Agnes M. Rudolph, 84 of Pequannock, and affectionately known at “Baba” to so many, died peacefully on Tuesday, October 15, 2019 with her family gathered at her bedside. She had lived in Pequannock since 1962.

Agnes was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and graduated from St. Nicholas High School. She graduated from Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Wilkes-Barre, PA, in 1955, and embarked on a lifelong career as a Registered Nurse. She served in the maternity ward at Mercy Hospital for five years before getting married and moving to Pequannock, NJ. She later worked at the Intermediate Care Center in Lincoln Park from 1974 – 1989, and then at the Holy Name Friary in Ringwood, NJ, where she retired in 1996. Her years at Holy Name Friary were among her favorite, and taking care of others was something that came naturally to her.

Agnes was named “Baba” by her first grandchild, Erik, and has been known as “Baba” ever since. She was truly the most caring and nurturing person you could have known. As a mom and grandma, she found her greatest joys in caring for her family, but especially her eight grandchildren. She was a very “hands on” grandmother who adored her grandchildren just as much as they each adored her. She loved to try new recipes, and “Baba’s Special Breakfasts” were the best! She loved to bake too, and made over 1,000 Christmas cookies every year to share with family and friends. If you were lucky enough to get a plate of her cookies, then you know just how good they were! It wasn’t just the flavor and appearance that made her cookies so good - it was all the love she put into making them that made them the best. She never missed a birthday or special occasion, and often made “theme” cakes for her grandkids and other special people in her life. She had a great sense of humor, and enjoyed writing poems describing comical events in the lives of her friends. She loved decorating her home for the holidays, and Christmas at her home was nothing short of magical. Agnes was also very patriotic and proud to be an American. A Johnny Mathis fan for her entire adult life, Baba has seen him live more than thirty times and was slated to see him perform this coming March. While resting in the hospital recently, her daughter whispered to her, “Should I put on some Johnny Mathis?” Baba’s eyebrows quickly raised up a few times in agreement!

Agnes was a devout Catholic and her faith in God was strong. She prayed the Rosary nearly every day and was frustrated in recent years because she would fall asleep before finishing. She kept a May Altar in her home during the month of May, and when able, attended daily Mass with her close friends. Her strong faith helped her to endure life’s trials with grace, and this was especially true when her husband passed in 2005.

Agnes met her husband Leonard in Wilkes-Barre when she was just a young girl. Leonard was the older brother of her best friend, Ceil. He accompanied her to a nurse’s dance one evening, and arrived at her door the next day with a gift - a transistor radio! This was a big deal at the time, and a very thoughtful gesture. They began dating and were married on June 11, 1960 at St. Nicholas Church in Wilkes-Barre. Leonard used to tease that he married Agnes after learning that her father worked at a brewery, and this was his way of getting free beer! They embarked on a honeymoon to Lake Champlain, NY, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Montreal, Canada. Soon afterwards, they moved to an apartment in Clifton, and in 1962 built a home in Pequannock, and raised their family there. They were a fun-loving couple, always teasing each other good-heartedly, attending “Couples Club” dances, and enjoying the simple pleasures of life. Agnes fussed over Len as the devoted wife that she was. She loved cooking and caring for him, and together they kept a home that has been described as “a Norman Rockwell painting.” Of course they had their hardships, but their faith in God and love for each other enabled them to endure. They celebrated almost forty five years of marriage together before Leonard passed away in 2005. Although Agnes was heartbroken losing him, her faith in God again helped her to persevere. Surely they are reunited once again, lovingly teasing one another.

Agnes is survived by her four daughters; Ann Rudolph of Pequannock, Patricia “Patty” Conte and her husband Bruce of Pompton Plains, Theresa Espersen and her husband Doug of Harleysville, PA, and Aileen Buldo of Dingman’s Ferry, PA, eight grandchildren: Erik Espersen and his wife Nicole, Timothy Espersen and his fiancé Jordan Rush, Nicholas Espersen, Aaron Buldo, Samantha Buldo, Adam Conte, Jessica Conte, and Evan Conte, her sister, Marjorie Leiss and her husband, Bob, and a cherished extended family. She was predeceased by her beloved husband Leonard in 2005, and by her “favorite” son-in-law, Charlie Buldo in 2017.

Memorial donations in Agnes’ name would be greatly appreciated to: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial Processing, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959, www.stjude.org, or to the Disabled American Veterans, PO Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301, www.dav.org.

On Monday October 14th, 2019 Alice J. Bakker passed away peacefully at her residence in Cedar Crest Independent Living Facility in Pompton Plains, N.J. after a brief illness.

Having lived in Lincoln Park for many years she relocated to Cedar Crest in December of 2018. Alice graduated from Montclair State University with a master’s degree in education and became a high school business teacher for 38 years at Parsippany Hills High school in Parsippany, NJ. Alice retired in 2008. She had fond memories as the advisor for the Future Business Leaders of America and Class Advisor for the Class of 2001.

Alice was of Dutch descent being born in the United States and was the only Child of Janes & Marie Den Herder who immigrated from Holland. She leaves behind what she would call her surrogate family, Chris & Sara Jo Behrens along with dear close friends. Alice was a cheerful and humorous individual whom devoted herself to caring for the thousands of students she taught throughout the years. She will be dearly missed by the students she educated, teachers whom she became intimately friendly and numerous close friends.

Ruth Johnson (nee Stagg), age 84, of Packanack lake in Wayne passed away peacefully on Saturday October 12, 2019 while receiving the loving care of her family.

Ruth was born and raised in Niagara Falls, NY and was one of eight children to Edward and Edith Stagg. She was an amazing ballet dancer and loved to perform on stage. During high school, Ruth worked several jobs.  She taught Ballet and worked part time as a baby sitter.  After graduating from Niagara Falls High School with the class of 1953, Ruth became a secretary.  She did this for some time and while working at Bechtel Corporation in 1962 she met a wonderful and handsome man by the name of Russell Johnson.  They dated for almost four years and as fate would have it they fell in love and were married on November 25, 1966 at Packanack Lake Community Church in Wayne.

After getting married in 1966, Ruth dedicated herself to becoming a full time homemaker.  Russell had three children of his own already from his previous marriage, two of which were already grown and an eleven year old son Russ, whom Ruth helped raise.  The couple were not married long when in 1968, Russell and Ruth welcomed their first and only child together, their daughter Karen.  The couple settled in the Packanack section of Wayne and remained there for the rest of their lives together.  Russell and Ruth cherished forty-four years of loving and loyal marriage together until Russell’s passing in 2010.  

Ruth enjoyed being a Sunday School teacher at Packanack Lake Community Church as well as helping out at Jacksonville Chapel in Lincoln Park, teaching Vacation Bible School.  She was an avid tennis player at Packanack Tennis Club where she was also the captain of her tennis team.  In her spare time she enjoyed water skiing, spending time at Packanack Lake and vacationing with her family at Wildwood Crest.  She was an amazing cook, creating a variety of outstanding homemade recipes.  Aside from all of Ruth’s hobbies and interests, her greatest passion was for her family.  Nothing meant more to Ruth than spending time with her grandchildren.  She was known as Nannie to her grandchildren and loved them with all her heart.  Ruth was a very special person who touched the lives of many people and will be missed by her family and friends alike.

