and the provision of housing for those who help the town of Princeton function and thrive, but cannot afford to live there. That “Renaissance” is to begin construction in 2023.

Thus, was completed an amazing career of motherhood, service, leadership, sophistication, artistic creativity, and passion.

Barbara is survived by her husband, J. Robert Hillier and their daughter Jordan Hillier Adams, husband Dr. Alex Adams, and granddaughter Sela Jane. She is also survived by her stepson, James Baldwin Hillier, wife Shari, and three step-grandchildren.  She is also survived by her brother, Dr. Bruce Feinberg, his wife Iris, and their four children.

The family wants to thank the remarkable staff at Brookdale Dublin for their gentleness and thoughtful care of Barbara during her stay in their facility. Special thanks to Natalie, Dana, Jessica, Jesse, and Chefs June and Teresa.

Burial in Princeton Cemetery will be private for the family. There will be a memorial service and celebration of Barbara’s life at the Princeton University Chapel on January 6, 2023 at 11 a.m. Funeral arrangements are by Mather-Hodge Funeral Home of Princeton, N.J.

Barbara was very passionate about finding a cure to Alzheimer’s disease, from her Dad’s diagnosis through to her own struggles with the disease. In lieu of flowers, and in Barbara’s honor, contributions may be made to Alzheimer’s Association, Delaware Valley Chapter, which can be accessed through alz.org/delval.

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Tung-Ching Lee

Tung-Ching Lee, 81, of Princeton, NJ, peacefully passed away Tuesday, November 22, 2022 at Capital Health Regional Medical Center, NJ.

Tung-Ching was born on October 28, 1941 in Chongqing, China. Always a scholar, he graduated Summa Cum Laude from Tung-Hai University in Taichung, Taiwan, received his Master’s in Food Science and PhD in Agricultural Chemistry from University of California, Davis, and Certified Nutrition Specialist from the U.S. Certification Board for Nutrition Specialists, New York, NY. He taught and did research in Food Chemistry at University of Rhode Island for 15 years, and at Rutgers University for 28 years before retiring in 2017.

Tung-Ching received several awards and honors through his work, including Fellow from the International Academy of Food Science and Technology, “Board of Trustees Award for Excellence in Research” and “Sustained Research Excellence Award” from Rutgers University, Fellow from the American Chemical Society, Fellow of Institute of Food Technologists, and “The Research Scientists of the Year” award from the University of Rhode Island, just to name a few. He also received several research grants, developed several patents, and authored/co-authored more than 260 research papers in review journals and proceedings, and more than 30 books in the area of biotechnology, food science and technology, nutrition, food safety, microbiology, and other related fields.

True to his profession, one of Tung-Ching’s hobbies was food: eating food, reading about food, cooking food, finding new restaurants, etc. He was also an avid traveler, visiting every country and continent except for Australia and New Zealand. Reading was another passion of his, as newspapers, magazines, and books were always surrounding him, and a newspaper or two were always in his satchel when he left the house.

Tung-Ching is survived by his wife of 52 years, I-Wen Yeh, his son Jan, daughter Irene, brother Toney Lee, and sister Gina Hsu, as well as several nephews, nieces, and extended family.

A private funeral was on Saturday, November 26. A public memorial service is on Saturday, December 10, 2022 at 11 a.m. at Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton, NJ. Burial will follow the memorial service.

Flowers can be sent to Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton, NJ, for the December 10 memorial service.

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Patricia Marie Cahill

Patricia Marie (“Pat”) Cahill, 88, of Skillman, NJ, formerly of Princeton, NJ, passed away in her home at Stonebridge on November 25 from the effects of melanoma.

Patricia was born in Boston in 1934 and attended Charlestown High School, where she was known for playing piano and her involvement in the Acting Club. She was an exceptionally bright student and graduated early at the age of 16. After graduation she worked at Shawmut Bank in Boston until she married Andrew Cahill in 1955.

Pat and Andy lived in Providence, RI, Endicott, NY, and Huntington, NY, before settling in Princeton, NJ in 1965 where they raised their five children and lived for almost 40 years.

During their 47 years of marriage Pat and Andy enjoyed many opportunities to travel — trips with friends, IBM Golden Circle Awards (honoring Andy as a top salesperson), and especially visiting family in places like London, Hong Kong, and Paris. They also enjoyed entertaining and many of their friends were associated with their long and active membership at Springdale Golf Club. Along with golfing, Pat was an avid reader, enjoyed tennis, paddle tennis, and in her later years was known as a formidable opponent both at the bridge table and on the bocce court.

In the late 1970s Pat became a real estate agent, which suited her well as she loved looking at houses and exploring Princeton and the surrounding area. She spent many years with NT Callaway Real Estate on Nassau Street where she worked with great friends and found success primarily in retail sales but also sold a few of Princeton’s landmark buildings such as Lower Pyne (corner of Nassau and Witherspoon Streets), which led to its transformation from old bus station to the home of Hamilton Jewelers in 1985.

Pat is pre-deceased by her husband of over 47 years Andrew Cahill, her parents Daniel and Mary (Harrington) Doherty, and brothers Daniel and Francis Doherty. She will be missed by her remaining siblings, Marilyn Scanlon and Vinny Doherty, her children Peter and Diane Cahill, Andy and Janet Cahill, Chris and Carrie Cahill, Mary Pat (Cahill) Rose and Carolyn Cahill, and 10 grandchildren Brian and wife Allison, Dana, Michael and wife Kelly, Kelsey and husband T.J., Nicholas and wife Tina, Kati, Ali, Catherine, Christine, Jack and great-granddaughter Madison Marie.

Pat truly enjoyed the last years of her life with many friends at Stonebridge at Montgomery and her family would like to thank the staff of the Assisted Living Unit for the wonderful care she received in her last months.

Services were held at Mather-Hodge Funeral Home on Tuesday, November 29, with burial and blessing following at Princeton Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the St Jude Children’s Hospital which Pat supported for years (stjude.org).

November 23, 2022

Obituaries 11/23/2022

A. Rice Lyons

A. Rice Lyons, 93, of Princeton died peacefully in her home on October 31, 2022. She was born Hannah Rice on July 4, 1929, in Brooklyn to Morris Rice (a shortening of Reiser when he came through Ellis Island) and Lena (Rothman) Rice, and was the only child of their marriage, though she had several half-sisters. She was not called Hannah as a child, and was registered in school as Anita, learning only as a teenager that Anita was not her birth name. She was called Rice as a first name starting in junior high, where all the kids were known by their last names. That stuck permanently for her.

Rice married her high school sweetheart, Mymon Goldstein, in 1949. They moved to Princeton, where he received his Ph.D. in psychology, then to Denver, where their first two children were born. Another job took them to Bloomington, Indiana, and finally another to Lawrence Township, NJ, in 1960, where their third child was born. Rice began work at Princeton University in the mid-1960s, landing after a few years at the Office of Population Research as its department administrator. She and Mymon divorced in the early 1970s, and he died in 2004. Rice married Terry Lyons in 1973, and they moved to Princeton in 1975. Rice and Terry (still of Princeton) divorced in the late 1980s. She spent the rest of her working career at the OPR until her retirement in 1994, and remained a Princeton resident for the rest of her life.

Rice was a vibrant member of many circles who thrived on community and particularly on bringing people together to do the things she loved. She taught folk dancing for decades, with a particular emphasis on getting people to dance for the first time, and to enjoy dancing as much as she did. She incorporated folk dance into events she led at elementary schools and into LAFF (Life After Forty-Five), a class she developed and taught for years at Princeton University. She became a published poet later in life, and turned to teaching poetry at the Princeton senior center in 2000, which she did until her death. She was an involved member of the Princeton Unitarian church, where she led New Year’s Day poetry readings for years. She was a lifelong knitter, a lover of classy movies and TV shows (especially British mysteries), an enthusiastic poker player, an entertaining charades player, and a great cook. She was always the best storyteller in the room, usually adding a little embellishment to make the story more fun. And she was a loving and playful grandmother.

She is survived by her children Julia Goldstein (George Kostic) of Toronto, Nina Goldstein (Robert Anderson) of Ann Arbor, and Amy Goldstein (Owen O’Donnell) of Princeton, and her grandchildren Evan O’Donnell and Leanne O’Donnell. The family wishes to thank the invaluable Claudette Wright, Rice’s devoted caregiver of her last five years.

There will be a memorial service at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton in early 2023. Memorial contributions may be made to the UUCP or the Princeton Senior Resource Center.

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Barbara Marion Hynds Johnson

Barbara Marion Hynds Johnson, 93, died peacefully on November 4, 2022. Barbara was born on January 26, 1929 in New Haven, CT. She graduated with a BS in Elementary Education from New Haven State Teachers College (now Southern Connecticut State University) in 1950. As a student she served as a member of a delegation to the Connecticut State Legislature to petition for the upgrade of the college to a university to be located at the new Hamden campus. After graduation Barbara taught kindergarten and reading readiness at Truman School, where both she and her mother had been students.

Barbara married John Johnson in 1951, moving with him and their newborn son to Pittsburgh in 1955 when he joined the Westinghouse Electric Corporation Atomic Power Department. In 1955 they moved to Princeton, NJ, where he was assigned to work at the Princeton University Project Matterhorn, the University’s fusion program. He ultimately joined the University’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory for the rest of his working career, enabling her to raise a family in Princeton and contribute to many community activities.

Barbara was a charming hostess when John regularly invited colleagues home for dinner on little notice and she often took charge of the companion’s program at physics conferences and meetings. She was especially proud of teaching an English conversation class to young professional women during a stint at Kyoto University Plasma Physics Laboratory. Barbara served as a volunteer for the Princeton Hospital auxiliary, co-chairing the rummage sale. She was president of the Princeton High School scholarship committee (now the 101 club) and was a strong supporter of the school’s music program, helping to raise money for the choir’s European trips. Barbara was president of both the Princeton University League and the Princeton Women’s Club and served as president, program committee chairman, and member of the scholarship committee of Women’s College Club of Princeton which provides financial assistance to female graduates of local high schools. She was a longtime member and served as chair of the program committee for The Present Day Club. Barbara faithfully served the Princeton United Methodist Church as president of its women’s society, rummage sale chair, member of the membership committee, and church Lay Leader. She chaired the committee that organized and executed PUMC’s sesquicentennial anniversary.

During their 69 years of marriage, Barbara and John were blessed with the opportunity to travel extensively in Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and North America. She loved visiting with old friends, forging new friendships, and spending time with family.

Barbara is pre-deceased by her husband of over 69 years, John Lowell Johnson, and her parents, Frederick Ender and Amelia Rita McDermott Hynds. She will be missed by her children, Lowell and Michelle Johnson, Lesley Johnson-Gelb, Jennifer and David Goodall, seven grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter.

A service in celebration of the lives of Barbara and John Johnson will be held at Princeton United Methodist Church on Saturday, January 28 at 2 p.m. Barbara wishes that any memorial gifts made in her name be directed to the Scholarship Fund of the Women’s College Club of Princeton.

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

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Nancye Allen Fitzpatrick

Nancye Alfriend Allen left us in this world on November 9th to join her loving husband Jim, at the wonderful age of 100.

Nancye’s devotion and commitment to the betterment of children: her own, her grandchildren, those she taught, and especially those in need were a constant gift to all she impacted.

Mother, teacher, mentor, friend — witty and wry to the very end. Nancye was born in Hebron in rural South Central Virginia in 1922, the third daughter of James Aubrey Allen and Mamie Allen nee Baird. It was a simpler world and a farming life she entered. Her family kept chickens, pigs, and a few cows, owned and operated a diesel-powered sawmill deep in the woods and a local country store that doubled as a mail stop on the Norfolk and Western railroad tracks that ran by their lane with occasional haunting whistles. As a family they attended the small Presbyterian church ministered by Reverend Hugh Fitzpatrick; who would later marry Nancye to his son Jim, a childhood friend since the age of 6.

When that local boy, at the age of 17, enlisted, went off to war as a bomber pilot and became a prisoner of war, Nancye started writing letters to him hoping it would help him survive his days of captivity. Little did she imagine that Jim would become her husband and life partner for 66 years.

When Jim returned from Germany, Nancye was teaching high school in Virginia. Over the next few years, he asked her three times to accept his proposal for marriage, and as we know three times is the charm, so they married in 1950. Rural Virginia was soon left behind for the canyon walls of New York City. Nancye bore her first two children on the Upper West Side — Karen 1951 and Hugh 1952 — before relocating to Princeton, NJ, in 1953; chosen so they could raise a family in a college town. They soon built a home in a field on Rosedale Road. 1954 saw her second son Allen arrive and in 1959 her third son Dudley. All of her children carry her maiden name and all feel their deep roots in Hebron soil.

Nancye was the consummate mother. Fierce to defend, clear with moral lessons, quick to console and hug, and always cooking up a storm. It was a well fed, busy, and safe household but if you ever sneaked the cookie jar, she had eyes in the back of her head!

Once her children were off to school, it was time for Nancye to return to teaching: grammar lessons at the kitchen table were no longer enough. Her college years at Longwood State Teachers College and her early teaching positions in Virginia placed her in a long line of family teachers including her mother Mamie, who taught in a one room schoolhouse (often to boys who were older than she), and her two sisters Mary Dudley and Louise, who were also teachers in Virginia. She restarted her career in New Jersey, first as a substitute in the Princeton school system, then full time in the newly built John Witherspoon Middle School. She had a great run there; her students loved her for her support and her ability to challenge them at their level — she wanted the best from all and for all.

Nancye always had a soft spot in her heart for those in need. She served for many years on the Board of the New Grange School. She mentored and tutored in the Trenton After School Program and supported the Princeton YMCA, The Trenton Children’s Chorus, Centurion Ministries, and was an elder at Nassau Presbyterian Church.

Later years were spent traveling with Jim on business as they visited clients, researched companies, and attended conferences worldwide. She enjoyed walking, exploring the cities, and bringing home gifts for her many grandchildren. Nancye loved to make good friends and be with people. Her warmth and genuine interest in others always came through.

Gatherings at 486 Rosedale Road with friends and family were ribald; full of amazing food at Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day, Easter, birthdays, or for any reason, really. She loved to share her food and home with others. Her legacy in this regard has been assumed by the rest of the well-fed Fitzpatrick clan — four children, 12 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, and perhaps expanding even further.

Jim fondly dubbed her “The Rose of Rosedale Road” and she was. Witty to the end, wry with a wink and a smile, always active either digging in her garden, mowing her lawn, preparing food, volunteering in Trenton, walking until her knees played out after 100 years; she will be dearly missed but never forgotten.

Rest in Peace Nancye — Jim is ready and waiting for you!

A service of remembrance and celebration will be held Saturday, December 10 at 11 a.m. in the Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton, New Jersey.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Centurion Ministries.

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

November 16, 2022

Obituaries 11/16/2022

Lawrence J. Perks

Larry Perks, 83, passed away at Merwick Rehabilitation facility in Plainsboro on Saturday, November 12, 2022 following a long illness.

Larry was born in his grandparents’ farmhouse on Cherry Valley Road in Princeton Township on August 13, 1939. He was the son of the late Helen Parriski Perks and Thomas C. Perks Sr. and the brother of the late Thomas C. Perks Jr. and uncle of his late niece Sheila Perks Fisher.

Larry attended Princeton schools and graduated from Princeton High School in 1957. He was employed as a mason by his father until the mid-1970s when he and his brother took over the family business when his father retired. In 1979 Larry was seriously injured in an auto accident that left him unable to return to his line of work.

For many years he was a die-hard fan of Princeton University men’s and women’s basketball teams. He also attended the men’s practice sessions and operated the clock and scoreboard for the team as they practiced. It became a “labor of love” for him. He attended just about every home game the team played since before the days of Bill Bradley.

Larry is survived by several nieces and a nephew. He is also survived by his dear companion, Mary Pelc, with whom he has resided for many, many years, and by several cousins, both in the area and out of town.

There will be no calling hours. A graveside service will be held in Princeton Cemetery on Tuesday, November 22, 2022 at 2 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, please send a donation in his memory to St. Paul’s Parish, 216 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ 08540.

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William Hamilton Fonger

William Hamilton Fonger, PhD (September 19, 1925 – October 3, 2022), passed away in Milton, Delaware. He was born in Chicago, IL, where he grew up.

After serving in the Navy, Bill received his undergraduate, graduate, and PhD degrees from the University of Chicago. He moved to Princeton, NJ, in 1953 and worked at RCA Labs, David Sarnoff Research Center, until 1987. 

Bill was predeceased by his wife Carol Perkins Fonger in 1989. Bill remained in Princeton until 2014 when he moved in with his son, Robert, and son-in-law, Joseph Pecht. William is survived by his three children, Lesley Fonger Faber, Robert Fonger, and Jillanne Chester, as well as six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

November 9, 2022

Obituaries November 9, 2022

James H. Litton

James H. Litton, 87, of Lawrenceville died Tuesday, November 1, 2022 at Brighten Gardens of Florham Park in Florham Park, New Jersey, due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease. Born in Charleston, West Virginia he resided most of his life in Lawrenceville, NJ. James was an internationally acclaimed choral conductor and educator, renowned for teaching young people how to sing. Recognizing his talent and passion for music, his parents found a way to buy him a piano and to pay for piano lessons at the Mason College of Music and Fine Arts in Charleston. His piano teacher encouraged him to progress to the organ, finding him a position as his assistant organist at a local church to get him access to an instrument for practice. That teacher later convinced him to pursue his college studies at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, to study under Dr. Alexander McCurdy. He earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in music, and continued postgraduate studies at Canterbury Cathedral in England with Dr. Allan Wicks.

His choral music career spanned over 60 years, serving as organist, choirmaster, and music director at the American Boychoir School, Washington National Cathedral, St. Bartholomew’s Church (New York), Trinity Church (Princeton), Christ Church Cathedral (Indianapolis), and Trinity Episcopal Church (Southport, CT). He also served as organist at several churches during his graduate and undergraduate studies at Westminster Choir College (now of Rider University) and while in high school. James toured with his various choirs and led choral festivals worldwide. He prepared his choirs for performances of major works with many of the world’s outstanding orchestras, and for several dozens of recordings, including a track with the American Boychoir on a platinum album by Michael W. Smith, Go West Young Man. An accomplished organist, James played organ concerts throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, South Africa, and Asia.

He was an assistant professor of organ and head of the church music department at Westminster Choir College and the C. F. Seabrook Director of Music at Princeton Theological Seminary. He also served as visiting lecturer at Virginia Theological Seminary and at Sewanee: The University of the South.

A Fellow of the Royal School of Church Music, James was awarded honorary Doctor of Music degrees from the University of Charleston and from the Westminster Choir College of Rider University. The Litton-Lodal music directorship of the American Boychoir School was endowed by a gift from Jan and Elizabeth Lodal in honor of his career.

As a member and vice chairman of the Episcopal Church’s Standing Commission on Church Music, he participated in the preparation and publication of the Episcopal Hymnal, 1982. He was also the editor of the Plainsong Psalter for the Episcopal Church.

James was a co-founder and former president of the Association of Anglican Musicians, which was founded in 1966 and continues to thrive today. He also founded many choral ensembles in West Virginia, Connecticut, Indiana, New Jersey, and New York.

James met his beloved late wife, Lou Ann, in the seventh grade in Charleston, West Virginia, brought together by their mutual love of music. They married after graduating from college in 1957. Married for almost 55 years, Jim and Lou Ann enjoyed vacations and tours with the many choral groups he led throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. Their four children were born in Southport, CT, and Indianapolis, IN, and grew up in Lawrenceville, NJ. Cherished family memories include long drives to the Outer Banks of North Carolina in the family station wagon and a trip to Maine and the maritime provinces of Canada in a rented RV. Family trips often included stops to see organs in churches miles out of the way of the stated destination. James was a resident of Lawrenceville for more than 50 years, before moving to Hightstown, NJ, and then to Florham Park, NJ.

Son of the late J. Howard and Bessie Blue (Binford) Litton, he is predeceased by his beloved wife Lou Ann. He was a very devoted caregiver for Lou Ann as she fought her own battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He is also predeceased by his son-in-law James Purdon, and his brother-in-law William Ray. James is survived by his son Bruce Litton and his daughter-in-law Patricia of Bedminster, NJ; his daughter Deborah Purdon of Maplewood, NJ; his son David Litton and his daughter-in-law Carol Dingeldey of West Hartford, CT; and his son Richard Litton and daughter-in-law Alysia of Wall Township, NJ; sister Betty Ray of Charlottesville, VA; and grandchildren Matthew Litton of Costa Mesa, CA, Kiersten Litton of Asbury Park, NJ, and Kyle Litton of Hoboken, NJ.

A Visitation will be held on Friday, November 11, 2022 from 6-8 p.m. at the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton.

The Funeral will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, November 12, 2022 at the Trinity Church, 33 Mercer Street, Princeton. A reception in the church social hall will follow the service.

The committal will take place at a later date at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in the village of Litton in Somerset County and the Diocese of Bath and Wells in England.

The family would like to thank his excellent caregivers and the staff at Meadow Lakes, Always Best Care, and especially Brighton Gardens of Florham Park for their attentive and loving care of Jim.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Association of Anglican Musicians James Litton Grant for Choral Training (anglicanmusicians.org/litton-gift/) and the Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org).

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Melva Gage Madsen
April 27, 1937 – September 19, 2022

Beloved “Aunt Mel” to three generations of nieces and nephews, and dear friend to many more, Melva Frances Gage Madsen passed away at age 85 in Plainsboro, NJ, after an extended illness. She was born April 27, 1937 to Laurence and Fern (Moss) Gage in the kitchen of their Brookfield Twp. farmhouse. After graduating from the one-room Cordial Grade School and Ottawa High School, she earned a BS in Commercial Teaching from the University of Illinois in 1959 and later, her Master’s from Indiana University.

Melva taught typing and shorthand for two years at Saybrook Arrowsmith High School, Saybrook, IL, and three years at Dixon High School in Dixon, IL. Later she worked as an Executive Assistant for 27 years at the Arthur Andersen international public accounting firm. Finally, Melva transferred for four years to Andersen’s Consulting Division (now known as Accenture) from which she retired in 1999.

In retirement Melva enjoyed flower arranging in which she had excelled as a teen in the Brookfield 4-H Club. For 60 years she provided organ accompaniment for weddings and congregations, including McKinley Church on the U of I Campus, Brookfield Presbyterian Church until it closed in 1975, and the Congregational Church in Marseilles for 10 years until 2009.

Simultaneously, while remaining single, Melva was a proud member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Illini chapter, serving two terms as Regent. She was also a music aficionado and sports fan, holding season tickets for 30 years to Chicago Symphony Orchestra concerts and University of Illinois football and basketball games.

At her 50th U of I class reunion in 2009, life changed when Ed Madsen, a classmate she had not seen for 50 years, invited Melva to a dinner date. Regaling in happy memories, including their first date attending a Louis Armstrong concert in 1957, embers of romance were rekindled.  Before the weekend was over, Ed coaxed her to his side at the piano while he played and sang his original composition.  He began with the words “Oh give me an Illinois Girl,” and ended with “Melva, will you marry me?”  Time and again when this story has been retold, someone exclaims: “There is still hope!”

Married in 2010, their 50-year “whirlwind romance” was capped with 12 joyful years of marriage. Living mostly at Ed’s home in Princeton, NJ, their travels included honeymooning in Denmark, and a memorable road trip to the Grand Tetons in Wyoming as well frequent holiday visits with Ed’s family  at the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, VT.

Melva was predeceased by her parents and two brothers, Laurence “Larry” F. (Ruth) Gage and Robert L. (Doris) Gage.  She is survived by her husband, Edgar B. Madsen; nieces Laurie Gage and Linda (Brian) Fluty; nephews Read Gage, Bruce (Cheryl) Gage, Robert “Reg” (Janet) Gage, and Duane (Cathy) Gage; as well as more than 30 grand and great-grand nephews and nieces.

A memorial service for Melva will be held at Nassau Presbyterian Church on Monday, November 14 at 3 p.m. Memorial gifts may be directed to a charity of your choice or Kemmerer Village School, 941 N. 2500 East Road, Assumption, IL 62510.

———

Frank Rainer Schmidt
Architect

Frank Schmidt, 79, passed away abruptly on November 1, 2022 after a courageous battle with lung cancer. His passion for architecture defined his life, forever taking on new challenges and striving to make a difference through design. His empathic approach to his clients allowed him to sense and understand their hopes and wishes and to transform them into reality. It was this ability to connect with people through words and design that he was such a well-liked architect — and it was also the foundation for his eternal love for music.

A neighbor wrote this in memory of Frank: “Frank completed this neighborhood with his unique and loved character. We are going to miss his kindness and generosity of spirit. We are going to miss his piano music streaming out of the windows in the evenings. We are going to miss his spur-of-the-moment political concerns and discussions. In his special way, he made our neighborhood a ‘paradise’ for us all.”

Frank is survived by his wife, Dodi; his daughter-in-law, Marjorie; and many nieces and nephews. A celebration of his life will take place in the spring.

———

Connie Marks

Connie Marks, for more than 35 years an elementary school teacher in Philadelphia, died November 4, 2022, at 95. She was beloved in her neighborhood of Northeast Philly, where she got hundreds of children off to a strong academic start and helped them become kind, curious, and self-confident human beings. Every school has a teacher for whom parents petition the principal, begging for their children to be in that class. Connie was that teacher. Connie lived in Princeton, N.J., since 2005.

Born July 15, 1927, in Philadelphia, Constance Pearl Seidler was the daughter of Morris and Rose Seidler, who owned a dry-goods store in Minersville, Pa., a town known for its anthracite coal. She was the middle child, coming after brother Edwin and before baby sister Lois. The Seidlers were among only a few Jewish families in the community.

Connie’s high school yearbook singled her out as “the career girl” of the class. She loved reading, and as a high school student, she hoped to become a librarian. Minersville’s public library had closed in 1941, and in 1944, Connie and three classmates came up with a project to reopen it. With the help of a teacher, they cleaned all the books and helped to get the building ready. The library reopened in November of that year and remains open today.

After high school, Connie attended Penn State University, commuting to a satellite campus for the first two years. Her family had lost the dry-goods store as a result of the Great Depression, and so did not have money to send her for a master’s degree, which she would need to become a librarian. She majored in education instead. For the rest of her life, she said this was one of the best things that ever happened to her.

Connie adored teaching, and her students adored her. Her first teaching job was at the Landreth School in Philadelphia. But she spent almost her entire career — 35 years — at the school her own children attended, Louis H. Farrell Elementary School, just a couple of blocks from her Northeast Philadelphia home. She taught first and second grade — sometimes together — and led school assemblies and conducted the chorus. Some of her success can be attributed to what came to be known as the “Connie look”: She would stand silently at the front of a roomful of rambunctious 6-year-olds, and within seconds, the children would miraculously settle into silence.

In the 1970s, when Northeast Philly drew Jewish immigrants from the Soviet Union and refugees from Vietnam, Connie advocated for these students and gave them clothing, toys, and equipment from her family’s closets. “If you haven’t worn it, played with it, or used it in a year, you don’t need it,” her daughter, Marilyn, recalls Connie telling her. Connie stressed that her daughter should never say anything if she saw another child wearing her coat or riding her bike in the schoolyard, as this would embarrass the child.

Connie’s success and devotion to teaching were recognized by her supervisors and others. She was nominated multiple times by district leaders to be national Teacher of the Year, and when she retired, the City Council adopted a resolution lauding her for “tapping into the inquisitive minds of children, and instilling pride and confidence in her students … so no child slips through the system unnoticed.” A council member presented the resolution at a surprise school assembly.

She was a strong supporter of her union, the American Federation of Teachers. But when the union went on strike for better working conditions — occasionally for weeks at a time — Connie worried that children in her class would fall behind. Each day, after spending the morning on the picket line, Connie would spend the afternoon tutoring children at her home. The lessons were free, though some families offered payment in lasagnas and cakes.
The great love of Connie’s life was Morris Marks, whom she met when they lived across the street from each other in Philadelphia. They were married for 64 years, until Morris died in May 2018. Together, they traveled around the country and the world, visiting Israel, the United Kingdom, and finally — in her late 70s — China, where their son, Ted, was working. The couple moved to Tamarac, Florida, for several years after retirement, where they built a network of close friends and were introduced to the pleasures of early-bird dinners. In 2005, health concerns brought them back to the Northeast, where they could be close to their daughter.

Connie enjoyed living in Princeton, where she found friends among neighbors and fellow members of her book club, the local chapter of Jewish Women International, and the Let’s Talk group meeting at the Princeton Senior Resource Center. She never missed an election and grew especially interested in politics later in life. She attended her first political fundraiser — for Barack Obama — when she was 81 years old.

Connie is survived by her children and children-in-law, Marilyn Marks Tal and Reli Tal of Princeton, with whom she lived; and Ted and Ilene Fluss Marks of San Jose, California. She is also survived by three grandchildren, Rinat Ma’ayan Tal, Eliana Lauren Marks, and Zachary Aaron Marks. In recent years, she most cherished her time with Rinat, Eliana, and Zack.

Funeral services and burial were held Sunday, November 6, at Princeton Cemetery.

The family suggests that contributions in her memory be sent to the Minersville, Pa., public library (minersvillelibrary.org); the Home and School Association at Farrell Elementary School (c/of Debbie Simon, Farrell School, 8300 Castor Avenue, Philadelphia, PA, 19152); Planned Parenthood (plannedparenthood.org); or HIAS (hias.org).

Arrangements are by Orland’s Memorial Chapel. For condolences, please visit Connie’s obituary page at OrlandsMemorialChapel.com.

———

Peter M. O’Neill

Peter Michael O’Neill (1946-2022) passed away peacefully on October 25 after a valiant, graceful struggle with Parkinson’s disease. Recognized by his warm smile and kind heart, Peter was also known for his attentiveness, moral compass, and sense of humor. While battling a relentlessly debilitating disease in his final years, Peter continued to practice law, play golf, watch the Yankees and the Giants (with great vigor!), share book recommendations, and craft a steady stream of jokes until the end.

Peter was born in Summit, New Jersey, on November 22, 1946 to the late Peter E. O’Neill, a decorated World War II veteran, and Patricia O’Neill. He and his sister, Tina O’Neill Finn, grew up in Mountain Lakes, New Jersey, and he graduated from Mountain Lakes High School in 1964, where he lettered in basketball and track. From Mountain Lakes, Peter went on to central New York to attend Colgate University where he ran track earning letters each year along with the “All-East” accolade. The hills of Colgate were never far from Peter’s heart, as he organized countless events and reunions, including chairing his 50th reunion committee.

At the time of his death Peter was a member of the Colgate Alumni Council and nominated for another term.

As he wrote in the 50th reunion book “Tapestry”: “My life changed on June 8, 1968, when just two weeks after graduating from Colgate, I met my future wife, Anne … I was as single and unattached as you could be, when Jeff LaCour a fellow Fiji asked me to go to a house around the corner and pick up a lifeguard he worked with who would not attend his party alone. Rang the doorbell, and Anne walked into my life.”

With his characteristic sense of purpose, he headed to Boston University School of Law while Anne went to the western part of Massachusetts as a freshman at Smith College. Two months after Peter’s graduation from law school in June 1971, he and Anne married on August 28th, surrounded by friends and their families.

After a stint in the Essex County Prosecutor’s office in Newark trying criminal cases on behalf of the State, Peter joined a small firm in Newark. Then one enlightened day after several years of coming home to Princeton and finding his children asleep, he decided to take his legal skills to Princeton — and with any luck be home for dinner with his family. He established a well-respected and busy law practice on Nassau Street, representing individuals and businesses in a variety of transactional and litigation matters. At the time of his death, Peter was with the law firm of Stevens & Lee, in Lawrenceville.

In addition to his passions for Colgate, law, and his family, Peter embraced golf after the semi-retirement of his tennis racquet. He was a member of The Bedens Brook Club, where he was a past president, and TPC Jasna Polana, where he was on the Board of Governors. Peter and Anne shared this love of golf together playing numerous courses across the U.S. and abroad with various friends and family members. On September 22, 1998, at Tullyhogue, the mystical site in County Tyrone, of the O’Neill clan, Peter was crowned Chieftain. Ireland and his passion for golf would be forever linked.

He is survived by his wife, Anne; his three children, Katie O’Neill Burgener of Boston, MA, Sarah O’Neill Kreter of Londonderry, NH, and Michael Sean O’Neill of Bloomfield, NJ; their spouses Phil Burgener, Justin Kreter, and Brittany Trevenen O’Neill; and his six grandchildren, Annabel, Eloise, Cody, Gunnar, Abigail, and Elizabeth. Peter is also survived by his sister, Tina, his niece, Christen, and a legion of loving Conley family relatives (Anne is one of 11 siblings).

