Suzanne (Malcolm) Bilyeu
Suzanne (Malcolm) Bilyeu, born March 27, 1934, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, December 20, 2020, at the age of 86.
She was predeceased by her loving husband of 60 years, George W. Bilyeu, Sr. Suzanne is survived by her daughter, Leslie Langer and husband Peter of Wilmington, NC; her son, George Bilyeu, Jr. and wife Melissa of Monmouth Junction, NJ; her daughter, Robin Siegel and husband Kenneth of Naples, FL; and her son, David Bilyeu and wife Laurie of Highlands Ranch, CO. She is also survived by five grandsons: Ian Siegel (wife, Amanda), Eric Siegel (wife, Caroline), George Bilyeu III, Reese Bilyeu, and Shawn Bilyeu; one great-grandson, Connor Siegel; and one great-granddaughter, Amy Siegel.
Born and raised in the Bronx, NY, the daughter of Samuel and Katherine Malcolm, Suzanne graduated from Walton High School in the Bronx, NY. A few years later, Suzanne met her future husband, George Bilyeu, at St. James Episcopal Church where they were married in 1957.
After working for the New York Telephone Co., Suzanne devoted her time to her children and grandchildren.
In 1966, Suzanne and her family moved to North Brunswick, NJ, where they lived for 30 years, before moving to Princeton, NJ.
Suzanne was a strong woman of God whose life was transformed through her faith in Jesus. She was an active member of Nassau Christian Center for many years. Through her strong faith and belief in the power of prayer, she was always a source of encouragement to her family and friends. Her witness and testimony of faith in Jesus will be part of her legacy passed on to many who knew her.
Suzanne was a dedicated wife, mother, and grandmother. Together she and George enjoyed traveling and supporting their children and then grandchildren in sports and musical performances. Words often used to describe Suzanne are kind, quick witted, giving, thoughtful, honest, considerate, helpful, and generous. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends.
The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to the wonderful staff at Acorn Glen Assisted Living who cared for both Suzanne and George for several years.
Due to COVID-19, no service will be held at this time.
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Robert Stanton “Bob” Garver
Robert Stanton “Bob” Garver, of Princeton Junction, NJ, died peacefully at his home on Saturday, December 19th, surrounded by his loving wife and children.
Born in Utica, NY, in 1942, Bob was the son of Walter Benjamin “Ben” Garver and Elizabeth C. Garver (née Stanton). He graduated from Utica Free Academy in 1960, and was a member of the Union College Class of 1964. He received a master’s degree from Pace University in 1970.
Bob spent a 35-year career in corporate lending and private banking in New York City. During a series of corporate mergers, Bob worked for Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company, Chemical Bank, Chase Bank, and ultimately retired from J.P. Morgan Chase in 2002.
Bob married his wife Elizabeth Ann (née Ryan) in 1967 and together they raised four children and were blessed with eight grandchildren.
Although Bob was an active supporter of many charitable and community organizations, the main focus of his life outside of his family was St. David the King Roman Catholic Church, a parish he helped establish and which sustained him in his final days. Bob was a former Trustee, and served as a Lector and a Eucharistic Minister at St. David the King.
Bob was a member of the Knights of Columbus Council #14716 at St. David the King, volunteered with the youth reading program at Martin House in Trenton, and was a member of many organizations including the Princeton Photography Club, the Anglers’ Club of New York, the Atlantic Salmon Federation, and Trout Unlimited. Bob’s involvement in the community included youth sports, notably serving as president of the West Windsor PBA basketball program for several years. He also volunteered as a photographer at numerous fundraising events for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
An avid fly fisherman, Bob passed on his love for the outdoors to his children on countless canoe trips and fishing expeditions — and especially on annual trips to the Ausable River in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State. Bob was also a talented and enthusiastic photographer, and loved to document family vacations and his grandchildren’s school and recreational events, often tracking down the parents of their teammates to make sure that he was able to share photographs of their children as well.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Elizabeth; four children: Rob Garver and his wife, Stacey Dash, of Alexandria, VA; Tom Garver and his wife, Jenn, of Springfield, VA; Jennifer Landis and her husband, John, of Skillman, NJ; and Karin Garver, of Lawrenceville, NJ; as well as eight grandchildren: Jack, Ryan, Ben, Andrew, Lauren, Anna, Liam, and Connor. He is also survived by his sister, Gail Grinnell, of Williamson, NY, and three nephews: Christopher, Ian, and Joshua Bieszad.