Ruth is survived by her daughter Karen Lepri and her husband Pat of Wayne, her daughter Lynne Schapeler and her husband Stan of Plano, TX, her daughter Lauren Dragnett of Hackettstown, and her son Russ Johnson of Clifton, her grandchildren; Nicholas  Lepri, Gianna Lepri, Patrick Lepri, Brett Schapeler, Brian Schapeler, and Kelly Chase, her great grandchildren; Brenden Schapeler, and Hanna Schapeler.  She was predeceased by her husband Russell Johnson in 2010, as well as her brothers and sisters Edward Stagg, Earl Stagg, George Stagg, and Lawrence Stagg, Edith Roeder, Betty DeMers, and Virginia Cosentino.   She was also predeceased by her grandson David Chase and her son in law Gene Dragnett.

Memorial donations may be made in Ruth’s name to the Packanack Volunteer Fire Company No. 5, Five Lake Drive West, Wayne, NJ 07470.

Mattie D. Gibson, age 88, of Montville and formerly of East Orange, passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 12, 2019.

Born in Sprott, Alabama, the eighth of Robert and Susie Carlisle’s thirteen children, Mattie grew up there until she was twelve years old. Her father had always made his living as a farmer but when Mattie’s eldest sister moved to New Jersey, she encouraged her parents and the rest of the family to join her, believing there were greater economic opportunities there. So, at age twelve, Mattie became a Jersey girl and settled in Newark. While living there, she graduated from Westside High School.

After high school, Mattie went to work in a local factory. She married Calvin Gibson when she was 25 years old. They eventually settled in East Orange and started their family. Mattie always kept busy, caring for and loving her two daughters and one son – Lauren, Karen and Calvin. When she went back to work, she established a nice career as an accounting clerk with Chubb Insurance Company where she enjoyed the camaraderie and respect of her coworkers. Even after she retired, the company asked her to come in part-time, so for the next ten years, Mattie worked for one month per quarter.

As a teenager, Mattie loved to go roller skating. She also loved to spend time with her sisters. Mattie had a beautiful voice which she used for her own enjoyment and to entertain. Before marriage, she joined a traveling choir singing mostly hymns and gospel music and, with her beautiful mezzo soprano voice, she also sang some opera.

In later years, especially after retiring, Mattie found the time to do some traveling. Some of her favorite trips included a Mediterranean cruise with her sisters Jerelean “Jere” and Lillie, a trip to France and England with her good friend Jackie, group trips with her sister Seannie, a trip to Barbados with Lauren and son-in-law Alfred, and two special trips to Las Vegas one with her son Calvin and the other with her sisters Jere, Lillie and Katie. When asked what made her happy she would say “my children and being with my family.”

A longtime member of the New Hope Baptist Church in East Orange, Mattie continued to faithfully attend and be blest by the church’s ministry. But when it became too much to drive to East Orange, she would join her daughter Karen and son-in-law Paul at Trinity Baptist Church in Montville when her health allowed. Trying her best to live by Jesus’ example, she was always giving of her time, talents and treasure to be a blessing to others by participating in such activities as volunteering at New Hope and doing whatever she could to support the work of an organization called Community Access Unlimited which ministers to people with developmental disabilities.

Mattie adored her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and loved to give them gifts always displaying a sixth sense for knowing what gifts they would truly love. Throughout their lives, she remained very close with her brothers and sisters and extended family, giving freely of herself always welcoming them into her home.

Mattie was a real lady – always very neat and meticulous about her appearance. She was a poised yet modest and descent woman who established many lasting friendships over the years. When she made a friend, that friend was a friend for life as Mattie always made it a point to get together or give a call to see how they were doing.  

Mattie was the very loving mother of: Lauren Gibson-Carter and husband Alfred of Bloomfield, CT, Karen Ciambruschini and husband Paul of Montville, and Calvin J. Gibson of Summit; cherished grandmother of Jamal and wife Victoria, Shana, Carl, Steven and wife Natalie, Jennifer, Paul, and Nick and wife Rebecca; adored great-grandmother of Nadia, Dominique, Tristan, Gabrielle, Joshua, Olivia, William, Isaiah, Angelina, Bobby, Todd, and Matthew; dear sister of: Jerelean Sibdial Sau of Plainfield, Lillie Studwood of Bronx, NY, and John Carlisle and wife Iva of Orange. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, cousins and lots of good friends. Mattie was predeceased by nine siblings.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Mattie’s name are asked to consider Community Access Unlimited, 80 West Grand Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07202. Please make check payable to Community Access Unlimited and add “Donation in Memory of Mattie Gibson” on the memo line. You can also donate online through PayPal by clicking DONATE.

Minnie Parsons, age 95 of Wayne, and formerly of Linden, NJ, died on Thursday, October 10, 2019.

Minnie grew up in Elizabeth, NJ and graduated from the Thomas A. Edison Vocational High School in 1942.  With World War II in full swing, she went to work at the Eastern Aircraft factory as a riveter in the wing department.  Throughout the War, she corresponded with Leonard Parsons, a boy from the neighborhood who proposed to her on the front steps of her home before being deployed. Leonard served in the Marine Corps, stationed in the Pacific Theatre.  Upon his return from the War in 1945, he spent three months in a U.S. Naval Hospital recovering from malaria and wounds he sustained in action. They married on Thanksgiving Day 1945 and honeymooned in New York City and saw Frank Sinatra perform live at the Paramount Theatre.  In 1958 they purchased a home in Linden where they lived from until 2014.  Together they had traveled to Ireland, Lancaster Pennsylvania, Washington D.C., Atlantic City and other points along the Jersey Shore.  They took many trips with their church and Seniors Club.  Minnie was a member of the Women’s Auxiliary of the American Legion Post 102 in Linden, where Leonard was a lifetime member. Together they participated in numerous functions for Veterans of Foreign Wars including marching in parades, fund raisers, and wounded warrior outreach. They enjoyed seventy years of marriage before Leonard passed away in 2015.

Minnie is survived by her beloved daughter; Joanne Young and her husband Dennis, two sisters; Kathleen Bobish (husband Richard) and Theresa Finocchio, and one brother; Ralph Venezio.  She was predeceased by her husband Leonard in 2015, by her infant son; Leonard, Jr., in 1954, and by her sister; June Tubbs.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Minnie’s memory would be appreciated to the Alzheimer’s Association Greater New Jersey, 3 Eves Drive, Suite 310, Marlton, NJ 08053, 1-800-272-3900, www.alz.org/delval, or to the American Cancer Society, 7 Ridgedale Avenue, Suite 103, Cedar Knolls, NJ 07927, www.cancer.org.

Melody Jane Vanderwal, age 71, a resident of Wayne for over forty years, passed peacefully at home with the comfort of family by her side.

