September 20, 2017

Obituaries 9/20/17

William Woodrum Ellis

William Woodrum Ellis, 92, died on August 31, 2017 at home in Osprey, Florida surrounded by his loving family. A long-time Princeton resident, Bill Ellis was born and raised in Jefferson City, Missouri. An Eagle Scout by the age of 15, Bill enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve while still in high school and was called to active duty in July 1943. After graduating from Midshipmen School at Notre Dame University, Bill served as a naval officer in the Pacific during World War II. After the war he completed his chemical engineering degree at the University of Missouri in Columbia, where he was a member of Alpha Chi Sigma professional chemistry fraternity, Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society, and Delta Tau Delta. He was employed by duPont, Owens-Illinois, and Ross Laboratories before accepting an academic position as executive director of professional education first at Carnegie-Mellon University and then at Princeton University. In 1978, Bill founded University Associates of Princeton to offer professional education in statistics and management science for corporate clients and practicing professionals across the United States and Europe. He retired in 2003.

Bill was an active member of a range of professional associations including the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, American Society for Engineering Education, American Society for Quality Control, American Statistical Association, and the International Association for Continuing Engineering Education. In addition to being a founding member of the Princeton Officer’s Society, he was a member of the Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, English Speaking Union, Nassau Club of Princeton, Princeton Club of New York, and Jasna Polana.

Bill first met his wife of 65 years, Joan Riopelle Ellis, while both were in colleges in Columbia, Missouri. They lived in Haddonfield, New Jersey; Columbus, Ohio; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania before moving to Princeton in 1975. During their 40-year tenure in Princeton, Bill and Joan were active supporters of the Princeton Art Museum, Princeton Historical Society, Morven Museum and Garden, Drumthwacket Foundation, Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart, and Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart. Bill and Joan shared a passion for travel and enjoyed many wonderful trips and adventures around the world. In 2015, they moved to The Oaks Club in Osprey, Florida.

Son of the late Marjorie Woodrum Ellis and Charles William Ellis of Jefferson City Missouri, father of the late Jeffry Riopelle Ellis, and brother of the late Robert Clay Ellis, Bill is survived by his wife, Joan; his children Gregory and Maria; his grandchildren Keith, Sara, Sophie, Elyssa, and Heather; his daughters-in-law, Kathleen and Delores, and son-in-law, Jeffrey. A private graveside service will take place at Princeton Cemetery in Princeton, New Jersey.

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Betty Rose Pilenza

Betty Rose Pilenza, 89, lifelong Princeton resident, passed away at her home on Wednesday, September 13, 2017, surrounded by her loving family.

Betty owned and operated the Grotto Restaurant, on Witherspoon Street in Princeton, with her husband, Mike, for over 40 years. After retiring from the restaurant, she worked as a nanny for several families in the Princeton area. During that time she was affectionately known as “Beep” by the children she cared for.

She was a communicant of St. Paul Catholic Church in Princeton. Her leisure time was devoted to helping and spending time with her family.

Betty was predeceased by her parents, Sam and Mary (Bruno) Federico; brother Richard Federico; sister Margaret Federico; ex-husband Mike Pilenza (6/29/2017); and brother-in-law Michael Pirone.

Surviving are her son and daughter-in-law, Michael and Jan Pilenza of Delran; daughter and son-in-law, Donna Pilenza Intartaglia and Andre of Princeton; four grandchildren; April Theis and husband Sean of Delran; Michele Wheeler and husband Alan of Mount Laurel; Olivia and Anna Intartaglia, both of Princeton; six great grandchildren; three sisters: Mary Rodkey and husband Cliff, Judy Federico and wife Sharon Adelson, and Eleanor Pirone; a brother Sam Federico; and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will begin at the Kimble Funeral Home, 1 Hamilton Avenue, Princeton, NJ on Monday, September 25, 2017 at 11 a.m. followed by an 11:30 a.m. funeral mass at St. Paul Catholic Church, 214 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ 08542. Burial will be at Princeton Cemetery following mass.

Visiting hours will precede services, at the funeral home, on Monday from 9:30to 11 a.m.

Memorial contributions to American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22478, Oklahoma City, OK 73123 (donate.cancer.org) are appreciated.

Extend condolences and share memories at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.

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Memorial Service Announcement:

The Memorial Service for Peter Gruen will be on Friday, September 29, 2017 at 2 p.m. at Trinity Church, 33 Mercer Street in Princeton.

August 16, 2017

Obituaries 8/16/17

Peter Gruen

Peter Gruen of Lawrenceville, formerly of Princeton, died peacefully last Thursday, August 3, 2017 at Compassionate Care, the Robert Wood Johnson In-Patient Hospice in Hamilton. He was 74. He had contended with prostate cancer for many years. His family was at his side.

Mr. Gruen was an Adjunct Professor of Classics at The College of New Jersey for 14 years. He graduated cum laude from Rutgers University where he was also a Henry Rutgers Scholar. He received his master’s in Greek literature and his doctorate in philology from Columbia University. In 1971-72 he was a fellow of the American School of Classical Studies in Athens. In 1973 he joined the faculty of Manhattanville College in Purchase, N.Y. There he became a tenured professor and chair of the Classics Department. He taught Latin and Greek and classical literature in translation. He was the author of several published academic papers.

In 1983 he gave up his tenured position to write. He studied playwriting at Carnegie-Mellon in Pittsburgh. While there he wrote the book and the lyrics for the musical, Just Desserts, in 1989. He wrote many other short and full-length plays. His play, For Anne, won the Off-Off Broadway Play Festival in 1991 and was included in an anthology of plays published by Samuel French that year. In 2008, The End of My Tour, was produced at The Passage Theater in Trenton and performed by his son, Swann.

Even while writing, he continued to teach part–time because he loved working with students. His course in Classical Mythology at The College of New Jersey was so popular that it needed two sections every semester. He retired due to his health in 2015.

Peter John Gruen was born in Newark, the son of the late Fred and Helen Gruen. He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Anne Elliott of Lawrenceville and New York; a daughter, Skye Elliott Gruen of New York; a son, Swann Elliott Gruen of Brooklyn; a brother, John F. Gruen of New York; and five nieces and nephews. And the many relatives, friends, and students whose lives he profoundly touched.

There will be a memorial service at Trinity Church, 33 Mercer Street, in Princeton on Friday, September 29th at 2 p.m.

Memorial contributions may be made to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York and Compassionate Care Hospice Foundation in Newark, Delaware.

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Ariel Eden Malberg

Ariel Eden Malberg died at age 27 on August 12, 2017.

Ariel was born in Libertyville, Illinois and was a lifelong resident of Princeton. She attended the Hart School of Music in West Hartford, Connecticut. Ariel enjoyed music, gardening, the culinary arts, and especially cooking and baking for her family and friends. She took pride in volunteering many hours for homeless people. Ariel was a great all- around athlete, excelling in swimming, a talented artist, and loved taking care of her cat “Littlefoot.” She will be sadly missed by all.

Surviving are her parents Alta and Dr. Marc Malberg, seven aunts and uncles, and 16 cousins.

Funeral services were held at noon on Monday at Temple Beth El, 67 Route 206 North, Hillsborough. Arrangements were by Bruce C. VanArsdale Funeral Home, 111 Gaston Ave, Somerville. Interment followed at Temple Sholom Cemetery, Chimney Rock Road, Bridgewater.

Donations can be made to the IHN Fund at Temple Beth El (Caring for the Homeless).

To send condolences to the family, visit www.brucecvanarsdalefuneralhome.com.