April 18, 2018

Obituaries 4/18/18

Kit Helen Hildick-Smith

Kit Hildick-Smith died on April 14, 2018 at the age of 92 in Princeton. She was born in New York City in 1925, the daughter of Fredrick and Eutha Richter. Kit was an adventurous person, who starting flying at age 17 while in college at Bucknell University, class of 1946. She became involved in social service and political activities in New York City and New York State. After World War II she moved to Denver, Colorado for work and more study. In 1948 she moved to Norway where she worked at the U.S. Embassy as part of the Marshall Plan program and its reconstruction of post-war Europe. After two years stationed in Oslo, she was transferred back to Marshall Plan headquarters in Washington, D.C., then next posted to the U.S. Embassy in London. While working in London she met Dr. Gavin (Pete) Hildick-Smith. They were married in Switzerland in 1953 and emigrated to Canada later that year, where Pete continued in his practice of Pediatrics in Toronto and Ottawa.

Two years later they moved to Princeton, where Pete changed careers into pharmaceutical medical research. While raising two sons, Peter and Andrew, Kit served on the Vestry of Trinity Church, on the Board of their Trenton After-School and mentoring program for many years. In 1974 she started a local support group of the N.J. Symphony Orchestra, ultimately serving as a Trustee of the Symphony and as Chair of the Youth Concerts program state-wide. Young Audiences of New Jersey was another similar interest and activity. Environmental concerns and land preservation were also of great importance to Kit in her work with the Stony Brook Watershed Association in preserving land and water and encouraging young people in their programs. Beyond her 63 years as a resident of Princeton, she also lived part-time in West Arlington, Vermont where she supported the Vermont Land Trust in local land conservation.

Kit is survived by her beloved sons, their wives and children: Peter and Beth Kaplan Hildick-Smith of Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., and their sons Alex, Jack and Charlie; Andrew Hildick-Smith and Hughie Jacobus of Winchester, Mass., and their sons Gordon, Seth, and Neil.

A small remembrance service will be held at Trinity Church, Princeton, on May 5 at 11 a.m. Memorials can be offered, if desired, to Trinity Church, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, or the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association.

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Memorial Service

George W. Pitcher

A memorial service for the late George W. Pitcher will be held on Saturday, April 21 at 10 a.m. in the Princeton University Chapel. The Reverend Sue Anne Steffey Morrow will lead the service which will include readings, tributes and music. A luncheon for family, friends and colleagues will follow at Prospect House.

A Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Princeton University and a trustee of the Edward T. Cone Foundation, Pitcher died peacefully at his home in Princeton on January 12 at the age of 92. He was the author of The Philosophy of Wittgenstein, Berkeley, and A Theory of Perception, as well as the memoir The Dogs Who Came to Stay.

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John C. Borden Jr.

John C. Borden Jr., Fundraiser for Quaker Projects, died peacefully at home, surrounded by family, on April 11, 2018. Born in New York City in 1929, he was a descendent of the prominent Borden textile family – which included the notorious Lizzie Borden – of Fall River, Mass. John grew up in New York and Rumson, N.J. and was educated at Phillips Exeter Academy and Yale University. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1951 and was stationed in Alaska before joining the family business, Borden Mills, in 1955.

He married the love of his life — the actress Gloria Jones — in 1955, and they moved to Princeton in the late 1950s to raise a family and become members of Princeton Friends Meeting. Spurred by a keen interest in photography, John founded Gallery 100 in 1960. The popular Nassau Street shop specialized in graphic design, framing, photography, and art supplies, but also featured a gallery of original art, much of it by prominent New Jersey artists from the Roosevelt art community.

John’s true passion, however, lay in world peace, social justice, and care for the underserved. Following the sale of Gallery 100 in the late 1960s, he dedicated himself to non-profit service both locally and abroad. As a professional fundraiser and consultant for the American Friends Service Committee, John traveled extensively to secure grants from European agencies for the support of famine relief, development, and peace programs in Africa’s developing nations. John also served for almost 50 years as Executive Director and Trustee of the Mary Owen Borden Foundation, where he provided grants and support to countless non-profit organizations throughout New Jersey’s Mercer and Monmouth counties. He also helped found and served on the board of Princeton Community Housing, which became the largest provider of affordable housing in Princeton. During his 60 years as a member of Princeton Friends Meeting, he served on virtually every volunteer committee, ran a thriving First Day School and provided significant support when Gloria committed herself to establishing the Princeton Friends School in the 1980s. He was actively engaged in nuclear disarmament efforts over the years. He was also an active and longtime member of Princeton’s Community Without Walls as a member of House 2.