Melody was born in Paterson and raised at 15 Struck Avenue in Prospect Park before moving to 29 Richardson Avenue in Haledon. Throughout her years she has lived at 415 N. 9th Street, 324 N. 8th Street, and 266 N.8th Street in Prospect Park before moving to Wayne in 1977.  She was a graduate of Eastern Christian High School with the Class of 1966 and later graduated from the Passaic County Community College with an Associate’s Degree in Applied Science.

Her work history includes being a teller for the Prospect Park Bank, working at the Haband Clothing Store in Prospect Park. She began her nursing career as a nurse’s aide at the Van Dyk Manor in Ridgewood having later worked as a Registered Nurse for Saint Josephs Hospital in Paterson, Wayne General Hospital in Wayne, the Saint Josephs Health Clinic in Paterson, and finally served as the Public Health Nurse of Wayne Township for over twenty years before retiring in 2010.

Melody was devoted to her Christian faith. As a child she was brought up in the 1st Christian Reformed Church in Prospect Park.  Over the years she taught Sunday school, sang in the church choir, and taught and organized the Vacation Bible School for many years. Her children remember accompanying her for two weeks during the summer when she would volunteer as the camp nurse at the Stokes Forrest Music Camp.

Melody met Paul Vanderwal at the 1st Christian Reformed Church in Prospect Park just after Paul’s family moved to Prospect Park from Canada in April of 1963.  Paul couldn’t remember the particulars of their first date but he was sure of the fact that Melody asked him out. The marriage proposal came during a visit to Paul’s brother’s home in Canada when, standing in the snow, Melody asked Paul to marry her.  They married on April 1, 1967 at the 2nd Christian Reformed Church in Prospect Park, had their reception at The Paddock (now the Village Inn in Wayne) and honeymooned in Canada visiting family. Paul and Melody had a marriage of fifty-two years that was blessed with four children.

Melody will be lovingly remembered as a giving, considerate, thoughtful and genuine person. She loved to cook and was a great baker.  Her broccoli casserole, apple pie, Christmas cookies, and Oliebollen will be greatly missed. Some of her baking specialties were cream puffs and during her children’s school years they always knew mom would make all kinds of cupcakes to bring to school for holidays, special occasions, and birthdays. She used to sell Avon cosmetic products and would put the cupcakes in the top of an Avon lid as they fit in perfectly.

Melody was the loving wife of Paul Vanderwal; devoted mother of Marlyse Vanderwal and her husband Darryn Stewart of Passaic, Paul Vanderwal II of Wayne, Alex Vanderwal of Wayne, and the late Arlette Lynn Vanderwal who passed on October 6, 1980 of liver cancer at the age of eleven; she is also the loved sister of Barbara Dozhier of Twin Oaks, Oaklahoma, Debbie Wilkes of Sewell, Cyndi Cram and her husband Marc of Pompton Lakes, and the late Albert Roy Wilkes who was killed on July 4, 1974 in a tragic motorcycle accident.

Richard K. “Rick” Colabelli, age 75, of Andover and formerly of Wayne, passed away on Saturday, October 5, 2019.

After earning a degree in civil engineering, Rick landed his first job in road and highway construction. Over the course of his career, which spanned more than 50 years, he especially loved working in his role as Project Supervisor which he performed with excellence. Rick’s work responsibilities came easy to him because he truly loved what he did. Consequently, most mornings he was out of the house by 5:00 AM and for him, a typical work day was no less than twelve hours. Usually in bed by 7:00 PM, he’d be up the next morning to do it all over again. He took his work seriously and always did his best to be a good provider for his family.

When not at work, Rick kept himself entertained through various pursuits. He loved the outdoors where he could enjoy deer hunting and fresh water fishing on his property in Andover or near his home. He was also known to take trips down to Atlantic City or Mount Airy Lodge in the Poconos to test his luck at the casinos where his gaming was exclusively limited to the slot machines. In more recent years, Rick developed an interest in classic cars. Acting on that interest, he purchased a 1990’s Chevy Corvette and also a 1960’s white convertible with maroon interior which he loved to take out on nice days for a leisurely cruise.

Rick truly loved his grandchildren. He was there when all of them was born and, as they grew a little older one of his favorite activities was taking his sons and their wives and his grandkids out for dinner. His restaurant of choice was always Cucina Calandra in Fairfield. There was a chef there named Chef Henry who not only made great pizzas but he’d also make them right in front of you and he always entertained Rick’s grandchildren doing funny things that they loved as he made the pies. Rick would get such a kick out of watching their reactions.

Rick is survived by his two sons:  Anthony and wife Christine Colabelli, and Matthew and wife Jamie Colabelli, both of Wayne; and his four dear grandchildren:  Anthony, Scarlett, Layah, and Levi.

Mary R. Jacobchick, age 87, of Wayne passed Saturday, October 5, 2019.

She was born in Passaic and had lived in Clifton and Garfield before moving to Wayne fifty-eight years ago.  For many years she also had a home in Palm Harbor, Florida.

Mary was a grade school teacher at both the Pine Brook and Chapel Hills grammar schools in Lincoln Park where she worked for twenty nine years before her retirement in 1990.

She received her formal education at Montclair State University graduating with the class of 1953 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education.

Mary was a parishioner of Holy Cross Church in Wayne and later the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Wayne where she was active with the church choir for many years.

She was a member of the Columbiettes of the Wayne Knights of Columbus Council 6354, the Ladies Auxiliary of the Wayne Elks Lodge 2181, the Anthony Wayne Post of the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary, the Golden Key of Mountain View in Wayne, the Wayne Golden Age Circle, Saint Mary’s Bowling League of Pompton Lakes, the music director of “Up With People” of Lincoln Park, the Wayne Harmony Singers, the North Jersey Operetta Guild.  She was also a member of the National Education Association, the New Jersey Education Association, the Morris County Education Association, and the Lincoln Park Education Association.

Mary was the loving wife of the late John S. Jacobchick (d.2016); the loving mother of John W. Jacobchick (Linda) of Towaco, Maribeth Smialek (John) of Kinnelon, and Catherine Ann Kasley (Paul) of Rutherford; she was the cherished grandmother of Ryan (Tina) Jacobchick, Marc Jacobchick, Ashley Smialek, John Smialek, and Kimberly Kasley.

Mary M. Dent (nee Mirti), age 87 of Wayne, died peacefully on October 2, 2019.  Known as “Marie” by many, she has lived in Wayne since 1957.

Marie grew up in Newark and graduated from Barringer High School.  She started working for Prudential but she had other ideas of being a full-time wife and mother for her family.  Marie met her husband George on a blind date in the early 1950’s.  After a magical night of dinner and dancing, the die was cast.  From that night on they became a couple for life.  They were married on May 15, 1954 at St. Francis RC Church in Newark.  

In the sixty-five years since exchanging vows, they have enjoyed an wonderful life loving each other and raising their family.  She was an excellent cook and they enjoyed large Sunday dinner gatherings at their home each week.  She was the consummate “mom” and was loved by all the children in their neighborhood.  As George would say, “she kept the home fires burning well,” and was a terrific matriarch for their family.