Peter relished connecting with friends and family near and far, playing amateur deejay, dancing with Anne whether in the living room or on a wedding dance floor, traveling with friends and family, cooking and grilling, devouring non-fiction and fiction alike, along with reading anything to his grandchildren. And being a grateful citizen of the Princeton community for over 50 years.

In honor of Peter’s lifelong pursuit of strength in both mind and body, donations in his memory can be made to Colgate University or Princeton Medical Center Foundation.

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

———

Raymond Leroy Hallows

Raymond Leroy Hallows, 93, of Skillman, NJ, died on October 27, 2022, close to his loving family.

Ray grew up in Joplin, Missouri. Since he, age 12, bought his first Bolex movie camera, his passion was documenting family memories in motion pictures and video.

Ray received a BSEE degree in 1952 from Missouri University – Science and Technology. Upon graduation, Ray joined the Radio Corporation of America. Following RCA, Ray’s engineering positions were with New Jersey Public Broadcasting Authority, Mercer County Community College, Advanced Technology Systems in Fairlawn, NJ, EMR Photoelectric in Princeton, and CBS in New York.

He married Barbara Gould in 1962 and they raised three children, Laurie, Kenneth, and Gail in Lawrenceville, NJ. Ray loved the family home, which he maintained attentively for 57 years. There, he assembled an extensive collection of editing and projection equipment. He enjoyed working on audio visual projects and running his film-to-tape and digital editing and transfer service. Over the years, there were many family reunions, especially on Star Island, in the historic Isles of Shoals, 10 miles off Portsmouth, NH.

He was a Life Member of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, serving as Manager and Membership Chairman in Philadelphia, and on the Board of Editors of the SMPTE Journal.

He was also a member of the Princeton Chapter of the SPEBSQSA (Society for Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America). His involvement in this group inspired his lifelong habit of spontaneously erupting into humorous song. This irreverent and joyful practice continued to his final days. A master of the English language, he enjoyed crossword puzzles, and playfully recited puns, poetry, limericks, and famous quotations.

Ray is predeceased by his sister, Jean Ann and his first granddaughter, Evan Lee. He is survived by his wife, Barbara Hallows; three children: Laurie (John), Kenneth (Nuria), and Gail (Jonathan); eight grandchildren: Eleanor, Theo, Brian, Alexander, Andrew, Kale, Adelaide, and Lane; nieces, Lani, Diane, and nephew, David and their families.

A private burial and life celebration tribute was held at the Natural Burial Space at Rosemont Cemetery, in Hunterdon County, NJ.

A memorial service is planned for Spring 2023 at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton (UUCP), 50 Cherry Hill Road, Princeton, NJ 08540.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the UUCP, or the Star Island Corporation, Portsmouth, NH, or Doctors Without Borders.

———

Edwin Paul Beckerman

Edwin Paul Beckerman, the library director who helped transform a patchwork of small, unaffiliated book rooms into the modern Woodbridge Library System, died Saturday, October 29 at age 94. He had been a Princeton resident since 1968.

“He was the Garibaldi of our system,” said his daughter-in-law, Wenda Rottweiler, the current coordinator of the Woodbridge Main Library, who has been with the system since 1989. “He brought everything together, and brought it into the modern age.”

Ed was also an author, teacher, and past president of the New Jersey Library Association (1970-1971) whose ideas about library construction and management had an influence that went beyond New Jersey.

He was a trustee of the Princeton Public Library for more than a decade, and did consulting work for more than 100 libraries in the tri-state area and beyond. His 1994 book Administration of the Public Library, written with Alice Gertzog, has become a standard text.

“He always had wisdom to share with us, and he was so generous with his time,” recalled Leslie Burger, past president of the American Library Association, who was mentored by Beckerman. “He was respected by everybody.”

When Beckerman arrived in Woodbridge, in 1964, each section of the sprawling township had its own independent library — stocked with a motley assortment of donated books. Of some 70,000 books in the eight sites, he later recalled, maybe 20,000 were worth keeping. One chemistry book dated back to 1913.

Beckerman knit the system together, turning the independent libraries into branches, hiring qualified personnel, and bringing in a flood of new — and properly vetted — books and periodicals.

Four new branch libraries were built during his 26-year tenure: in Iselin, Fords, Port Reading, and Colonia. In 1974, he cut the ribbon on the new $2.9 million Woodbridge Main Library on Route 35. Its collection included 175,000 books, 500 films, and 900 periodicals. When he’d arrived, the total number of subscriptions — between all eight township libraries — had been 20.

“He had the ability to see the future,” Burger said.

Ed, the son of Morris and Elizabeth Beckerman, grew up in the Bronx, in the shadow of Yankee Stadium. From their building, they could literally see into it. “We used to be able to go up to the roof of my house, take a radio, and see the game,” he recalled in 1990.

It was a neighborhood of immigrants and strivers. Future singer Eydie Gormé was a local. So was Stanley Kubrick, Ed’s classmate (and occasional ping-pong partner) at William Howard Taft High School. Ed’s brother, Bernard Beckerman, was to become a noted Shakespeare scholar. Ed had been active in theater himself, but a hearing impairment led him away from the stage, and into library work.

After getting a BA from the University of Missouri and MLS degree from Columbia, he found work as a consultant for the New York Public Library — with special emphasis on outreach. He helped pioneer bookmobile programs for underserved communities, and worked in Harlem in the mid-1950s. Social justice was important to him: one of his proudest achievements, in Woodbridge, was the creation of Middlesex County’s first Head Start program.
Ed married librarian Jean Friedburg in 1954. They had three children: James, Lee, and Peter. Jean died in June 2020.

In 1963, in Woodbridge, there was a referendum. Should those scattered, antiquated libraries be brought into the 20th century? They should. Beckerman was by then known in the field; he had worked at the Leicester City Public Library in England (as part of a Department of State exchange program) and was assistant director of the Yonkers N.Y. Public Library. He was tapped for the job.

Ed had a mandate. But that wasn’t enough. One of his key insights was that library management was a political job.

Funding depended on the good will of elected officials — some of whom might have little interest in books.

So he made himself a familiar figure in Woodbridge. He hobnobbed with mayors, and advocated for libraries at town council meetings and Rotary Club get-togethers. Politics and The American Public Library: Creating Political Support for Library Goals, published in 1996, was his master class on the subject.

How right he was became apparent in 1965, when he faced strong headwinds from critics.

Book bans are headline news today. But they aren’t new. Two novels, the bawdy satire Candy and the grimly realistic Last Exit to Brooklyn, were causing a stir. “Obscene and rotten filth,” one former councilman called them.

Beckerman had both books on his shelves. Worse, he had actually spoken at a Rutgers symposium on censorship, co-sponsored by the ACLU. There were some who wanted his head.

But Ed had laid the groundwork. He had allies in city hall. He also had a knack for bridge-building, for patiently explaining his beliefs. “The question of the value of the material is disagreed upon among the critics,” he said. He himself found Last Exit “brilliant, revolting.” But shouldn’t people be allowed to make up their own minds? In a unanimous vote, the library board of trustees reaffirmed the book selection and gave Beckerman their full backing.

“Tact,” read a plaque on Ed’s desk — it was a paraphrase of Churchill — “is when you tell someone to go to hell, and they can’t wait to get there.” Ed Beckerman was a very tactful man.

Another example of his tact — and decency — was recalled by his son Lee. They were eating at a New York cafeteria, and saw a homeless man collecting scraps. Ed quietly dropped a bill on the ground, then picked it up and handed it to the man, saying, “I think you dropped this.”

“To me, not only the empathy to recognize a person in need, but the ability to help without assaulting the other person’s dignity, was masterful,” Lee said.

Ed was a lifelong Yankee fan, Civil War enthusiast, theater aficionado, Mozart lover, and folk music buff who had been playing guitar since age 20. He was known to his neighbors at Brandywine Living, his home since 2017, for playing in the weekly jam sessions with other residents.

He was a kind, gentle, generous man who will be missed by his sons Jim, Lee, and Peter and their spouses, Tom, Wendi, and Eileen; his grandchildren Max, Amelia, Kai, and Lydia; his niece Susan Braun; and his nephews Michael Beckerman, Jonathan Beckerman, and Michael Braun.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the New Jersey Library Association scholarship fund at njla.org or the ACLU at aclu.org.

Extend condolences and share memories at The KimbleFuneralHome.com.

November 2, 2022

Obituaries 11/2/2022

Dorothy Ryfun Senich

Dorothy Ryfun Senich passed away peacefully in her home in Albuquerque, NM, on October 18 at the age of 96. She was born in 1925 in Syracuse, NY, the youngest, and last surviving, of seven children. 

Dorothy spent two years in Germany from 1948-1950 as a Defense Department Program Recreation Director and participated in the Berlin Airlift. She was an accomplished ballerina and taught ballroom dancing for Arthur Murray upon her return to New York City. Dorothy was also a bonds salesman for Dun & Bradstreet.

She married Mike Senich, cartoonist, in 1953. She raised two daughters and promoted Mike’s art, eventually opening the Misen Art Gallery on Nassau Street in Princeton, NJ. Dorothy was an active environmentalist and believed that nutrition, not medication, was the way to a healthy life. 

She is survived by her daughters Barbara Trembley and Jane Maciag Ryfun, five grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. All glory to God. Many thanks to Heartland Hospice for their kind care during her last months. 

———

John Wells

John Wells, 69, of Pennington, passed away in the early morning hours of Wednesday, October 5, from complications associated with Parkinson’s disease. 

Born in Princeton, NJ, to Stanley and Eleanor Wells, and raised with Quaker values, John was imbued with exceptional patience and perseverance, empowering him to build and maintain relationships across the most disparate groups. In 1978, John met Corinne Reslier at the Nassau Inn in Princeton. John and Corinne married in September 1979 and subsequently had two children, Casey Victoria and James August.

John’s first professional job was with Peterson’s Guides. He started as an editor and advanced through self-taught skills to the roles of database manager and technical liaison, leading to a 30-odd year career in the college publishing industry. 

As a child, John was exposed to the wonders of nature through regular trips to the wilderness of upstate NY. In 1997 he completed a lifelong goal of joining the ranks of the Adirondack 46ers, and subsequently inspired many more to pursue the honor. His love for the wilderness of upstate NY led him to start writing a fantasy novel based on local Adirondack features.

Throughout his adult life, John pursed many passions. He became an accomplished self-taught blues musician and composer who graced local audiences with his passionate slide guitar and strong voice while particpating in three local bands. An award-winning photographer with an eye for natural surrealism and industrial ruins, John effortlessly captured beauty in natural and man-made surroundings. He was an accomplished birder, able to identify birds not only visually but by their songs. He attained a brown belt in karate, stopping short of earning a black belt due to the disease that was progressing.

John was predeceased by his parents and his brother Samuel. He is survived by his wife Corinne, daughter Casey and son-in-law Sean O’Shea, son James Reslier-Wells, and granddaughter Eleanor O’Shea, and many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, loving and caring in-laws, and many long-term friends who defy description.

A memorial service is planned for Saturday, December 3 at 1 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton, 50 Cherry Hill Road, Princeton. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to The Parkinson Alliance (parkinsonalliance.org).

———

James F. O’Brien

James F. O’Brien, age 82, of Zagreb, Croatia, died on October 6, 2022. Born in Princeton, New Jersey, he attended the Lawrenceville School, and graduated from Dartmouth College in 1962. He lived for a time in Putney, Vermont, but resided in Europe most of his life.  

James’ career spanned journalism, teaching linguistics, and collecting and trading rare books. He was a championship bridge player.

Son of the late Charles Russell and Anne Callan O’Brien, brother of the late Mary Russell O’Brien, he is survived by his siblings, Carol Desmond, Charlotte Kenney, and Charles O’Brien.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on November 8 at St. Paul’s Church, 216 Nassau Street, Princeton. Burial will be in the family site at St. Paul’s Cemetery. 

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

———

Mary Russell O’Brien

Mary Russell O’Brien, age 73, a longtime resident of Lexington MA, but recently of Marlborough MA, died on October 23, 2022. Born in Princeton, New Jersey, she attended the Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart in Princeton and graduated with bachelor’s and master’s degrees respectively from Wheaton College and the Missouri School of Journalism.

“Rusty,” as she was known to friends, was a journalist and writer for Gannett newspapers, Time Life magazines, and several large corporations. 

Daughter of the late Charles Russell and Anne Callan O”Brien, sister of the late James O’Brien, she is survived by her siblings, Carol Desmond, Charlotte Kenney, and Charles O’Brien. 

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on November 8 at St. Paul’s Church, 216 Nassau Street, Princeton. Burial will be private. 

Donations in her memory can be made to the Stuart School in Princeton in support of the Callan O’Brien Family Scholarship Endowment.

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

———

Susan Behr Travers

Lifelong resident of Princeton, Susan Behr Travers, passed away in early October at the age of 80 years (young) surrounded by family and loved ones. 

She is survived by her children, Kimberly Behr (Travers) Hansen (Irving, TX) and Benjamin Howell Travers (Mill Valley, CA); grandchildren, Timothy Hansen, Mary Hansen, Alexis Travers, Elizabeth Travers, and Christopher Travers; siblings, Lynn (Behr) Sanford (Princeton, NJ), Sally (Behr) Ogden Fisher (Palm Beach, FL), and Elaine (Behr) King (Dover, MA). 

ROSE — having been raised by and loved by this beautiful woman.
THORN — watching her suffer so terribly these last six months and losing her in early October.
BUD — anxiously awaiting the day when we can see her again in her heavenly garden (which we’re sure will be spectacular!).

Rest in Grace, Mom/Nonnie/Susie. We will always be forever grateful for your love. Your adventures have only just begun…

Thank you to all of her caregivers, medical and hospice care teams, friends and family that have helped us through these last six months. You are all heaven sent.

We will be having a celebration of life service at a later date, but, in lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to your local Master Gardeners, Nature Center, Animal Rescue Center, or favorite National Park in honor of mom’s love of nature, fur babies, and the great outdoors.

Prayers, Peace, Love, and Strength. 

———

Barbara Kinney Kahora Marion

Barbara Kinney Kahora Marion died peacefully on Sunday, October 23, 2022. Barbara was born in Bridgewater, NJ, and resided in New Jersey until 2021 when she moved to West Palm Beach, Florida, to be near family and friends. She loved the life she created at Lourdes McKeen and all of her new friends there.

Barbara attended Somerville High School and then pursued her lifelong dream to become a nurse. Graduating from Orange Memorial Nursing School in 1964, she joined several of her sisters and brother with a career in medicine. She worked as an operating room nurse for 35 years and then as a volunteer hospice nurse. Above all, Barbara was known for her ability to connect with people. She was the kindest person in any room and her melodic soothing voice was characteristic of her personality. Barbara loved to share laughter and joy, always with a twinkle in her dancing blue eyes and her magnetic charm at the forefront.

An avid traveler, Barbara had managed to visit many exotic places, including five of the seven continents. Among her favorites were Paris, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Italy. Since her husband was a former surgeon, the two made jewelry-making into a hobby and would visit faraway places looking for unique gems.

Barbara loved spending the summers in Nantucket, MA, with her family and created a lifetime of memories there with her beloved grandchildren, George, Teddy, Campbell, and Barbara (Lolly) and blond dachshunds Sugar and Honey that never left her side.

She is predeceased by her husband Dr. Russell Marion and parents Elizabeth and Thomas Quincy Kinney. She is survived by a daughter, Beth Kahora Taylor and son-in-law, George “Beau” Taylor; grandchildren, George, Theodore “Teddy,” William “Campbell,” and Barbara “Lolly”; sisters Kathy, Joyce, Rose, Nancy and brother Richard “Duke”; beloved nieces and nephews; and two lifelong friends, Betsy and Maryann. She will be missed immeasurably.

Services were at Quattlebaum Funeral Home, 6411 Parker Avenue, West Palm Beach, FL on Tuesday, November 1.

Church Service will be Wednesday, November 2 at 9 a.m. at Royal Ponciana Chapel, 60 Coconut Row, Palm Beach, FL.

———

Lucienne “Loulette” Wolfson

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and sister, Lucienne “Loulette” Wolfson, 82, on Tuesday, October 25, 2022, following a courageous, hard-fought battle with cancer.

Born in Bordeaux France, to Nissim and Marie Dray, she met the love of her life, the late Dr. Joseph Wolfson, DDS, in Bordeaux and moved to the U.S. with him in 1962 to begin their family. Recognized by many as Lou Lou, she has always been well-known for her spirited disposition, unwavering strength, and sense of humor. She tackled many professional roles throughout her life, including ballet teacher, dress shop owner in the Princeton area, and fashion management in New York City.

She is survived by her three daughters, Erika Cosentino, Daniele Cardelia, and Nicole Deluca, and six grandchildren — Drew, Bridget, Patrick, Alyssa, Charlotte, and Jack — the lights of her life, as well as her seven brothers and sisters.

Funeral services were on Friday, October 28 at Adath Israel Congregation, 1958 Lawrenceville Road, Lawrenceville. Interment was private at Washington Crossing Veterans Cemetery.

Funeral arrangements by Orland’s Ewing Memorial Chapel. For condolences, please visit the obituaries page at OrlandsMemorialChapel.com.

October 26, 2022

Obituaries 10/26/2022

Robert (Bobby) Willig

Robert (Bobby) Willig, Professor Emeritus of Economics and Public Affairs at Princeton University, and former Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Economics of the U.S. Department of Justice, passed away on October 21, 2022 in Ewing, NJ.

Bobby was born in Brooklyn, NY, and received his Ph.D. in Economics and an M.S in Operations Research from Stanford University, and an A.B. in Mathematics from Harvard University. He began his career at Bell Labs in Princeton, becoming Supervisor in the prestigious Economics Research group. After just five years, he was recruited to join the faculty of Princeton University as a full professor. He taught for 43 years at the School of Public and International Affairs and the Economics Department at Princeton University, and served as the Faculty Chair of the Master’s Program in Public Affairs. Bobby’s research and teaching specialized in the fields of industrial organization, regulation, antitrust, and welfare theory.

Bobby consulted for the Federal Trade Commission, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Bank, diverse national governments, and numerous private clients. Along with partners Janusz Ordover, Jon Orszag, and Meg Guerin-Calvert, he founded Compass Lexecon, the largest economic consulting firm in the world.

Over his long and distinguished career, Bobby has been the influencer or driver of many of the most important regulatory and antitrust events of the past 50 years.

From 1989 to 1991, Bobby served as the Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Economics in the Antitrust Division of the United States Department of Justice. In that role, he was critical to the development of the DoJ/FTC Horizontal Merger Guidelines, which define how the antitrust authorities of the federal government analyze mergers. Bobby’s influence forever put economic analysis at the center of merger matters for the US Government. After leaving the Department of Justice, he continued his public service by advising state, federal, and international agencies on welfare-enhancing economic regulation.

He was qualified by numerous courts, regulatory bodies, and arbitrators as an expert witness in the fields of microeconomics and industrial organization and their areas of application such as competition policy, pricing, costing, valuation, intellectual property, and contractual relations.

His most cited work is his seminal 1982 book, Contestable Markets and the Theory of Industry Structure with William Baumol and John Panzar. This idea of “contestable” markets has had a lasting impact on the field and the analysis remains unsurpassed to this day.

Bobby is also the author of the book Welfare Analysis of Policies Affecting Prices and Products, and he wrote over 80 articles in professional economics and law literatures. His influential paper “Consumer’s Surplus without Apology” opened the door for the welfare analysis of imperfectly competitive markets. He was a co-editor of both The Handbook of Industrial Organization and Can Privatization Deliver?: Infrastructure for Latin America and Second Generation Reforms in Infrastructure Services, and served on the editorial boards of the American Economic Review, the Journal of Industrial Economics, and the MIT Press Series on Regulation. He was also elected a Fellow of the Econometric Society just eight years after his Ph.D.

At Princeton University, Bobby brought his real-world experience and contagious passion to undergraduate and graduate classrooms for over four decades. He taught microeconomics in the economic department’s large 101 introductory course, and a popular mid-level course on industrial organization, but his most impactful teaching was to generations of Masters of Public Affairs students. Princeton University estimates that over 1,200 of the world’s leading policymakers owe their microeconomic training to Professor Bobby Willig.

But Bobby considered his greatest accomplishment to be the product of his collaboration with Ginny Mason, his loving wife of 49 years. Together, Bobby and Ginny created four children and raised two nephews who collectively produced 11 children, all of whom received Bobby’s powerful wisdom, guidance, genetics, and unconditional love and support. Most importantly, he gave them a North Star to look up to and live by.

Family was Bobby’s greatest passion and highest priority, followed by his economics work, bridge, mathematics, pinball, pens, poker, and giraffes. Bobby earned the title of Bronze Life Master from the American Contact Bridge League and will forever hold the all-time record 2785 on the pinball machine at the now-defunct Tommy’s Lunch in Cambridge, MA.

Bobby had his own unique way of working. His deepest insights were most often produced between midnight and sunrise. He was intensely and equally intellectual, passionate, clever, nurturing, brilliant, generous, emotional, confident, and loving.

There is little doubt that countless family members, students, colleagues, friends, and all those who intersected with him at some point in his 75 years, were impacted significantly positively, and in many cases profoundly, by Bobby Willig.

Bobby is predeceased by his parents Meg and Jack Willig, and his sister Paula Siegel. He is survived by his wife of 49 years Ginny Mason; his four children Jared Mason Willig (Chief Content Officer, Townsquare Media and former Managing Director, AOL Entertainment) and wife Julia Benedict, Scott Mason Willig (Head of Precious Metal Trading and Managing Director, JP Morgan) and wife Brittany Harris, Brent Mason Willig (Team Lead at The Emerson Group) and wife Sasha Khachatryan, and Alexandra Mason Willig (Vice President at Horizon Media) and husband David Helene; eight grandchildren Samantha, Allison, Jax, Charlotte, Elle, Naomi, Banks, and Jordan Willig (after seven granddaughters, finally a boy!); beloved nephews Danny Siegel and David Siegel and wife Myra Clark-Siegel and children Noa, Elai, and Benjamin.

Funeral services were held October 24 at The Jewish Center of Princeton, with burial at Princeton Cemetery.

Shiva was observed Monday, October 24 and Tuesday, October 25 at the home of Ginny Mason and Bobby Willig.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to NJTL of Trenton (NJTLoftrenton.org) or The Jewish Center of Princeton (thejewishcenterofprinceton.shulcloud.com).

Arrangements are by Orland’s Ewing Memorial Chapel. For condolences please visit Bobby’s obituary page at OrlandsMemorialChapel.com.

———

Robert Lawrence Moser, MD

Robert Lawrence Moser, MD, of Skillman, NJ, 70, died peacefully in his vacation villa in Ispica, Sicily. He leaves behind his loving wife, Rosemarie Scolaro Moser, PhD, children, Rachel Moser Vassak (husband, James Vassak) and Alexander Robert Moser (wife, Kristin Grogg), and grandchildren, Serena, Natalie, and Clara Vassak, as well as his sister, Barbara Mattson, and his Scolaro brothers- and sister-in-law (Frank, Vincent, Giovanni, Peter, and Marie Scolaro), and many nieces and nephews.

Raised in Denville and a longtime resident of Princeton, NJ, Dr. Moser was an Eagle Scout, attended Lafayette College (Phi Beta Kappa), was a member of Phi Kappa Psi, achieved his MD at Hahnemann Medical College, and at Johns Hopkins Medical Center, Baltimore, completed residencies in Clinical and Anatomic Pathology, serving as Chief Resident.

Dr. Moser’s positions included Medical Director of Pathology and CMIO at St. Francis Medical Center in Trenton, NJ, President of Pathology Associates of Delaware Valley, in Princeton, NJ, and Co-Chair of the Laboratory Services Council for Trinity Health. He brought life-saving plasmapheresis services to Mercer County. Dr. Moser was a dedicated physician, twice receiving the Spirit of St. Francis Award. Dr. Moser had devoted himself to the religious education (RCIA) of those joining the Roman Catholic Church.

Dr. Moser enjoyed audio books, American Standards music, golf, nature, and gardening. He took great joy in his Sicilian villa with vineyard, olive grove, gardens, and a fountain which he restored, beach walks on the Mediterranean collecting shells, and hosting family vacations.

Family, friends, and co-workers will profoundly miss his intelligence, humility, and friendliness. Dr. Moser leaves a legacy of enduring kindness and generosity. 

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, October 29 at 9:30 a.m. at St. Paul Parish, 214 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ.  

Visit TheKimbleFuneralHome.com for full obituary.

October 19, 2022

Obituaries 10/19/2022

Dietrich Meyerhofer

Dietrich Meyerhofer, 91, of Lenox, MA, died Friday, September 30 at Berkshire Medical Center of old age following an extraordinarily rich life that he shared with his wife, Laurel, his grown children, grandchildren, and ever-present animal companions.

Born in Zurich, Switzerland, September 19, 1931, the son of Ernst A. and Margaret Hanington Meyerhofer, he attended the prestigious Zurich Gymnasium (high school). After moving to the U.S., he attended Cornel University where he received his BS degree and later earned his master’s degree and Ph.D. in Physics from MIT in just three years.

A resident of Princeton, NJ, for much of his life, Dietrich raised two children with his first wife, DMay, and was a Solid State Physicist for the RCA Company throughout his career. While in Princeton he was a member of the local school board and a member of the board of directors for McCarter Theatre.

He and his second wife, Laurel Meyerhofer, were set up on a blind date in the summer of 1982 and married just six months later on January 8, 1983. They remained blissfully in love for 40 years, always by one another’s side as they lived a life full of travel, opera, gourmet food and wine, walks in the woods, and special times spent with family and friends. After retirement, they left Princeton for Somers, NY, but the Berkshires was always a favorite getaway. They kept a second home in Great Barrington for more than 25 years. In recent years, they made their home at Kimball Farms in Lenox.

Above all, Dietrich was the kindly patriarch of a large family. Survivors include his wife of Lenox, MA; children Dr. David D. Meyerhofer (Joan Lucas) of Los Alamos, NM, Sandra J. Meyerhofer (Peter Englert) of Berlin, VT, James E. Blechman (Tania) of South Salem, NY, William P. Meyerhofer (William Kwok) of New York, NY, and Andrew D. Blechman of Great Barrington; and his beloved grandchildren Margaret, Peter, Tatiana, Lillie, and Talia. Besides his parents, Dietrich was predeceased by his first wife, Dorothy Swan Meyerhofer on February 12, 1981 after 27 years of marriage; and by his brothers Nicholas and Christopher Meyerhofer.

A celebration of the life of Dr. Dietrich Meyerhofer of Lenox will be announced later. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the A.S.P.C.A. in care of Roche Funeral Home, 120 Main Street, Lenox, MA 01240.

———

Harold Borkan

Harold Borkan, who had a long and distinguished career in electronic device research and development at RCA as well as in the U.S. government, died on October 12, 2022, at home. He was 95 years old and had lived in Princeton since 1957. Harold felt blessed to have had a loving family which included three children, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Mr. Borkan was born in Elizabeth, NJ, where he attended elementary and high schools. He was an active Boy Scout, becoming junior assistant scoutmaster with responsibility for directing Troop 14. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy before graduating from high school and was on active duty during 1945-46 as a Seaman First Class radio technician.

He earned a Bachelor in Science in electrical engineering from Rutgers University in 1950 and was the first Rutgers graduate to receive an offer and serve as a Member of the Technical Staff at RCA Laboratories in Princeton. He was instrumental in establishing Eta Kappa Nu, the honorary electrical engineering fraternity at Rutgers. He was also awarded the MS degree from Rutgers.

At RCA Labs, Mr. Borkan’s main research involved innovative camera tubes for the recording of color television programs, and thin-film transistors which led to the thin computer screens common on all laptop computers and monitors. He was awarded nine patents, was the author of several dozen papers, and received two RCA Achievement Awards during his many years at RCA Labs.

Mr. Borkan moved from RCA in 1981 to become Director of the Microelectronics Division of the U.S. Army’s Electronics Technology and Devices Laboratory (ETDL) at Fort Monmouth, NJ. There he was responsible for all the Army’s microelectronics R&D. Four years later, he was promoted to Deputy Director of ETDL. While he served at ETDL, the laboratory twice received the Army Laboratory of the Year Award. He retired in 1990.

Mr. Borkan was a member of the Old Guard of Princeton and president of Community Without Walls, House 1. He also served as public service coordinator of 55-Plus; chairman of the Adult Education Committee and later treasurer of The Jewish Center of Princeton; treasurer of the United Jewish Appeal, and for five years as the Princeton Representative on the Stony Brook Regional Sewerage Authority.

He was married for 52 years to Jean Borkan, who passed away in 2001. He is survived by their three sons, and three daughters-in-law: Gary and Martha Borkan of Melrose, MA; Brad and Anne Borkan, residing in Kew, England; and Ronald and Linda Borkan, living in Flagstaff, AZ. His five grandchildren are Daniel, Benjamin, William, Evy, and Brittany. His great-grandchildren are Ava Borkan and Jasper Borkan. After the passing of his wife Jean, Mr. Borkan was also blessed with a wonderful long-term partner, Hazel Stix.

The family has established “The Harold Borkan Endowed Scholarship” at Rutgers School of Engineering. To honor his life, the family will be most grateful for any contributions made to this fund which supports academically talented electrical engineering students in financial need. Please make check to “Rutgers University Foundation” with note “Harold Borkan Endowed Scholarship.” Send to Rutgers University Foundation, PO Box 193, New Brunswick, NJ 08903-0193.

Funeral services were held on Sunday, October 16 at The Jewish Center, Princeton and burial followed at Mount Lebanon Cemetery, Iselin, NJ.
Contributions can also be made in his memory to The Jewish Center of Princeton.

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

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James P. Heidere

Dr. James Heidere of Skillman, NJ, passed away on October 12, 2022 at his home surrounded by his family. He was 82 years old.

Jim was born in 1940 to Max and Mary Heidere in Philadelphia as the first of three children. Jim attended high school at St. Joseph’s Preparatory School in Philadelphia and rowed on the Varsity Crew team in a quad that won the national championship in both 1957 and 1958. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania in 1962. Jim went on to earn a degree in dentistry at Temple University School of Dentistry. After graduating from dental school, he served in the Public Health Service as a dentist in both San Francisco, CA, and Danbury, CT. Jim completed postgraduate work in periodontics. He worked as a periodontist for 40+ years at the Princeton Dental Group.

Jim is survived by and will be deeply missed by his adoring wife, Stephanie Heidere; sister Maureen Bennett (Mark Bennett); daughters Susan Heidere (Michael Simko), Elizabeth Heidere, Katie Heidere (Scout Broadhead); as well as his grandchildren, Carter and Alex Simko. He is also survived by a niece, Marie Ford, and nephews Mark Bennett and Jeff Bennett. He was predeceased by his sister, Kathy Ford.

Jim was an accomplished pilot and taught flight instruction at both Princeton and Robbinsville airports. He was an active member of the Delaware Valley wing of the Commemorative Air Force. He was also an avid motorcyclist and rode for many years in the Colorado 500. Jim will be remembered for his outstanding intellect, dedication to his patients, many acts of kindness to his friends, and incredible laugh.

Jim was deeply committed to advancing the mission of the Sourland Conservancy in Hopewell, NJ. He provided warm friendship, long hours directing parking at the Mountain Fest, photographing and pitching in at numerous events.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Jim’s name may be made to the Parkinson’s & Movement Disorder Alliance (PMD Alliance), The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, and the Sourland Conservancy.

There will be a private family burial in Princeton Cemetery. The family will host a Celebration of Life for friends and loved ones to gather and remember Jim at the Antique Barn at Cashel, 145 Wertsville Road, Hillsborough Township, NJ 08844 on November 5 from 12-4 p.m.

Photos and tributes may be shared at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.

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Diane T. Campbell

Diane Teresa Campbell, 83, of Princeton, NJ, died Tuesday, October 11, 2022 at Princeton Care Center. Born and raised in Poland, she resided most of her life in Philadelphia where she owned and operated Campbell’s Deli in the Kensington neighborhood. She eventually moved to Princeton in 2013. Diane was a communicant at Queen of the Universe Church, Levittown; St. Adalbert’s Church, Port Richmond (Philadelphia); and St. Paul’s Church, Princeton.

She is survived by four daughters: Elizabeth (Peter, d.) Meggitt of Princeton, Dianne Campbell of Belleair, FL, Cecilia Campbell (Deborah Gagnon) of Ithaca, NY, and Roxanna (Eugene) Choe of Princeton; eight grandchildren: Dylan Hodill, Kelly (Kyle) Owens, Russell Hodill, Hugo Meggitt, Sinclair Meggitt, Hannah Choe, Derek Choe, and Phineas Choe; one niece Maryla Czebatul; and two great-nephews Mateusz Czebatul and Daniel Czebatul. She is predeceased by her parents Zygmunt and Zofia (Lewandowska) Walczykiewicz and son-in-law Peter Meggitt.