In keeping with Bob’s wishes that the community he loved remain safe, his family will observe a private mass of Christian burial. A public celebration of his life will take place at St. David the King at a time when people can gather safely.
In lieu of flowers, please consider honoring Bob’s memory by making a donation to your local food bank. At a time when so many in our communities are struggling to put food on the table, the family is certain that Bob would appreciate any effort to lighten their burden.
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Mary Maxine Stadele
Mary Maxine Stadele, 74, of Belle Mead, New Jersey, passed away on December 17, 2020 due to complications from cancer. Affectionately known as “Max,” she died peacefully at home with family by her side.
Maxine was born on January 22, 1946 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Anne and Russell Bennett and grew up in Glen Burnie, Maryland, a suburb of Baltimore. As a successful model she was discovered by television talent scouts and at the age of 16 was featured prominently as a lead cast member on the famed Buddy Dean Show, which was the inspiration for the popular film Hairspray.
After leaving the show, she pursued a career in her other love: art and antiques. Maxine ultimately opened Ladylike Antiques in Flemington, New Jersey. She built a thriving business where collectors, interior decorators, and even set designers acquired unique pieces.
When Maxine wasn’t scouring auction houses and estate sales, she enjoyed film and theater to such a degree that she decided to take up an acting career of her own. She appeared in numerous showcase plays with Group Productions in New York City. Her credits include Deus Ex Machina and Mona in the Morning.
Maxine also had a deep passion for horseback riding and charity work. She was a devoted fundraiser for a variety of institutions including the Matheny School, the United States Equestrian Team, and the Somerset Medical Center.
Maxine’s beloved husband of 53 years, Lee Stadele, passed away on December 26. She is lovingly remembered by her two sons, Owen Stadele and Bill Venizelos; their wives, Elizabeth Stadele and Cynthia Venizelos; her grandchildren, Will, Virginia, Sullivan and Weston; and her former husband, John Venizelos.
The family will receive visitors at Kimble Funeral Home in Princeton on Wednesday, January 6 between 9-11 a.m. A private funeral service will be held at Montgomery United Methodist Church.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
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Wilbur Lee Stadele
Wilbur Lee Stadele, 82, of Belle Mead, New Jersey, passed away on December 26, 2020 due to complications from cancer. Lee died with family by his side.
Lee was born on October 28, 1938 in Somerville, NJ, to Wilber and Mabel Stadele, and grew up in Middlesex, NJ. He attended Wardlaw-Hartridge Preparatory School in Plainfield, NJ, and went on to Brown University, where he wrote for the Brown Daily Herald.
After college, his love of music led him into the church organ industry. In his lifetime, he installed over 2500 organs for churches, homes, and events. One of his proudest career highlights was setting up the organ for Pope Benedict’s 2008 Papal Mass at Yankee Stadium.
When not designing and installing organs, Lee loved restoring antique furniture, skiing, collecting art, and improving his historic farm.
He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 53 years, Mary Maxine Stadele.
Lee is lovingly remembered by his sister Marjorie Aamodt, and his sons and daughters: Lee Stadele (son), and his children Julia Macchione, Emma Stadele, Laura Stadele; Kurt (son) and Sarah Stadele, and their children Kyle and Cameron; Karen (daughter) and Monte Riddle, and their children Evan, Zoey and Isabelle; Marjorie Bedford (daughter) and Henry King; William (son) and Cindi Venizelos, and their children Will and Virginia; and Owen (son) and Elizabeth Stadele and their children, Sullivan and Weston; and great-grandchildren Sadie and Barrett.
The family will receive visitors on Wednesday, January 6, between 9-11 a.m. at Kimble Funeral Home in Princeton. A private funeral service will be held at Montgomery United Methodist Church later that day.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
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Shirley E. Nicholson
Shirley E. Nicholson, 91, a longtime resident of Princeton, New Jersey, very sadly passed away at her retirement community in Ottawa, Canada, on December 15th, 2020.