Marie and George loved to travel and visited Hawaii several times, Rio de Janeiro and regularly vacationed at North Topsail Beach, NC.  She was a member of the Red Hat Society, read mystery novels, and enjoyed watching movies and baseball games with George.

Marie is survived by her beloved husband George of Wayne, three children; Theresa Davies and her husband Mark of Passaic, Patrick Dent and his wife Renee of Wayne, and Julie Koop and her husband Richard of Vernon, five grandchildren; Christopher Dent and his wife Erika, Erika Dent and her fiancé Sean Kelly, Rachel Davies, Zachary Koop and Joshua Koop, as well as, one sister; Gilda O’Brien and her husband Joe of Florida.  She was predeceased earlier this year by her brother Anthony Mirti of New Canaan, Connecticut, and is survived by his widow, Florence.

Joseph Edward Macchiarelli, age 91, of Wayne passed away peacefully on October 02, 2019 with family by his side.

Joseph was born in 1929 to Giuseppe and Rosina Macchiarelli. The youngest of six, he spent his childhood in Paterson, NJ. At a very young age he met Dolores Panico, who was a graduate of Eastside High School.  He enlisted in the Navy at first chance and was stationed in San Francisco aboard the USS Biloxi.  Upon return home from the Navy, he was reacquainted with Dolores. They started dating and after a short time, as fate would have it, they fell in love and were married in 1951. Joe pursued auto mechanics, eventually owning his own gas & service station, A&A Service Center, on 20th Ave in Paterson.  He owned this establishment for many years, and even began teaching auto mechanics at Straight and Narrow Rehabilitation Center for the Catholic Diocese.  He would continue for more than fifteen years.  Throughout this, Dolores and he raised six children in Paterson. In the mid-1980s they moved from Paterson to Wayne where they would continue to live there lives together. He touched the lives of many, and always made you feel like his home was your home.

Joseph was a very generous individual, never turning a favor when asked, whether it be to tune-up a car or build someone a deck. He dedicated countless hours to the parishioners of Saint Stephen's Catholic Church & School of Paterson. Dolores and he enjoyed traveling and vacationing with their family, whether it was to their house in Toms River or Upper Greenwood Lake. Miami was also a frequent destination to visit family, as well as, Disney. He spent his days, gardening, finding things to fix around the house, whether they needed fixing or not, and could often be found in his workshop. He was a loving husband, and a dedicated father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.

Joseph's wife, Dolores, passed away in 2016 after 65 years of loving and loyal marriage. Joseph is survived by John and his wife Alexis of Wayne, Richard and his wife Toni of Pompton Plains, Roseanne Macchiarelli of Beachwood, Dena Macchiarelli and her family (Evelyn Jimenez and Jeavette Jimenez) of Pequannock, Joseph Statuto of Wayne, and John Statuto and his wife Portia of Florence, six grandchildren; Brian and his wife Lauren, Alyson, Taylor, Kimberly, Madison, and Anthony, two great grandchildren; Genevieve, and Margaux.

Beatrice "Bea" Ross (nee Toronto), age 91, of Wayne for over forty years, passed away peacefully on Monday, September 30, 2019.

Beatrice was born in the family home at 113 St Joseph Boulevard in Lodi.  She lived in Paterson and graduated from Central High School with the Class of January 1945.  She lived in Haledon before moving to Wayne forty years ago.

Bea worked at the Woolworth’s Store in Paterson in finance and cash management.  She also worked at the Gustav Glaser Co. Inc., a specialty steel manufacturing company, in the Riverside Section of Paterson for twenty- five years in accounting.  Before retiring in 2018 she worked for forty-four years at the Regency Gardens Post-Acute Rehab & Nursing Center in Wayne as office manager and bookkeeper.

Beatrice was commonly known as Bea, Aunt Bea or Miss Bea to just about everyone she knew. She will be lovingly remembered as a private, independent, resilient, dedicated, strong willed, and loving person. You could say she had a glass-half-full attitude and was always focused on the positive side of life. Bea was an awesome cook whose Italian specialties and deserts will be dearly missed. She loved all types of crafts and sewing, music – especially anything Pavarotti, classical music and opera, Turner Classic Movies and Classic Arts Showcase on television.  Bea enjoyed traveling as well with Italy being one of her favorite destinations.  For several years she sang with St. Paul’s Catholic Church Choir and the Masterwork Chorus of Morristown, which performed in New Jersey and at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center.

Bea is survived by her loving daughter Jayne M. Ross of Wayne; she was predeceased by her brother Michael J. Toronto and her sister Anna McAuliffe.  Bea was the much-loved aunt to Elinor Toronto Doyle and her husband Christopher of Rockaway and Mickey McAuliffe and his wife Linda of Haskell; she was also the cherished aunt of three great and four great-great nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to the Wayne Memorial First Aid Squad, PO Box 2004, Wayne, NJ 07474  (clicking on the blue text will link you to the Wayne First Aid Squad donation page) would be greatly appreciated.

Salvatore J. Curreri, age 98 of Harmony Township and formerly of Pompton Lakes and Wayne, passed away on Sunday, September 29, 2019.

Sal was born in New York City, the oldest of Michael and Fannie Curreri’s four children. During his senior year in public high school, he spent half of each school day in the Fourteenth Ward Industrial School where he learned the trade of bookbinding and gold leaf stamping. After graduating in 1937, Sal went right to work in the bookbinding industry. He worked for several years before being drafted in 1942 into the United States Army where he served during World War II in the Philippines on a mortar crew. He remained in the Army until 1945, returning to civilian life as an honorable recipient of the American Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Philippines Liberation Ribbon, and the World War II Victory Medal.

One night shortly after completing military service, Sal attended a local dance for returning servicemen. It took place so soon after his return that he had not even had the chance to purchase civilian clothing, so he went to the dance in his military uniform. While there, he met a young lady named Mae Miragliotta who decided to go to the dance that same evening with her girlfriends. Sal and Mae soon fell in love and, after a period of courtship, they married on Sunday, April 30, 1950 at St. Bernadette’s Church in New York City. This was followed by a one month honeymoon across the country in Sal’s 1949 black Pontiac with red pinstripes.

Sal and Mae lived in New York City for one year while waiting for their new home to be built in Ney Hyde Park Long Island. Living there for several years in New Hyde Park, Sal and Mae and their son Peter joined his siblings who all moved across the river to Wayne, New Jersey. Accommodations were made in that home so that Sal’s parents could also live with them. During their time in Wayne, Mae sadly passed away in 1973 and Sal ultimately moved to Pompton Lakes in 1982, remaining there until 2010 when he joined his son Peter and wife Theresa in Harmony Township.  

Throughout Sal’s entire working years, from age nineteen to age seventy-eight, he always worked in the bookbinding industry. As the industry changed and machinery was utilized more and more, Sal learned to run and service the machines, always mastering the technology as it evolved. Over the course of those many years he worked for various companies, most recently for Liberty Travel in Denville. He loved his trade and found it hard to ultimately walk away. Consequently, he found himself retiring several times before he truly retired.