A Visitation will be held on Friday, October 21, 2022 from 6-8 p.m. at Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vandeventer Avenue., Princeton.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday October 22, 2022 at 10 a.m. at St. Paul’s Church, 216 Nassau Street, Princeton. A luncheon will follow the services.

Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Diane’s honor to the Alzheimer’s Association.

———

Costantino “Andy” Tamasi

Costantino “Andy” Tamasi, 89, of Princeton passed away Sunday, October 16, 2022 at Capital Health Regional Medical Center of Trenton, NJ, with his family by his side.

Andy was born in Pettoranello Di Molise, Italy. He had been resident of Princeton since the age of 3. Andy served in the United States Navy during the Korean War. He was plank owner on the USS Intrepid earning the rank of Petty Officer 2nd Class, and a lifetime member of the USS Intrepid Association. A machinist by trade, he was employed as a maintenance foreman for Princeton Recreation Department. He was a crossing guard for Princeton Township for 47 years. Andy was a member of the Italian American Sportsman Club, Roma Eterna Lodge, and the Princeton Pettoranello Sister City Foundation. Andy was a handyman, he loved cooking, gardening, hunting, fishing, and especially spending time with his family. He enjoyed going down the shore to Ortley Beach with his family for many years.

Predeceased by his parents Michael and Anna (Pinelli) Tamasi Sr., a brother Michael Tamasi Jr., two sisters-in-law and a brother-in-law Peggy Carazzai, and Pat and Norman Fairall.

He is survived by his loving wife of 67 years Marianne (Petrone) Tamasi; two sons and a daughter, Joe and Nancy Tamasi, David Tamasi, Debbie and Robert Nacarella; seven grandchildren, Arianna and her husband Joe Gallo, Daniella Tamasi, Tori Tamasi and her boyfriend Chris Ridolfi, Alec Tamasi, Deanna Nacarella and her fiancée Frank MacDuff, Nico Nacarella and his wife Vanessa, Francesca Nacarella; a great-granddaughter Isla Mae Gallo; daughter-in-law Becky Tamasi; two brothers-in-law and a sister-in-law, Renato Carazzai, Frank and Kris Petrone; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A Visitation will be held from 4-8 p.m. on Wednesday, October 26, 2022 and from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 27, 2022 at Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vandeventer Avenue, Princeton 08542. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Thursday, October 27, 2022 at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, 216 Nassau Street, Princeton 08542. Burial will follow in Princeton Cemetery 29 Greenview Avenue, Princeton 08542.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in memory of Andy.

October 12, 2022

Obituaries 10/12/2022

Hildred Anderson Storey Geertz

Hildred Anderson Storey Geertz passed away peacefully at her home in Princeton, New Jersey, on September 30, at the age of 95. She was a devoted anthropologist, prolific author, beloved teacher, mentor, mother and grandmother, bold advocate for services to the elderly, and friend to many.

Hilly was born in Queens, New York, on February 12, 1927 and reared there and in Teaneck, New Jersey. A graduate of Antioch College, she received her Ph.D. from Radcliffe College in 1956. Her first book, The Javanese Family (Free Press of Glencoe, Inc.), was published in 1961. After her initial fieldwork in Java, she taught at The University of Chicago from 1960 to 1970 before coming to Princeton University in 1970. At Princeton, Hilly taught courses on the history of anthropological theory, the anthropological study of life stories, the anthropology of art, and the ethnographer’s craft.

In 1972, Hilly became the first chairperson of the Department of Anthropology at Princeton University, and thus the first woman chair of a department at Princeton, a position in which she served for many years. She was named Professor Emeritus in 1998.

Hilly did extensive fieldwork in Morocco, and in Java and Bali, Indonesia and returned to Indonesia repeatedly during her career to conduct the research which helped fuel her extensive list of publications. She completed more than two years of fieldwork research in the village of Batuan on the island of Bali. Working in the same village that was studied in the 1930s by Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson, she focused on the interconnections between different Balinese art forms and how and why such forms have changed through time. She investigated the effects of economic development and tourism on Balinese artistic endeavor.

The first book from the research in Batuan, Images of Power: Balinese Paintings Made for Gregory Bateson and Margaret Mead, was published in January 1995 (University of Hawaii Press). In 2004, The Life of a Balinese Temple: Artistry, Imagination, and History in a Peasant Village was also published by the University of Hawaii Press. Among her other works, Professor Geertz is co-author with her former husband Clifford Geertz of Kinship in Bali (University of Chicago Press, 1975), and co-author with Clifford Geertz and Lawrence Rosen of Meaning and Order in Moroccan Society (Cambridge University Press, 1979). Most recently, in 2017, at the age of 90, her book, Storytelling in Bali, was published by the Dutch publishing house Brill. She took great pride in sharing her final work with friends and family.

Throughout her long career, Hilly touched the lives of many with her insight, kindness, and generosity. After retirement, she became an energetic member of Community Without Walls (CWW), advocating for programs to provide needed services to the elderly community of Princeton. She is survived by her children, Erika Reading and Ben Geertz; her brother Warren Storey; and grandchildren Andrea and Elena Martinez. A celebration of her life will be announced at a future date. Donations in her memory may be sent to the nonprofit Princeton Senior Resource Center (PSRC). CWW is now an affiliate of PSRC.

The family wants to extend a special thanks to Marci HoSang, of Millenium Home Care, LLC, Michelle HoSang, and Monica Rodney, for taking such good care of Hilly, keeping her comfortable, happy, and safe in her own home.

———

Rudolph John Skalka

Rudolph John Skalka, 90, of Princeton, NJ, passed away at home, surrounded by his loving family.

Born in New York City to Julius and Pauline Skalka, Rudolph was a graduate of St. Ann’s Academy and St. John’s University. He began his professional career with the accounting firm of KPMG (Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co.) after returning from France while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces from 1954 to 1956. A licensed New York State Certified Public Accountant, he was a financial executive for several companies, retiring from AMREP Corporation as Vice President of Finance in 1995. Since then, he was a private Financial Consultant to several NY Stock Exchange companies and a Member of the Boards and Chair of the Audit Committees for Onconova Therapeutics, Inc. and the Catholic Charities of Trenton.

Rudy and his wife, Anna Marie Sturn Skalka (Annie), were members of Princeton University’s Aquinas Institute, and more recently of Saint Charles Borromeo’s parish in Skillman. A lifelong athlete and avid sportsman, he enjoyed canoe camping, golf, cycling, and especially skiing, the love of which he passed on to his daughter, Jeannemarie, and his son, Christian. One of the original shareholders of the Mad River Ski Area Co-op in Vermont, he and his family spent many holidays hiking and skiing in the mountains. For his wife, Annie, he was an anchor of strength, love, and best friend. For his two children, he was a source of unconditional love and a model of personal integrity.

Predeceased by his parents and brothers, Paul Skalka and his wife Doris and Robert Skalka, Rudy is survived by his wife of 62 years; his children; his daughter-in-law Susan Skalka and son-in-law Alan Calfee; his grandchildren, Kazimir and Shiloh; his sister-in-law Barbara Skalka; and his nieces and nephews, Gerald, Paul, Doris, Catherine and Mary. Rudy is also survived by extended family and friends.

Calling hours will be held on Thursday, October 13, 2022, from 5 until 7 p.m. at the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vandeventer Avenue, Princeton.

The funeral will be held 9 a.m. on Friday, October 14, 2022, from the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vandeventer Avenue, Princeton. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 10:30 a.m. at St. Charles Borromeo Roman Catholic Church, 47 Skillman Road, Skillman, NJ 08558 with burial to follow at Princeton Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers donations may be sent to Hands Together, PO Box 80985, Springfield MA 01138 or to Catholic Charities of Trenton.

———

Anita Benarde

Longtime Princeton resident and artist Anita Benarde passed away on October 5, six days shy of her 97th birthday. She is probably best known for penning and illustrating the children’s book, The Pumpkin Smasher, a beloved Halloween classic published in 1972, influenced by happenings here, but set in Cranbury to protect the guilty and the innocent.

Anita, however, was making all kinds of art long before she arrived in town with her family in 1961 when her husband, Mel, joined the faculty of Rutgers University. It’s safe to say that Princeton provided an air of inspiration, imagination, and encouragement that kick-started 60 years of creativity that lasted until her passing! Her home studio reveals the volume, breadth, and depth of her creations: oils, acrylic, watercolors, pen and ink, woodcuts, monotypes, handmade paper, and book and magazine illustrations and covers, a good deal of it chronicling Town and Gown and highlighting her family’s travels abroad. She was a mainstay of the Princeton Art Alliance, frequently organizing and contributing to its exhibitions. Her work hangs in the embassies and consulates of several countries as well as corporate offices, hospitals, and private collections.

Over the course of her life, she also worked in public relations, advertising, travel, and real estate, taught art appreciation and gave art lessons on cruise ships, and, with her husband — academic and author Mel — raised three children (Scott, Andi, and Dana), enjoyed and counseled six grandchildren (Zach, Erica, Jake, Hillary, Michael, and Shirah), and delighted in two great grandchildren (Asa and Bode). She was a talented baker and gourmet cook, whose cheese and chocolate fondues were popular and in-demand with her children’s Princeton High School friends. Her recipe for candied tongue was devoured at New Year’s Day parties.

Of her professional accomplishments, she remained most proud of The Pumpkin Smasher with its evocative, orange and black, autumnal drawings and enduring message of the importance of an inclusive community standing up to bullies if we are to live in a just and compassionate world. Original galleys and illustrations are housed in Princeton University’s Cotsen Children’s Library. (Another children’s book, Georgio, The Train that Wanted to Ride a Boat, was a sweet metaphor for triumphing over adversity, something she did herself as she overcame various medical issues, and gave the Energizer Bunny a run for its money.) Fifty years after publication, The Pumpkin Smasher still resonates with children, parents, grandchildren, and grandparents. Coincidence or something else, Anita Benarde arrived in this world in October, set her most cherished work in October, and waved farewell in October, having filled “the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds worth of distance run.” 

The family is planning a celebration of her life for early November.

———

Anne M. Fields

Anne M. Fields, the daughter of Bernard L. and Margaret (Illig) Flanagan, was born on her mother’s birthday February 17, 1939 in Wellsville, New York. She is survived by her husband Kenneth D. Fields of Peterborough, NH.

Anne received a BS Degree in Education from State University of New York at Buffalo in 1961, where she was an elected Representative to Student Congress and President of College Union Board. She was a cellist with the Orchard Park Symphony in New York State.

Anne received a New York State Regents Diploma from Wellsville High School in 1957. She was Copy Editor of her yearbook and a weekly columnist for the school newspaper. During high school she had her own weekly three-hour radio show at WLSV in Wellsville called Accent On Youth. She planned the show and presented the top fifties recordings over the air. She earned numerous New York All-State awards for solo cello, orchestra and was a soprano with the choir and the nine-member Treblettes. She received the 1957 Arion Music Award for outstanding senior in music.

She was a third-grade teacher at William Gillette School in the Rush-Henrietta School District in suburban Rochester, NY in 1961-1962. A first-grade teacher at Pajarito School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1962-1963, she was a cellist with the Albuquerque Civic Symphony.

In the fall of 1963, she moved to Palo Alto, California, where she taught first grade at Crescent Park School. She was a cellist in the Stanford Symphony and a soprano at St. Ann’s Chapel. She married the late Dennis W. Elliott in Palo Alto in 1964. They had two children: Claire born in 1965 and Mark born in 1968. The family moved to Lexington, MA, in 1971 where she taught a Foods for Entertaining class for Adult Education. During that time, she was a member of the Harvard Business School Wives Club. Relocating to Old Greenwich, CT, in 1973, she was a member of the Greenwich Junior Women’s Club Drama Troupe performing at Greenwich schools, historical houses, and events.

The family moved to Princeton, NJ, in 1976 where Anne lived for 21 years. She was a Docent at Princeton University Art Museum from 1977-1981, researching paintings and giving gallery talks that are written up and in the archives. After her children were grown, Anne studied to be a paralegal and became interested in Real Estate. She earned a GRI designation and had a 12-year career in Real Estate starting out with Gloria Nilson Realtors in Princeton and later with Richard A. Weidel Realtors in Hopewell, NJ. She was a member of the National Association of Realtors, New Jersey Association of Realtors, and Mercer County Board of Realtors. During that time, she received numerous certifications and awards in residential, land, and commercial Real Estate.

In 1997, Anne moved to Peterborough, NH. She was a soprano with the Monadnock Chorus, performing with them at Carnegie Hall in New York City in 1998. She was an In The Wings volunteer with the Peterborough Players. She met her husband Kenneth D. Fields when they were both members of a church choir and later served as deacons. They were married May 4, 2003. Anne was a member of the Dublin Community Church. As a soprano in the church choir, she will be remembered for her fine melodic soprano voice. She was also one of the Readers of Scripture for services. In addition to her interests in music and art history, her reading interests were diverse including economics, politics, and history, as well as fiction. Anne has traveled extensively in Europe including England, Scotland, Sweden, France, Austria, Spain, the Canary Islands, and the Caribbean. She was on the Board of Directors of Crafts Inn in Vermont where she and her husband owned one of their timeshare weeks.

During their years together Anne and Ken shared life interests, including Ken’s love of jazz and Anne’s love of classical music and opera. They were yearly subscribers to the Boston Symphony and Tanglewood. Most years they spent time in Virginia and Hilton Head Island, SC. In 2004 they spent three weeks exploring Scotland. Anne had a love of animals, especially dogs. She had an adventurous spirit, sense of humor, memorable laugh, and a wonderful enthusiasm for all that she set out to accomplish.

As a young woman, Anne’s greatest hope was to have children. She devoted the largest part of her life to being a mother. Her children have an abundance of photo albums that tell the story of her motivation, encouragement, and support of their activities, parties, and projects that she planned and carried out with them. Throughout the years when her children visited, they always brought out photo albums to share with friends or show their children what they were like at the same age.

Anne was a continuously sober member of AA for 46 years (December 9, 1975) and had a profound influence on the many lives she touched through that fellowship. She attended the Rutgers University School of Alcohol Studies in 1982 and was a volunteer at Carrier Foundation in Belle Mead, New Jersey, from 1982-1986. Anne had a core belief in the value of gratitude for blessings in her life. The words “thank you” were instilled in her children and encouraged with her grandchildren.

In addition to her husband Ken, Anne is survived by her son Mark Elliott and wife Ewa, granddaughters Katie and Lizzie, grandson Jan; daughter Claire Elliott; stepchildren Margery Langevin, Bruce Fields and wife Chrissy, Heather Marrotte; 11 step grandchildren; and five step great-grandchildren.

Anne was pre-deceased by a brother Richard J. Flanagan in 1991, a grandson Benjamin Flanagan Elliott in 1999 and a stepdaughter Laurel Humphrey in 2021.

A Memorial Service was held at 11 a.m. on Sunday, October 9, 2022 at the MacDowell Dam.

Burial will be in the Fields Family Plot at Wayside Cemetery in Ocean, New Jersey.

Should friends desire, contributions may be sent to Alcoholics Anonymous General Service Office, PO Box 2407, James A Farley Station, New York, NY 10116-2407.

October 5, 2022

Obituaries 10/5/2022

T. Leslie Shear, Jr.

T. Leslie Shear, Jr., a lifelong resident of Princeton, NJ, died after a brief illness on September 28, 2022 at the Princeton Hospital. Leslie was pre-deceased by his wife Ione Mylonas Shear, and survived by his daughters, Julia L. and Alexandra Shear, and grandchild Briar Shear.

Leslie was born on May 1, 1938 to Josephine and T. Leslie Shear, in Athens, Greece, where his father was directing the excavations at the Athenian Agora. That auspicious beginning in archaeology set him on the path which he followed for the rest of his life. After growing up in Princeton, and attending the Lawrenceville School between 1952 and 1955, his studies took him to Princeton University where he majored in Classics and received an A.B. summa cum laude in 1959. After participating in the Regular Program of the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, where he held the John Williams White Fellowship, he returned to Princeton University in 1960 to start his graduate work in classical archaeology, studies which culminated in his Ph.D. in 1966. His first teaching position took him to Bryn Mawr College (1963 to 1967), and then, in 1967, Leslie returned to Princeton and taught in the Department of Art and Archaeology until his retirement in 2009. At Princeton, he ran the Program in Classical Archaeology for many years and so trained large numbers of students, many of whom followed him into Greek archaeology.

Even before Leslie received his Ph.D., he had gained extensive excavating experience at the Greek sites of Mycenae, Eleusis, Perati, and Corinth and at Morgantina in Sicily. At both Mycenae (in 1953 and 1954) and the Athenian Agora (in 1955), he assisted with the excavation photography, steps which led to his development as an excellent archaeological photographer. In 1968, Leslie became director of the excavations at the Athenian Agora, a position which he continued to hold until 1994. Under his direction, the excavated area expanded significantly to the south, east, and especially to the north of the metro line. The work in the northern sections was particularly significant because it led to the discovery of the Royal Stoa, where the trial of Socrates took place, and the Painted Stoa, an important site for the commemoration of war and later connected with the philosopher Zeno who invented Stoic philosophy. In preparation for the 1980 campaign, Leslie took the momentous decision to institute the Agora Volunteer Program: now for the first time in Greece, the actual work of excavation would be done by student volunteers, rather than by local Greek workmen, as was traditional in Greece. Instituted in the face of significant opposition, the program was an instant success that changed the face of archaeology in Greece. It provided opportunities for undergraduates to excavate, and it paved the way for the field schools that are now common.

Leslie’s scholar contributions include two important books, Kallias of Sphettos and the Revolt of Athens in 286 B.C. (1978) and Trophies of Victory: Public Building in Periklean Athens (2016), as well as many articles. He was also a dedicated teacher who patiently elucidated for his students the intricacies of ancient Athenian architecture, archaeology, and culture; for many of his students, he served as a model for their own teaching. His connection to archaeology was not only professional, but also personal. He met his wife Ione, herself a daughter of the notable archaeologist George Mylonas, in 1956 when they both excavated for Ione’s father at Eleusis, and his oldest daughter, Julia, continues in the field.

Beyond his academic achievements, he was known for his warmth and kindness that he shared with everyone from his colleagues and students to people whom he encountered on the street. He served as trustee of the William Alexander Proctor Foundation (1982-1989) and of the Princeton Junior School (1983-2015; president 1999-2006). He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, and he will be greatly missed.

Funeral services will be held at Trinity Church, 33 Mercer Street, Princeton on Monday October 10, 2022 at 10:30 a.m.

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David R. Mikkelsen

On Saturday, September 17, 2022, David R. Mikkelsen, a beloved husband and father, passed away at home in Princeton, New Jersey. He was 73. Born in Ames, Iowa, David grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He graduated from Caltech with a Bachelor of Science in Physics, then received a PhD in Astrophysics from the University of Washington, after which he completed a post doc at Caltech under Nobel Laureate Kip Thorne. In 1977, he was hired by Princeton University as a computational physicist with the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL). A consummate scientist, David probed the workings of matter and energy from the smallest to largest scale, and felt fortunate in being paid to pursue these passions. He traveled frequently for collaborations with research centers in Germany, Japan, and at MIT, and enjoyed exploring local towns and cultures when on the road. In 2018, he retired from PPPL as a principal research physicist after more than 40 years of service.

David loved playing Go, collecting reasonably priced wine, building his own telescopes from cardboard tubes, and endless photography. At 6’7” he often was called a “giant” and a “bear” by the local children, who loved the epic 20’ tree swing he installed on Murray Place in the 1980s.

David was practical, delighting in applications of scientific theory and knowledge to real-world matters, such as fixing a toaster or making the perfect cup of coffee. He was never without a mechanical pencil in his shirt breast pocket and a small notebook filled with his chicken scratch. He frequently sported a driving cap and pocket watch. Incredibly handy, David once concocted the first TV mute button in the Mikkelsen household from 10’ of wire and a simple switch. He delighted in collecting random facts and regularly beat his entire family at Trivial Pursuit, and could conjure clear explanations of black holes, cell phones, a disappearing plane, and other mysteries at the drop of the hat.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Sally, their two children, Anders Mikkelsen and Adella Kerr, and their spouses, Tennille Mikkelsen and Jared Kerr. He also is survived by his mother-in-law, two aunts and uncles, two brothers, three sisters, three sisters-in-law, three brothers-in-law, nine nieces and nephews, two cats, and his close friends Al Cavallo and Mary Harper. He will be greatly missed.

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Russell I. Fries

Russell I. Fries of Savannah, Georgia, passed away on Saturday, August 20. Born to Mills and Hester Fries in Montclair, New Jersey, in 1941, he died while on a cycling trip on a beautiful day near Smiths Cove, Nova Scotia, where he had spent happy summers since his childhood. He was 81.

As a child, Russell was inquisitive and curious — “a Russell in the bushes,” as his mother Hester joked. He graduated from Lawrenceville School in 1959, Yale University in 1963, and Johns Hopkins University, where he earned his MA, followed by a PhD in Economic History in 1972.

Throughout his varied career, Russell showed a great love for the stories and histories behind people and objects, recording and  remembering them faithfully. Following his graduation from Hopkins, he taught at Southern Methodist University, then as an Associate Professor at the University of Maine at Orono (UMO) until 1984. Beginning in 1972, he also worked summers at the Historic American Engineering Record on the Paterson Great Falls Historic District, helping to win its 1976 designation by President Ford as a National Historic Landmark.

After his time at UMO, Russell worked at the Institute for Defense Analyses in Arlington, Virginia until 2001. Later in life, he focused intensely on the history of surveying, building an important historical collection of surveying equipment and surveying the land around his homes in Nova Scotia and Savannah.

Russell loved animals all his life, and his beautiful photographs of butterflies, bobcats, woodpeckers, grouse, and more inspired others to look more closely and affectionately at the creatures around them. He was also an athlete who refused to act his age, cycling competitively with those 20 years his junior.

In his personal life, Russell was a dedicated caretaker both for his mother in her declining years and for his beloved second wife, Ann L. Fries, during her five-year battle with lung cancer. Ann and Russell were married in 1992 and traveled often, building countless loving relationships with friends and family throughout Europe and America. Russell supported numerous charitable causes, including efforts to memorialize the Women Airforce Service Pilots and the Tuskegee Airmen. An enthusiastic guitarist, singer, and pianist, Russell also contributed to music communities in both Savannah and Nova Scotia, including enthusiastic support for the Savannah Children’s Choir and participation in the annual Savannah Music Festival. He enjoyed hosting dinners for friends, serving his favorite recipes (all those who knew him will miss his mashed potatoes) and gracing his guests with his best — or worst? — puns.

Russell is survived by his two children from his first marriage, Gwyneth Marcelo Fries and Thomas Fries, and his stepdaughter Lea Marshall; Gwyneth’s husband Darwin Marcelo and daughter Norma June Fries Marcelo; Thomas’s partner Joakim Valevatn; and Lea’s husband Thomas Marshall and children Anna Marshall and Brodie Marshall. For all of them, he was always a supportive cheerleader.

Many friends and relatives have reached out to share personal stories of Russell. If you have a story about Russell to share, please reach out to his daughter Gwyneth at gwynethfries@gmail.com. Memorial services for Russell will be held in Savannah and Smiths Cove in 2023.

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Michael Curtis

Michael Curtis, public intellectual and eminent scholar on Europe and Middle East politics, died on Monday October 3, 2022. He celebrated his 99th birthday on September 11.

During the 1970s and 1980s Curtis was the spokesperson for the United States Jewish academic community on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict representing the organization he founded, American Professors for Peace in the Middle East. He initiated the APPME in 1967 during the Yom Kippur War because emotions ran high and no other organization existed to express rational discourse about the situation. The APPME counted in its several thousand membership most of the Jewish academic community from all fields and published The Middle East Review, a respected scholarly journal. Curtis was the commentator of choice on major television news networks such as PBS and CBS when there was an outbreak of hostilities between Israel and its Arab neighbors.

His interest in international politics was evident by the time he was 13 years old. In 1936 he participated in the famous incident when the Jewish population along with other residents of London’s East End prevented the Fascists led by Oswald Mosely from marching down Cable Street, one of the major thoroughfares in the East End. His service during World War II in the Royal Artillery Corps led him to stations in Germany and Trieste, further contributing to his interest in international politics.

Curtis was graduated from the London School of Economics with a double first in economics and political science. He and George Soros were in the same class (1951), but Soros ended at the bottom of the class. Curtis’s self-deprecating joke was, “So much for graduating at the top of the class. Soros was busy with other things.” Having already published his first book in the UK (it was about British politics), he came to the United States in 1954 on a Cornell University postgraduate fellowship to study American political systems. He was teaching at University College London and few in England knew anything about American politics. He met his first wife, the late Laura Goldsmith Curtis, at Cornell and eventually became an American citizen.

In 2014 he was honored by the president of France as Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor for his contributions to the study of the history of French political thought and 20th century French politics. His appointment was presented by Francois DeLattre, then French ambassador to the United Nations, who served as Macron’s Secretary General of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs from 2019-2022, and is now French ambassador to Germany. His first book after coming to the United States was Three Against the Third Republic (Princeton University Press 1959), re-issued by Transaction Press with a new introduction by Curtis (2010). This book is considered the definitive study of early 20th century French politics and the rise of the right after the Dreyfus affair. In it, Curtis focuses on three writers, Georges Sorel, Maurice Barrès, and Charles Maurras and their reactions to the deficiencies they saw in the Third Republic and in the system of French democracy. They formulated a philosophic political amalgam of the conservative, reactionary, and moralist segments of French thought that later became the rationale for the rise of rightist governments throughout Europe epitomized by German Nazism.

Inspired by the French Nazi hunter Serge Klarsfeld’s book of photos of hundreds of French children murdered during the Holocaust, Curtis turned to an examination of France’s complicity in that horrific event. The result, Verdict on Vichy, came out first in 2002, published in London by Weidenfeld and Nicolson (Orion Press) and was named one of the best books of the year by The Daily Telegraph. It went on to be published in the United States in 2004 by Arcade Press, and was also translated into Italian and Czech for editions in those countries. The Italian title, Francia Ambigua, expresses how Curtis explored the contradictions and the dilemmas faced by various segments of French society, particularly in relation to the Holocaust. He brought to light for the first time outside of France, the investigation of the French government commission on despoliation, the requisitioning of Jewish property.

Curtis was the author of more than 35 books. In addition to his work on French politics, his books cover the fields of political theory, comparative government, Western European politics, the European Union, and the United Nations. He has long been known for his writing on antisemitism, totalitarianism, the Middle East, and Israel. He was one of the first to discuss the tangled web of the interconnections between religion and politics in the Muslim world in Religion and Politics in the Middle East. Other significant books on the Middle East include Israel:  Social Structure and Change, Israel in the Third World, and Orientalism and Islam.

The textbooks he wrote have introduced thousands of United States college students to the study of comparative government. They were used globally, translated into other languages (for instance, Elementi di Scienza politica, published by Il Mulino for instance first in 1968 and then reissued in the 1970s). His textbook, Great Political Theories, published in the 1960s, is still in print and used throughout the U.S. After reaching at Yale, Oberlin, and other U.S. institutions he retired as a Distinguished Professor Emeritus in political science from Rutgers.

Since his mid 90s, he has been writing almost daily columns for the online, journals, New English Review, and The American Thinker, bringing to public view such issues as the fate of Christians in the Middle East or the role of the tribes in the Middle East that hold enormous power and transcend borders and official governments. A constant theme is his analysis of the ongoing political, verbal and legal attacks on Israel by various segments of the international community. In his book, Should Israel Exist? A Sovereign Nation under Attack by the International Community, published by Balfour Press in 2011, Curtis analyzes how the attacks on Israel are not only traditional physical warfare, but also political.  He shows how Israel is the subject of over half the resolutions of the UN Human Rights Council with the rest of the world’s nations compressed into the other half.

In Orientalism and Islam, published by Cambridge University Press (2009), Curtis focused on the history of European thought in creating the field of Oriental studies. He traces the invention of terms like Oriental despotism back to Montesquieu. He discusses the impact of Montesquieu’s writing on subsequent thinkers like Edmund Burke, Karl Marx, and Max Weber. Included is an important chapter on Tocqueville. Tocqueville is usually associated with his study of the new nation of the United States, but Curtis reveals Tocqueville’s contribution to Oriental studies with his analysis of France and its relation to Algeria. This book is highly regarded as revealing that Western philosophers like Montesquieu and Tocqueville were not inherently biased and could comment objectively on Oriental and Muslim societies, basing their theories on perceptions of real processes and behavior in Eastern culture and government.

Curtis has received numerous awards and commendations among them many academic honors. They include several Fulbright Fellowships and a Bellagio/Rockefeller Institute Fellowship. The American Jewish Committee honored Curtis for his contributions to the literature about Israel and antisemitism. In addition to his years at American universities, he also has taught at Hebrew University, Tel Aviv University, University of Bologna, and given lectures at hundreds of institutions. He was a Summer Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study (1981) and a Visiting Fellow, Center of International Studies, Princeton University. For many years, he was a member of the Advisory Council of the Politics Department at Princeton University.

Curtis is also admired by many for his comprehensive knowledge of the history of jazz and the Great American Songbook. He often played with lines by famous lyricists like Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter, or Dorothy Fields in the opening sentences of his articles. For years, he and his second wife, artist and curator Judith Kapstein Brodsky, hosted jazz greats like Fred Hersh and Bill Charlap to give concerts in their Princeton home.

In addition to his second wife, Curtis is survived by two sons. Dr. Anthony (Tony) Curtis, Champaign, IL, is a patent lawyer with Schwegman, Lundberg, Woessner, Minneapolis. His wife Dr. Susan Mertzlufft Curtis is a Senior Lecturer in Accounting in the School of Business, University of Illinois, Champaign/Urbana. Michael D. Curtis is the Communications Director, Republican Party of New Mexico. His wife Sheryl Jaffe Curtis is the Investments Advisor, PNC investments, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Curtis is also survived by two step-children, John B. Brodsky and Dr. Frances M. Brodsky, six grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, and one great grandchild.

The funeral service will be held 1 p.m. on Sunday, October 9, 2022 at the Jewish Center of Princeton, 435 Nassau Street, Princeton.

Burial will follow in the Princeton Cemetery.

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

September 28, 2022

Obituaries 9/28/2022

Emile F. VanderStucken III

Emile F. VanderStucken III, also known as Van, died at Morris Hall Meadows in Lawrenceville, NJ, on September 22, 2022, at age 79.

He grew up in Princeton, NJ, and attended Princeton Country Day School and Blair Academy before graduating from George Washington University. Van served as an officer in the Air Force and later attended the University of Southern California for graduate school.

He had been a resident of Skillman, NJ, for over 45 years. He enjoyed his connections to Sonora, Texas, and managing his beloved West Ranch.

Van is survived by his wife, Hillary, and two children, Wyatt and Kristen. He is also survived by his sister, Emily Spencer, as well as a niece and nephew.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Van’s memory to Trinity Episcopal Church in Princeton, NJ (trinityprinceton.org/giving) or St. John’s Episcopal Church, Sonora, TX (dwtx.org).
Extend condolences and share memories at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.

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Sara Barnard Edwards
1940-2022

Sally Edwards, a 50-year resident of Cranbury and longtime teacher at the Princeton Ballet School, died on September 24 in North Haven, CT, after two years of treatment for metastatic lung cancer. She was 82.

A graduate of Wellesley College, she earned a master’s degree from Yale and came to Princeton with her husband, Don, who was a student at Princeton Seminary. She taught at the Stuart Country Day School, and after the birth of their first child, began a 26-year career on the faculty of the Princeton Ballet School, where she annually prepared the soldiers for The Nutcracker. She served on the Vestry of Trinity Church in Princeton and was the “choir mum” to its Choir of Men, Boys, and Girls. She earned a master’s degree cum laude from General Theological Seminary in New York and served as Pastoral Associate at Christ Church in New Brunswick and as a hospice chaplain and taught in the Yale Summer Institute in Bioethics. She was a member of the Institutional Review Board of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. In retirement, she worked as a volunteer chaplain at Monroe Village.

Sally had many passions in life, including creating a welcoming home for loved ones and strangers alike, supporting dozens of nonprofits from medicine to social justice to education and the arts, and doing needlework of all kinds. After insisting that she and Don find a church home in the late 1970s, she became an enthusiastic contributor to the life of Episcopal parishes in New Jersey and Connecticut as lay leader, acolyte, and flower arranger. Sally’s lifelong love of gardening created beauty for everyone around her. Her deep attachment to special places found its fullest expression at her family’s five-generation summer cottage, “Underoaks,” on Casco Bay in Yarmouth, Maine. Her life exemplified the Wellesley motto: non ministrari sed ministrare, not to be ministered to, but to minister.

She is survived by her husband of 57 years; daughter Jeanette (Ricardo) Chavira of Hamden, CT; son David (Helen) of Bend, OR; and six devoted grandchildren. She is also survived by a brother, David, and sister, Jeanette, both of Yarmouth, ME.