Throughout his life, John was an avid gardener, an enthusiastic tennis player, a patient fly fisherman, and dedicated baseball and opera fan. Predeceased by his wife Gloria in 2014, he is survived by his sister Linda McKean of Rumson, N.J.; his daughters Rebecca Bunnell and Julia Kennedy of Fairfield, Conn.; his sons Thomas of Newport, R.I. and Samuel of Amherst, Mass.; and by the 12 grandchildren and one great grandchild who were his greatest pride and joy.

Gifts in John’s memory may be made to the American Friends Service Committee, 1501 Cherry Street. Philadelphia, PA 19102 or to the Princeton Friends Meeting, 470 Quaker Rd, Princeton, NJ 08540. A memorial gathering will be held at the Princeton Friends Meetinghouse on June 16 at 10 a.m.

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Robert Byrne Baxter, Jr.

Baxter, Robert Byrne; OFM, Conv. passed away on March 22, 2018, in New Albany, Indiana. He was born Robert Byrne Baxter, Jr., to Robert Byrne and Theodora (Tuomey) Baxter in Bay Shore, New York. He was predeceased by his parents and is survived by his uncle Robert N. Tuomey (Joan), sisters Anne B. Humes (William), Elaine B. Tracy (William), Julie Baxter (Robert Robinson), Clare Baxter, and Margaret B. Helmig (Albert); brothers William E. (Robin) and James E. (Felice) Baxter; and five nephews and nine nieces. He professed Simple Vows as a Conventual Franciscan Friar on August 5, 1972, and Solemn Vows on November 1, 1976.

Mass of Christian Burial was held in the Mount St. Francis Chapel at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 5. Interment followed in the Province of Our Lady of Consolation Cemetery on the grounds of Mount St. Francis. Contributions may be made to the Mount St. Francis Retreat Assistance Fund or to Province of Our Lady of Consolation. They may be mailed to 103 St. Francis Blvd., Mount St. Francis, IN 47146.

April 11, 2018

Obituaries 4/11/18

Blanid E. Scott

Longtime Princeton resident Blanid E. Scott died of natural causes at her home on April 3, 2018. She had recently celebrated her 94th birthday with her family on March 25.

Mrs. Scott was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1924 to Blanid McGady Ennis and Dr. William Ennis. She attended St. Xavier’s in Brooklyn before her 1942 graduation from the Convent of the Sacred Heart-Eden Hall in Torresdale, Pa. She worked for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York during World War II before moving to California to marry Princeton University alumnus David Janvier Scott in 1947.

Mrs. Scott relocated to Princeton in 1960 with her husband and six children. She cut a familiar and welcoming figure to countless Princetonians who came of age in the 60s and 70s, presiding over a busy household where an antique pool table and the latest music were in constant play. Throughout her long life, many of her children’s grown friends and classmates from Stuart Country Day School, Princeton High School, and the Lawrenceville School made a special point of visiting her home whenever they returned to town. She will be remembered and cherished by all who knew her for impeccable manners, effortless style, genuine warmth, and undying loyalty.

Mrs. Scott was predeceased by her husband David in 1991 and her eldest son, David J. Scott, Jr. in 1981. She is survived by her children Sheila N. Scott of New York, N.Y.; Bridgett L. Scott of Yardley, Pa.; Samuel R. Scott (Kimberly) of Tampa, Fla.; Peter M. Scott (Julie) of Washington, D.C.; and Nora C. Scott of London, U.K.; grandchildren Samuel R. Scott,Jr. of New York, N.Y.; Katharine N. Kennedy-Sloane of London, U.K.; Abigail J. Scott of Tampa Fla.; Charlotte P. Scott, Bridgett R. D. Scott, and Audrey F. Scott (all of Washington D.C.); and a sister, Sheelagh Rabo of Armonk, N.Y.

On her 90th birthday her children donated a Yoshino Cherry Tree in her honor to Marquand Park. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her name to the Marquand Park Foundation.

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

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John Zullo

John Zullo, 83 of Lawrenceville, passed away peacefully at his home Monday, April 9, 2018. He was born in Carpinone, Italy, and came to America in 1950. He and his brother, Dominic, owned and operated Reilly’s Market in Princeton for several years. John retired from American Boychoir School in 1996.

He was a lifetime member of Circulo Hispano Americano de Princeton. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and cooking for friends. He is survived by his fiancée Catherine Consoli; daughter Anna Elbaum, and grandchildren, Christopher and Kimberly Elbaum; niece Carmen Imfeld of Florida, nephew Alfredo (Nicole) Zullo of Connecticut; cousin Eduardo Criscouli, and a special kind and caring friend, Dr. John Mercuro, who was considered a son. 