Sal was a man of many interests so idle time was never something he struggled with. He loved to go camping and once he planned a cross-country camping trip with Mae and their son Peter. Knowing that Mae would not love the idea of such an adventure, he wisely chose to wait until the night before they were leaving to let her know. Consequently the whole family had a wonderful time taking this trip across our country and back. Sal continued to enjoy camping and did so as late as this past Labor Day with Peter and Theresa.

Although there was no chance of him ever winning a masters, Sal loved to play golf at the Passaic County Golf Course and, from the time he was a young man, he always enjoyed going dancing with his wife Mae and in later years with his longtime companion Marion.

Proud of his Army service, Sal joined the Pompton Lakes Elks Lodge #1895 where he enjoyed participating in philanthropic endeavors and the camaraderie of his fellow veterans. For his volunteer efforts, Sal was the recipient of awards for dedicated outstanding service to veterans. After returning to civilian life, Sal took advantage of the training offered under the G.I. bill, choosing to learn watch repair. He used this training by starting his own business which he called Curry Watch Service.

Blessed with long life, Sal will nevertheless be dearly missed by his family whom he loved so very much. They will miss his earthly wisdom, his wise philosophical insight and his great ability to tell jokes and make them laugh.

Sal was the beloved husband of Mae (nee Miragliotta), blessed in marriage for twenty two-years until her passing in 1973. He was the loving father of Peter and wife Theresa Curreri of Harmony Township, NJ; cherished grandfather of Jason and wife Kimberly Curreri, Matthew and wife Theresa Curreri, and Joseph Curreri; and dear uncle of numerous nieces and nephews; Sal was also predeceased by his three siblings: Rose Romeo (2019), Vincent Curreri (2016), and Charles Curreri (2003); and his dear longtime companion Marion Carr.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Sal’s name are asked to consider Pompton Lakes Elks Lodge #1895, 1 Perrin Avenue, Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442.

Paul H. Munch, 81 of Wayne, died on Saturday, September 28, 2019.  He lived in the Hillcrest section of Paterson most of his life before moving to Wayne in 2017.

Paul grew up in Paterson and lived above the family costume store on Main Street.  He graduated from Central High School with the class of 1957 and started working a construction job in New York City.  He was proud to have been involved with projects at the Metropolitan Opera and several other well-known locations in New York.  He was very proud to have worked at the World’s Fair where he helped to build the “It’s a Small World” Disney attraction at the fair.  He actually met Walt Disney while working there, but could never quite muster the courage to ask for an autograph.

Paul was eventually drafted into the U.S. Army and served his entire tour of duty in Germany during the Cold War.  After being discharged, he took advantage of the G.I. Bill and earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University.  He was a salesman throughout his career, working with several area companies, retiring from Majestic Industries in Teterboro.

Paul was a jokester at heart and loved to have fun.  He was nicknamed “The King of Corn” for all of his corny jokes.  His repertoire of jokes was endless, but he had a few that he used over and over again!  His wife, Carol, used to be able to predict which joke was coming next based upon the given situation and conversation he was having.  He was just that corny.  Paul was also an excellent singer and dancer who loved Broadway shows and musicals.  He performed in the local theatre as a kid and sang in his church choir.  His first date with Carol was a blind date where they went dancing and to dinner.  She recalls that he was an excellent dancer and they soon became the best of friends.  They married at the Methodist Church in Midland Park on November 30, 1974 and have been members of the Preakness Baptist Church in Wayne for the past forty years.  One of their favorite hobbies was visiting Disney World with their family.  They’ve gone so often that they lost track of how many times they’ve actually visited, with some years including trips to both Disney World and Disney Land!  Paul especially enjoyed taking his grandchildren there.  In Paul’s eyes, his grandchildren could do no wrong and he loves each of them profoundly.  They will all miss him dearly.

Paul is survived by his beloved wife, Carol (nee Adair) of Wayne, his daughter; Linda Iacono and her husband Steven of Pompton Plains, four grandsons; Jordan Brown and his wife Diana of Wayne, Nicholas Brown and his wife Liza of Wayne, Sam Iacono or Pompton Plains, and Timothy McHugh of San Diego, California, three great-grandchildren; Jack, Luke, and Daniel.  Paul was predeceased by his daughter Cynthia Hill of Connecticut and by his sister; Dolores Christianson of Florida.

Donations in Paul’s memory would be appreciated to the Preakness Faith Community, 1441 Ratzer Road, Wayne, NJ 07470, or to the Heart ‘n Hands Mission, 395 Valley Road, Wayne, NJ 07470, or to the Hilltop Haven, 3638 Circle Ave, Paterson, NJ 07522.

Americo “Rick” Malanga, 94, of Wayne, died on Saturday, September 28, 2019, with his family gathered at his bedside.  He’s lived in Wayne since 1962.

Rick was raised in the Ironbound section of Newark on Summer Avenue.  He was the second-youngest child of ten in his family.  With much of his youth shaped by The Great Depression, he learned to get along with very little, and he found joy in the simple things, like family.  His mother owned a candy store and the small supplemental income helped to keep them all fed.  At seventeen years old, he joined the U.S. Navy and found himself sailing the Pacific Ocean before long.  He was assigned to an ocean-going tug boat and one of their primary responsibilities was to tow disabled “target” ships out to sea, which were then used as target practice by other Navy ships.  About his time in the Navy, he would often joke that he saw a lot of Hawaii, but never set foot on any of the islands.  He loved his time in the Navy and developed a passion for the water, swimming, boating and fishing.

After being discharged from the Navy, Rick moved in with his sister in Montclair.  There were some cute Italian girls living across the street and someone tried to set Rick up with one of them.  But he was more interested in her younger sister, and he asked Phyllis out.  They were married on December 5, 1948, at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Montclair and honeymooned in Washington D.C.  They settled in Montclair before eventually moving to Wayne in 1962.  They were inseparable, and Rick idolized his beloved wife.  Although he was among the most stubborn people you’d ever meet, he melted for his dear wife and there was nothing he wouldn’t do for her.  Their seventy years of marriage were defined by their deep love for one another.  His heart has been heavily burdened since she passed in June, and his grief was more than he could bear.  Surely there is peace knowing that they are together once again.

Rick was a very hard working man who operated his own service station for many years; Rick’s Highway Service Center in Paterson.  His daily routine started at about 5:30 AM every day, and he stuck to this routine well into his 90s.  He would get up at the crack of dawn to make a cup of coffee for his dear wife, and then get himself off to work.  After working a full day, he would drop twenty cents into the payphone and call home, letting it ring twice before hanging up and getting his money back.  This was Phyllis’s cue that he was on his way home, and she would get dinner on the table.  He was a hearty man who always worked hard.  It was a very rare occasion that he’d pass up a meal and there was no question that he loved to eat!  Soup was among his favorites, and he would often ask the hostess at any restaurant, “What soups do you have today?” before even getting to his table.  He was also passionate about his pepper and egg sandwiches that Phyllis would make for him when he went fishing.  One funny story his family recalls was a time when they were all fishing and suddenly Rick had a fish on the line.  His excitement level skyrocketed as the fish was pulling the line off of his reel, but he couldn’t reel in the pole because he had one of Phyllis’s pepper and egg sandwiches in his hands that he refused to let go of!  He couldn’t eat that sandwich fast enough as the fish took off with his line! He simply loved good food and his beloved Phyllis would occasionally remind him to skip dessert because his belly was getting a little too big. He also let nothing bother him, as is evident in the time he “lost” a Christmas tree.  It was his job to deliver a 9’ Christmas tree to his son’s house.  When he arrived, there was no tree to be seen on the truck.  When questioned, his response was, “Somebody must have stolen it” (on the way up the highway?!)