A Memorial Choral Eucharist will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 29, at St. Thomas’s Episcopal Church, 830 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the Wellesley Students’ Aid Society, 106 Central Street, Wellesley, MA 02481, or online to Doctors Without Borders at donate.doctorswithoutborders.org.

September 21, 2022

Obituaries 9/21/2022

Samuel Cohen

1921-2022

Sam Cohen passed away peacefully on August 31 at the age of 101 at his home of 65 years on Littlebrook Road North in Princeton, NJ.

As a young boy in the Bronx, NY, Sam roamed over Bronx Park and its ponds, where he caught fish, frogs, and turtles and had dreams of becoming a marine biologist. Since he had been born under the sign of Pisces, it was inevitable that fish would play a major part of his life. However, since there was no college nearby that offered those credentials to him, he went to City College as a chemistry major. Sam was born and brought up in the Bronx, to his parents, immigrants from Poland (Warsaw), who owned a small Appetizing and Nut Shop that was a family business. When he was old enough, Sam joined his parents many weekends at the store, learning the fine art of slicing smoked salmon.

In 1942, after WWII started and Sam was still in college, he volunteered to become an aviation cadet. He gained his Second Lieutenant bars at Yale and went on to study electronics and communications at Harvard, MIT, and the Coast Guard Academy, where he had further training on Long Range Navigation Systems (LORAN). He reported to Air Force Base at Boca Raton, FL, for further basic training and submarine detection. During WWII, he served in India and later in China. He commanded the Master LORAN Station, which guided planes flying over the Himalayas, until the end of the war.

After several years of civilian life, during which he went to NYU Law School, earning a JD degree, and married Anita, he was recalled for the Korean War, and once again, as a LORAN specialist, while stationed in Biloxi, Miss., at Keesler AFB, he set up a series of LORAN Stations along the Gulf of Mexico. Scheduled to be a Major and transferred to Germany, Sam and Anita decided to return to civilian life after the war was over.

With their two older children, they moved from NY to NJ in 1954, when he joined the staff of RCA Labs as a Patent Attorney. A second son, born in Princeton Hospital, joined the family. They settled down in a home that Sam designed and had built in Princeton Township on Littlebrook Road North in 1957, where Anita still resides. Much of his time at RCA was writing patents for basic research. His area included electronic systems such as computers, radar, communications systems and other inventions related to these systems. He was involved with the big changes due to Charge-Coupled Devices (CCDs) and Solid-State Systems incorporating CCDs, which were much lighter than the heavy battery systems with tubes, which required high power. He handled arrays of devices such as when CCDs were incorporated into a computer or radar system rather than individual devices. RCA was interested in lightening everything with a low-power device, developing small handheld cameras and lightweight systems for news gathering. Sam retired in 1982 as a director.

One of the reasons that Sam was able to enjoy his hobbies was because work was only 10 minutes away. At the Zoom party for his 100th birthday, he was asked, “Grandpa, what was the most important and happiest day in your life?” and he replied, “the day I retired from RCA so that I could go fishing whenever I wanted to.” He built much of the furniture in the house in his basement workshop, including a solid walnut dining room table, freeform in a Nakashima style. He was also a landscaper and planned all the plantings for the house on Littlebrook Road. He had a vegetable garden and grew azaleas and rhododendrons in cold frames.

He fished all over. Almost every family vacation included a fishing expedition, including Canada, Long Island, the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Florida, Texas, and the Caribbean. Until his early 90s, he drove to the Jersey Shore and fished on Party Boats, often winning the pool. He took art lessons at the Princeton Adult School, and also did mosaics and woodcuts. He also played Duplicate Bridge every Tuesday night at the YMCA.

Sam is survived by his wife Anita, daughter Carolyn (Chris Mahoney) of Tallahassee, FL, son Michael of San Jose, CA, son Alan (Manok) of Healdsburg, CA, grandchildren Bran Mahoney (Qiyang) of Annadale, VA, Penny Mahoney Abbaszadeh (Evan) of Belmont, CA, and great-grandchildren Corbin Xu Mahoney and Jack Mahoney Abbaszadeh.

No service will be held, and Sam’s ashes will be scattered at the Jersey Shore where he fished. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Ocean Conservancy or the American Civil Liberties Union.

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Michael S. Guth

Michael S. Guth, 65, of Princeton, NJ, passed away on Wednesday, September 7, 2022, at Complete Care at Monmouth. He was born in Perth Amboy, NJ, and lived in Fair Haven, NJ, where he graduated from Rumson Fair-Haven Regional High School in 1977. In 1984, Michael moved to New Haven, CT, where he worked at Harold’s in Middleton, CT, for many years before moving to Princeton in 2004 where he resided until his death.

We always cherished and will greatly miss Michael’s wisdom, sense of humor, and sweet smile. He lived a full life and never let his developmental and physical difficulties discourage him. He was a 60s and 70s TV trivia expert, an avid Star Trek and Marvel superheroes fan, and an enthusiastic and strategic boardgame and card player. 

He was predeceased by his grandparents Dr. H.P. and Dora Fine and Max and Pauline Guth. He is survived by his parents Murray and Annellen Guth, siblings Paul Guth (Dr. Sherry Magnuson) and Bonnie Guth (Adam Dubow), many loving nieces and nephews, and his extraordinary caregiver for the past nine years, Ricki Gannon.

The funeral service was held at Congregation B’nai Israel, Rumson, NJ, on Sunday, September 11 at noon. Donations may be made in Michael’s memory to Congregation B’nai Israel or the American Cancer Society.

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Margaret Lydia Faith Hill

“Maggie”

February 28, 1939 – September 13, 2022

Margaret Hill, 83, known by friends and family as Maggie, died peacefully at home in Pennington, New Jersey, surrounded by family and music. Maggie is survived by her husband Colin; her children and their families, Sebastian and his wife, Margo, and their two children Alessandra and Phoebe; Brendan and his wife, Sophie, and their three children Annabelle, Josephine, and Charlie; Cordelia and her husband John and their son, Augustus; Orlando; her four sisters Nicola, Caroline, Rosamund, and Mary; and myriad nieces and nephews.

A memorial will be held in the coming months to honor and celebrate Maggie’s life. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Cure PSP (psp.org) or National Alliance on Mental Illness Mercer County (namimercer.org).

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William J. Ryan Sr.

1934 – 2022

William J Ryan Sr, 88, died at home in the company of his family in Princeton in September following an illness.

Bill was born in Niagara Falls, NY. He met his wife, Mary, and together they started a family in Brooklyn, NY. The Ryans moved to the Princeton area in 1969 and remained there. Bill graduated from Hobart College and Fordham Law School, he served in the U.S. Army National Guard, and built his career working for firms and organizations that included Royall, Koegel, Rogers & Wells, Johnson & Johnson, and the U.S. Senate Committee on Health and Human Services. Bill was a devout Roman Catholic and a distinguished member of St. Paul Parish in Princeton.

Bill is survived by his children Peter, Patricia, and John; he was predeceased by his wife of 55 years, Mary, and his children William Jr., James, and Joseph. Bill is also survived by his grandson, Michael, and many beloved nieces and nephews.

A visiting hour and Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, September 26, beginning at 9:30 a.m., at St. Paul Church in Princeton.

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Diane Tamasi

Diane Tamasi, 80, passed away on September 17, 2022, at home surrounded by her loving family. She was born in Princeton, graduated from Princeton High School, and moved to Lawrenceville after high school. Diane was a homemaker for her three sons. She was very active, loved being outside and gardening, enjoyed traveling, sewing, crocheting, and arts and crafts.

Predeceased by her parents William and Elizabeth (Stierle) Toto; husband Michael Tamasi Jr.; and brother and sister-in-law William Toto Jr. and Mildred; she is survived by her three sons Michael Tamasi III, Edward Tamasi and wife Monica Davis, and Jeffrey Tamasi and wife Carol; and three grandchildren Allison Tamasi, Jeffrey Tamasi Jr., and Daniela Tamasi.

Visitation will be held on Monday, September 26, 2022 from 5-8 p.m. and on Tuesday, September 27, 2022 from 9-10 a.m. at The Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vandeventer Avenue, Princeton, NJ 08542. Funeral service will be held on Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the funeral home followed by burial in Princeton Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to a charity supporting Multiple Myeloma.

September 14, 2022

Obituaries 9/14/2022

Sam Glucksberg

1933-2022

Sam Glucksberg died on August 29 in a New York City hospital, at the age of 89, only 24 hours after experiencing a major stroke shortly after he and his wife, Kay Deaux, returned home from a weekend visit in Connecticut.

From 1963 to 1987, Sam was a full-time resident of Princeton, where he was a professor of psychology at Princeton University. From 1987 to 2017, he split his time between Princeton and New York City, where Kay was a professor at the Graduate Center of City University of New York. In 2017, with Sam and Kay now both retired, he became a full-time resident of New York.

For Sam, the move to New York brought him full circle to the city in which he and his family settled in 1946 when they migrated from Montreal, where Sam was born in 1933. With the exception of one year at McGill University, Sam’s education was based in New York City: high school at Bronx Science, a bachelor’s degree from City College, and a Ph.D. in experimental psychology from New York University. After a three-year stint at the U.S. Army Human Engineering Lab in 1960-1963 (allowing him to become a captain in a research lab rather than a private on the front lines in Vietnam), Sam accepted a position at Princeton University in 1963. That would be his first and only academic position, other than occasional sabbaticals at universities in the U.S. and abroad and a year at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University (1986-87).

Sam quickly became a key member of the Princeton psychology department. Just a few years after he arrived, at the request of the University president, Sam became acting chair of the department; he later served another six years as chair from 1974-1980. During his 44 years in the department, Sam was seen by his colleagues and students as “a dream colleague” who fostered intellectual cohesion, mutual respect, and generosity. To his graduate students as well as to younger faculty, he was both mentor and mensch.

Sam’s reputation in the scientific psychology community was equally strong. He was a central figure in the field of experimental psycholinguistics, exemplified by the volume Experimental Psycholinguistics, co-written with Joseph Danks. The book was originally published in 1975 and then re-published in 2014, attesting to its continued influence on the field. Sam’s particular research focus became people’s use of figurative language. His 2001 book, Understanding Figurative Language: From Metaphors to Idioms, summarized a body of research that significantly shifted the ways in which scholars think about these topics.

In addition to producing an influential body of research, Sam was also known as an outstanding editor. He edited one of the oldest journals in psychology, Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, from 1984 to 1989 and of one of the newest when he became the third editor of Psychological Science in 1999. He also did extensive reviewing work for scientific agencies of the government, serving on a National Science Foundation review committee (1985-1988) and chairing a review committee at NIMH (1979-1982).

Family, friends, and colleagues remember Sam equally well for the full life he led outside the purely academic domain. His cooking abilities were outstanding and widely appreciated as was his sense of humor. Sam had a “priceless sharp wit” and “his mastery of jokes was legendary.” He was as skilled at the poker table as he was in the research laboratory and his love of travel was a source of enjoyment throughout his life.

Sam is survived by his wife, Kay Deaux; his brother Harold Glucksberg; his three children and their spouses, Matthew Glucksberg and Harriet Stratis, Ken Glucksberg and Sue Rosengard, and Nadia Glucksberg and Steve Hamill; and his two grandchildren, Max Glucksberg and Alexander Stratis.

An event to remember and celebrate Sam’s life will be held later this year. Donations in Sam’s name can made be made to Energy Vision (energy-vision.org) or Kids in Danger (kidsindanger.org).

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Richard Benjamin Stewart

It is with great sadness that the Stewart family announces the death of Richie Stewart. He passed on Saturday, September 3, surrounded by his loving family. At the young age of 33, he fought a courageous battle with cancer until the very end.

Born Richard Benjamin Stewart in Princeton, New Jersey, he resided most of his life in Kingston before moving to Lawrenceville, NJ. Richie graduated from South Brunswick High School in 2007 as an accomplished athlete winning the GMAC Golf Championship and later earning Athlete of the Year. He pursued his bachelor’s degree at West Virginia University where he was the founder of the university’s golf club. Continuing his education at Rider University, Richie earned his master’s degree in 2012.

His priority, even at a young age, was planning for his future. Starting with detailing cars at his family’s business, the Kingston Garage, to passing his CPA exam soon after graduation, and most recently pursuing a certification to become a financial advisor. Richie married his loving wife, Lauren, on New Year’s Eve 2016 in New Hope, PA. In December of 2019, Richie became a father to their daughter, Sutton, his proudest moment of all. He easily adjusted to fatherhood loving his early morning one-on-one time with his baby girl. He hoped to pass onto Sutton his love for sports, especially golf and maybe even ice hockey, and watch her catch her first fish.

His family, wife Lauren (Hawkins) Stewart, his daughter Sutton Rae Stewart, his parents Richard W. and Dianne (Fjeldal) Stewart, and brother Ryan Stewart, wish for everyone to remember Richie as a devoted son, brother, husband, and father who had a quiet demeanor with a funny sense of humor. He was happiest being on the water, whether it was with his lifelong friends or his dad, both avid fishermen. Richie’s presence will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

A Celebration of Richie’s Life will be held for close family and friends.

In lieu of flowers and charitable donations, a Go Fund Me has been set-up for Sutton’s future.

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

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James Custis “Denny” Crimmins

1935 – 2022

Denny was a loving and proud father and grandfather, a joyful presence to his extended family, and a lively friend and storyteller to those that knew him. He was born and raised in California by a strong grandmother, a gregarious father, and a well-traveled mother during a very different age. His family and career made him bi-coastal, calling New York City, Princeton, NJ, Montecito, CA, and Atherton, CA, home before retiring back in Princeton, NJ, where he passed on September 5 at 87 years old. He is predeceased by his son, Ethan Custis Crimmins, and survived by his four daughters, Samantha Smith, Page Seyfried, Tory Brangham, Courtney Mauer, and 13 grandchildren.

He spoke fondly of his school years and made learning a lifelong pursuit. At The Thatcher School, CA (’52) he was a prefect and soccer team captain. At Princeton University (’56)
he majored in History, American Studies, and Creative Writing, joining the Freshman Soccer and Lacrosse teams, and becoming a member of the Ivy Club. He went on to receive a Masters in Playwriting from the University of London, RADA in 2000. 

He began his career in publishing working at Curtis Publishing, Newsweek, then Harpers, and eventually becoming CEO, Founder, and Editor-in-Chief of Business Times. Business Times, in partnership with The Financial Times and The Economist, was the first morning business TV news show and was a winner of the Cable Ace Award for Best News and Public Affairs Program. 

He was an enthusiastic storyteller personally and professionally and went on to be Founder/CEO of Playback Associates, a venture backed startup focusing on documentaries for Fortune 500 companies. His first PBS series on economics called American Enterprise was reviewed highly by Fortune: “calling it successful is a little like saying Gone with the Wind was well received.” A later science film series called The Search for Solutions set a record with 400 million viewers worldwide, was a top 10 Variety grossing film, and won 26 awards including the Grand Prize at the New York Film & TV Festival. He went on to produce a documentary series under his eponymous company J.C. Crimmins & Co. called The American Promise about grassroots democracy that became part of the curriculum in 55,000 schools. He was a five-time published author, including Enterprise in the Non-Profit Sector written for The Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and wrote and directed five plays performed in Edinburgh, Oxford, London, and San Francisco, specifically “Je Suis Lafette” performed at the Bohemian Grove. 

He supported the arts as Chairman of the Associates Council MOMA NY, and was a Trustee for the Contemporary Art Museum, Ensemble Theater, and The George Bernard Shaw Foundation. He remained involved in social and community endeavors as a member of the University Club in NYC and the Bohemian Club in San Francisco.

The family would like to thank all of his amazing caregivers during his later years, particularly Seray Bangura, the Princeton Windrows’ Staff, and the Maplewood Staff. His celebration of life will be held on October 16 at 11 a.m. at the Princeton Windrows.

———

James Babbitt Hastings, MD

September 20, 1927 – September 4, 2022

Dr. James Babbitt Hastings died peacefully at home on September 4, 2022, surrounded by loving family.

Born on September 20, 1927, Jim spent his formative years in Montclair, NJ, getting in and out of the usual scrapes. Much of this energy was luckily directed at the Boy Scouts, where he earned his Eagle award, and as a leader at Camp Dudley in the Adirondacks. Both of these organizations fostered his lifelong love of the outdoors and remained near and dear to his heart. Graduating from high school in 1945, he attended Haverford College for a year before joining the Navy, serving two years as a radar technician on destroyers where he learned to love the sea, loud noises and vacuum tubes. Returning to Haverford, he graduated early in 1950 with a degree in Electrical Engineering, which he immediately squandered by enrolling in the surgery
program at Columbia Presbyterian College of Physicians and Surgeons. There he met nursing student Margaret (Peg) Ross. They married in 1954 after graduation, and moved to Cooperstown, NY, where he did his internship and residency at Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital, training in general surgery and producing three children. At the prompting of Dr. Benjamin Wright, his good friend from Columbia, Jim joined Princeton Medical Group and moved his young family to Princeton, NJ, in 1959 and added a fourth child, much to the glee of his older sister.

He grew up sailing small boats on a lake in the Poconos but loved sailboats of every kind. He twice served as navigator in races from Newport to Bermuda, and skippered chartered sailboats with friends and family all over the Caribbean. After graduating from Haverford, he spent three summers volunteering for the Grenfell Mission, first sailing on a hospital ship along the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador, installing radio transmitters at remote nursing stations, and then assisting in surgery at the hospital at Saint Anthony, Newfoundland. This early experience of mission work informed the rest of his days. He was always generous with his time and resources to charitable organizations, most memorably volunteering as surgeon for the Indian Health Services in Fort Defiance, AZ, working with Navajo healers.

His tenor voice was heard in school, college, Navy, and medical school choirs, and for 50 years in the choir at Nassau Presbyterian Church, where he also served several times as elder. His love of Gilbert and Sullivan was apt to overtake him at inopportune times, but generally this was tolerated. His voice also narrates many medical texts available through Recording For the Blind and Dyslexic, where he and Peg volunteered for many years.

He designed and ran the first mass screening program for colo-rectal cancer, earning him honors as AMA Doctor of the Year in 1973 (New Jersey), and served for many years on various local, state, and national cancer task forces and committees. He served on the American Cancer Society National Task Force on Colo-rectal Cancer for 10 years, on the county medical society for 15 years, and as delegate to the Medical Society of NJ. He chaired the section of general surgery at the Medical Center at Princeton for eight years and taught as Clinical Assistant Professor at Rutgers Medical School until 1998. Princeton Medical Group had eight MDs when he started, and 23 when he retired. The Medical Center at Princeton grew from 64 MDs to more than 500 before he retired in 1994. He continued his contributions to his profession, participating in the hospital Tumor Board well after retirement.

Family and community were central to Jim and Peg’s life together. They raised their four children in Princeton, enjoying summers camping across the country, spending time (and playing a lot of ruthless bridge) at Jim’s family vacation home at Lake Paupac in the Poconos, and gathering and hiking with Peg’s extended family at Rivermede, their farm in the Adirondacks. He was very proud of his children’s accomplishments, but even more so of their love for each other. Jim and Peg consider that their lives’ greatest achievement.

He is predeceased by his parents, Evelyn (Babbitt) and Alan Hastings, and his sister Elizabeth (Betty). He is survived by his wife, Peg, and children, Nancy (and Jerry) Zatzman, Alan (and Teresa Davis), Robert (and Fritz Sabbow), and Nick (and Kim Mrazek); and grandchildren, Josh Zatzman, Sam Hastings, Julianne Hastings, Noah Hastings, Caleb Hastings, and Nina Hastings. A memorial service is planned for Saturday, November 5 at 1:30 p.m. at Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Jim’s memory to Princeton Medical Center Foundation (princetonhcs.org/princeton-medical-center-foundation), Learning Ally (learningally.org) formerly known as Recording For the Blind and Dyslexic, or Arm In Arm (arminarm.org). 

———

Jacques P. Honoré, Jr.

Jacques P. Honoré, Jr., known to all as Jack, died on September 10, 2022 with family by his side.

Born on June 2, 1918 in Princeton, NJ, he attended Princeton Country Day School and graduated from Princeton High School. He was one of the earliest employees hired at the RCA David Sarnoff Research Center in West Windsor, NJ, and he worked there for his entire professional career, retiring in 1981 as manager of the drafting department. After retiring he lived in Sea Isle City, NJ, and later relocated to Bradenton, Florida.

He was the devoted husband of Ann Clayton Honoré and provided care for her over many years until her death in 1995. He continued to live independently in Florida until after his 100th birthday, and enjoyed spending time with friends from Spoonbill Landings Circle in the Perico Bay Club and breakfasts at Denise’s Beachway Cafe.

Always curious and informed, he followed national and world news closely, and enjoyed discussing current events while offering his century of perspective to the news of the day. He took pleasure in gardening, and there were few electronic or home repairs that he could not diagnose and repair on his own. 

Jack is survived by his daughter Susan Appelget (Charles) and son Jack Honoré, III (Regina), both of West Windsor, NJ; grandchildren Kristin Appelget of Princeton, NJ, Kevin Appelget (Lori) of West Windsor, NJ, Katie Ksenich (Mike) of New Milford, PA, Elizabeth Hughes (Justin) of Robbinsville, NJ, and Brian Honoré (Nina) of Silver Spring, MD; and great-grandchildren Gillian, Hayden, and Isabelle Appelget, Max and Ava Ksenich, Abigail and William Hughes, and Callen and Rylan Honoré. He is also survived by nephews Robert Ciasca (Cynthia) and Anthony Ciasca (Rosalie) and several great-nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held on Friday, September 16, 2022 at Dutch Neck Presbyterian Church, 154 South Mill Road, West Windsor, NJ, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. followed by a service at 11:30 a.m. Burial will follow at Princeton Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Sarnoff Collection at The College of New Jersey, Green Hall, Room 215, Ewing, NJ 08628 or online at give.tcnj.edu.

Extend condolences and share remembrances at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.

September 7, 2022

Obituaries 9/7/2022

Barbara Gazey Turner

After living with ovarian cancer and its challenges for three years, Barbara Gazey Turner died on August 27 at the age of 71. 

Born and raised in Princeton, NJ, Gazey spent much of her life in the local area. She graduated from Princeton public schools and went on to earn a BA from Carnegie Mellon University and 10 years later returned to school to earn an MBA from Rutgers. 

After pursuing career paths in mental health, law, and corporate management, Gazey happily settled on her true love of nature and the outdoors. She returned to school in horticulture, joined Ambleside Gardens, and became an integral member of the management team. She was a firm believer in finding what you love and figuring out a way to pursue it.

Gazey found many ways to participate in nature’s beauty, including gardening, hiking, or horseback riding in our national parks, strolling through the local woods, and photographing flowers. She loved swimming, boating, and most of all relaxing by the lake or ocean with a good book. 

Gazey was grateful to many for their help with her ongoing personal growth and spiritual development. She found this work paid back many fold throughout the years, particularly in learning to deal with her diagnosis, the unpredictable progression of her disease, and the end of life. 

Dogs have been Gazey’s family and best friends throughout life, providing her with much joy, affection, and companionship. She loved and was deeply loved by her friends and family. In testimony to her quiet nature, honesty, loyalty, wisdom, and humor, her dear friends from across the country were with her to the end. Her family gathered around her during her illness and treatment, holding the difficult times with her and enjoying the intimacy and connection that this very unique time in life brought with it. They celebrate her life with great happiness and gratitude, and will miss her beyond measure.

She is survived by her sister, Michael Ann Walstad of Lawrenceville, NJ; her nieces, Kimberly Zablud of New Hope, PA, and Avery Connolly of West Chester, PA, and their families, including her grandnephews Lee, Silas, and Quinn. She is also survived by her adored canine companion Tate. 

Service will be private. 

August 31, 2022

Obituaries 8/31/2022

Rev. David H. McAlpin, Jr.

David Hunter McAlpin, Jr., born January 19, 1928, in New York City, died peacefully, surrounded by his four children on August 5, 2022, in Skillman, New Jersey after a long, full life.

Widely known as Mac, he was of the generation in which frugality was a virtue and sharing your blessings was a moral imperative. After earning a BA in History from Princeton University in 1950 and a MDiv degree from The Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York in 1953, he was ordained a Presbyterian minister in 1957 at Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church, a predominantly African American church in Princeton, NJ. As Assistant Pastor he was in charge of youth ministry. While at Witherspoon, he earned his MTh from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1961. Moving to Michigan in 1963, he led a nascent parish in East Detroit until 1970, when he and his family returned to the Princeton, where he led churches in transition and counseled fellow pastors.

With Witherspoon’s Senior Pastor, Benjamin J. Anderson, Mac attended Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963 and took King’s lessons to heart. His lifelong efforts to forge a better world and a more just and desegregated society focused on providing housing to those in need and on prison reform work. In the 1950s he led efforts to establish integrated housing developments in Princeton. In 1986 he was a founder of Habitat for Humanity in the Trenton area, leading it for nearly 30 years. He also founded and was President of Capstone Corp., a nonprofit, low-income housing developer serving Mercer County communities.

He initiated and oversaw in-prison programs and counseling with the New Jersey Association on Correction, a nonprofit agency serving those impacted by crime and the criminal justice system throughout New Jersey, and with the Community Network, a prison ministry serving NJ.

Mac was deeply involved in the community in and around Princeton, where he lived for most of his life. Highlights are his service on the boards of the Stony Brook Millstone Watershed Association, a seminal environmental education and advocacy organization; the Princeton Blairstown Center, an outdoor education program serving at-risk youth from Princeton, Trenton, and other communities; the Historical Society of Princeton; the Witherspoon-Jackson Historical and Cultural Society; and the Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York. In his 80s and 90s, he was a founding board member of the Paul Robeson House in Princeton. His service to and attendance at Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church spanned more than 65 years.

Modest in both size and ego, he was surprisingly strong and capable. He led a physically active life and loved ice skating, tennis, sailing, boating, and swimming in Chatham, MA, and in the Adirondacks, as well as working on his farm outside Princeton. He also loved wearing his McAlpin plaid kilt for special occasions, including his 90th birthday celebration, and was proud that he never outgrew it. 

The son of David H. McAlpin and Nina Underwood McAlpin, Mac was predeceased by both his wives, Joan R. McAlpin and Sally D. McAlpin. He was a much-loved moral beacon to his family — including his four children and their spouses, his four grandchildren, and two great-grandsons — and his friends and community.   

There will be a memorial service and celebration of his life at the Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church, 124 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, NJ, on Saturday, October 8 at 11 a.m., to be livestreamed to Nassau Presbyterian Church, 61 Nassau Street. Reception at Nassau Church to follow service. Please attend at Nassau Church if you are ambulatorily challenged.

In lieu of flowers donations may be directed to Habitat for Humanity of Central New Jersey, 530 Route 38 East, Maple Shade, NJ 08052 or to the office address of Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church, 112 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, NJ 08542.

———

John Paul D’Antonio

John Paul D’Antonio, 68, died on August 27, 2022 peacfully surrounded by his family in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, from cancer.

A native to the Princeton area he attended Chapin School, The Hun School of Princeton Class of 1970, and Lehigh Unversity Class of 1976. He also attend the Art Students League of New York and Rhode Island School of Design.

After graduating Lehigh University, where he majored in Art History, D’Antonio attended the Art Students League of New York, studying under Xavier Gonzales, who was a leading instructor known as much for his large murals as for mentoring students like Jackson Pollock and LeRoy Neiman.

John D’Antonio was an accomplished artist whose work represented a realistic interpretation of seascapes and landscapes. His art and philosophy have been shaped by influences as diverse as Academicism and the Photorealist painters of the 1970s. His work has been represented by a number of galleries worldwide.

John Paul D’Antonio is considered by some in the art world to be a leading representational artist in America today. His paintings reveal a remarkable eye for the telling detail united with a facility for composition, color, and light. The precision and clarity of his diverse scapes lend immediacy and impact to his paintings while capturing the energy and mystery of his subjects.

John also held a very accomplished career as global head consultant in the Life Science industry building multimillion-dollar pipelines from the ground up. He worked for numerous Fortune 500 companies in the metropolitan area throughout his life. John had many passions such as squash, hunting, and fishing in the great outdoors he has passed down onto his children that will carry on his legacy for many years to come. 

John is survived by his sister Ann D’Antonio and his four children, John D’Antonio, his wife Pam, and their two children Penelope and George of Sparta, New Jersey; Natalie Bryenton, her husband Alex Bryenton, their two children Mackenzie and Ryder of Asheville, North Carolina; Peter D’Antonio, his wife Amanda, and their two children Michael and Peter of Missoula, Montana; Blake D’Antonio, his mother Rebecca and Scott Smith of Doylestown, Pennsylvania. John is also survived by his three stepchildren Tabitha Rutkowski, Nina Rutkowski, and Phoebe Rutkowski of Doylestown, Pennsylvania. John is preceded in death by his mother Yolanda and father Mario D’Antonio.

John’s family would like to give their utmost appreciation to the Vitas Hospice team along with Rebecca and Scott Smith who opened their home to care for John through this difficult process.

Family will receive relatives and friends on Friday, September 2, 2022, from 12 to 1 p.m. at Our Lady of Czestochowa Cemetery, 654 Ferry Road, Doylestown, PA (travel through the cemetery gates to the end of the road, the Red Chapel is on the left). Followed by John’s Mass of Christian Burial at 1 p.m. 

In lieu of flowers donations can be made in memory of John P. D’Antonio to the American Cancer Society. Arrangements by Donahue Funeral Home, (215) 348-9421.

———

Mary Kathryn Moses

Mary Kathryn Moses, 66, passed away peacefully on August 28, 2022 at her home in Princeton, New Jersey.

She is survived by her loving husband of 26 years John, daughter Courtney Coyne, sister Lori Chaudhry, brother Christopher Knowles, mother Jeri Tomlin, and niece Sophie Chaudhry. She is predeceased by her father Richard Knowles.

Kathryn was born in Rantoul, Illinois. She graduated from Rantoul High School where she was senior class president.

She moved to Chicago in her early twenties where she worked in the jewelry business and also in the State’s Attorney’s office. She was married to her husband John Moses in 1996, and moved to Fox River Grove, Illinois, and later to Cary, Illinois. Kathryn and John moved to Princeton with Courtney in 2004.

Kathryn was known for her wonderful sense of humor, her quick wit, and engaging personality. She was passionate about family. The traditions she created for family birthdays and holidays will be a lasting legacy. She loved to garden and created the most glorious landscapes at her home. She rejoiced in observing and caring for the multiple animals and birds that were attracted to her floral beds.

Kathryn was active in a number of charitable organizations including Big Brothers, Big Sisters in Illinois and the Princeton Hospital Auxiliary where in 2010 she chaired the annual Art First funding campaign.

She will be greatly missed.

A visitation will be held at Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vandeventer Avenue, Princeton 08542 on Saturday, September 3, at 2 p.m. followed by a service at 3 p.m.

August 24, 2022

Obituaries 8/24/2022

John “Jack” Goida

John “Jack” Goida, 80, of Princeton passed away Saturday, August 20, 2022 at Princeton Care Center of Princeton, NJ.

Jack was born in Coaldale, PA. He was an entrepreneur. Jack’s passions included golf, tennis, walks along the beach, and rooting for the NY Yankees and Philadelphia Eagles. Most importantly, he loved spending time with his family and friends. Anyone who met him adored him.

Predeceased by his parents Harry and Mary (Ketz) Goida, and a sister Ellen Garrett.

He is survived by a son and daughter-in-law John “Matt” and Christina Goida, a daughter and son-in-law, Barbara and Robert Paterson, a brother and sister-in-law Greg and Betty Goida, a grandson Christopher Paterson, and a grand dog Boomer.

A Visitation will be held from 7-9 p.m. on Thursday, August 25, 2022 at Mather-Hodge Funeral Home 40 Vandeventer Avenue, Princeton, NJ  08542. A Funeral Service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, August 26, 2022 at All Saints’ Church of Princeton 16 All Saints’ Road, Princeton, NJ 08540. Burial will follow in Trinity – All Saints’ Cemetery, Princeton.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Jack’s name to the American Diabetes Association.

———

David Harding Thomas, Sr.

David Harding Thomas, Sr., 79, passed away on August 7, 2022, in Nashville, TN. Dave was born on January 27, 1943 in Long Branch, NJ, to Lloyd Banks Thomas, Sr. and Valerie Tirrell Thomas. The youngest of three, he spent his childhood in Locust, NJ, until age 9, when the family moved to Manhattan. David attended The Hill School in Pottstown, PA, and Vanderbilt University, where he was president of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and graduated with honors.

After a backpacking tour of Europe, Dave briefly served in the New Jersey Army National Guard. He began his career at McGraw Hill, then worked for Life Magazine as an advertising salesman, his true calling. Ad sales positions followed at New York, Time, Field & Stream, Financial World, and Mutual Funds magazines.