Calling hours will be held on Thursday April 12, 5-8 p.m. at Mather-Hodge, 40 Vandeventer Avenue, Princeton.

The funeral will be held 9 a.m. on Friday, April 13, 2018 from the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday April 13, 10 a.m. at the Church of Saint Paul, 216 Nassau Street, Princeton,

Burial will follow in the Princeton Cemetery.

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Joseph M. Pylka

Pylka, Joseph M., 80, of Absecon, passed away peacefully, with his family by his side on April 4, 2018. He was predeceased by his parents, Karol and Mary (Czarnecki) Pylka. He was born in Jersey City, N.J. and grew up in New York City until the family moved to the Princeton area (Griggstown). He is survived by a son, John of Washington, D.C., and his sister, Carolyn Johnson of Absecon, with whom he shared a home. He attended the University of Florida in Gainesville. His professional career involved being a researcher and educator at Princeton University. His private life was comprised of an avid interest in the environment, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, and birding. He taught many nature and recreational courses at adult evening classes in the Princeton area.

Visitation will be Thursday, April 12 at 10 a.m. at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Absecon, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. Interment of cremains will be private. In lieu of flowers, please donate to an environmental organization such as Washington Crossing Audubon or Green Acres. For online condolences, please visit www.parselsfh.com.

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Phyllis Spiegel

Phyllis Spiegel of Plainsboro died in February at age 85. Born in the Bronx, she visited over 40 countries and was an avid reader, filmgoer, and lover of classical music and The New York Times. After graduating from NYU she worked in magazine publishing and public relations before starting her own successful PR firm. She always said her greatest achievements were her sons Mark and Adam. She loved and admired their partners Sidney Wu & Guillemette Brouillat-Spiegel as well as nieces Debra Gordon, Fran Katz-Watson, and Marsha Shapiro. Of late, her grandson Seth was the joy of her life. Living alone for decades, she filled her life with learning, intellectual pursuits, exercise classes, travel, and friends. She audited classes at Princeton University, regularly attended the Telluride Film Festival, and volunteered within the New Jersey foster care system and for the Literacy Volunteers. She believed that one should “Create your own life as you go” and that “Life is not a dress rehearsal.” A celebration of her life will be held at 11 a.m. on June 23rd at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton. All are welcome. Contributions in her name may be made to Plainsboro Public Library and the Society for Humanistic Judaism.

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Memorial Service:

George W. Pitcher

A memorial service for the late George W. Pitcher will be held on Saturday, April 21 at 10 a.m. in the Princeton University Chapel. The Reverend Sue Anne Steffey Morrow will lead the service which will include readings, tributes, and music. A luncheon for family, friends and colleagues will follow at Prospect House.

A Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Princeton University and a trustee of the Edward T. Cone Foundation, Pitcher died peacefully at his home in Princeton on January 12 at the age of 92. He was the author of The Philosophy of Wittgenstein, Berkeley, and A Theory of Perception, as well as the memoir The Dogs Who Came to Stay.

January 24, 2018

Obituaries 1/24/18

Paul Sigmund

Paul Sigmund, 53, passed away on January 11 after a long illness. He was living in Riverside, California at the time.

Paul was a native of Princeton, a graduate of Stanford University and Michigan Law School, a banker, lawyer, technology industry executive, and a Freeholder in Mercer County, New Jersey. Survivors in his loving family include his two daughters, two brothers, and his former spouse. He is predeceased by his parents, Paul Sigmund III and Barbara Boggs Sigmund, of Princeton.

Throughout most of his life Paul was a vibrant, joyful person who lived, loved, and connected to others fully. As one cousin put it this week, Paul had a “fierce confidence in life.” He was a surfer and lifeguard and loved the ocean. He collected comic books, music, and books and was widely interested in politics, history, and lively conversation. He believed in the power of putting people together in business deals to build connections and create new vibrancy in the world. And he traveled all over the world and lived and worked in Spain and Chile.

And Paul brought others into his world fully. Everyone who came in contact with Paul came out better for it. His generosity knew no bounds. He had limitless knowledge and charm (and charm enough to make others believe he held knowledge about a number of subjects in which he had little to none). And pushing others to join him in his pursuits brought out the best in them, producing travelers, surfers, and new converts to the music, books, and culture that he loved.

And he loved his family and friends with an energy that could be overpowering.

The latter part of Paul’s life brought an illness that has and is taking the lives of so many and touching every family, proving again that addiction knows no barriers of race, income, ability, or deservedness. It takes indiscriminately, and it took down this man who had so much to live for and so much to give.