Rick liked having fun, too.  He enjoyed his “Morris Minor” car which he rode in for a Riverdale holiday parade dressed as Santa Clause, throwing candy canes to kids along the way!  He sponsored a bowling team, “Rick’s Highway,” for more than twenty years and bowled on the team at T-Bowl.  He loved NFL football and always rooted for the NY GIANTS.  Perhaps his most favorite pastime of all was sleeping, but he’ll tell you that he was only resting his eyes.

Rick is survived by his two children; Annette Avolio of Wayne and Richard Malanga of Riverdale; he is the cherished grandfather of Louis and his wife Marisa Avolio, Phylissa and her husband Rocco Gallotta, and Nicholas Malanga; and adored great-grandfather of Joseph, Louis, and  Michael Avolio, and Rocco and Liana Gallotta.  He was predeceased just a few months ago by his beloved wife of seventy years; Filomena “Phyllis,” on June 27, 2019.

Joseph E. Burka, Sr., age 91 of Lincoln Park, died on Friday, September 27, 2019 surrounded by his loving family.  He had lived in Lincoln Park since 1950.

Born in the Singac section of Little Falls, Joe grew up very near to the Russian Hall, where many of the community events took place.  He graduated from Passaic Valley High School and then went to Bloomfield Tech where he learned to be an electrician.  He started A & J Electric in 1950 as well as working for the IBEW Local 102 and was an electrician his entire life.  He continued working well into his 80’s and would have never stopped working if he could have had it his way.

Joe was an active member of the Lincoln Park Volunteer Fire Department for more than sixty-four years, first serving with Hose Company #2 before joining Company #1.  He had the patience of a saint and he took great pride in teaching everything he knew to new firefighters.  He was also an active member of the Lincoln Park Lions Club.

Joe was truly a family man at heart.  He came from a large family and after marrying Dolores (nee Scalza) on May 27, 1950, they set off to build a family of their own.  Raising eight children together was no easy task, but they did it and they did it well.  Family life was always an adventure in the Burka home, and Joe loved to take his family on long road trips which usually included a visit to a National Park or two.  Joe and Dolores have been to every State except for Hawaii, and their travels are too numerous to count.  They are “Diamond Members” with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, having enjoyed more than a dozen cruises and they’ve cruised all over the place.  As Joe’s family grew to eventually include twenty grandchildren, he would plan special trips for the grandkids to destinations in the American west.  National Parks were always on the agenda, and almost all of his grandchildren have ridden the Durango & Silverton Railroad in Colorado!  He made sure that they all had a taste of what life had to offer, and he had great fun spending all that time with his family.  Perhaps one of the most memorable stories that came out of all their trips, was in 2003 when they went to the Gateway Arch in St. Louis and Dolores’ name was added to the “Terrorist” list!  As Joe and Dolores were entering and went through the metal detectors, an alert sounded and Dolores was apprehended.  It turned out that she had a tiny pocket knife in her purse, as any well-prepared seamstress and mother of eight should have.  But since the events of 9/11 were still very fresh in everyone’s mind, the authorities took the whole incident far out of proportion.  It may not have been so funny at the time, but it makes for good laughs now!  Joe’s children also recall great times spending weekends in the Catskills, sleigh riding on the area golf courses on their enormous Flexible Flyer, and hosting large gatherings at their home on Terrace Parkway in Lincoln Park.  Joe has left them all with wonderful and fond memories to cherish for all of their days.

Joe is survived by his beloved wife of sixty-nine years; Dolores, eight children; Joanne Palumbo and her husband John of Cortlandt Manor, NY, Joseph Burka, Jr. and his wife Karen of Brant Lake, NY, Eileen Leech of Lincoln Park, NJ, Donna Wild of Loveland, CO, Philip Burka of Butler, NJ, Annemarie Locilento of Mt. Bethel, PA, Dolores (Lori) Molinaro and her husband Nicholas of Riverdale, NJ, and James Burka of Lincoln Park, NJ, twenty grandchildren, fourteen great-grandchildren (and another on the way), and one great-great-grandchild.

For those wishing to make a donation in lieu of flowers in Joe’s memory, please consider the Lincoln Park Fire Department, 20 Boonton Tpk, Lincoln Park, NJ 07035, or Lincoln Park First Aid Squad, 34 Chapel Hill Rd., P.O. Box 332, Lincoln Park, 07035, or the Lincoln Park Lions Club, P.O. Box 501, Lincoln Park, NJ 07035.

Rosa Esther Alaimo (nee Semidey), age 86 of Long Beach, NY passed away peacefully on Tuesday, September 24, 2019 while receiving the loving care of her family.

Rosa was born and raised in Puerto Rico and was the youngest of thirteen children to Carmen and Telesforo Semidey.  Rosa lived in Puerto Rico with her family until the age of fifteen before moving to the United States.  When arriving in the United States, Rosa settled in New York City to live with her mother and sisters.  Rosa found work quickly while living in New York and accepted as position at Economy Bias Binding Company where she worked for several years.

While working at Economy Bias Binding, in 1947, she caught the eye of a handsome young man by the name of Louis Alaimo who was a shipping clerk.  As fate would have it they fell in love and the couple were married on February 25, 1950 at St Martin of Tours RC Church when Rosa was only sixteen years old and Louis only twenty-one.   Rosa and Louis first settled in Brooklyn and lived with Louis’ parents in their home.  They soon moved to their first apartment on Wilson Ave in Brooklyn, then later to another flat in Brooklyn on Central Ave.  They remained in Brooklyn for a few years until moving to the lower east side of Manhattan.  The couple welcomed their first two children, Salvatore in 1952 and Louis in 1953 while living in Brooklyn.  Rosa and Louis welcomed their third son Michael in 1964.  Rosa and Louis bought their first home in 1976 in Queens and remained there for thirty-two years raising their three sons.

Immediately after getting married, Rosa dedicated herself to being a full time homemaker.  She was totally devoted to her children, always volunteering at school and being there for them whenever they needed her.  Some years later, Rosa decided she would go back to school to become a beautician; however, the school she was attending closed up while she was a student and she was forced to stop.  Rosa also went back to work part time cleaning offices but her real devotion was to her husband, children, and later her grandchildren.  Rosa and Louis were also foster parents to several children for many years and raised them as her own.   Rosa actually hated to cook, however she was great at it.  Some of her signature dishes were her Eggplant Parmesan and Lasagna.  Early in their marriage Louis insisted that Rosa have dinner on the table every night at 6PM.  Rosa’s mother-in-law found out and took Rosa aside and told her not to give in to him; let him wait for his meals.  She said, “Have his dinner on the table at 7PM tonight and he will be just as happy to eat!”