David married Jane Margaret Mawicke in 1969, had two children, and raised the family in Briarcliff Manor, NY. He subsequently resided in Rowayton, CT; Hilton Head, Mount Pleasant, and Charleston, SC; and finally, Nashville, TN. Known to his family members as “Fred,” Dave was an avid golfer, a lover of Labrador retrievers, and an entertaining correspondent. When not playing golf at Sleepy Hollow CC, Sea Pines CC, or CC of Charleston, he preferred to be on a boat or at the beach, always with one of his four-legged best friends, Sally, Molly, or Nelly, at his side. Family was supremely important; he generously sponsored beach vacations with kids and grandkids fondly known as “Fredweek.” He spent 10 years assiduously researching his genealogy, proving true the family lore that his ancestors arrived in America during its infancy. In his own words, though, “the most important role in my life’s work was that of a father.”

David is survived by his sister, Valerie Thomas Hartshorne (Blawenburg, NJ); his wife of 22 years, Jane Thomas Cogswell (divorced) of Stone Mountain, GA; his children, Pamela Thomas Alexander “Pam” (Peter) of Atlanta, GA, and David Harding Thomas, Jr. “Joe” (Betsy) of Franklin, TN; and five grandchildren: Samuel Deane Alexander “Sam,” Laura Jane Alexander “Janie,” David Harding Thomas, III “Trey,” Tyler Banks Thomas, and Tucker Alston Thomas. He is preceded in death by his brother, Lloyd Banks Thomas, Jr.

A memorial at All Saints’ Memorial Church (Navesink, NJ) is planned for early 2023. Memorial contributions may be made to the Charleston County Public Library at charlestonlibraryfriends.charityproud.org/Donate or the Nashville Public Library Foundation at nplf.org/general-donation.

———

Louise Ann Taback

Louise Ann Taback of Blawenburg, N.J., passed away peacefully in her sleep at her home on August 9. She was 82 years old.

Louise was born in Union City, N.J. Her parents, Anna and William Blohm, were German immigrants who came to America to carve out a new life. They owned and operated a corner grocery store in their neighborhood. They were humble, kind, and generous people.

After graduating from high school Louise attended Upsala College where she met her husband, Alan. This was the beginning of a 62-year love affair.

After college Louise went to work for American Airlines. Her next job was working for a doctor friend as an administrative assistant. In 1967 when her daughter Jennifer was born, she became a stay-at-home mom. She was an amazing mom.

When her husband Alan told her he was leaving education to pursue a career as an artist, her comment was, “I guess I’d better get a job.”

And with that, she began her career as an administrative assistant at three food businesses: Soupe Du Jour, The Catering Company, and Lucy’s Kitchen and Market. Her attention to detail was impeccable. She loved the many lifelong friendships that developed as a result of her work.

Louise had a wonderful eye for design. Her home felt like the interior of a beautiful showroom and the gallery she owned and managed in Jerome, Arizona, was, like her home, a tasteful showplace.

Louise was known for her small, elegant dinner parties. She loved the warmth of the gatherings. She was humble, shy, elegant, and at 6’1, stately. She was a beautiful person, both inside and out. Her smile said it all.

She was predeceased by her father, mother, and older brother Ray whom she adored. She is survived by her husband Alan Taback, daughter Jennifer Anderson, and son-in-law Anthony Anderson.

The Celebration of Louise’s life will take place on September 10 at 3:30 p.m. at 395 Route 518 in Blawenburg, NJ 08558. Please park at the Blawenburg Church, on Route 518.

———

George Neville

George Neville, 78, passed away on Saturday, August 20, 2022 in Princeton. He was born in Hartford, CT, grew up in Winchester, MA, and settled in Ridgewood, NJ. He graduated from Harvard University in 1966, attended Boston College Law School, and Tuft’s Graduate School in Massachusetts, where he met his wife of 49 years, Frances Jani.

He enjoyed history, especially the American Civil War. He loved sports and was a three-sport athlete in college, participating in baseball, football, and basketball. He earned All-American honors in baseball: a wonderful culmination to a youth spent on the baseball diamond where he and his friends honed their skills and eventually played in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, in 1955 and ’56. He spent the bulk of his career in education as Principal of the George Washington Middle School in Ridgewood, NJ. There will always be a special place in his heart for his GW Family. George loved people most of all and had a unique ability to assemble an exceptional learning environment.

Predeceased by his parents George Malcolm and Florence (Shannon) Neville; he is survived by his wife Frances Jani Neville; children Ben Neville, Jennifer Ann Findlay and husband Trey Findlay, Tyler Neville and wife Lauren Haugh Neville; grandchildren Brennan Neville, Declan Findlay, Bowen Neville, McCoy Neville, and an additional grandson to be born in November; sister Ann Howell; and sister-in-law Mary Englert, along with many nephews and friends that he loved dearly.

An Ice Cream Social Memorial will be held at a later date in Ridgewood.

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

———

Olive (“Shortie”) Brown

Olive (“Shortie”) Brown, 96, died at her home in Princeton on August 16, surrounded by her three children.

Olive was born in Trenton on May 2, 1926, to William Schulte and Olive Fine Schulte, the second of their two daughters. She attended the Miss Fines School in Princeton, graduating in 1943; she received her B.S. as a math major from Douglass College (Rutgers) in 1947. She married Leslie (“Brud”) Brown Jr., in 1951.

A state-ranked tennis player, Shortie switched sports to golf when she got married, and went on to win the Trenton Country Club Women’s Golf Championship 10 times. She won the Trenton District Women’s Golf Championship in 1970.

A member of the executive committee of the Women’s Philadelphia Golf Association for many years, Shortie served as president of the Association in 1982-1983. She also sat on the boards of the Garden State Golf Association and the New Jersey State Women’s Golf Association. From 1991 to 2008 she served on the United States Golf Association’s Senior Women’s Amateur Committee; she also served on the Handicap Procedure Committee and worked as a rules official for the U.S. Women’s Open. In 2008 she was inducted into the Princeton Day School Athletic Hall of Fame.

Shortie is survived by her daughter, Candie Brown, who lives in Princeton; her twin sons, Ted Brown, a professor in the School of Architecture at Syracuse University, and Bill Brown, professor of English Language and Literature at the University of Chicago; and two grandchildren, Peter and Fraser.

Memorial donations may be made to The Elephant Sanctuary, P.O. Box 393, Hohenwald, TN 38462; https://shop.elephants.com/give.

August 17, 2022

Obituraries 8/17/2022

Peter J. Carril

Coach Peter J. Carril passed away peacefully at The University of Pennsylvania Hospital, on August 15, 2022, where he was recuperating from a stroke. He was 92 years old.

Carril grew up on the southside of Bethlehem, Pa., where his father worked in the steel mills. The Bethlehem Boys Club helped the young Carril stay on track as he became a promising basketball player at Liberty High School, graduating in 1948. After high school, Carril went to nearby Lafayette College. He graduated in 1952 with a BA in Spanish and it is at Lafayette where he began his lifelong basketball friendship with the late Butch vanBredaKolff.

Carril went on to coach at Easton Area High School for three years while earning his M.A. degree from Lehigh University. From 1958 to 1966 he coached at Reading High School where he had many winning seasons and trips to the state finals. After Reading, he made the move into college coaching, going back to Lehigh for one year (1966 to1967) where he compiled the first winning record in basketball in 50 years, at a school where wrestling was the premiere sport.

In 1967 vanBredaKolff was leaving Princeton and recommended his protégé Carril for the job of Head Basketball Coach. Carril accepted the job and stayed at Princeton, building a basketball dynasty with numerous accomplishments that would also earn him many honors. Carril spent 29 years at Princeton, racking up 514 wins. His teams won 13 Ivy League titles, one NIT Championship (1975), and made 11 NCAA tournament appearances. Along with coaching the Olympic teams of Spain and Argentina, Carril made a name for himself by perfecting the Princeton offense and relying on his famous “backdoor play.” After Princeton, Carril spent time as an assistant coach with the Sacramento Kings, from 1994 to 2004. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in 1998.

In the words of Jerry Price, Senior Communications Advisor/Historian for Princeton Athletics, Carril was “a very simple man, and the more the world around him grew complex, the simpler he became. Make shots. Guard your guy. Be honest with people. And above all, work hard. No shortcuts.”

Carril is predeceased by his father, José Carril of Léon, Spain, his mother, Angelina Rodriguez Carril of Argentina, his sister, Anita Carril Amigo of Bethlehem, Pa., and his former wife, Dolores L. “Dilly” Carril, of Bethlehem, Pa., and Princeton, NJ. He leaves behind a daughter, Lisa D. Carril, of Hopewell, NJ, and a son, Peter J. Carril of Princeton, NJ; grandchildren, Peter B. Carril and Zoe Carril, of New York City; and two grand dogs, Rock and Dolores of Hopewell.

There will be a private viewing for family and close friends only at Kimble Funeral Home in Princeton. A memorial service honoring the Coach will be held at Jadwin Gymnasium on Princeton University’s campus, at a date to be determined.

———

John Madison Cooper

John Madison Cooper, 82, of Princeton, New Jersey, died on August 8, 2022, after a short illness.

John was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on November 29, 1939, the second of seven children of Bernardine (Sheehan) and Armon Cooper. He left Memphis in 1953 when he was awarded a scholarship to attend Phillips Exeter Academy. It was at Exeter that he began his study of ancient Greek, earning the Haig-Ramage Classical Scholarship and graduating first in his class in 1957. He continued his studies at Harvard University (B.A., 1961, Ph.D., 1967) and was a Marshall Scholar at Corpus Christi College, Oxford (B.Phil., 1963). He taught at Harvard, the University of Pittsburgh, and Princeton, from which he retired in 2016. He was President of the Eastern Division of the American Philosophical Association in 1999-2000 and a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He was predeceased by his parents, his sister, Stephanie Cooper, and two brothers, Farrell Cooper and Jerome Cooper.

He is survived by his beloved wife Marcia (Coleman), his daughters, Stephanie and Katherine, Katherine’s husband Bryan Foster, and his grandchildren Amos and Louisa. He is also survived by his brothers and sisters-in-law Armon Cooper and Karen Schoenberg, Gail Cooper, Richard and Charlotte Cooper, Robert and Sue Cooper, sister-in-law Dora (Coleman) DeGeorge, cousins Brainard Cooper and Sarah Forrest Schwartz, many nieces and nephews, and valued friends.

John was Princeton’s Henry Putnam University Professor of Philosophy emeritus and one of the world’s leading scholars of ancient Greek and Roman philosophy. On the basis of the John Locke Lectures, which he gave at Oxford in 2011, he wrote his final book, Pursuits of Wisdom, a historical and philosophical account of the Greeks’ views on the good life. His first book, Reason and Human Good in Aristotle, won the American Philosophical Association’s Matchette Prize in 1977. His essays have appeared in two volumes, and he edited a selection of Seneca’s essays on moral philosophy. He edited the Complete Works of Plato (1997), now used as the standard throughout the English-speaking world. Although he dedicated a significant effort to his writings, he felt strongly that his most important responsibility was to his students, and in response was deeply appreciated by generations of them.

As erudite as he was sharp, John set a standard of intellectual rigor and honesty for colleagues and especially his students. He was widely admired for his scholarship, his humanity, his generosity, and his wit. John was a fiercely loyal friend, relentless competitor, crossword aficionado, opera lover, and devoted father and grandfather. He was determined that his life would not be limited by the type I diabetes diagnosis he received as a young man nearly 60 years ago, and it was not.

A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Civil Liberties Union (aclu.org) or Southern Poverty Law Center (splcenter.org).

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

August 10, 2022

Obituaries 8/10/2022

James Kerney Kuser II

1960 – 2022

James Kerney Kuser II, an estate lawyer in Princeton for over three and a half decades, passed away at home July 31, 2022, following a brief illness. Sixty-two years old, Kerney was born in Troy, Ohio, on February 15, 1960, the son of R. George Kuser Jr., a newspaper publisher, and Clare McHugh Kuser, a homemaker. He is survived by his partner, Jeremiah Edwin Obert; by three of his six siblings; by two uncles and one aunt; and by many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

After four years at the Lawrenceville School, Kerney attended Kenyon College, graduating with a bachelor of arts degree in 1982 before studying law at Seton Hall University. He was admitted to the New Jersey Bar in 1985. He was active in many civic and professional organizations. Kerney used his lawyering skills with a light touch and a sure hand, and was always available to help friends and family.

In 1984 he donated a kidney to his older sister, Cricket, and the organ continued to function and support life until her death in 2014. He traveled around the world to support her when she competed in the World Transplant Games, including visits to Budapest in 1991 and Sydney, Australia, in 1997. When Cricket passed away in Vancouver, he was able to sell her home for the highest price possible and distribute the estate proceeds to her survivors.

More recently, he helped the widow of an eminent scientist at the Institute for Advanced Study remain in her home for several years and later sell it for more than the family thought possible.

An avid gardener, Kerney planted his one-acre property with thousands of flowers and dozens of ornamental trees,
always with an eye to providing birdbaths and feeders as well as color throughout the long growing season.

Kerney also had a knack for speaking to children as thoughtful people capable of making rational decisions. When his 7-year-old niece, Eylül Isabella Kuser, moved to the United States from Istanbul she planned on adopting her middle name as being easier for Americans to handle. Uncle Kerney told her that her new country was a land of immigrants, that she was a special person in her own right, and that she should make people deal with her on her own terms, including being known by her actual name. Eylül was persuaded … and has lived to regret it as a teacher, fellow student, or coach is sure to mangle her name every day.

His unique way with young people made a difference in the life of Errol McDowell, son of Kerney’s close friends, Rider and Victoria McDowell. Kerney and Errol hit it off right away when the boy was 8 years old, and maintained their special bond through a years-long ordeal for all when Errol was stricken with a type of brain cancer called medulloblastoma. Errol passed away at the age of 18 in 2018, but conceived of a charity called Canceragogo, which is seeking $1 from every American to cure cancer through immunotherapy.

According to the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation, only 4% of cancer research funding in the U.S. goes towards treating childhood cancer, a disparity which leads to few drugs having been developed for children with cancer while hundreds have been created for adults.

The family encourages donations to Canceragogo. A celebration of life is being planned for late summer or early fall.

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Eileen A. Dow

Eileen Anne (Maxim) Dow died peacefully of natural causes at home in Princeton, NJ, on August 7, 2022 surrounded by her loving family. Born in the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn, NY, Eileen graduated with honors from Fort Hamilton High School and was working in Manhattan when she met her husband of 63 years, Kenneth Dow, then attending Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute on the GI bill. After their marriage in 1950, Mr. Dow was employed as an engineer by the JM Huber Company and the couple was stationed in Borger, Texas, and later in Macon, Georgia, where they welcomed the arrival of the first of their five children.

Upon returning to New York in 1955, the young family soon moved into a new house in suburban Greenlawn, NY, on Long Island. For the next 25 years Eileen was a full-time homemaker. She was active in the PTA, the Girl Scouts, and other civic groups during this time, and she especially enjoyed the family’s annual camping trips throughout the Northeast.

In the 1980s Mrs. Dow returned part-time to the workforce, holding an administrative job in an orthopedic surgery group. Later, after her husband’s retirement and the arrival of grandchildren, the couple moved to Hampton Bays, NY, where they enjoyed an active social life. During retirement they also traveled throughout the United States and the United Kingdom. In final years the couple moved to the Princeton Windrows community to be closer to family members. Mr. Dow passed away in 2018.    

Eileen was an avid reader, enjoyed swimming, and was an accomplished bowler, regularly scoring over 200 points and once nearing a perfect game. Her grandchildren fondly recall her penchant for chocolates. She always will be remembered as a devoted wife, mother, and friend.

Her survivors include a daughter Susan (Dow) Connolly; sons Michael, Kenneth, Thomas, and David; son-in-law Peter Connolly; daughters-in-law Gianina, Catherine, Mae, and Colette; and eight grandchildren: Jacqueline Connolly, Thomas Connolly, Emily Dow, Melissa (Dow) Ortega, Charlotte Dow, Abigail Dow, Grace Dow and Harrison Dow. After a funeral mass at Queenship of Mary Catholic Church, Plainsboro NJ, interment was at Calverton National Cemetery, NY. Memorial contributions to Greenwood House Hospice at greenwoodhouse.org/giving/tributes are appreciated.

Extend condolences and share memories at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.

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Rabbi Daniel Grossman

We mourn the loss of Rabbi Daniel Grossman, beloved teacher, father and husband, who passed on August 2, 2022 at the age of 71. 

Rabbi Grossman is survived by his wife Dr. Elayne Robinson Grossman, his son Sam Grossman, daughter Rabbi Miriam Grossman, and son-in-law Jeremy Siegman and granddaughter Shayna. He is also survived by his brother Dr. Larry Grossman, sister-in-law Joanne Grossman, and a cherished extended family.

Born July 24, 1951 to Jackie and Murray Grossman in Philadelphia, PA, he was an infant survivor of the RH factor. Rabbi Grossman was a lifelong lover of music, storytelling, and Jewish community. 

He graduated Temple University with a B.A. in religion in 1973 and was later ordained at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in 1978. He was a cherished leader in disability and deaf inclusion efforts within the Jewish community. Rabbi Grossman was a pulpit rabbi for over 40 years, the majority of them at Adath Israel in Lawrenceville, NJ, where he led the congregation for 25 years.  As a rabbi his passions were adult education, disability inclusion, and serving families in times of loss.

Rabbi Grossman will be missed by many. May his memory be for a blessing.

Funeral services were held on August 3 at Adath Israel Congregation, with burial at Roosevelt Memorial Park in Trevose, PA.

Memorial contributions may be made to: the American Kidney Fund, Sharim v’Sharot, Adath Israel Congregation, and Congregation Kol Emet.

Funeral arrangements are by Orland’s Ewing Memorial Chapel.

To send condolences to the family please visit Rabbi Grossman’s obituary page at OrlandsMemorialChapel.com.

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Augustine F. Mosso

June 7, 1931 – July 30, 2022

Gus Mosso, of Cape May, NJ, and formerly of Princeton, NJ, passed away peacefully in the comfort of his home on July 30, 2022. Born in Brooklyn, New York, to Joseph and Mary Mosso, Gus was the youngest of six children, sisters Sadie Frances, Janet, Isabel, and brothers Pat and Frank. He excelled in school and was the first college graduate in his Italian immigrant family. He studied Pharmacy at St. John’s University in New York City and he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1952 and he maintained lifelong school friendships.

Gus enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served as a Lieutenant during the Korean Conflict (1953-1956) and received an honorable discharge. He met the love of his life Mary Ann (nee Turano) and they married in 1960 and had four children by 1965! Gus earned his MBA in Marketing and Management from New York University in 1959 after he attended evening classes especially designed for the 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  business management employees located in the downtown Wall Street area.

From 1960 to 2005 Gus’s very interesting work in a diverse and exceptional pharmaceutical career included positions of increased executive responsibility in sales, advertising, international marketing, and creative services. He was awarded the Squibb President’s Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in 1973. Gus later became Director of Worldwide Marketing and Creative Services and in 1985 his role included managing the Squibb Gallery in Lawrenceville, NJ. Gus was presented with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Gold Medallion in 1989 for this work and for his role in promoting corporate support for arts education. Gus retired early and started his own medical conference planning firm, The Mosso Group Inc., from 1990-2005.

As well as being an avid theater fan Gus turned his talents to producing plays for the Princeton Community Players. Gus and Mary Ann traveled the world and visited six continents. After 37 years in Princeton, he and Mary Ann relocated permanently to Cape May, NJ, where Gus served as President and later Vice President of the Village Greene Civic Association. He advocated for reduced speed limits on local roads and other measures to protect walkers and bicycle riders. Gus and Mary Ann served as volunteers for the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts and supported local theater and many cultural events in Cape May. Gus was gifted in painting with acrylics and writing, especially poetry with rhyming couplets. His organizational and meeting planning skills for national and international medical educational symposia, and for several family reunions and celebrations, were extraordinary.

Gus is survived by his loving wife Mary Ann of 62 years, his grateful children Rev. Lauren Mosso (Mark Duckworth with their children Arthur, Genevieve, and Mireille Duckworth), Lisa Woodford (Jonathan), Joseph Mosso (Brenda), and Christopher Mosso, together with nieces and nephews of several generations, and many friends, who remember Gus with love.

There will be a funeral Mass in honor of Gus on Friday August 19, 2022, at 10 a.m. St. Paul Church, 216 Nassau Street, Princeton, N.J. Mass will be livestreamed and accessible by visiting this link, stpaulsofprinceton.org/mass-streaming, that will be active at 9:50 a.m.

In lieu of flowers please consider donations in Gus’s honor to benefit Cape May Lutheran Church, 509 Pittsburgh Avenue, Cape May, NJ 08204; Family Promise of Cape May County, 505 Town Bank Road, North Cape May, NJ 08204; or Cape May City Fire Department, 712 Franklin Street, Cape May, NJ 08204. Our family is forever grateful to Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Elliott for his love and support.

For information and condolences, visit Spilker Funeral Home, Cape May at spilkerfuneralhome.com.

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Frances Rizk

Frances Rizk, a loving mother and grandmother, and a warm and generous person, died at home in Princeton on August 3, surrounded by her three children. She had recently celebrated her 90th birthday in style, her wit and sparkle intact until the very end.

Born in Brooklyn, NY, to John Bolin and Mary O’Neill, Fran grew up surrounded by extended family who took care of her when she lost her mother at age 10. After graduating from St. Albans High School in Queens, she completed two years of study at Queens College. She worked for American Can Company then sought a more adventurous life by joining Colonial Airlines as a stewardess. This allowed her to travel to many fun destinations around the globe and began her love of travel.

She met Edward Rizk, the Lebanese delegate to the United Nations, in New York and the two were married there in 1957 at the Greek Orthodox cathedral. Thus began a more than 40-year marriage that took them to many places around the world. After New York City, they moved to London, where Eddie was the Arab League Ambassador to the United Kingdom. Fran attended several teas at Buckingham Palace, watched tennis matches at Wimbledon, made many new friends and spent summers in the mountain village of Broummana, Lebanon surrounded by Eddie’s extended family.

In 1966, the family moved to Lebanon and settled down in Beirut. The next decade represented Lebanon’s “Golden Years” and they all lived full lives amidst friends and family, moving among the family’s several homes. Fran remained as active as ever: She was President of the American Women’s Club in Lebanon, Vice President of the country’s mental hospital, a board member of the local YMCA, and Vice Chair of an arts festival in the Bekaa Valley, all while raising her three children.

In 1976, Lebanon became racked by civil war. Eddie foresaw that this would go on for a long time and urged the family to relocate to the U.S. to build their lives there. They first moved to Ithaca, NY, where their oldest daughter Nayla was accepted to Cornell. Fran was a big fan of Cornell Hockey and they held season tickets for the four years they lived there. In 1980, they moved to Manhattan. For the next two decades, Fran and Eddie enjoyed life on the Upper East Side combined with summers at their home in the hills above Cannes in the South of France. Everywhere they were, family and friends were welcomed with open arms.

As Eddie, 19 years Fran’s senior, grew older, they moved to Princeton, NJ, to be closer to their son, Amin Rizk and his wife Kim. In 2000, Eddie passed away and Fran moved into a new addition built onto Amin and Kim’s house in Princeton. She spent the next 20 years living with them and helping them raise their family, while seeing her daughters and their families as often as she could.

Fran’s life in Princeton was full. She was a docent at Drumthwacket, a member of the Present Day Club, and enjoyed many evenings at the McCarter Theatre. She also enjoyed going with friends to the Philadelphia Ballet and museums in NYC. Fran continued to travel with friends and family on trips to Asia (Japan, China, Vietnam), Egypt, England, Ireland (where her mother’s family came from), Italy, the Caribbean, and Ecuador and the Galapagos. She also traveled back to Lebanon.

Fran is survived by her three children Nayla Rizk (Robert Tarjan), Aline Rizk, and Amin Rizk (Kim); her grandchildren Peter McCall (Lucy), Andrew McCall, Alexandra McCabe, Ens. Christiane McCabe, Natalie Rizk (John), and Katherine Rizk. She was also blessed with three great-grandchildren, Mary and Luke McCall and Wynona Rizk. Fran will be missed by her many relatives and good friends around the world. She will be laid to rest next to her husband, Edward, at the Princeton Cemetery. Services are private and under the direction of Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton.

August 3, 2022

Obituaries 8/3/2022

Gabrielle Aline Pittet-Borel
June 2, 1922 – July 8, 2022

Gaby Borel, 100 years old, left us peacefully early on the morning of July 8, 2022 at her home of 65 years in Princeton. 

Born in Bière, Switzerland, a farm village with a military base, in the French part of Switzerland, on June 2, 1922, her father, Auguste Pittet, was a Major in the Swiss army and an avid alpinist. Gaby’s mother, Odette Gillieron-Pittet, skilled in the artisanal arts, ran an efficient household. Her brother, Edouard, was born the following year.

Gaby’s father, after postings in various parts of Switzerland, settled with his family in Payerne, where Gaby spent the rest of her growing up years. She often referred with heady enthusiasm to her youth in Payerne as “ma belle jeunesse!” Those years covered pre and early WWII years which included the standard curfews, rationing, and schooling without heat (which she ascertained resulted in children never being sick rather than the opposite). There, she formed what were to be lifelong friendships, attended dances, town balls, and made mischief. Gaby’s spirit and unquenchable appetite for life was countered by a father who, though caring, was a strict disciplinarian.  He signed her on for a short stint in the Swiss army’s complementary female division because she had waved at some soldiers on a departing train, and sent her to perfect her German at the Iseltwald girls boarding school run by no-nonsense nuns on Lake Brienz. As was her nature, she managed to have fun there regardless and to master German while making more lifelong friends. Gaby was then able to follow her true calling, painting and drawing, at the Lausanne School of Beaux Arts. 

Upon completion, she was hired by the meteorological institute in Zurich to draw weather maps, and it was in Zurich that she met and fell in love with her future husband, Armand Borel, who was doing his graduate work at the Zurich Polytechnic Institute (ETH). In 1947, while Armand was securing his doctorate in Paris, Gaby went to London to learn English where she helped make ends meet by working and initially living in the Moral-Armament center. In her spare time, she drew sketches of a sadly bombed out cityscape and continued to meet more fascinating people. She and Armand then both reconnected in Geneva, where he taught at the University of Geneva, and in 1952, following an offer from the Institute for Advanced Study, Armand proposed, they married, and then sailed to America, where their daughter Dominique was born two years later. After Princeton, an exhilarating trip to Mexico, and a turn in Chicago, they returned to Switzerland, where Armand was then teaching at ETH in Zurich, and a second daughter Anne was born. Finally, with a tenure offer from the Institute for Advanced Study, in 1957 Gaby and Armand made their permanent residence Princeton, NJ.

Gaby and Armand were passionate travelers and nature lovers. Luckily Armand’s work brought them opportunities to not only travel but to spend extended periods of time abroad. Their trips were well researched and they always found the hidden treasures in the less accessible venues of the places they visited. Gaby was gifted with a keen aesthetic eye: museums, art, fossils, geology, and archeology were among her many interests and she always was on the lookout for an as yet undiscovered arrowhead, fossil, or archeological relic whether it was on site or hiding in the local flea markets and auctions.  And she found them.

Aside from annual visits to Switzerland, there were three-month stays in Hong Kong three years running and numerous trips to India, the first one having been in 1960, and well as many other countries. In the early years, there were also summer respites in Canada or Maine where Gaby, sometimes cooking over a wood stove, would fry up chanterelles found in the woods or try to serve less identifiable mushrooms to her amused but understandably reluctant husband. To her small daughters, begging for yet another tale to be read and with no book on hand, she would sometimes grab a piece of toast, fold it in two and “read” them a story. Gaby Borel was the indefatigable social conduit of her marriage. She loved meeting new people and the more of an international  and intercultural mix the better. The range of her friends was wide and without barriers. She could connect with someone who was 20 just as well as someone who was in their 90s. Not someone who functioned in a club or not for profit group network mode, Gaby helped many others and did good deeds for innumerable people. Whether it was bumping into a new Princeton arrival on Palmer Square, helping them locate a crib and leaving her homemade pie on their doorstep that same evening, or whether it was being there, when no one else was, for a family dealing with isolation and mental illness, she responded with compassion and alacrity to those in need. Her pies and immense generosity were renowned and enjoyed by many over the years.

After her husband died in 2003, Gaby continued to travel, mostly to Switzerland, where she would stay for lengthy periods of time, initially on her own, and then with her daughters. Together they also traveled to Panama, Cuba, Costa Rica, and more. Until nearly her last breath, Gaby was still wanting to plan more trips. She talked of Brazil, Guatemala, Mexico, and wanting to go back to India.

Pre-deceased by her husband Armand and her brother Edouard, she is survived by her daughters Dominique and Anne as well as her cousins, niece, nephews, grand and great-grandnieces and nephews, her godchild Alexis, caregiver Floridalma, and friends all over the world.

Gaby Borel and her zestful generous spirit will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her.

A celebration in honor of Gaby will be announced at a future time.

Donations may be made in her name to TASK in Trenton and The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: Haven for Elephants.

———

Kathryn M. Yoder

Kathryn Louise Mulhollen Yoder passed away at her home in the early morning hours of July 25. It was as she wanted it. Family and friends visited her bedside to serenade her, read to her, and wish her well on her journey. She was happy! Kathryn was all about giving to others and making sure she left a bit of herself on Earth — in paintings, needlepoint, poems, collages, and in many words of wisdom. She was always the teacher and philosopher!

Trained as a home economics teacher, Kay went on to become a substitute teacher at Princeton High School — on too many subjects to mention. She became a full-time English teacher there later in life. She passed on that love for education to her older daughter who became an English teacher.

When Kay retired, she devoted herself to painting, pottery, collages, and poetry. Even later in her life, she was a frequent guest at her younger daughter’s writing retreats where she thoroughly enjoyed offering opinions and tips to aspiring authors. She was an author herself, writing for children’s magazines and authoring a poetry book, Portraying My Life in Paint and Poetry.

Kay was born unexpectedly in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, in her grandmother’s bed when her mother was home for her mother’s funeral. She was raised in Portage, Pennsylvania, and moved at a young age to Johnstown. She had a Little Women type of childhood with four sisters, Belle, Mae, Gladys, and Marjorie, and a loving mother and father, Lillie and Victor. She played the French horn in orchestra and band, survived the 1936 Johnstown Flood, starred as Elizabeth Bennet in her school play, and danced with Gene Kelly (she loved to tell people that).

It was during the summer of 1942, while attending summer school at Penn State, that she met Wayne Yoder when she asked him to join her bridge party (she loved playing bridge!). A tennis date followed, which is ironic, since they never really played again. They were married two years later and remained married for 64 years — living in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Princeton, Savannah, and then back to Pennsylvania and Princeton. Their lives included three children —Charlotte, Thom, and Carolyn. They loved to travel and attend plays, musicals, and the symphony. And they continued to play lots of bridge.

Grams to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, she was known to play badminton, whiffle ball, and golf and also enjoyed traveling to her son’s home for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.

At the age of 88, Kay moved to Stonebridge where she lived independently and continued to paint. She took up collage, pottery, and poetry, and found peace sitting on her porch surrounded by her flowering begonias and listening to the birds.

She is survived by her children and their spouses, Louis Longo and Jean Schluter Yoder; grandchildren Tim Sherwood and his wife, Arleen; Scott Sherwood and his wife, Renee; and Margaret and Elizabeth Yoder; and great-grandchildren Sam and Ben Sherwood and Abigail and Owen Sherwood.

Donations can be made to the Kay Yoder Scholarship (she had such an impact that they created a scholarship in her honor!) at highlightsfoundation.org/kay-yoder-scholarship. A memorial service will be held at the Foundation’s Barn in Boyds Mills, PA, in late August.

———

Mary V. Laity

Mary Vicchi Laity passed away peacefully on July 24 at her home in Princeton Windrows with family members by her side. She was 92. Mary was born on July 9, 1930, in a charity hospital on Welfare (now Roosevelt) Island in New York City. Her parents were immigrants from Italy with very little formal education, but Mary benefited from the excellent educational opportunities offered by the New York public schools, first at P.S. 59 in Manhattan, where she gave the Farewell Address (valedictorian’s speech) at her eighth-grade graduation, then at Hunter High School, where she obtained a first-rate liberal arts education. She matriculated at Hunter College, then one of the top women’s colleges in the state, before moving with her family to Miami. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Miami.