In lieu of flowers, Paul’s family asks that contributions be made to Womanspace, Inc., 1530 Brunswick Avenue, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648 (womanspace.org).

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George W. Pitcher

George W. Pitcher, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Princeton University, died peacefully at his home in Princeton on January 12 at the age of 92. He was the author of The Philosophy of Wittgenstein, Berkeley, and A Theory of Perception, as well as the memoir The Dogs Who Came to Stay.

Pitcher was born in West Orange, New Jersey on May 19, 1925, the second son of Edward and Helen Pitcher. Upon graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1947, he was commissioned as a lieutenant and served three years active duty on ships in the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and the Caribbean. He then turned his attention to philosophy, and enrolled as a graduate student at Harvard University. After being recalled to active duty during the Korean Conflict, he returned to Harvard in 1953, where he completed his Ph.D. He subsequently studied under J. L. Austin at Magdalen College, Oxford University, where he began a lifelong friendship with the actor John Gielgud. He joined the faculty of the Department of Philosophy at Princeton University in 1956, where he taught until his retirement in 1981.

Shortly after his move to Princeton, Pitcher made the acquaintance of the composer and music scholar Edward T. Cone, who became his life companion for almost 50 years, until his death in 2004. The two shared a love of classical music, opera, art, travel, and their dogs Lupa, Remus, Cinder, Beata, and Carla. They often opened their house to friends for dinner parties, “given with flourish,” as noted in an article about their lives together in the Trenton Times. Pitcher served from 1992 until his death as a trustee of the Edward T. Cone Foundation, a major benefactor of numerous cultural and educational institutions, including Princeton University, the Institute for Advanced Study, the Princeton Symphony, the D & R Greenway, and the Princeton Festival.

An accomplished pianist, as well as an avid tennis and bridge player, Pitcher was a treasured friend and mentor. In the last decade of his life he gathered around him a circle of friends known as “The Gang,” comprised of graduate students and notable intellectuals. He hosted them weekly for dinner and conversation.

A memorial service in the Princeton University Chapel will take place at 10 a.m. on April 21. Burial in Greensboro, North Carolina, will be private. Contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to the Princeton Symphony Orchestra.

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Marie Sturken

Nov. 5, 1921 – Jan. 8, 2018

Marie Sturken, an artist and longtime resident of Princeton, died peacefully at home at the age of 96. She was still creating and exhibiting her art well into her mid-90s.

Born to Susan and Richard Ryan of Stamford, Connecticut, she drew early inspiration from her father, a printer at Condé Nast and a freelance artist for the local paper. After graduating from Sacred Heart Academy, she studied in New York City under well-known magazine illustrator Mario Cooper at Grand Central School of Art and attended Pratt Institute and the Art Students League. She began as a fashion illustrator at McCall’s and the Abraham & Strauss store, and after marrying Robert Sturken, an engineer with DuPont in Wilmington, Delaware, she found her “dream job” as head fashion illustrator for the John Wanamaker department store in Philadelphia.

In 1962 she and Bob and their three children moved to Princeton. After working in oil painting, Marie took up printmaking, joining a group of artists studying under printmaker Judith Brodsky who, as the Queenston Press, created works including the “Woman” portfolio that opened at the New Jersey State Museum in 1979. She began working in monotypes and handmade paper which remained her primary media throughout her career. A founding member of the Princeton Artists Alliance, she taught printmaking and lithography at the Princeton Art Association and handmade paper at the Printmaking Council of New Jersey. A retrospective of her work was held at Rider University in 2015. Her work is in the collections of the New Jersey State Museum, Museum of Modern Art, Hunterdon Museum of Art, Johnson & Johnson, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Newark Library Print Collection, Princeton University, and many others.

Marie was full of life, loved to travel, socialize with others, and learn new things. She was a devoted member of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton. She will be missed by many.

Marie was predeceased by her beloved husband Bob. She is survived by her sister Barbara Wild; children Barbara Peterson and husband William, Carl Sturken and wife Cheryl-Anne, Marita Sturken and husband Dana Polan; and grandchildren Kelly Sturken, Leigh Peterson, Kyra Sturken, Moira Peterson, and Leo Polan.

There will be a Memorial Service on Saturday March 10, 2018, at 2 p.m., at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton, 50 Cherry Hill Road, followed by a reception at the Nassau Club. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her honor may be made to Goals of Care, www.goalsofcare.org/donate/ and the Arts Council of Princeton, www.artscouncilofprinceton.org/donate.