Rosa and Louis were parishioners at several churches over the years including St Joseph’s in New York, St Sylvester’s in Brooklyn, Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Queens, and St Ignatius the Martyr in Long Beach, NY.  Rosa was a typical old fashion, family first woman who dedicated herself to the ones she loved.  Rosa’s greatest passion was for her family, nothing meant more to her than providing for and spending time with her children and her precious grandchildren whom she often spoiled.  Over the years, Louis and Rosa attended many shows and musicals in New York, Rosa was also a huge Elvis fan. She vacationed quite often with their family throughout her life.  Some memorable trips included the family road trip to Florida in the late 1960’s, frequenting Lake George, and a fortieth wedding anniversary gift trip to Las Vegas.  Rosa and Louis cherished sixty-five years of loving and loyal marriage together until Louis’ passing in November of 2015.  Rosa touched the lives of many people and will be sincerely missed by everyone that knew her.

Rosa is survived by her three sons; Salvatore Alaimo and his wife Sonia of Rio Rancho, NM, Louis Alaimo and his wife Patricia Rivera, and Dr. Michael Alaimo and his wife Judy of Malvern, NY, two grandchildren; James and Marcus Alaimo, two step grandchildren; Hermes and Joseph John (JJ), four step great grandchildren; Alex, Jesse, John, and Joshua, and one step great-great-grandchild Sophia.  Rosa was predeceased by her husband Louis Alaimo in 2015.

Gladys “Joyce” Kerr, age 77,  of Oak Ridge, passed Monday September 23, 2019 peacefully at home with the comfort of her family by her side.

She was born to John and Gladys Markwis in Newark and raised in Pompton Lakes and West Milford.  Joyce went to Saint Marys Boarding School in Manhasset, New York and later attended Butler High School with the Class of 1959.

Joyce attended beauty school in Paterson and became a licensed beautician. She later had a work-from-home business and waitressed at the Howard Johnsons in West Paterson.  She would waitress at night and care for her children during the day.  When her husband Andrew would come home from his day job he would be in charge of the children when Joyce was at work.  Joyce would leave Andrew detailed directions for the evening on a tape recorder.  Andrew was a very literal thinker and on one occasion was following Joyce’s directions: cook the pasta and then drain in the colander, after heating the sauce place over the pasta and serve.  Well Andrew never took the pasta out of the colander and all the sauce drained into the sink.  When the children were older Joyce worked processing claims for the Prudential Insurance Company and later worked at the Valley National Bank’s mortgage division before retiring in 2017.

Joyce met Andrew at their neighbors Mrs. Robinson’s house party when he was on leave from the Navy.  They fell in love and married on December 12, 1959 and honeymooned in New York City.  Their marriage was blessed with two children Sandra and John. They loved to travel and have been to Egypt, Bermuda, St. Croix, Aruba, Spain, England and California.  Many fond memories were also made at the Ocean Beach section of the Jersey Shore with her granddaughters. For many years Joyce and her late husband Andy were volunteer dispatchers for the Wayne First Aid Squad and even had a First Aid Squad telephone installed in their home.

Joyce was predeceased by her husband of fifty-five years Andrew Kerr in 2014; she was the loving mother of John Kerr of Oakridge and Sandra Friedhoff and her husband Timothy of Stockholm; cherished grandmother of Deidra Valianti(Carl) and Erica Friedhoff(Tommy Giles); dearly loved sister of Johanna Markwis of South Carolina and the late Bob Markwis.

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In lieu of flowers memorial donations to FOWA (Friends of Wayne Animals), PO Box 3701, Wayne, NJ 07474 would be appreciated.

Louise M. Traficante, age 88, of Wayne, passed away on Friday, September 20, 2019.

As the story goes, Louise was born at home in Pittston, PA where she was the seventh of John and Margarite Mullery’s eight children. Louise called that house her home until her father passed away when she was just nine years old. Consequently, in 1941, her mother moved the family to Newark, NJ. Louise attended St. Charles High School in Newark during her freshman and sophomore year and then she transferred to Hillside High School for her last two years, graduating there with the Class of 1950. During her teen years, you could often find Louise down at the family-owned riding stables in Livingston where she loved participating in equestrian activities with her dear horse Daisy.

After graduation from high school, Louise worked for NJ Bell and for a furniture company. One day, while down the shore at Seaside Heights with her great friend Phyllis (Fernicola) Tecza, they met a couple of young gentleman – one of them being Charles J. Traficante. As their good fate would have it, Louise and Charles soon fell in love and, on Friday, September 6, 1952, they exchanged their wedding vows before God, family and friends at St. Catherine’s Church in Hillside. After the wedding ceremony and reception, the newly married bride and groom spent their honeymoon in Niagara Falls and Lake George, NY. When they returned, their first homes together were apartments in Garfield and Fair Lawn. From there, they were able to purchase a home in Lincoln Park. They were blest with three beautiful daughters – Patrice, Diane and Sharon. In 1962, the family moved once more, to Wayne and three years later, the blessing of a son and brother arrived – Charles John “CJ”. Louise split her time between raising her children and working part time for Consolidated Freightways. When CJ was old enough to be in school all day, she went full-time with the company and, during a span of over thirty years until retirement in 1997, she capably served as Consolidated’s office manager. Louise loved working there and was so proud to be a member of Teamsters Local 560.

Louise and her husband Charlie shared a loved of dancing and playing golf. When they were young, they would often go to clubs where they especially impressed everyone with their mastery of the polka. Louise and Charles considered it a great day just to get out on the course for eighteen holes of golf. Favorite courses included ones in Myrtle Beach, SC, Pinehurst, NC, Sea Isle, GA, and occasionally courses in the Poconos, in Florida, and locally at the Passaic County Golf Course right here in Wayne. Louise would always say that “Marriages are made in heaven.” Well, she definitely felt that way about her marriage to Charlie! Theirs could only be described as blessed and joyous. Sadly, their time on earth came to an untimely end when Charles passed away in 1992 at the young age of 64. They must be enjoying a heavenly reunion now. Since moving to Wayne in 1962 they were local parishioners of Our Lady of the Valley R.C. Church and their faith and love for God was a foundation on which they built their lives.

When Louise retired, a life of worldwide travel began. She took trips to destinations all over the globe with friends. She could tell you all about her experiences to such places as Spain, Ireland, Italy, England, Paris France, Mexico, Canada, and Switzerland. She loved the beautiful mountain views in Switzerland but would be the first to tell you that the Canadian Rockies were even more spectacular.