While at Miami, Mary worked over the summers at the Monmouth Hotel in Spring Lake, New Jersey, where she met her future husband of 42 years, Richard Laity, a graduate of Haverford College who was going on to graduate school; Mary and Richard were married in 1951. They spent the first few years of their marriage in Ames, Iowa, where Richard earned a Ph.D. in chemistry from Iowa State University and Mary taught fourth grade. In 1955 Mary and Richard moved to Princeton, New Jersey, where Richard was a member of the Chemistry Department at Princeton University, later becoming professor of chemistry at Rutgers, and Mary reared their five children. When the children were older, Mary returned to school, earning an M.A. and M.Phil. in English from Rutgers University. A gifted educator, she taught literature at the University College adult school of Rutgers while a graduate student, tutored children through the volunteer organization College Bound, and taught a wide variety of literature classes, from Charles Dickens to Henry James to Virginia Woolf and others, in the Evergreen Forum, where she had a devoted following of students eager to take whatever course she was teaching.

A lifelong avid reader with an interest in the arts, Mary wrote reviews for the local papers on art, music, and history. She belonged to two reading groups and for 22 years was a member of the Travellers Club — an organization of women who would research and write a paper each year on an eclectic variety of topics; Mary’s numerous papers included studies on Magna Carta and English law, fiction of the Great Depression, and the lost world of Byzantium. She later expanded many of these for the Forum at Windrows, an independent living community to which she moved in 2016.

Mary was active in the Princeton community in other ways, as a member of the League of Women Voters and the Women’s College Club of Princeton (of which she was for many years the historian and publicity chair).

Mary’s professional life included jobs as a proofreader at Peterson’s Guides, fundraiser for Preservation New Jersey, and supervisor for many years of the proofing department at Caliper Corporation.

Mary loved New York City, not only for its cultural offerings, but because she believed that during the Depression and the 1940s, it was good to its poor people, offering them excellent educational and other opportunities.

A wonderful and beloved mother, throughout her long life Mary was always ready to listen to and support her five children, providing for each whatever help or encouragement he or she most needed. And she passed on to them her love of literature and art, her sense of fairness and support for the underprivileged, her patriotism and commitment to citizens’ rights and responsibilities (she never missed a vote), and her unwavering faith in her family. As both mother and grandmother, she treated each child as a unique, special individual. She was a delightful traveling companion, a wonderful cook, a staunch companion in joy and sorrow, and a friend.

Mary is survived by her children and their spouses, James Laity and Mary Anne Festa, Susan Laity, Katherine and Earl Walker, William Laity, and John Laity and Linda Feng, and her grandchildren Richard Laity-Festa, Rachel Laity, Gretchen Laity, Enzo Feng-Laity, and Metta Feng-Laity.

A memorial service will be held in the fall at Trinity Episcopal Church.

Extend condolences and share memories at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.

———

Frank Tufano

August 1, 1934 – July 27, 2022

Frank Tufano Sr. (August 1, 1934-July 27, 2022), a retired metallurgist, father, grandfather, uncle, friend, and mentor, passed away on Wednesday, July 27, 2022 at home surrounded by his loving family.

Frank was predeceased by his son, Frank Tufano Jr., his father, Vincenzo Tufano, his mother, Anna Tufano (Cuomo), and siblings Cecelia Tufano, Joseph Tufano (Irene), Vincent Tufano (Julia), and John Tufano (Theresa). He is survived by his loving wife and companion of 66 years, Emma Tufano (Muentener), his daughter, Allison Clancy and husband Kevin, his granddaughter, Kaitlyn Clancy and fiancé Jarreau, his brother Richard Tufano and wife Kathleen, as well as many nieces and nephews.

Frank was born and raised in Princeton, NJ, and anything Princeton was in his heart, especially the Princeton Tigers. He often told stories of hopping over the fences at Palmer Stadium and Dillon and Jadwin Gyms to watch the games, as well as playing in the war tunnels under Princeton. Frank proudly served his county in the U.S. Army and was a Marksman, stationed on the missile base in Leonardo, NJ.

Frank was a Metallurgical Engineer and spent his 30-year career at Ingersoll Rand in Skillman, NJ, where he was the recipient of five (5) patents; one of which he developed was the process that reduced the corrosion on the silencer of the Navy submarine.

He was a bright and creative man with many interests, particularly golf. At the age of 14, he caddied at Springdale Golf Course for well-known individuals, such as Jimmy Stewart, Mae West, William Bendix, and Don Knotts, all of whom participated in the University’s Triangle Club.

Frank also loved spending time at their Pocono home on Lake Wallenpaupack, which he and Emma built themselves. He enjoyed waterskiing, boating on the lake, and snow skiing. Frank retired from Ingersoll Rand in 1994 and pursed his love of golf, and spent summers at their lake house in Pennsylvania.

A celebration of life will be held on Wednesday, August 10, 2022 at 11 a.m. at Blawenburg Reformed Church, 424 Route 518, Skillman, NJ 08558 – (609) 466-1832. For those unable to attend the service, it will be streamed live on both the Blawenburg Reformed Church’s Facebook page or through Zoom at the following link: https:/zoom.us/j/97023890396 Passcode: church; or phone: 1-646-558-8656; Meeting ID: 970 2389 0396.

In Lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society, designated to multiple myeloma, or Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey in remembrance of Frank.

———

Alexander Edwards Morris

February 8, 1941 – July 25, 2022

Alexander E. Morris, a retired business executive, father, and grandfather, passed away on Monday, July 25, 2022. Alex (“Sandy” to family and childhood friends) was predeceased by Pegie Morris, his loving wife and companion of 57 years, in January. Alex is survived by his son Robert V. Morris, Robert’s wife Kendall L. Morris, their three grandchildren – Parker, Hayden, and Ellie (Richmond, VA), his son Garret E. Morris and his wife Joyce B. Morris (Towson, Maryland). Alex is also survived by his brother Dudley E. Morris (Santa Barbara, CA).

Alex was born and raised in Princeton, New Jersey. He attended The Lawrenceville School and later Princeton High School (Class of 1959). He went on to major in Business and graduated from Rider University (Lawrence, NJ). He enjoyed a successful career, working in multiple industries and roles, including Pharmaceuticals, Office Supplies, and Business Process Consulting.

He was a bright and creative man with many interests. Alex loved history, politics, the traditional catholic liturgy, and most of all spending time with family. He enjoyed good food, investing in real estate, reading, and tending to his recent collection of bonsai trees. Dogs were always special to Alex and his bulldog, Alistair, was by his side at the end.   

Alex strove to live his life in accordance with strong personal values. He taught his family the value of hard work, the importance of honesty and of personal responsibility. He also taught them to love and to appreciate the beauty of our physical world.

A funeral mass will be celebrated in Alex’s honor in the chapel at St. Agnes Catholic Church (7775 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Naples, FL 34120) on Friday, August 5, 2022 at 11 a.m. Burial and an in-home reception to follow (28396 Sombrero Drive, Bonita Springs, FL 34135).

In lieu of flowers, a donation to St. Mathew’s House Naples, FL, or to a charity of your choosing will be appreciated.

———

Elwood “Woody” Willis Phares II

Elwood “Woody” Willis Phares II passed away on Tuesday evening, July 19, 2022, at his home in Princeton, NJ, at the age of 92. With a radiant smile, bellowing laugh, and magnanimous charm, Woody was a generous husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend.

Woody was born on June 1, 1930, to Eugene and Ruth (Royer) Phares of Elizabeth, NJ. He attended The Pingry School, where he played on both the football and swimming teams, along with being a member of the 1947 Pingry Hall of Fame golf team. Summers growing up were spent at the beach in Bay Head and Sea Girt, NJ, along with many memorable years with his younger brother, Richard Royer Phares, as a camper and counselor at Camp Waganaki in East Waterford, ME.

After graduating from Pingry in 1947, Woody majored in Management Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) of Troy, NY, graduating with honors in 1951. At RPI, Woody was selected to both the Phalanx Honor and White Key societies, as well as the Theta Xi and Tau Beta Pi fraternities. Woody served as the Vice President of his Junior Class and as Chairman of the Ring Committee during his Senior Year.

A fierce athlete, Woody continued his athletic passion at RPI, playing on both the football and lacrosse teams. Woody was co-captain of the 1951 lacrosse team under coach Ned Harkness, who recalled Woody as “one of the best centers I ever had the pleasure of coaching.” During the 1951 North/South All-Star game, Woody led the team to a 12-11 win, taking all 12 out of 12 face-offs. Woody was selected as an All-American, and named to UVA’s All-Opponent team comprised of players the rival university considered the very best they’d shared the field with. In 1993, Woody was inducted to RPI’s athletic Hall of Fame.

Following his undergraduate ROTC training, Woody joined the 82nd Airborne Division, where he trained in strategic reserve during the Korean War as a 1st Lieutenant Paratrooper, stationed in the South of France.

After the Korean War, Woody attended Harvard Business School, graduating with honors in the class of 1955. While at Harvard, Woody met Jacqueline “Jacquie” Jean Overturf, and they married in February 1956. Together, Woody and Jacquie raised Melissa Jameson “Jamie” Phares and Craig Anthony Royer Phares in Princeton, N.J. The family spent years vacationing in Barbados, Bermuda, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA, and Snowmass/Aspen, CO. Woody and Jacquie fostered a passion ​for travel throughout their 66-year marriage, with countless memories and anecdotes from travel experiences around the globe.

Woody worked in the chemical engineering business for his entire career. Cary Company and Dart Industries, Inc. In 1979 he joined West/Penetone, Inc. (formerly West Chemical Products, Inc) as CEO and President, a position he held until retiring in 2016. Woody proudly took West from a publicly traded company to a privately owned “family company.”

Woody served on the boards of the University Medical Center of Princeton, Crawford House, and The Pingry School. Woody also made consistent charitable contributions to the McCarter Theatre Center, the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, the Arts Council of Princeton, RPI,
Harvard Business School, the Harvard Radcliffe Institute, Princeton Day School, and Save the Children, among others. Woody was a member of the Harvard Club of New York City, the Coral Beach & Tennis Club of Bermuda; the Pretty Brook Tennis Club, the Nassau Club, and The Old Guard of Princeton. He was additionally a previous member of The River Club of New York, The Bedens Brook Club of Princeton, and the Racquet Club of Chicago.

Woody was an avid skier, tennis, and squash player. He was an arts patron and regular theatergoer. Woody was fun, witty, and a sharp dresser. He loved to play Hearts on his many family trips and vacations. Woody will be remembered for his immense kindness, warmth, and charisma. Every January, he and Jacquie opened their doors on Rosedale Road to celebrate their multigenerational “12th Night” holiday party with the Princeton community. Woody was the life of the party; always smiling, laughing, and making sure all were well fed and hydrated.

Woody is survived by his wife Jacquie; their children, Jamie and Craig (wife Katharine Herring Phares); and his five beloved grandchildren, Hadley, Austin, Didier, Charles, and Keene Phares.

A family burial was held Tuesday, July 26 in the Princeton Cemetery. A memorial service and Celebration of Life will be held in the fall of 2022.

​Extend condolences and share memories at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.

July 27, 2022

Obituaries 7/27/2022

Marie Vahlsing

Marie Christina Lambert Vahlsing, 95, of Robbinsville, New Jersey, died on March 22, 2022. Marie Vahlsing was born in Trenton, New Jersey on August 1, 1926. She married Fred Vahlsing Jr. in 1951 and divorced in 1974.

She attended Georgian Court College, a private Roman Catholic university in Lakewood Township, New Jersey, studying art and music. Her marvelous piano playing was always a joy at family gatherings — sight reading the music as requested. Through the 1960s she was involved with the Greater Trenton Symphony Orchestra Association, working on the “4 Arts Ball” for the New Jersey Museum and Culture Center. Marie Christina Lambert Vahlsing also enjoyed playing tennis and going to the movies.

She is survived by four of her five children, Christina Vahlsing of New Mexico, Frederick Vahlsing lll and Josephine Vahlsing of New Jersey, and Elizabeth Ross Vahlsing of Albany, California. Her son, Conrad Vahlsing, predeceased her. She is also survived by grandchildren Candace Vahlsing, Christopher Vahlsing, Marissa Vahlsing, Conrad Vahlsing, Derick Vahlsing, Drew Southern and Lucy Southern, as well as great-grandchildren Christopher Vahlsing, Mateo Zambrano Vahlsing, and Lucas Zambrano Vahlsing.

Interment was at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Hamilton, NJ, on July 23.

———

Anne (Elizabeth) Rutman

Our dearest Anne (Elizabeth) Rutman passed away peacefully on Sunday evening, July 17, 2022, at her home in Belle Meade.

Anne grew up in Beloit, Wisconsin, where her grandfather Samuel Kapitanoff, and his three brothers, emigrated from Russia and founded and built a synagogue that recently celebrated its 110th anniversary. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in business.

Anne began her career at Dayton Hudson and ultimately joined the wholesale children’s-wear apparel industry, including manufacturers American Argo and Nazareth Century Mills. She progressed to the position of Vice President of Sales and Merchandising. She met her husband Phil while flourishing in New York City, and that was the beginning of a beautiful 27-year union. Those who know Anne and Phil remain witness to their genuine, authentic love affair, single-mindedly devoted to each other’s happiness and welfare. In the height of her career, she gave birth to twin daughters Lily and Julia, her love for whom was so incredible that she chose to retire and raise them in Pennington.

Her passion for service never waning, Anne switched tracks to get more involved in The Jewish Center community and support her daughters’ artistic pursuits in their high school performing arts department. At The Jewish Center, she served a few years as President of Jewish Center Women and as a member of the Membership and School Committees, among many other service roles to share her love for her congregation. With the support and encouragement of her loving husband, she achieved her dream of a more intimate connection with God and became a B’nai Mitzvah at about the same time as her daughters.

No words could do her magnificence justice. Anne was at war with cancer for seven years, and she fought with everything she had. She was and will remain an inspiration to all who know her and know of her. She is survived by her husband Phil, her daughters Lily, Julia, the dogs Lola and Stella, her sister Elaine, and her brothers Art and Steve.

Funeral services were held on July 21 at The Jewish Center of Princeton. Burial followed in Ewing Cemetery in Ewing Township.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (mskcc.org), PO Box 27106, New York, NY 10087.

To send condolences to the family please visit Anne’s obituary page at OrlandsMemorialChapel.com.

Funeral arrangements were by Orland’s Ewing Memorial Chapel.

———

Dr. Leon E. Rosenberg

Dr. Leon E. Rosenberg, a physician-scientist and medical geneticist whose pioneering research on inherited metabolic disorders in children led to the discovery of the biochemical basis of several disorders, and then to ways of diagnosing and treating them, died on July 22, 2022 at the age of 89. He is survived by his wife, Diane Drobnis; brother Irwin Rosenberg; four children, Robert Rosenberg, Diana Clark, David Korish, and Alexa Rosenberg; six grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Leon graduated from Madison West High School in 1950. He attended the University of Wisconsin and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1954 and Doctor of Medicine degree in 1957. He was a clinical associate at the National Cancer Institute from 1959 to 1962 and a senior investigator from 1963 to 1965.

He chose to become a medical geneticist in the early 1960s, when the field barely existed, and rose to become one of its most notable exemplars and mentors.

Starting as an assistant professor at the Yale University School of Medicine, Dr. Rosenberg was the first to recognize inherited disorders of vitamin B12, and to show that supplements of the vitamin in affected children could save their lives or alter dramatically the natural history of the disorders in them. This work led to his selection as the founding chair of a new department of Human Genetics at Yale which joined fundamental genetics and clinical genetics into a single unit. In 1984 he was appointed Dean of the Yale School of Medicine, and served in that capacity until 1991.

After 26 years at Yale, Dr. Rosenberg was appointed Chief Scientific Officer of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. Under his leadership the company discovered and developed pharmaceuticals in cancer, cardiovascular disease, AIDS, and infectious disorders. He left BMS in 1998 at the age of 65, at which point Dr. Rosenberg was appointed Lecturer at the rank of Professor at Princeton University in the department of Molecular Biology and in the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. After 16 years at Princeton, he worked as an upper school science teacher and scientist at the Princeton Day School until his retirement in 2018.

Dr. Rosenberg was elected to membership in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1976. He was a member of the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences. He received honorary degrees from the University of Wisconsin and the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. He received the Kober medal in 2003 from the Association of American Physicians. He received the McKusick Award in 2011 from the American Society of Human Genetics.

Dr. Rosenberg’s professional career was also marked by comments he made about two matters of public importance: the abortion debate; and the underrepresentation of African Americans as students and faculty members in academic institutions.

He involved himself with the abortion issue by testifying in 1981 before a U.S. Senate subcommittee considering a bill whose aim was to overturn the Roe v. Wade decision handed down by the United States Supreme Court in 1973. Dr. Rosenberg, ardently pro-choice, said the following:  “We all know that this bill is about abortion and nothing but abortion. If this matter is so compelling that our society cannot continue to accept a pluralistic view that makes women and couples responsible for their own reproductive decisions, then I say pass a constitutional amendment that bans abortion…and overturns Roe v. Wade. But don’t ask science or medicine to help justify that course, because they cannot. Ask your conscience, your minister, your priest, your rabbi, or even your god because it is in their domain that this matter resides.” Dr. Rosenberg’s testimony, and that of other influential scientists, was responsible for the bill ultimately dying before it reached the Senate floor.

In 1988, while Dean of the Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Rosenberg delivered the address before the annual Graduate and Professional Assembly. He spoke about African Americans as an underrepresented, disadvantaged minority at Yale and other academic institutions. First, he presented powerful statistical evidence for disparities in income, employment, education, and a variety of parameters of health. After urging the assembled students to open their hearts and minds to the issue, Dr. Rosenberg said: “My generation has proven that it is incapable of making Martin Luther King’s dream a reality…Age has a way of bowing the head rather than squaring the shoulders. We need to be reinforced by you — the less scarred, less scared younger generation. You are the hope of our society. Together, but only together, perhaps we can lead our nation to a height it has never been for a view it has never seen.”

Services are private and under the direction of Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages contributions to your cause of choice in his honor.

———

Nicholas Robert Cevera

Nicholas Robert Cevera, 76, a lifelong resident of Princeton, passed away on Friday, July 22, 2022 with his daughter Tracy by his side. He was the first of his five siblings to pass away. He was born in Princeton and graduated from Princeton High School in 1964. He met Randi Carlsen in high school and they we married in 1965. He was an entrepreneur and started Princeton Messenger Service at 19 years old and later became a successful real estate appraiser.

Predeceased by his parents Anthony Nichola and Mae Louise (Grewe) Cevera and son Brian Nicholas Cevera; he is survived by his two daughters Tracy Cevera and Gretchen Underwood, brothers Michael and Raymond Cevera, sisters Jacqueline Layton and Carol Gilbert, great-nephew Henry Layton, great-niece Autumn Layton, and many extended family.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, July 30, 2022 at 1 p.m. with a memorial service at 2 p.m. at The Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vandeventer Avenue, Princeton, NJ 08542.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

———

John J. Kurtz

John J. Kurtz died on July 4, 2022 at his home in Princeton, NJ. He was born on January 14, 1933 in Nanticoke, PA, to the late Anna and John Kuruc.

John received a bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University and a master’s degree from Columbia University. He spent his career working in the oil industry. He was an avid traveler; a multi-lingual admirer of culture, art, people, and places.

John is preceded in death by his parents, his brother Francis Kurtz, sister Johanna Augustine, and nephew Lloyd Augustine.

He is survived by his sister Monica Locke, nephew Lowell Locke (Judy), great-nephews Thomas Locke (Erin) and Andrew Locke (Amy), and great-great-niece Aubrey Locke.

A memorial was held for John at Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton, NJ, on Saturday, July 23, 2022. A private burial was held at St. Joseph’s Slovak Cemetery in Nanticoke, PA.

———

Marianne M. Farrin

Marianne M. Farrin, 83, beloved wife, mother, sister, and grandmother, passed away in her home in Princeton, New Jersey, on Sunday, July 24, 2022.

Marianne was born in Berlin, Germany, on September 2, 1938. Her mother, Dagny Albertsen, came to Berlin from Denmark to pursue a singing career. Her father, Helmut Magers, was a journalist, and the two met following one of Dagny’s performances. They had two more children, Irene and Jürgen, who was born with Down syndrome. They were bombed out of their home numerous times, and eventually Helmut was drafted by the German army, and never returned from the war.  In 1944, fearing the Russian advance, Dagny fled to Denmark with her children, and they lived there with Dagny’s family until emigrating to the United States in 1954. 

Marianne went to Hollywood High School for two years, and despite being new to the language and to the United States, graduated as valedictorian of her class. She received a full scholarship to Stanford University, where she met her husband, James (Jim) Farrin, and they were married in 1960. They then lived in nine overseas countries for 17 years (Australia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Thailand, Mexico, England, Switzerland, France), raising five children, before returning to the United States.

After her children had left home, Marianne decided to pursue a joint degree in Psychoanalytic Training from the Blanton-Peale Institute and a Masters in Social Work from Fordham University. She then worked as a therapist in New York City for many years. In 2000, after not having been on a bicycle since her youth in Denmark, at the age of 61, she decided to bike across the United States, from Seattle to Washington, DC, with the American Lung Association’s Big Ride. It was one of the highlights of her life.

In 2004, Marianne and Jim moved to Princeton, New Jersey, so she could pursue a Masters of Divinity from Princeton University which she received in 2007, at the age of 69. She ultimately turned her energies to writing her memoir, From Berlin to Hollywood and Beyond, which was published in 2018.

An avid traveler, adventurer, and scholar, she was also deeply devoted to her family and friends, loved writing, history, art, music, birds, and flowers, and while living in Princeton loved to walk around the town and university and visit the art museum. Her Christian faith was a central part of her life, and she was actively involved in the church and volunteered for numerous organizations, including hospice. Her strength, yet gentle and calm manner and beautiful smile will not be forgotten by those who were blessed to know her.

Sadly for her and her family, she was stripped of her ability to speak as the result of Primary Progressive Aphasia, which ultimately led to her death.

She is survived by her husband, Jim, of 62 years, as well as her five children, James Scott (Robin), of Hillsborough, NC; Jennifer Emerson (Scott Swerdlin) of San Francisco, CA; Raymond of Kuwait City, Kuwait; Melody of Pittsburgh, PA; Jonathan of Atlantic Beach, FL), eight grandchildren (Ellie, Scottie, Parker, James, Morgan, Tyler, Dagny, Amelia), and her sister Irene (Julian) Gingold and nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her father, Helmut Magers, mother, Dagny Albertsen Magers, and brother, Jürgen Magers.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Mather-Hodge Funeral Home in Princeton, NJ. Funeral service was held at the Princeton University Chapel on Monday, July 25, 2022. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to either Holy Redeemer Hospice (redeemerhealth.org), Global Down Syndrome Foundation (globaldownsyndrome.org), or Herrontown Woods in Princeton (herrontownwoods.org).

———

Eileen Walsh Bradley

October 25, 1930 – July 16, 2022

Mrs. Eileen Rose Walsh Bradley, 91, of Skillman, NJ, died Saturday, July 16, 2022, surrounded by loving family at Stonebridge nursing home in Skillman.

Her mother, Margaret Brady Walsh, and father, Edward Patrick Walsh, were immigrants from County Cavan and County Waterford, respectively, in Ireland. Eileen was born in Morristown, NJ, on October 25, 1930, and grew up in Morristown, attending Bayley-Ellard High School and graduating in 1952 from St. Elizabeth’s College in Convent Station, NJ, with a B.S. in Biology. After graduation, Eileen was a laboratory technician at Ciba-Geigy in NJ. A lifelong lover and performer of dance, music, and song, she founded her own dancing and piano school in Morristown, NJ, during college.

In 1955 she married Dr. Eugene Bradley (1923- 2015) in Morristown, NJ while he was completing his internship and residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Margaret Hague Maternity Hospital in Jersey City, NJ. After marriage Eileen and Eugene moved to Tacoma, WA, where Eugene served for two years in the U.S. Army as Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Madigan Army General Hospital.

The couple subsequently moved to Bellaire, OH, and Wyckoff and Pompton Lakes, NJ, where Eileen raised five children while Eugene began private practice in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Always deeply involved with St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church and Grammar School in Pompton Lakes, Eileen taught Irish step dancing, tap and ballet, and organized dance performances for the school. She sponsored concerts, piano master classes and guitar lessons for neighborhood families at home in Pompton Lakes. Her entrepreneurial spirit continued in the early 1970s when she became a Certified Childbirth Educator through ASPO, the teaching arm of the Lamaze Method of Education for Childbirth, and operated her own childbirth education classes for the community. She assisted hundreds of parents over the years with Lamaze childbirth techniques, remaining close with many of her pupils.

Eileen was introduced to Martha’s Vineyard during her childhood when her maternal aunt, Kathleen Brady, married Gordon Shurtleff, a native there, in the 1920s. Eileen spent many summers in Edgartown as a child and developed a great love of the island and its history, later instilling a love of the island in her own children and their families. After retirement, she was a docent for the Martha’s Vineyard Historical Society and Museum. It brought her great joy to spend time with her grandchildren in Martha’s Vineyard and NJ.

She spent her later years involved with the parish and choir of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Community in Skillman. She is survived by five children and 11 grandchildren: son Brian and wife Jan Bradley and their children Kayla and Elena; daughter Eileen; son Patrick and wife Andrea Bradley and their children Nicholas, Connor, and Nora; son Dr. Sean Bradley and wife Dr. Karen DeSimone and their children Kyra, Ryan, Jason, and Evan; and son Brendan and wife Bridget Poole and their children Fiona and Anna.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held on July 19 at the Catholic Community of St. Charles Borromeo in Skillman, NJ. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, 151 Lagoon Pond Road, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568, Attn: Heather Seger, Executive Director.

———

Pauline Wood Egan

Pauline Wood Egan died peacefully at the age of 74 on July 11 which, perhaps emblematic of her unending dedication to husband William (Bill) C. Egan, was the date of their 52nd wedding anniversary. Pauline, known by her loving family as “Mu,” succumbed to cancer gracefully, surrounded by her children and grandchildren at their residence in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Born to Arthur MacDougall Wood and Pauline Palmer Wood of Chicago on June 9, 1948, Pauline spent her childhood in Lake Forest Illinois and Pasadena California before attending Smith College.  After her graduation, she was married in Lake Forest, Illinois, on July 11, 1970 and then moved to the north coast of Honduras where her husband was working in the Peace Corps. She lived most of her married life in Princeton, New Jersey.

Pauline will be remembered foremost for her love of family which included five children and 15 grandchildren. She was the heartbeat of this family. They were her greatest source of joy, and the focus of her life and travels. She was the quintessential matriarch, treasured by all of her descendants as a limitless source of kindness, generosity, gentility, and warmth. Pauline enjoyed most being surrounded by family but also by nature, be it pink sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico or the wondrous wildlife of Jackson Hole. 

Pauline was known for her empathy and compassion for others, her unparalleled handwritten correspondences, and indefatigable desire to make others feel her genuine love through gifts and words. Pauline was adored by friends and family alike for her honesty and integrity, her brilliance and wit, and her ability to connect effortlessly and authentically with the young and the old. She was a prolific reader of books, a great student of history and the arts, a dedicated needlepointer, a world class shopper, the proud overseer for many a beautiful garden, and the unwavering caregiver for dozens upon dozens of animal companions throughout her lifetime. Pauline was generous with her time toward causes close to her heart, having served as the Chairwoman of the Board at Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart, as a Trustee for Camp Kieve for Boys, as the Chairwoman of SAVE — A Friend to Homeless Animals and as a benefactor for various humanitarian and social service organizations.

Pauline’s enduring legacy will be one of togetherness and love. To her friends, she was a trusted and loyal source of advice and described as a master of compassion and love, whose footprints will remain on the souls she leaves behind. She was thoughtful, empathetic, creative, and articulate — for so very many, the perfect friend. She was magnanimous with her affection, support, and humor and she loved fiercely. To family, she was simply the center of everything. Annual calendar planning started and ended with “visits to Mu,” and Pauline managed to equitably spread her love and attention across so many adoring children and grandchildren which was her greatest gift to them. 

Pauline is survived by her husband William Egan; her children Katherine Egan Gilbane (husband Thomas), William M. Egan (wife Alisa), Janie Egan Bertelson, Timothy Wood Egan (wife Courtney), and Emily Egan Potts (husband Allen); as well as her grandchildren Chandler Pauline Gilbane, Thomas Freeman Gilbane IV, Hugh Calkins Gilbane, Brooks MacDougal Egan, William Pierson Egan, Henry MacDougal Bertelson, James Constantine Bertelson, William Egan Bertelson, Palmer Jane Egan, George Thorndike Egan, William Wood Egan, Benjamin Potter Egan, Allen Rives Potts IV, Taggart William Potts, and Lottie Jane Potts.

A Celebration of Life will be held in her honor this fall in Jackson Hole. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her honor can be made to the Teton Raptor Center or the Brain Chemistry Labs, both in Jackson Hole.

July 20, 2022

Obituaries 7/20/2022

Raymond Woodfield

Surrounded by a family full of love, Raymond Woodfield died at home in Princeton, NJ, on July 9, 2022. Born in Lakewood, NJ, in 1929, Ray spent most of his life in Rockland County, NY. After serving in the military as a youth, he attended college on the GI bill and pursued a degree in Engineering. He worked on the original Tappan Zee Bridge, and went on to oversee bridge and road construction in many high-profile projects, including the NY Thruway and Berkshire Spur, World’s Fair in Queens, Robert Moses State Park, Saw Mill River Parkway, and Queens Zoo. In Princeton, he worked on the original construction of the Jasna Polana estate.  

In 2001, while working on Route 9A near the World Trade Center, he witnessed and survived the fall of the twin towers, barely managing to crawl through the dust cloud to safety. He then worked on the reconstruction of 9A for many years after.

In retirement, Ray took up table tennis at the Princeton Senior Resource Center, making many new friends and winning medals at the NJ Senior Olympics. An avid bike rider, he biked 22 miles shortly before his cancer diagnosis at age 91. Ray was also well known for his beautiful whistle. He whistled in the morning when he woke up and many times during the day. He lived his life to the fullest, relishing every day, and with the help of his doctor and devoted family valiantly battled leukemia for 20 months.

Ray is pre-deceased by wife and square-dancing partner Margaret (Peggy) Haldeman and survived by daughters Karen Woodfield (Angus Eaton) and Kathleen Woodfield (Alfred Gibbs), stepsons Edward Dobkowski (Georgia Glovatsky) and Arul Karttikeya, grandchildren Dylan Gibbs and Tina, Juanita and Sara Eaton, and many beloved nephews, nieces, and cousins, along with many special friends who were like family to him. He touched many lives with his infectious smile and twinkling blue eyes, and will be remembered for his love of life, love of people and love of food. 

Services for family and friends to celebrate Ray’s life are being planned around his birthday in October. For donations, please consider the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLC).

———

Flora Ann Karhunen Varrin

Flora Ann Karhunen Varrin — a gracious, loving, and beautiful wife, mother, and grandmother — died on July 16, 2022 following a short illness. She was at the time a resident of Stonebridge at Montgomery in Skillman, having formerly lived in Princeton, New Jersey, and Newark, Delaware.

Early Years

Flora was born on November 21, 1934 in Newark, New Jersey, to Anna Kutvonen Karhunen and Armas Karhunen who were immigrants from the Savo region of Finland. She was raised by her mother in Kearny, New Jersey, following her father’s untimely death in 1938. As her mother worked full-time, Flora was truly a latch-key child, fueling her independence and resilience. A natural beauty, she won a Shirley Temple look-alike contest as a child.

In 1952, Flora graduated from Kearny High School where she was a cheerleader captain and a scholar. Upon graduation, she received three out of the seven medals that were awarded for distinguished academic performance in various disciplines.  She then worked in northern New Jersey as an executive assistant, initially at Fireman’s Insurance and then at Anheuser-Busch.

Wife, Mother, and Grandmother

Flora’s proudest accomplishment was as a devoted and loving mother, as well as a lifelong partner to her husband. Flora and Robert Douglas Varrin (Bob) eloped during his junior year at Princeton University to Elkton, Maryland, where they were married on February 26, 1955. They had first met in seventh grade, but did not reconnect until after their high school graduation. Together, they raised a family of three children — initially traveling across the U.S. before settling in Newark, Delaware, where Bob worked as a professor and associate provost at the University of Delaware and Flora managed the household.

Flora is survived by Robert Douglas Varrin, her spouse of 67 years, her children Diane Eshleman (Gregory) of Princeton, NJ, Mantoloking, NJ, and Stockbridge, MA, Robert D. Varrin Jr. of Reston, VA, and Middleburg, VA, Susan Deland (Alexander) of Pelham, NY, and New London, NH, and four grandchildren, Douglas Eshleman (Steven), Amanda D’Esterre (Alexander), Alexander Deland Jr., and Diane Deland.

Finnish Heritage

Flora spoke fluent Finnish, which she learned as a child before learning English. She was strongly connected to her Finnish heritage and dear family in Finland, where she was proud to hold citizenship. Indeed, she truly had international credentials, as she was also a citizen of Switzerland through her husband’s family. Flora and her husband enjoyed travelling both domestically and internationally — with a special affinity for Finland and Switzerland.