Shirley was born in Ottawa, Canada, on April 14th, 1929, to Edith Hunt. Shirley was married to William Nicholson on August 29th, 1952 in Ottawa, Ontario. Once William completed University they moved to Montreal where she had her two children. After a short stay in Montreal, the family moved to Lansdale, PA, where they lived for over 10 years. In 1973, the family moved to a house on Turner Court in Princeton where they lived until the beginning of this year.
Shirley loved to dance and sing. She was a member of the choir and a guest soloist at some of the local churches in Princeton. She was also a member of the Princeton Opera Company which usually performed at Washington Crossing State Park open air theater during the late ’70s and early ’80s. Shirley sang in performances such as The Pirates of Penzance, HMS Pinafore, and The Mikado. She enjoyed participating as a member of the Acapella choir at the Trenton War Memorial Building. Every chance Shirley had, she would get involved in theater, vocal performance, and opera.
Shirley also enjoyed the ocean and spent many summers at their home in Barnegat Light on LBI. During the winter holidays, Shirley and William would spend time in Puerto Rico at the ESJ Towers.
Shirley is survived by her loving husband William; two children, Pamela Lahoda, her husband Eric, Michael Nicholson, his wife Sarun; her grandchildren, Sarah and Jason Lahoda, Mya, Sofie and William Nicholson Jr.; and her beloved sister, Beverly Swords.
The family would like to thank Dr. Barile, Atkins Care and Susan and Jack McCaskie from Princeton, NJ, the staff on the 2nd floor at Sterling Park Retirement, the staff at Ottawa Civic hospital including Melanie Morris, and the staff at Embassy West Retirement in Ottawa, Canada, for all their love, kindness, and caring for Shirley in the last years of her life.
In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to help aspiring artists at Princeton Friends of Opera, P.O. Box 2359, Princeton, NJ 08543-2359.
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Ann Tomlinson Reed
Ann Tomlinson Reed, 98, died on December 14 at Stonebridge in Skillman, NJ, where she had moved from her home in Princeton in January 2004. Born in Princeton on May 5, 1922, she was the daughter of Paul Greene Tomlinson, former director of the Princeton University Press, and Gabriella Prout Tomlinson. She was the widow of Edward C. Rose, Jr., and the former wife of the late Samuel C. Finnell, Jr., and the late James A. Reed.
She was born at 45 Cleveland Lane, which her father had arranged to have pulled by horses from its original location across town. She attended Miss Fine’s School in Princeton and graduated from Westover School in Middlebury, CT. After she and Sam Finnell were married, they lived on Cabbage Row in Charleston, SC, the setting that became famous as Catfish Row in George Gershwin’s opera Porgy and Bess. After Charleston, they moved to St. Louis and Princeton before settling for many years in Longmeadow, MA, to raise their four children. In 1964 they moved to Old Greenwich, CT, where she was elected to the Greenwich Representative Town Meeting and served as President of the Greenwich Chapter of Planned Parenthood. There, she also rekindled a love of sailing that had begun during childhood summers spent in Mantoloking.
Returning to Princeton in 1970, she became a trustee of Stony Brook Millstone Watershed Association and the Friends of Princeton Open Space and served as President of the Garden Club of Princeton. An enthusiastic volunteer wherever she lived, she also enjoyed reading, tennis, golf, gardening, and walks in the woods accompanied by her dogs, with family time the most important. For many years, she was the host of the family Thanksgiving gathering, an occasion her children and grandchildren remember as happy times filled with games, laughter, food, and more walks. As her grandchildren grew, each had to learn to keep up with their fast-walking Gran. Her humor, intelligence, sharp wit, love of history, and unmatched memory were an inspiration to all who knew her.
Predeceased by her daughter Gabriella F. Eggers, her brother, Henry P. Tomlinson, and son-in-law Francois Vuilleumier, she is survived by daughters Rebecca B. Finnell and Ann T. Finnell (Peter Tomlinson); son Samuel C. Finnell III (Molly Murdoch); son-in-law Chris Eggers; grandchildren Ann Thacker (Ryan), Isabelle Foley (Ben), Margaret Finnell, Louise Finnell Trapasso (Jon), Samuel C. Finnell IV (Morgan), and four great-grandchildren. Also survived by stepdaughters Barbara Rose and Hope R. Angier.
Burial private. Memorial contributions may be made to SAVE or Planned Parenthood.