Her maiden name, Karhunen, derives from the Finnish word for bear: fitting, given the strength of her love and devotion to her family. Through Flora, the family came to appreciate the meaning of another Finnish word “sisu” — which roughly translates into determination, tenacity, and bravery.

Princeton Connection

Flora was a proud and active Princeton spouse, gathering often with her husband’s 1956 classmates and their spouses. All three of her children are graduates of Princeton, as well as two of her grandchildren.

She was a longtime member of The Present Day Club in Princeton and also a member of Nassau Presbyterian Church, where she served on the Board of Deacons.

Arrangements

Burial at Princeton Cemetery is private and held under the direction of Mather-Hodge Funeral Home. 

A memorial service for friends and family will be held at Nassau Presbyterian Church on Saturday, September 10 at 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Nassau Presbyterian Church, 62 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ 08542 (nassauchurch.org).

———

Timothy James Forrester

Timothy James Forrester, of Bloomfield Hills, MI, died on July 10, 2022, after a battle with cancer; he is survived by his wife, Brittany. First in his heart and thoughts were always his beloved children, Blake, Macklin, Riley, and Claudia. They loved Saturday morning breakfasts, camping, swimming at the club, paddle boarding, and having Dad with them at swimming meets, concerts, recitals, and dances. He also leaves behind their devoted mothers: Kelley O’Rourke and Brittany Forrester. Tim follows his parents, Frederic John Forrester and Margaret Ann Forrester (nee Pitonyak), and his oldest sister, Mary Ann Forrester, in passing. 

He was the youngest of nine children and leaves behind Eileen of Verona, PA; Rick (Linda) of Canonsburg. PA; Joe (Adriana) of Germantown, MD; Betty (Bill Bartos) of Rockford, IL; Dr. Patricia of Fenton, MI; Kathleen (Daniel Plott) of Tomball, TX; Tom (Paula) of Cohasset, MA; countless nieces, nephews, cousins; and many more extended family members. As the chief financial officer and executive vice president of United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM), Tim’s colleagues were also family to him and have been a constant support in good times and bad. We are forever grateful for their thoughtfulness, presence, and friendship throughout the years.

Born in Marietta, Ohio, Tim moved with his family to the Pittsburgh area and graduated from Peters Township High School in 1985, where he was both a decorated scholar and athlete. He continued his studies and matriculated from Michigan State University in 1990 with a degree in accounting. Before becoming CFO at UWM, he was a partner at Deloitte and Touché. He continued his passion for golf, baseball, basketball, and volleyball throughout his life.

Wonderful remembrances and stories have been shared with the news of his death: they ranged from trenchant and touching to ribald and hilarious, a perfect reflection of Tim in all his complexity. He was simultaneously private and sociable — disciplined and hardworking, yet outrageously, ridiculously fun. A common theme from younger professionals is that Tim’s mentoring or guidance are responsible for their successful career. He would insist that they were responsible, and he only had the honor to pass on what he had learned. We were a bit
surprised and touched to hear from other countries too, sometimes from people who had only met him in person once or twice and regarded him as a dear friend. They wanted to know if they could not travel for his memorial service, did we mind if they gathered to remember and raise a glass to Tim.  He would have loved that.

We invite those who can join us in person to come to his memorial service on Thursday, July 21, 2022, from 2 to 7 p.m., with informal sharing and then a formal service starting at 5:30 p.m. The services will be at AJ Desmond & Sons, 32515 Woodward Avenue, in Royal Oak, MI 48073. We will host a social gathering after these services at a nearby establishment.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages you to contribute in his honor to a fitting cause or nonprofit organization, including St Jude Children Research Hospital, Gamers Outreach, and Technoblades Sarcoma Foundation of America. If you can find a golf tournament supporting your charity, that seems particularly apt for Tim.

A singular light has gone out of this world but never out of our hearts. Tim, we love you, we mourn your passing, we remember you always.

View obituary and share memories at AJDesmond.com.

July 13, 2022

Obituaries 7/13/2022

Lee V. Harrod, 79, beloved TCNJ English Professor, Dies

Dr. Lee V. Harrod, who provided joyful access to James Joyce’s Ulysses and Finnegans Wake for hundreds of students, died on the evening of June 15, 2022. Fittingly, it was already June 16 — Bloomsday — in Dublin and the 100th anniversary of the publication of Ulysses, which Dr. Harrod always called “the greatest book in the English language” and the “blue book of life.” He believed Leopold Bloom’s journey around Dublin was a metaphor for the journey each of us takes through our individual days and lives.

Dr. Harrod was like Chaucer’s clerk in The Canterbury Tales: “And gladly wolde he lerne and gladly teche.” He learned and taught for 58 years: first as a graduate assistant at Pennsylvania State University, where he wrote his dissertation on Ford Madox Ford and met his wife Lois Marie Harrod, then as a beloved professor in the English Department at The College of New Jersey (during which time he also served as department head, as head the English Honors Program, and as founder and editor of The Trenton State Review). After his retirement in 2008, when students honored him with a non-stop reading of Ulysses, he volunteered as a reader for the visually impaired at Reading Allies and as a tutor at HomeFront, where he helped dozens earn their GEDs with his “macaroni and cheese” recipe for essay writing. In 2008, he joined the Princeton Senior Resource Center’s Evergreen Forum, where he taught college-level courses on Marcel Proust, D. H. Lawrence, and of course, James Joyce. He also served on Evergreen and PSRC boards.

Whether he was teaching literary theory, Finnegans Wake (riverrun, past Eve and Adam’s, from swerve of shore to end of bay), or the five-paragraph essay, Dr. Harrod had a remarkable gift for explaining the difficult and making it accessible.

Born in Gillette, Wyoming, the son of LaVern and Lillian Harrod, Lee worked his way through college and graduate school. One of the things that drew him to The College of New Jersey (which was then Trenton State College) was the fact that many of the students there were, like him, the first in their families to attend college.

During his 40 years at TCNJ, Dr. Harrod acted with the campus-based theater company Shakespeare 70. Because he lost most of his hair early, he often played the patriarch: “I played every father in Shakespeare.” Among his roles were Duncan (Macbeth), Polonius (Hamlet), and Peter Quince (A Midsummer Night’s Dream). On and offstage, he loved to read aloud with his resonant baritone, and his children, Jon and Kate, happily snuggled up and listened to his renderings of The Wind and the Willows, Little House on the Prairie, and twice — The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

During his years at TCNJ, Dr. Harrod served on the Hopewell Valley School District school board. He also donated many pints of blood, and his rare O negative, Cytomegalovirus negative blood was of special value to premature babies.

Dr. Harrod loved to travel. After retirement, he and his lifelong companion, best friend, and wife Lois (he liked to say he married her “to finish the conversation”), trekked to Ireland, Scotland, Scandinavia, France, Italy, and Latin America. They particularly enjoyed taking their grandson Will to Costa Rica, their grandson James to London, and their grandson Sam and granddaughter Sophia to Scotland, Ireland, and Paris. “PopPop” was up for any grandchild adventure — watching basketball games, swimming meets, ice-skating, school plays, and presentations; bird watching; hiking; eating bagels under collapsing umbrellas; exploring zoos, catacombs, and canyons; and in his last weeks, discussing existential themes in Japanese anime with his granddaughter.

Dr. Harrod also loved to walk daily, and every morning unless it was below 15 degrees, he and Lois would make their trek around Hopewell, often stopping to talk to friends and dog walkers.

As James Joyce would say of his death: And even if Humpty shell fall frumpty times as awkward again in the beardsboosoloom of all our grand remonstrancers there’ll be iggs for the brekkers come to mourn him, sunny side up with care. . . . (Finnegans Wake). As a husband, friend, professor, father, and grandfather, Dr. Harrod was sunny side up with care, a vir bonum, and a good, generous, and compassionate man who will be missed by many.

There will be a memorial gathering on September 30 in Education 212, on The College of New Jersey campus. His family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial gifts be given to the places he loved teaching: The College of New Jersey, where an endowed scholarship will be established in his name, HomeFront, or the Princeton Senior Resource Center.

For The College of New Jersey, gifts may be given online to the Dr. Lee V. Harrod Endowment Scholarship at the website plannedgiving.tcnj.edu/memorials-and-tribute-gifts or by check made out to TCNJ Foundation. PO Box 7718, Ewing NJ 08628-0718, and earmarked Dr. Lee V. Harrod. 

For HomeFront, gifts may be given to online at homefrontnj.org/donate or by check to HomeFront, 1880 Princeton Avenue, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648-4518.

For the Princeton Senior Resource Center, gifts may be given online at princetonsenior.org/support/donate or by check to PSRC, 101 Poor Farm Road, Princeton, NJ 08540.

———

Mary Elise Cook

Mary Elise Cook passed away on July 12, 2022. She was 96.

Born and raised in Princeton she was the daughter of Helen Margerum Roediger and Paul Otto Roediger. She graduated from Princeton High School in the class of 1943, and in the following year graduated from Katharine Gibbs in New York City. She is predeceased by her husband of 71 years, Dr. Alfred S. Cook Jr., also a lifelong Princeton resident whom she met at a high school Valentine’s Day party.

After her marriage in 1944 she worked as a medical secretary while her husband attended medical school in Philadelphia. The couple settled back in Princeton in 1954 where her husband set up his medical practice and Mary Elise became active in the newly formed Women’s Auxiliary at the hospital. She, along with two other doctors’ wives, chaired the first June Fete, which later became a major fundraising event for the hospital.

Mary Elise was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother to her family. Her love of cooking brought the family together for holiday and Sunday dinners. She never missed a single high school field hockey, basketball, or softball game. She provided the teams with homemade chocolate chip cookies to celebrate the victories and to soothe the losses. At the end of every season she would hold team banquets for all the players and coaches. She became an honorary member of every team.

After her children were grown she became a licensed realtor with Peyton Associates, where she worked for over 20 years. Her inherent knowledge of Princeton was a great asset and her specialty was real estate in the Jugtown Historic District of Princeton, where she grew up. In her retirement she enjoyed spending time on the beach at Barnegat Light, a favorite place where she spent many happy days.

Mary Elise is survived by her children, Mary Ann Cook of St. Petersburg, Florida, and Camden, Maine; Margaret Farley of Fort Myers, Florida; and Raymond Cook of West Windsor, New Jersey. She was predeceased by her oldest daughter Sandra Labaree of Wiscasset, Maine. She is also survived by four grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and her brother Dr. Paul M. Roediger of Gwynedd, Pennsylvania.

The family will hold a private burial service. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her memory to a charity of your choice.

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

———

George G. Alexandridis

On Monday, June 27, 2022, George G. Alexandridis of Lawrenceville, NJ, loving husband, father, and grandfather passed away at age 87.

George was born on October 11, 1934 in Long Island City, NY, to Constantine and Anastasia Alexandridis. He received his S.B. degree in Civil Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1956 and proudly served in the Army Corps of Engineers from 1956 through 1958.

On December 26, 1956, he married Geraldine Monahan. They raised one son, Mark.

George’s passion was engineering. He actively practiced for more than 50 years. His accomplishments resulted in many local engineering awards and honors as well as a government service award. His last role was Chief Engineer of the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission wherein he supervised the seminal design work to rebuild the Scudder Falls Bridge, which has finally come to fruition.

He was devoted to both his immediate and extended family and was extremely proud of his Greek heritage.

George is survived by his wife Geraldine, his son Mark and his wife Nancy, his grandchildren Kathleen and Iain, and his sisters, Alexandra and Marina.

A funeral service was held on Friday July 1, 2022 at the Saint George Greek Orthodox Church in Hamilton, NJ.

Burial was in Princeton Cemetery, Princeton, NJ.

Extend condolences and share memories at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.

———

John Alan Strother

Longtime Princeton resident John Alan Strother, age 94, died in Princeton Hospital on Monday, June 27, of cardiac arrest brought on by a sudden acute pneumonia infection. John was a prodigiously-talented, strong, versatile, kind, and generous-spirited man who will be deeply missed by his family and friends.

John Alan Strother was born on December 27, 1927, in Hartford, Connecticut, to Alfred Carter Strother and Mary Stoughton Parsons Strother, of Windsor, Connecticut. John grew up in Windsor, where he attended Windsor Grammar School, Loomis School, and Windsor High School. John graduated from Windsor High School in June 1945, spent the summer in military training at Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont, and was sent home in August after the Japanese surrender in World War II. He returned to Army service when he was drafted after he turned 18 in December. John served in the Army from January 1946 to July 1947. During his Army service, John completed Basic Combat Training at Camp Crowder, Missouri, and Advanced Individual Training in radio and electronics at the Army Signal Corps in Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, and then worked as a technician at the Army’s Fort Myer military base in Arlington, Virginia.

After his discharge from the Army, John resumed his studies at Trinity College in Hartford, where he had completed his first semester term in the fall of 1945. At Trinity, John was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Pi Sigma, a national physics honor society. In June 1950, John graduated from Trinity with a Bachelor of Science degree, with honors in mathematics.

In July 1950, John accepted a job offer from the U. S. Navy’s Underwater Sound Laboratory in New London, Connecticut. John worked for two years at the Underwater Sound Laboratory as a physicist in the Electromagnetics Division’s Infrared Branch.

In the spring of 1952, John was awarded a National Science Foundation Predoctoral Graduate Fellowship for graduate work in electrical engineering at Princeton University. John completed his Master of Science degree in Engineering at Princeton in October 1954.

In the summer of 1954, John accepted a job offer from the Radio Corporation of America (RCA). John was eventually assigned to RCA’s Astro-Electronics Division in East Windsor, New Jersey. At Astro, John was a key member of the team that designed, built, and tested TIROS 1, the first weather satellite to successfully orbit the earth and transmit photographs of the earth’s cloud cover back to ground stations (TIROS is the acronym for Television Infrared Observation Satellite). During the launch of TIROS on April 1, 1960, and the satellite’s initial orbits of the earth, John was part of the mission control team at NASA, manager of the TIROS project. TIROS, a 270-pound, 42-by-19 inch satellite, sheathed in 9,000 solar cells, successfully proved the concept of feasibility of weather stations in space. TIROS took nearly 23,000 photographs of the earth’s cloud cover during its useful life of almost exactly the three months that had been predicted. There is a replica of TIROS 1 in the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

John continued to work as an engineer and project manager at Astro-Electronics until his retirement in 1984, except for an approximately five-year stint in the mid-1960s at Electro-Mechanical Research (EMR) Telemetry, first in Sarasota, Florida, and then back in Princeton. At EMR, John was on the team that successfully designed and built encoders for the U. S. Navy that were considered significant for national defense purposes.

At Astro-Electronics, John worked on successive generations of the TIROS weather satellite as well as on highly-classified aerospace projects for NASA. While at Astro-Electronics, John received two patents for original product design.

After his retirement, John continued to lead an active life, exploring and developing his many interests. John had a natural affinity for music. As an avocation, he played the cornet, trumpet, and piano. Louis Armstrong inspired him to take up the cornet and trumpet, and he remained a lifelong fan of jazz. John also enjoyed a range of classical music and considered Johann Sebastian Bach the greatest of all classical composers. During his retirement, John composed songs and created electronic versions of favorite Christmas carols.

John also had a lifelong fascination with cars. After his retirement, he completed a number of race car driving courses at the Skip Barber Racing School. He eventually began work on designing a more efficient, less-polluting internal combustion car engine. John described his engine as a reciprocating internal combustion engine operating on a two-stroke cycle comprised of power stroke, and abbreviated exhaust, intake, and compression phases. John explained the benefits of his engine as follows: “The combination of a full expansion stroke with an abbreviated compression phase can offer efficiency superior to that of existing engines. Due to flexibility in the amount of pressurized air that can be introduced during intake, and because of the recirculation of relatively large amounts of exhaust gas, cylinder temperatures can be reduced, as can the emission of undesirable exhaust products.” In 2015, John received a patent for the engine, and in 2019, the patent was revised according to his specifications.

John enjoyed sports. During his teenage years, he played baseball and football. As an adult, he bowled and golfed. He was an avid lifelong fan of the New York Yankees, originally inspired by his hero and role model Lou Gehrig. He also cheered for the Mets and the Phillies, the Giants and the Jets.

John was also a talented woodworker. He built a workshop in the basement of his Princeton home and for many years, he took pleasure in crafting furniture for the home, including several sets of built-in bookshelves and a mantelpiece.

John enjoyed a rewarding, fulfilling personal life. On June 16, 1951, he married Helene Therese McCurdie, whom he met at the Navy’s Underwater Sound Laboratory and whom he would call Terry or Ter. John and Terry moved to Princeton, New Jersey, in the summer of 1952. After John began work at RCA, they spent six years in Mercerville, New Jersey, and then in the summer of 1960, moved back to Princeton, where John and Terry spent the next 60-plus years.

John and Terry had three daughters, Kathleen (Kate) Louise (1953), Jean Marie (1954), and Nancy Ann (1959), whom they raised with a combination of deep, abiding love and measured discipline. They were devoted to their four grandchildren, Jean’s two daughters, Teresa Kim and Bonnie Lee Schmittberger, and Nancy’s son and daughter, Christopher Laurence and Jennifer Christina Kelly, with whom they could be more relaxed and indulgent.

John and Terry enjoyed traveling. Many family vacations were spent in New England, with excursions to Montreal and Toronto, and eventually in their own summer cottage, a log cabin in Greenville, Maine, on Moosehead Lake. During these years, John and Terry occasionally took vacations without the kids, including trips to Bermuda and Jamaica. After the daughters were grown, John and Terry expanded their horizons, exploring the Eastern seaboard, from the Maritime Provinces to Savannah, Bar Harbor to the Delmarva Peninsula and Outer Banks, and the West Coast, the length of California, the Pacific Northwest, the desert Southwest, and the U. S. and Canadian Rockies. After John’s retirement, they took three car trips across Europe, plotting their own itineraries, and exploring Belgium, France, and Germany, and Austria, Italy, and Switzerland.

On June 16, 2021, John and Terry celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. John’s devotion to his wife and genuinely compassionate nature were evident in his dedicated care of Terry after she developed Alzheimer’s dementia in her early eighties. John was a miracle of patience, resourcefulness, and resilience, especially during the difficult years of the Covid pandemic. Fortunately, despite the ravages of Alzheimer’s, Terry’s essential kindness and empathetic nature remained. John was deeply saddened by the loss of his beloved wife earlier this year, on January 23, 2022. He was still grieving for her at the time of his own death.

John is survived by his three devoted daughters and their spouses, Jean’s husband Richard (Dick) Tushingham and Nancy’s husband Laurence (Larry) Kelly; his four grandchildren, Teresa Kim Harrold and Bonnie Lee Marlow, Christopher Laurence and Jennifer Christina Kelly; and his four great-grandchildren, Nolan Eugene Harrold, Violet Paige and Ashton Paul Kelly, and Riley Elizabeth Marlow. John is also survived by his brother, Gordon Henry Strother, and his two sisters, Mary Alice Peachman and Margaret (Peg) Jane Gillies.

This fine, accomplished, multitalented, loving and beloved man was laid to rest in Princeton Cemetery on July 7 next to the grave of his cherished wife. Those who wish to honor his memory are encouraged to make gifts in his name to charities of their choice.

Services were private and under the direction of Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton.

———

Harriet Greenblatt

Harriet Greenblatt of East Windsor passed away on Sunday, July 3, 2022. She was 74.

Born in Philadelphia, Pa., to parents Nora and Manuel Greenblatt, she grew up in Princeton, NJ, where she attended the public schools, graduating from Princeton High School in 1965.

Harriet was a gifted musician, both a pianist and vocalist. At Princeton High School she was part of the renowned high school choir, directed by Thomas Hilbish. Following graduation from PHS, Harriet attended the Hart School of Music in Connecticut, and went on to earn a master’s degree in music performance from the Peabody Conservatory in Washington, D.C.

Upon returning to the Princeton area, she was active as a pianist in chamber music groups and as a vocalist with and accompanist to the choirs of the two synagogues to which she belonged. She would often lend her talents helping her fellow members learn their parts. Harriet was also a longstanding performer and board member of the Princeton Society of Musical Amateurs.

She was an active member of Congregation Beth Chaim in Princeton Junction and Beth El Synagogue in East Windsor Township. She regularly attended weekly Shabbat morning Torah studies. Always prepared, she loved reading the weekly section aloud to the group. She was also a skilled painter and one of her watercolors hangs on the synagogue wall.

Harriet is survived by her sister, Barbara Greenblatt Landau and her brother-in-law, Robert, both of Baltimore, MD, by two nephews, Matthew Landau of Miami Beach and Simon Landau of Washington, D.C., and by several cousins.

Funeral services and burial were held on July 5 at the Ahavath Israel Memorial Cemetery in Hamilton Township.

Memorial contributions can be made to Congregation Beth Chaim (BethChaim.org) or Beth El Synagogue (BethElSynagogue.ShulCloud.com).

For condolences please visit Harriet’s obituary page at OrlandsMemorialChapel.com.

Funeral arrangements are by Orland’s Ewing Memorial Chapel.

———

Alberto N. Trancon

Family, friends, and the many people whose lives he touched mourn the loss of Alberto Trancon, who passed away, peacefully surrounded by his family, at age 90 in his East Windsor home on Sunday, July 3, 2022.

Son of Alfonso Trancon and Gliceria Granda, he was born in Lima, Peru, on September 14, 1931. He had resided in the Princeton area for over 50 years. He retired from Princeton University and Institute for Advanced Study of Princeton.

You will always be remembered by the people who loved you.

Extend condolences and share memories at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.

June 29, 2022

Obituaries 6/29/2022

Alexander (Sandy) Fraser

June 8, 1937 –June 13, 2022

Alexander (Sandy) Fraser passed away peacefully on June 13, 2022 with his wife, Elisabeth, at his side. Born in Surrey, England in 1937, Sandy spent the war years with his family in Lancashire where his father was a research chemist. The family subsequently moved to Weston Super Mare where his mother ran a small hotel overlooking the sea.

Sandy earned his bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering from Bristol University, U.K. He began his career at Ferranti and then at Cambridge University, U.K., where he was awarded a Ph.D. He was recruited to join AT&T Bell Labs in 1969. He became Director of its Computing Science Research Center in 1982, Executive Director in 1987, and Associate Vice President for Information Science Research in 1994. In 1996, when AT&T spun off Lucent and Bell Labs., Sandy, who was passionate about research, led the effort to establish Shannon Labs. (AT&T Labs Research) in Florham Park, NJ. As VP for Research he ran Shannon Labs. for two years, at which time he was appointed Chief Scientist so that he could focus his time and research energy on the development of a new architecture and protocols for a large-scale internet focused on networking to the home.

In 2002, Sandy retired from AT&T and formed Fraser Research in Princeton, NJ, where he continued his research and provided summer internships for a few select graduate students interested in networking. In 2009, he completed his vision for redesigning the internet.

While at Ferranti, Sandy developed Nebula, a language and compiler for the Sirius computer. At Cambridge University he developed the file system for the Atlas 2 (Titan) computer. Once at Bell Labs, in the early 1970s, Sandy’s attention turned to computer networking. He invented cell-based networks, the precursor to Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), one of the foundational protocols of modern data communications. He also developed Datakit, the first virtual circuit network switch, which became the backbone of the AT&T telecommunications network.

In the late 1980s, Sandy created the Experimental Universities Network (XUNET) project to promote graduate research on computer networks. Eight universities and labs across the country were linked by a network of Datakit Virtual Circuit Switches joined by high-speed links to provide a wide area systems research laboratory where student researchers could run network experiments.

Although Sandy’s research focused primarily on networking, he was also interested in the benefits that improved networks could provide. He recognized and nurtured technologies that connected people to the internet using cable TV channels, a variety of wireless approaches, and fiber optics believing education and audio and video to the home would require large amounts of bandwidth.

In the late 1990s he developed a plan for a network architecture to bring high-speed networking to the home — a capability which is now taken for granted but was almost unknown 25 years ago. Realizing that the new network infrastructure would need a business justification, Sandy promoted research projects that would “fill the pipes.”

Among these projects was high-fidelity audio coding. Sandy supported researcher participation in ISO MPEG, resulting in the MPEG Advanced Audio Coder (“AAC”) international standard. Sandy promoted AAC use to other companies, notably including Apple, which adopted AAC for its iTunes music application.

Sandy contracted for the development of innovative test platforms for AAC, including the Euphony processor, one of the first System-on-Chip microprocessors. Euphony was the “brains” of one of the first solid-state music players, FlashPAC, which was used to demonstrate AAC to potential adopters.

Today AAC is deployed on every smartphone worldwide and is one of the most widely used music compression applications — if someone has MP4 files, they’re using AAC.

Sandy has received numerous awards for his pioneering contributions to the architecture of communication networks through the development of virtual circuit switching technology. He was a member of the National Academy of Engineering, and a Fellow of the British Computer Society and IEEE. He was a life member of ACM. He received the 1989 Koji Kobayashi Computers and Communications Award “for contributions to computer communications and the invention of virtual-circuit switching,” the 1992 ACM SIGCOMM Award for “pioneering concepts, such as virtual circuit switching, space-division packet switching, and window flow control,” and the 2001 IEEE Richard W. Hamming Medal “for pioneering contributions to the architecture of communication networks through the development of virtual circuit switching technology.” Sandy has over 20 patents and published numerous professional papers.

As a young man, Sandy was an avid cyclist going on weekly rides with the local club (a passion he passed on to his sons). He enjoyed club cycling with his first wife, Thirza, who sadly died at the young age of 31. Sandy and Elisabeth were married in 1971 and subsequently built their house in Bernardsville where they raised their two sons, Tim and Ben. Sandy enjoyed building things and creating things and always had a workshop. He also loved being outside in nature. He especially loved being close to the ocean and the family spent many memorable vacations on Kiawah Island, SC.

Sandy is survived by his loving wife, Elisabeth, his son Tim and family of Franklin Township, NJ, Ben and family of East Amwell, NJ, and grandsons Jake, Tyler, Grey, and Leo. Sandy also leaves siblings Carol of Manali, India, David of Pearland, Texas, and Tina of Princethorpe, U.K.

Burial of his cremains will be private; a celebration of his life will take place October 1, 2022 at the Hunterdon Art Museum in Clinton, NJ, and also on August 6, 2022 in Cambridge, U.K.

In lieu of flowers, a donation in his name may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or to a charity of your choice. For more information please email fraserpublic62@gmail.com.

Arrangements have been under the direction of the Kimble Funeral Home, Princeton, NJ.

Share memories at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.

———

Rita A. Novitt

Rita A. Novitt born on July 12, 1921, passed away peacefully on April 27, 2022, at the incredible age of 100. She will be remembered for the amazing life she lived on her own terms. She was preceded in death by her parents Adam and Victoria Novitt, her siblings Ceifert “Duke” Novitt, Charles Novitt, Anna White, and Marie Minwegen. Surviving her are several nieces and nephews as well as many great-nieces and nephews and their children. In fact, because Rita never had children of her own, she became the beloved “Gigi” to the May, Stevens, and White families and the surrogate great-grandmother for Katie, Noah, Haley, Emily, and Joshua.

Rita was born in Spotswood, NJ, and lived the first 88 years of her life in New Jersey. Rita graduated with her bachelor’s degree from Douglass College in New Brunswick, NJ. Rita spent most of her adult life working for Johnson & Johnson and was a trailblazer for women in the workplace. She was one of the highest-ranking women at J&J when women were not able to become executives. In retirement she tended to be even more active and influential as she served on the boards of the Fielding Institute, Kellogg Foundation, Thomas Edison State College, and Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences. She was also a member of the Douglass Society and featured in the book, Who’s Who of American Women 1991-1992.

Rita will be buried at St. Gertrude Cemetery in Woodbridge, NJ, next to her father and mother. A memorial mass will be held in her honor on Wednesday, July 6 at 10 a.m. at the St. Paul Parish, 216 Nassau Street in Princeton, NJ. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Parish Library at St. Paul Parish.

———

Marian Carter King Green

Marian Carter King Green (age 84) died peacefully on June 15, 2022 in Santa Monica, CA.

Marian was born in New York, NY, on September 5, 1937. Her parents, Frank Lamar King and Gladys Merritt Carter King, were actors and later Lamar went into government service. Marian grew up in Chevy Chase, MD; London, England; and Berlin, Germany, where she graduated high school in 1955. Marian was the oldest of four sisters.

After high school, Marian
traveled to New York City to follow her dream of becoming a model and an actress. She moved into the renowned Rehearsal Club on 53rd street. Billed as a “theatrical girl’s boarding house,” the Rehearsal Club was home to famous artists like Barbra Streisand and Carol Burnett. Marian also was a cigarette girl at the Roxy Theatre in New York. It was there she met Grant Dickson “Dick” Green, the theater’s manager at the time, whom she later married in 1960.

Marian had a son, Christopher Nelson Green, in 1962, followed quickly by a daughter, Sallie Merritt Green, in 1963. The family settled in Princeton, NJ, when Dick took a job at Princeton University. Marian was a homemaker until her children were in junior high school when she decided to start her career again. Marian became an administrative assistant at Princeton University, a professional organizer, and she sat on the town’s fire commission. After leaving the University, Marian got her residential real estate license.

Marian’s husband Dick passed away in 1998 and, eventually, Marian began spending time with Joseph “Joe” Shelley. Marian and Joe were together for seven years and they enjoyed their time immensely, traveling to many places here and abroad, going to the theater and seeing concerts. Marian also loved spending time with Joe’s five children and eight grandchildren who she considered her own family. Joe passed away in 2009. Marian stayed in New Jersey until 2016, when she moved to California to be closer to her daughter.

Marian was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2016 and she spent her remaining years being looked after by a capable and compassionate care team at Welbrook Memory Care in Santa Monica, CA. Marian is survived by her son Christopher Nelson Green, her daughter Sallie Merritt Green, and her sister Sallie Jones.

If you would like to honor Marian’s life, please consider making a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org) to help end Alzheimer’s disease.

———

Memorial Service – Rhett

Celebrating the life of Haskell Emery Smith Rhett

(1936-2022)

Friday, July 8, at 4 p.m.

Trinity Church

Reception following

For more information, trinityprinceton.org

(609) 924-2277

June 22, 2022

Obituaries 6/22/2022

Leon H. Whitney Jr. (Lee)

Lee Whitney (age 86) of Rocky Hill, NJ, and Vero Beach, FL, passed away peacefully on June 15, 2022, at the VNA Hospice House in Vero Beach surrounded by his family. He is survived by his loving wife of 64 years Julie, his sons Ken (wife Liz) and Rich (wife Nancy), and his daughters Nancy Schmidt (husband Dave) and Laura Carmack (husband Kevin). Lee was the proud and devoted grandfather of 12: Ashley Murphy (Mike), Kathryn Whitney, Meghan Whitney, Rachel Whitney, Amanda Schmidt, Kirby Carmack, Ali Whitney, Whitney Carmack, Trevor Schmidt, Lucy Whitney, Cole Carmack, and Cameron Schmidt. He was also the loving great-grandfather of Teagan, Kenley, and Locklyn Murphy. Lee was also a beloved uncle for many nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his parents Dr. Leon and Margaret Whitney, and his sister Nancy Pritchard Bear.

Lee was born in Brooklyn, NY, moved to Manhasset Long Island for middle school, and went to high school in Morristown, NJ. His athletic career got off to a good start in Manhasset, where he was the quarterback of the undefeated football team, and his running back was the NFL Hall of Famer Jim Brown. He spent the summers of his youth at Camp Awosting in Morris, CT, where he was the perennial tennis champ. In high school, he played on the basketball, baseball, and tennis teams, and then went on to play tennis at St. Lawrence University.

In 1957, he earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from St. Lawrence University. As he would tell everyone, the most important thing that happened in college was meeting his future wife Julie Beaver. At St. Lawrence he served in the ROTC, and upon graduation he married Julie and moved to Arizona where he served in the Army Signal Corp at Fort Huachuca. After two years in the Army where he served as an officer, he took a job with Mountain Bell where he worked for the next 11 years in Arizona, Colorado, and Utah. In 1970, he requested a transfer back to New Jersey where he worked at Bell Laboratories and AT&T. Towards the end of his Bell System career, he worked on the special task force which came up with the Operating Companies’ divestiture plan. Upon divestiture in 1987, he retired and took a job in commercial real estate with J.T. Boyer in Princeton, NJ, before retiring for good in 2000.

Lee was active in volunteer work for many years which included starting an Episcopal Missionary Church and serving as President of a large Little League Baseball League in Bountiful, Utah. In New Jersey, he served on the Montgomery Planning Board for eight years and as a Committeeman for the Somerset County Republican organization. He was a charter member of the Montgomery / Rocky Hill Rotary Club serving as its third President in 1992. In Florida, his favorite volunteer work was helping to build Habitat for Humanity homes. He was a member of the Community Church in Vero Beach.

Lee’s true passion in life was being a husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He loved playing bridge and going to water aerobics with Julie. Throughout his life, he spent every moment he could coaching, watching, and playing numerous sports with his children and grandchildren. He particularly enjoyed playing golf with them at Orchid Island in Vero Beach and Springdale Golf Club in Princeton. He also had very fond memories of skiing in Utah and spending time at the New Jersey shore with the whole family. Lee was an avid reader of biographies and books about history, and loved passing on the details and/or life lessons from these books to the younger generations of the family.

Lee was known by everyone to be very outgoing and friendly. He had a wonderful gift of gab, and he loved meeting new people from all walks of life. At family meals, he always seemed to have a new story he wanted to share about a friend or someone he just met.

Lee will be deeply missed as a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle, and friend. His passing is an immense loss to all who knew him and loved him so much.

A private memorial service for immediate family will be held in New Jersey in August. The family plans to hold a Celebration of Life in Orchid Island on Saturday, November 19, 2022. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Indian River Habitat for Humanity in memory of Lee Whitney via irchabitat.org/donate.

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Frank J. Vogt

Frank J. Vogt, 91, passed away peacefully on June 9, 2022, at his home at the Windrows in Princeton, NJ.

Frank was born May 16, 1931, in Queens Village, NY, to Clara and John Vogt. He and his sister, Annemarie (Vogt) Saccani, grew up in Bloomfield, NJ. He attended Newark State Teacher’s College (now Kean University) where he played varsity basketball and earned his B.S. degree in Industrial Arts and Elementary Education. He then served two years in the U.S. Army as a radar specialist based in Formosa (Taiwan) during the Korean conflict. Frank continued his education earning two M.A.s in education and administration from Montclair State University. Frank was a passionate educator for over 40 years serving as a teacher, a guidance counselor, and an administrator in the West Orange School system. He was President of both the Teachers and the Administrators Association. Frank was beloved by faculty and students and was widely recognized for his dedicated nurturing care of both.

Frank’s best decision was marrying Eileen Mary Reilly. They had a loving relationship over 58 years of marriage, meeting every challenge and joy together until Eileen’s death in 2014. Frank and Eileen lived for more than 50 years in West Orange and then moved to Princeton. Throughout his life Frank’s greatest devotion was to his family. Frank was known for his moral and physical strength and for his indefatigable work ethic as a provider — early in his teaching career he concurrently worked three jobs: in the early morning he was a milkman for Becker’s Farm, he would then teach, and then work nights as a master carpenter. Frank was supported by his Catholic faith and by serving as lecturer, a Holy Eucharist Minister, and a member of the Knights of Columbus. He enjoyed playing basketball with students and tennis and golf with lifelong friends. A strong swimmer, he favored family vacations in Lake George, NY, and at the family beach house in Manasquan, NJ, where he rose early every morning to ride his bicycle built-for-two to the bakery and left the beach first to get fresh Jersey corn and prepare dinner — what wonderful times were had. In retirement, Frank thoroughly enjoyed being a helping grandparent at the University League Nursery School, cheering at his grandsons’ Little League and soccer games, enjoying his grandsons’ singing with the American Boychoir, and being the go-to repair person at the Windrows.

Frank is survived by his son, Thomas F. Vogt, and his wife, Gwen Guglielmi, who was a loving supporter and organizer of his care. He is also survived by their sons Ryan, Tyler and his wife Shannon, and Eric, and by his daughter Susan (Vogt) Guidone, whose music, especially in his later years, brought him joy, and her husband Glenn Guidone, and their sons Justin, Evin, and Austin, by his sister-in-law, Margaret Oates, and by many nieces, nephews, and family members and by legions of students he influenced and friends he cherished.

The family is very grateful to Frank’s lifelong friends, Eileen and Don Hoffler, to his physician, Dr. David Barile, and to his dedicated caregivers Robert Nkomo, Marcia Higginbotham, Cindy Odinacach, and Chris Godsent who lovingly supported him during the homestretch of his life.

Frank’s life may be remembered by donations to the Princeton BoyChoir/Westrick Music Academy and The Jackson Laboratory.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Queenship of Mary Roman Catholic Church, 16 Dey Road, Plainsboro Township, NJ 08536, on Saturday June 25 at 10:30 a.m. followed by a reception.

Funeral and cremation services provided by Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vandeventer Avenue, Princeton, NJ.

June 15, 2022

Obituaries 6/15/2022

Patricia J. Lewis

Our whole family is sad to announce that on May 30, 2022, Dr. Patricia Judge Lewis passed away from a short illness at the age of 93. Patsy, as she was known to all, retired at the age of 79 from her 37-year teaching career and professorship at Misericordia University, where she taught Social Work, the field in which she received her Doctorate from Hunter College at CCNY. Patsy was born in Wilkes-Barre, PA, the oldest of six, and lived in the area her entire life. She graduated from Meyers High School and was accepted to the Rhode Island School of Design.  But as she waited for an available space there, she met and married her husband, Dr. Donald B. Lewis, and began a family. Neither college, career or traveling would happen until she was in her mid-thirties. 

Her children, and her surviving siblings, James, Marie, and Priscilla, all agree that Patsy was the quiet warrior. Despite many obstacles put before her due to the death of her husband at the age of 42, with love and determination she raised six children, owned and managed a Care Home, and completed her education up to the Doctoral level. She would tell her children that she always wanted to be a War Correspondent, traveling to hot-spots throughout the world, but she fast became enamored with teaching as she made lifelong friends there, and was admired by staff and students alike for her easy charm and subtle wit. 

Patsy enjoyed traveling with family, visiting New Zealand, Japan, several islands in the West Indies, Egypt, Mexico, and other destinations around the U.S. and abroad. Much of her travel was to visit her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was introduced to The Chautauqua Institution, NY, in 1974 by her daughter Pati Piper and son-in-law Steve Piper and continued visiting there every summer, enjoying the high level of cultural engagement and social life found there. Family would gather there to visit with Patsy to enjoy family discussions, peaceful serenity, engaging lectures, and superb entertainment. But by far Patsy’s favorite pastime was reading fiction, where she immersed herself in complex plots that kept her mind sharp. She was also an expert Bridge player, and enjoyed playing with friends and family throughout her life. 

Her most endearing quality was her ability to never lose her temper, especially with her children, and to love and support them in all things without reservation. A deep thinker, she always provided wise and thoughtful advice to family, friends, and students. Her love of every member of her extended family was exemplified by the following: when her grandson Christopher Larsen, a West Point graduate, was assigned to duty in Iraq, Patsy tried to get a visa to go and protect him from harm.  For this her brother renamed her the Avenging Granny. We will all miss the quiet warrior.

She leaves behind her children and their spouses, Pati Piper and Steve, Cynthia Larsen and Mark, Jessica Houlihan, Susan Berthel and Steve, and her son Donald and his wife Catherine along with three grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Donald B. Lewis, her brother, Dr. Francis P. Judge, her sister Phyllis Judge Saldarriaga, and her daughter Marie M. Lewis.

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

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Lorena Elizabeth Turner Davidson

Lorena Elizabeth Turner Davidson passed away on May 31, 2022, at the age of 96. Independent and strong-willed, creative and caring, Lorena lived her life to the full.

A child of the Depression, her family was “dusted out” for a few years, but then returned to Amarillo, Texas, where, by day, she worked hard on her father’s ranch and her nights included occasional drag races (she never lost a race) and the frequent rescue of downed glider pilots from her father’s fields.

She entered nurses’ training during the Second World War and became a R.N. During her training, she played piano in a Chicago nightclub — she played two musical instruments by ear, never having taken a lesson. She married the love of her life, Robert L. Davidson III, in 1950.

Raised in the Church of Christ, in her adulthood she declared herself a Deist and was inclined to believe, if there was a God, she was a woman. Our mother was a talented artist whose primary medium was the abstracts she painted on paper she made herself at our home in Princeton, New Jersey (1966 to 1990). She was also a voracious reader and, for several years, distributed a newsletter called Did You Know…? which allowed her to share the most fascinating true snippets she came across with a select group of readers. Although unable to attend a four-year college, she was self-educated to a remarkable degree and could probably have taught a comprehensive seminar in ancient world history.

In her final years, she nursed her husband with love and professionalism until his death, then turned her attentions to caring for the emotional well-being of almost everyone she encountered. She was a splendid mother-in-law to her son’s wife, Kate, adored her grandson, Marcus, and is survived by her two children, Roberta and Curtis, who were both shaped by her unbreakable strength of mind, her unsentimental engagement with life’s realities, and her unconditional love for them. She will always be a part of us, and we will always miss her.

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Carol E. McKinley

Carol E. McKinley, 76, died peacefully at the Cates House hospice in Ocala, Florida, on May 28, 2022.  Born in Trenton, NJ, she was a longtime resident of the Princeton area before retiring to Florida in 1999.

Carol attended Trenton State College and graduated from the Franklin School of Science and Arts in Philadelphia, with a certificate of proficiency in medical technology. She worked as a medical technologist in the Princeton Hospital laboratory for 30 years. Carol was an active volunteer, first at Trinity Episcopal Church in Princeton and more recently at Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Ocala. For the past 10 years, she was a dedicated volunteer at the Food Pantry hosted by her church in partnership with Interfaith Services of Ocala.

Predeceased by her parents, Charlotte and William McKinley, she is survived by her sister Christine McKinley of Monmouth Junction, NJ.  A memorial service will be held in Ocala at a later date. Memorial contributions are suggested to be made to Our Saviour Lutheran Church, 260 Marion Oaks Lane, Ocala, FL 34473.

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Marthe Tribble McKinnon 

Marthe T. McKinnon, 81, passed away peacefully on June 9 from complications of a stroke attended by family members. 

A former longtime Princeton resident, she attended Vassar College, earned a BA degree, Phi Beta Kappa, from Hunter College, and a degree in interior design from Parsons School of Design. 

She was an interior designer, an avid gardener, and collector of antiques who loved historic houses. An animal lover, especially dogs, she supported many animal welfare organizations. 

She was a member of the Acorn Club in Philadelphia, the National Society of Colonial Dames of America, First Families of Virginia, and the Huguenot Society. 

She is survived by her husband of 61 years, Jim McKinnon, her son Malcolm and his wife Blair of Princeton, a granddaughter Elizabeth (Tribbie), and a grandson James. 

Contributions in her name may be made to SAVE, a Friend to Homeless Animals in Montgomery. 

A reception to celebrate her life will be held a later date. 

June 8, 2022

Obituaries 6/8/2022

Diana Joy Crane

Diana Joy Crane, 80, of Princeton died peacefully on May 17, 2022. She was a caring daughter, wife, mother, granny, teacher, and friend. She was born September 29, 1941 during WWII in Devon, England, to Joyce and James Wharton. Diana grew up in London and attended Notting Hill and Ealing High School for girls on scholarship and received a B.A. in Modern Languages from the University of Leicester and a M.A. in Education from the University of London.

She met Giles Love Crane at a concert in Vienna and they were married on Christmas Eve, 1965. They lived in Princeton for over 50 years where they raised their two daughters.

Diana loved teaching German, French, and Acting. She was first female teacher at the Lawrenceville School and also taught German oration to professionals at the Siemens corporation. Diana’s pride, however, was in her work at Westminster Choir College, the music school of Rider University, where she taught for 26 years. At Westminster, she was the Director of Arts and Sciences and an Associate Professor of German and Fine Arts, and was affectionately known as Frau Crane. There she shared her passion for learning with thousands of students. Upon her retirement, a scholarship was created in her honor to provide students with an opportunity to study abroad.

As a talented actress Diana performed in regional theaters, numerous cabarets, and one-woman shows of her own creation. She became well-known to Princeton audiences for her popular work with The Inn Cabaret at the Nassau Inn. Her cheeky British humor and brilliant theatrical performances often brought the house down with laughter. She sang songs like “Nobody Loves a Fairy When She’s Forty,” “Send in the Clones,” “The Warthog,” and “Hard-Hearted Hannah” and often had her audience in stiches with her comedic timing. She relished performing in many PJ &B productions at McCarter Theatre, often with her children and Giles in the orchestra.

She worked as a dialect coach at McCarter Theatre and for several Rider University theater productions, and for many professionals in the entertainment industry. Her lovely English accent was heard by many taking the TOEFL exam as she provided voice-over work for the Educational Testing Service.

She directed and performed in plays for the Young Audiences of NJ and the Family Service Agency, and contributed to
Westminster’s annual Readings and Carols performances at the Princeton University Chapel. She also did readings for the English-Speaking Union Princeton Branch, and was a judge for the National Shakespeare Competition.

In her later years, she served as secretary for The Old Guard of Princeton, New Jersey.

She loved to play bridge, participated in a Friday Night Tennis group, and threw lively parties that were well remembered by her many friends.

Diana is survived by her husband Giles; her daughter Gillian and son-in-law Ed Roberson of the Woodlands, Texas; and her daughter, Rebecca, son-in-law Matthew Kim, and granddaughters Ellen and Sarah of Wellesley, Massachusetts.

In lieu of flowers, please take the time to contact a former teacher who made a difference in your life and thank them for their efforts.

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Nancy Moffat Lifland

Nancy Moffat Lifland, 93, of Skillman, NJ, passed away peacefully on February 28, 2022. The daughter of the late Marion Adams Moffat and Abbot Low Moffat, she was predeceased by her husband William Thomas Lifland in 2012. Born in New York, she spent her childhood on a farm in Fitzwilliam, NH, but lived with her grandmother in Manhattan during the academic year from the age of 9 so that she could attend the Brearley School. She attended Vassar College, majoring in Applied Economics, and following graduation in 1948, moved to London where she took classes at the London School of Economics and learned to fly glider planes.

Returning to Washington, DC in 1950, Nancy went to work as an economist in the State Department, where she wrote monographs on various matters of interest to policymakers. There she met her husband Bill Lifland, an attorney then working in the Air Force General Counsel’s office. After marrying in 1954, the couple moved briefly to New York and then back to Washington, where Bill clerked for Supreme Court Justice John Harlan and the couple had the first of their four children, daughter Carol. After the clerkship, Bill and Nancy moved to New York where Nancy taught at the Brearley School, and Bill joined the law firm of Cahill, Gordon & Reindel. Their second child, Charles, was born during their New York years. Nancy and Bill then moved abroad for a two-year stint at the law firm’s Paris office, where their third child, Kerin, was born. Returning to the States in 1960, they moved to Princeton where son David was born.

In Princeton, Nancy and Bill joined the congregation of Trinity Episcopal Church and Nancy became active in many local activities. She managed fundraiser sales of plants for Trinity and household goods for Princeton Hospital. She taught sixth grade at the Chapin School and served as its volunteer librarian. She ran many of the book fairs held at both Chapin School and Princeton Day School, which her children attended, and worked on all manner of school projects, from managing publicity for the PDS Festival of the Arts, to building scenery for the theater department and constructing a fun house for the PDS fair. A self-taught builder, Nancy supervised construction projects at home too, hiring her children and their friends to implement her design for a bluestone patio and teaching them stone-laying techniques at the same time.

In the community, Nancy had numerous leadership roles. She served on the board of the Religious Ministries PHCS for almost 30 years, many as its treasurer, providing chaplains at local hospitals. She was a member of the Trinity Vestry Committee and chaired its Christian Action Board’s Grants Committee, rewriting its mission statement and guidelines for evaluating grant requests. She also served as treasurer for the Princeton Festival and the Princeton Women’s College Club. She volunteered at the Trinity Altar Guild and worked part-time for Princeton’s Town Topics newspaper.

Nancy was a lifelong music lover. She learned piano as a child and sang for many years in the Trinity Church choir. In her spare time, she played soprano, alto, and tenor recorder in a quartet called Recorders Four. She encouraged all of her children to learn an instrument and sing and imbued in all of them a love for music of all kinds. She especially loved classical music and regularly attended performances of the New York Philharmonic, the New Jersey Symphony, and the Princeton Symphony, among many others.

An avid outdoorswoman, Nancy described herself as “horse-crazy” in her youth. As an adult, she enjoyed tennis, including Seniors Mixed Doubles, as well as hiking and skiing with her children and bike riding around New Jersey with her husband. She loved theater and was a regular at the Shaw Festival in Ontario, Canada, first with Bill and later with various children and grandchildren. She was also a committed bridge player, making a grand slam just two weeks before her passing! A lifelong learner, she took classes virtually every semester through the Evergreen Forum of the Princeton Senior Resource Center on a broad range of topics, including poetry, literature, opera, Chilean politics, and Islam. She was a generous philanthropist as well, supporting many local and national organizations.

Nancy was a beloved mother, grandmother, aunt, cousin, and friend. She is survived by her four children, their spouses Daniel Giesberg, Alison Lifland and Cathy Radmer, eleven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and by her brother, Burnham Moffat. A lover of travel, nature, and culture, she hosted trips to the Galapagos, the Baltic countries, and Africa for many of her family over the years, deepening their bonds with her and each other, something she considered her greatest legacy.

A memorial service celebrating her life will be held at Trinity Church in Princeton on Sunday, June 12 at 2 p.m. A reception will follow at the Present Day Club.

Donations in Nancy’s honor may be made to the Princeton Women’s College Club, HomeFront, or to the charity of your choice. Condolences may be sent to Carol Lifland at 218 Bronwood Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90049, or to cmlifland@gmail.com.

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Elizabeth Anne McClelland

Elizabeth Anne McClelland (Betty), 91, of Charlotte, NC, passed away at home on May 26, 2022. Betty was raised in Summit, NJ. Her first husband Carl Lindquist was killed in the Korean War shortly after their marriage. She attended Allegheny College and worked in New York City for NBC. In 1958, she married Richard Lee McClelland (Dick), Princeton Class of 1950, and moved to Princeton, NJ, where she lived for close to 50 years.

Betty was actively raising three sons and establishing and helping to manage Dick’s dental practice. She earned her BA degree in Music from Thomas Edison College. Music and specifically the piano were always a vital part of Betty’s life. During this time, she also became a licensed realtor, was an active community volunteer of Trinity Church, and was President of the Present Day Club.

Betty was predeceased by her husband Dick, her parents Alfred and Hazel Michon, and her brother Ted Michon. She is survived by her three boys and their spouses, Scott and Marilyn, Bill and Annie, Craig and Penny, as well as her nine grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. Betty is also survived by her sister Carole Little of Washington state.

Graveside service will be held on Saturday, June 11, 2022, at 2 p.m. at Princeton Cemetery, 29 Greenview Avenue, Princeton, NJ 08540.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to St John’s Episcopal Church, 1623 Carmel Road, Charlotte, NC 28226 or Westminster Choir College, Princeton, NJ.

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

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Kit (Christopher White) Raymond

1950-2022

On May 9, 2022, Kit Raymond died after protracted battle with a rare blood cancer, at the medical center near his home in Fort Kent, ME at age 71. The son of Macpherson and Ramsay Raymond and the sixth of eight children, he grew up on Dalhousie Farm in Princeton, NJ, where he attended Princeton Day School, then South Kent School where he excelled in sports and served as Head Prefect. At Princeton University he majored in politics, studied sculpture, and rowed crew, graduating in 1974.

After college, Kit coached rowing for Rutgers, Princeton, and the Carnegie Lake Rowing Association. Meanwhile, he was making bronze sculptures that drew commissions and gallery shows. This marked the start of his life as an artist and craftsman. He became a painter, photographer, musician, lyricist, woodworker, luthier, inventor, and storyteller. He loved trees and supported his creative endeavors by working as a “Branch Manager” tree surgeon.

After time in Colorado, he returned to the family farm where his inventiveness and kinship with nature were well met. A unique, troubled soul, he was charismatic, funny, voluble, opinionated, generous, and forthright. His keen psychic sensibility was often overshadowed by his strong opinions. In late midlife, he strove with siblings to preserve ownership of the farm through a conservation easement. This succeeded, but the farm was eventually sold. Kit’s cancer surfaced soon after.

Before long he found a new home with his family of golden retrievers on a small farm in Fort Kent where he harvested oats. His connection with nature soothed his struggles with health. In his last years, while living off the land and coping with chronic illnesses, he continued to write, paint, work wood, follow world news, and communicate with his circle of friends/family. He held close to his heart a golden retriever named Tonto, his black sheep named Walnut, his brother, Whit, a few new friends, and the whole starry firmament.

Kit is survived by his siblings Moke, Cherry, Peter, Whit, and Josh.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 25, Hopewell Presbyterian Church, 80 West Broad Street, Hopewell NJ.  A private ceremony will occur at Kit’s home in Maine.

For more information or to send a message, email ramsay@tpc.earth. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Friends of the Earth or a charity of your choice.

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David Lee DeGeorge

David Lee DeGeorge, 78, of Charlottesville, Virginia, passed away on May 30, 2022, at home surrounded by family after a brief battle with cancer.

David was born on May 7, 1944, in Buffalo, New York, to the late Nicholas and Corinne Shirey DeGeorge. David grew up in Erie, Pennsylvania, and Fremont, California. He graduated from Washington High School and served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. David served for, as he would say, “three years, 10 months, and 15 days, but who’s counting.”

After the Navy, David attended San Francisco State University, earning a bachelor’s in mathematics and then went on to attend Wesleyan University and Yale University, earning a Ph.D. in mathematics. He taught at Rutgers University and then worked for the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) in Princeton, New Jersey, from 1983 until his retirement in 2017. Whenever asked about his job, David would always say that he loved it but he couldn’t tell you what he did.

David met Dora Coleman, his “first” wife of almost 53 years, in San Francisco, California. They were married on August 23, 1969, and later moved to Plainfield, New Jersey, while David was teaching at Rutgers. During that time, they welcomed daughters Susan, Pamela, and Jane.

The family moved to Princeton in 1985 where David was active in the community, serving on the housing commission in Princeton and volunteering at the Battleship of New Jersey in Camden. David and Dora moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, in the summer of 2020 to be closer to their grandchildren, who David lovingly referred to as “the babies.” 

David always had the latest technology, was a skilled chef, taught himself how to read music and to play numerous instruments and loved Small World Coffee, the New York Yankees, and traveling with his wife and close friends the Kershners. He was actively involved in amateur radio (known by his call sign WQ2Q, which he personalized on all of his belongings) and recently served as the national training officer for Air Force Military Auxiliary Radio System (AFMARS). David was a special person to all who knew and loved him. His charm, witty banter, and kindness will be greatly missed.

In addition to his parents, David was preceded in death by his younger brother, James DeGeorge.

David is survived by his wife Dora DeGeorge; daughters Susan DeGeorge (Philip Shortal) of St. Louis, Missouri, Pamela DeGeorge (Brendan McKeown) of Burke, Virginia, and Jane Centofante (Andrew) of Charlottesville; grandchildren Olivia and Theo Centofante and Imogen McKeown; sister Susan Faust and brother-in-law and best friend Dick Faust of Denver, Colorado; aunts Susan West of Erie, Pennsylvania, and Nelrose Mahoney, of Moraga, California; and many other family and friends who dearly loved him.

A celebration of David’s life will be held later this summer in Charlottesville.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Washington High School Alumni Foundation or to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society.

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Dr. Austin Newton

Dr. Austin Newton died on May 13 in Princeton at 85. He was born in Richmond, Texas, the son of Dr. Edward P. and Catherine W. Newton. After graduating from the University of Texas–Austin in 1959 and with a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of California–Berkeley in 1964, Dr. Newton joined the group headed by the Nobel Laureate Jacques Monod at the Pasteur Institute in Paris.

Dr. Newton pursued his postdoctoral studies during the Golden Age of molecular biology, a time when much could be imagined, and clear thinking and experimental elegance were highly prized. Dr. Newton showed how an outstanding puzzle in gene regulation could be solved by the clever utilization of simple genetic tools. In Paris, he also discovered an abiding passion for sub-Saharan and West African sculpture and textiles. Princeton’s Lewis Thomas Laboratory being but one of the fortunate beneficiaries of his expertise and practiced eye.

At Princeton, where Dr. Newton began as an assistant professor in 1966, he published several classic papers of fundamental importance to understanding coordinated gene translation. His studies led him to hypothesize that genetic approaches could be used on fundamental problems in developmental biology.

Dr. Newton pioneered a new field, using genetic and molecular analyses to study the origins of asymmetric cell division — a characteristic of stem cells and cancer stem cells but also one that distinguishes Caulobacter, a tiny fresh water bacterium. Dr. Newton and his group made ground-breaking discoveries on the mechanisms governing asymmetric cell division, cell polarity, cell cycle organization, and the conversion of cells from one morphology to another. 

Dr. Newton’s research was marked by vision and scientific imagination, traits that characterized his interactions with students and colleagues, as well as his life in general. Many of his students have gone on to leading scientific roles in graduate and medical school departments. Many also lead distinguished career in biomedical industries. Dr. Newton’s students revere and credit him with teaching them how to identify and tackle scientific problems.

Dr. Newton was a connoisseur who successfully mixed his broad interests in science, music (piano and Bach were favorites), art (especially African art), travel, and good wine, not to mention, gin and tonic. Together with his longtime collaborator and wife, Dr. Noriko Ohta, Dr. Newton shared a full and exciting life, welcoming a generation of students, postdocs, faculty, and friends from around the world.

With Dr. Austin Newton’s death, as one of his former colleagues puts it, we have lost a true Princeton gentleman. He will be sorely missed by our community and warmest thoughts are with his wife Dr. Noriko Ohta. He is also survived by his sister, Margueritte Dell Newton of Texas.

Services were private. Dr. Newton will be interred in the family plot in Richmond, TX.

Extend condolences and share memories at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.

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John Edward Ricklefs

John Edward Ricklefs passed away on May 25 from issues related to Parkinson’s. He was born and raised in Salina, KS. After graduating from Kansas State University, John went into the air force as a pilot. He left the family’s nursery/landscape business for the big city. New York City was only a transition to years abroad; first as an architect, then as a project manager for a new United Nations program at a seaport in Yugoslavia.

Over the next years, John earned three master’s degrees in planning and economics from universities in Belgrade, Yugoslavia; Paris, France; and New York City’s Columbia University where he also obtained his Ph.D. in economics. He had nearly 50 years of experience in the fields of master planning, economic evaluation, management, and financing of infrastructure projects, as well as supervising economics, marketing, commercial, operational, and technical studies for national, regional, and local development projects. John guided the study, development, and funding of projects in 27 countries and authored articles and books on economics and technological change. In addition, he wrote numerous publications and papers concerning transportation and the economic development of ports and their regional impact. John spent the majority of his professional life with Frederic R. Harris, Inc and Moffatt and Nichol, Inc.

After five years in Taiwan, John and his wife, Nancy, settled in Princeton and he commuted to New York. John’s diagnosis of Parkinson’s in 2001 did not stop him from becoming active in the community.

His passions were in music and art. John served on the boards of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra and New Jersey Opera Festival. He also provided guidance to the composer and marketing for The Firmiana Rain, an opera that was premiered in Taiwan and other Asian countries. As John had mentored colleagues for years, he continued with mentoring Princeton University Ph.D. graduate students from China and maintained lasting relationships with them.

With retirement, his time was spent reading (the classics and favorite authors D. Graeber and P. Krugman), auditing music courses and attending concerts, and watching the Yankees and pro tennis games. Most of all he returned to sculpting wood and entered many exhibits. It was said his passion for creating his art extended his life.

John was known to tell an endless variety of stories, stories which painted colorful and poignant pictures in the mind; stories that contained kernels of truth about humanity, about human nature, and the consistency of that nature over time and across cultures. He will be remembered by his stories, as well as his jokes, his artwork, and the depth to which he cared about other people and the world.

John is survived by his wife Nancy Greenspan; stepdaughters Peggy Johansen of Livingston Manor, NY, Elizabeth Ahle of South Brunswick, and Randi Greenspan of Wilmington, VT; his five grandchildren; and a great-grandson.

Memorial donations may be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation, Princeton University Concerts, or the Princeton Symphony Orchestra.

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Catherine Ann Holmes Johnson

Catherine Ann Holmes Johnson, age 90, passed away peacefully on May 26, 2022. Kate (known as Cathy in her earlier years), was born on March 30, 1932, to Hannah and Carroll Holmes in Hertford, North Carolina.

Kate’s childhood friends and the Hertford community were dear to her. She had fond memories of playing basketball in high school and marching as chief majorette of her drill team. Kate was a proud graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she was captain of her debate team. Always an adventurous and independent young woman, she left the South to pursue a career and experience the culture of 1950s New York City. There she worked at a brokerage firm, made many lifelong friends and met her future husband. For the rest of her life, she enjoyed investing in the stock market. Kate married Robert Hains Johnson (deceased, ex-husband), and they raised their four children in Princeton, New Jersey.

Kate had a personality that was bigger than life. She could and would talk to anyone and everyone, often embarrassing her children, but just as often helping them get to know the humanity of those around us. To Kate, there were no strangers, only people that she had yet to meet and to delight with her wit and friendliness. Kate was famous for putting people at ease and making them so comfortable with her that they often shared their life story. She would always start with “When’s your birthday?” and then launch into an analysis of their personality based on their astrological sign. With her lovely Southern drawl, her warm personality, and desire to truly know people, she forged wonderful, lifelong relationships.

Kate was empathetic and generous and sought ways to make a positive difference in peoples’ lives. She was a feminist and a long-term supporter of and volunteer for Planned Parenthood. With an abundance of common sense and practical know-how, Kate worked at her children’s schools and many nonprofits over the course of her life. She was a self-described “tomboy” but also a Southern Belle – able to give advice on everything from how to avoid a water moccasin snake while fishing, to baking an award-winning lemon meringue pie. Kate spent many summers in Little Compton, Rhode Island, where she introduced her children to two of her favorite sports — tennis and sailing — and enjoyed epic family croquet matches and long walks on Brigg’s beach.

Kate’s curiosity was boundless – she was an avid reader, lifelong learner, and world traveler. Although she would often travel by herself, she would always return with new friends she had made along her journey. While raising her family she went back to school for her Masters in Counseling and provided free counseling to single mothers. She also became a substitute teacher and later became a successful real estate broker. Kate always had time for a long conversation with her family and friends, or a willing stranger.

In her later years she moved to Sandpoint, Idaho, to be closer to family. Kate immediately became a part of the community by volunteering as a teacher’s aide and working with other charitable organizations. She loved the outdoors and was able to share it with her dear friend, Fritz Holz, while traveling, camping, boating, and fishing. She adored her kids and being “Grandma Kate” – she was always there to cheer us on, or cheer us up, or just curl up on a sofa and talk.  Kate, with her optimistic outlook, supportive nature, and comforting aura, will be missed by all of us who loved her.

Our family extends our deepest thanks to Kate’s caregivers at Luther Park who took such good care of her in her final years. Kate is survived by her children: Carol Johnson (and husband David Schindler and grandchildren Nicki Schindler and Alex Schindler); Bruce Johnson; Neil Johnson (and wife Rosemary and granddaughter Julianna Johnson); and Paul Johnson (and wife Sera and grandchildren Hains Johnson, Grace Johnson, and Charlie Johnson).

Please share your memories on coffeltfuneral.com. In lieu of flowers, Kate would have loved a donation to plannedparenthood.org or heifer.org.

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Rodolfo G. Aiello

Rodolfo Guillermo Aiello, died on October 28, 2021, at the University Hospital of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. He was accompanied by his loving wife, Gisela Kam, and their good friend Krikor Chobanian. The cause of death was a cerebral hemorrhage. He was 76 years old.

Rodolfo was born in Olivos, Buenos Aires Province. His father, Rodolfo Juan Aiello, was an obstetrician-gynecologist; his mother, Maria Edith Mira, was an elementary school teacher. Leaving Argentina in 1969 for travels throughout Europe, he met Kristin Skotheim; in 1970, he accompanied her to Washington. His introduction to the extended Skotheim family led to a relationship he cherished and sustained throughout his entire lifetime. His peripatetic life of work and study in the United States, culminated in 1989 when he received an M.Phil in Linguistics from Colombia University. Retired from teaching at NYU in 2010, he settled in Princeton, NJ. He is survived by a brother, Leo, and a sister, Diana. He was predeceased in death by his sister, Rosita (Rosa) in 2000.

Rodolfo’s imposing physical stature and direct gaze belied an innate modesty, a surprising innocence, and a startling, playful wit. He was a man devoid of pretense or guile; a polymath who could speak of a great many things in no small detail. In his resonant baritone, he spoke in the sincere belief that every person was his equal in intellect and interest: he never judged. As senior lecturer in the Spanish Department at Princeton University and later at New York University, his erudition and passion for language encouraged the many students he taught to pursue advanced degrees in Spanish who are now, teachers at academic institutions here and abroad.

In the small community, he shared with his wife, the little children, neighbors, and acquaintances mourn and remember the warmth and generosity of his regard and attention. A service of remembrance is planned for the fall.

“We make a dwelling in the evening air in which being there together is enough.”