Above all else, Louise was deeply devoted to her amazing family. She would always express how much she loved all of her children and that she thought she had the most wonderful son-in-law’s a mother could ask for. She truly enjoyed quality time spent with her eight grandchildren and even taught some of them to play golf, and more recently, she was enjoying the latest members of her family – her great-grandchildren Nathan and Celeste. Like so many good families where loving care runs deep, Louise enjoyed having everyone together for special times and attracting them was easy with her great cooking and baking skills. Some family favorites included her pot roast, frying pan steaks, rice pudding, and apple and pumpkin pies. And maybe once in a while, some of the dogs which she enjoyed over the years were the lucky recipients of some of that delicious food snuck under the table.  

Louise was the beloved wife of Charles – blest in marriage for 39 years until his passing in 1992. She was the loving mother of Patrice and husband Joseph Salvatore of Wayne, Diane Silbernagel of Little Falls, Sharon and husband Kevin Western of Pompton Plains, and Charles John “CJ” Traficante of Wayne: cherished grandmother of Christina Salvatore, Dominic A. and wife Jacki Salvatore, Leigh Anne and husband Javier Garcia, Stephen Silbernagel and partner Ariel Strauss, Michael Silbernagel and fiancé Ana Giacomelli Jillian Laurel Western, Charles Western, and Brian Western; adoring great-grandmother of Nathan J. and Celeste M. Salvatore; dear sister-in-law of: Marie Mullery, Marta Mullery, Leslie Novak and Bobby Novak; dear aunt and great-aunt of many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews; and dear life-long friend of Phyllis Tecza. Louise was predeceased by her seven siblings: Jack Mullery, Harry Mullery, Marie McConnon, William Mullery, Marguerite Senchyshyn, Joseph Mullery, and Francis Mullery.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Louise’s name are asked to consider The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), 26 Broadway, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10004, or click here to make an online contribution.

Joan Mary Tanis, age 91, of Atlantic Highlands, formerly of Wayne, passed away Tuesday, September 17, 2019.

She was born in Jessup, Pennsylvania in 1928 to John and Margaretta Kelly.  Margaretta moved her family to Newark and later Bloomfield during the Great Depression. Joan graduated from Clifton High School, Class of 1946.  While in high school, she was the president of Tri-Y, a YMCA community service program for young women and was also active in the Inter-American Friendship Club, the Yearbook staff, the graduation committee, the Girls’ Athletic Association, and Glee Club.  The caption in her high school yearbook reads “’Tis her thinking of others that makes you think of her.”  Following high school, she graduated from Mountainside School of Nursing, Class of 1949, as a Registered Nurse.

Just out of nursing school Joan worked at Paterson General Hospital, then did a short stint with nursing friends at a hospital in southern Florida before returning to Paterson General.  It was after her return to New Jersey that she met her future husband, Joseph Tanis.  After the birth of their daughter Pamela, Joan dedicated herself as a stay-at-home mom for several years.  When Pam began junior high school, Joan again took on work as a Registered Nurse in the operating room at Wayne General Hospital.  She worked there for many years before retiring in 1993.

Joan and Joe met on a blind date on a rainy evening in 1952.  They dated a couple of times but Joan thought he just wasn’t the right guy for her.  She ran into Joe again the next summer on the beach at Avon by the Sea, where Joe would summer with his dear friends Tom Rumana and Bob Roe.  They got back together again and truly fell in love.  They ran into a bit of trouble when they went to marry, as Joan was Catholic and Joe was Episcopalian.  When Joan approached her priest, he said marrying Joe would be a mortal sin.  When they sought the advice of Joe’s pastor, he told Joe (right in front of Joan!) that there were several pretty girls in the choir he should consider.  Ironically, Joan and Joe shared a very strong common bond of faith and devotion to God.  Yet because of old school church rules, it was a four-year struggle before their love won the battle and they married on October 27, 1956 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Paterson.  They honeymooned in Atlantic City and shared a loving and devoted marriage of forty years. Joan recently recounted how they moved to Wayne from Clifton at the height of a severe snowstorm in December 1960.  She lived in Wayne for almost fifty years before moving to the retirement community at Seabrook Village in Tinton Falls and more recently Atlantic Highlands.

Joan had a quiet and reserved personality in comparison to Joe’s loud and raucous demeanor. This changed quickly, however, when Pam began school and Joan thrust herself with enthusiasm into PTA and Girl Scout activities, acting also as a classroom helper and chaperone for class trips.  It was then she stepped out of her comfort zone and came out of her shell.  When it came to parties Joan was usually a reluctant participant but once she got there she was always the life of the party.  Joan had a great sense of humor and was a terrific cook.  She was adventurous with both recipes and ingredients, a trait she passed on to her daughter Pam.  Her special ingredient of love in her lasagna will be greatly missed. Joan enjoyed watching Oprah and The View on television, loved maple walnut fudge, summer vacations in Point Pleasant and Lavallette, fishing at the Jersey Shore, going to the movies, and listening to Frank Sinatra.  She also loved everything Irish including music, food, and especially corned beef and cabbage.  Joan was a pet lover her whole life and enjoyed babysitting her grand-dogs Remy and Sherry, who hopefully greeted her on the Rainbow Bridge to Heaven.  Most recently she enjoyed weekly visits from her grand-dogs Denver and Stoli.  Although Joan imagined she had a reputation as the “bad kid” at Care One King James in Atlantic Highlands, many of the care givers there were truly saddened by her passing and said she was a favorite.

Joan was the loving wife of forty years to the late Joseph R. Tanis (d.1996); she was the loving mother of Pamela Johnson and her husband Peter of Atlantic Highlands; cherished grandmother of Kimberly Petke and her husband Mike, Meredith Kenney, and Matthew Johnson; and dearly loved great-grandmother of Dylan Petke, Mason Petke, and Lilly Kenney.  Joan was the youngest of eight children and was given the nickname Peche (little peach) by her siblings who adored her. She was predeceased by her brothers Edward Walsh (d.1960), William “Bill” Walsh (d.1970), Francis “Frank” Walsh (d.1978), Richard “Dick” Walsh (d.1998), Raymond Walsh (d.1994) and sisters Margaret Walsh Colleran (d.1977) and Rose Walsh (d.1915); she was also the loved aunt of twenty-one nieces and nephews and lots of great-nieces and great-nephews.  

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to Ascend Hospice, 65 Jackson Drive, Suite 103, Cranford, NJ 07016 would be appreciated.

Irene Louise Greig, age 76, of Wayne, passed away on Sunday, September 15, 2019.

Irene was born and raised in Paterson in the family home on Elberon Ave. Her parents, Leander and Irene Van Hoorebeke owned a luncheonette in town called Lenny’s Lunch Bar on Union Boulevard and, as was quite customary for high school students of Irene’s era, her family pulled her from school before she could graduate so that she could help out in the family business. Down the street from the luncheonette was another business called Greig Brothers Floor Covering Company. The guys from Grieg Brothers would come into the luncheonette almost every morning to pick up a cup of coffee before going to their first installation. Alfred “Al” Greig was one of those young men and, while he quickly took notice of Irene, it took him a couple of months to build up the courage to ask her out on a date. Much to his delight, she accepted his invitation and their first date was out to the movies followed by a bite to eat at The Texan – a hot dog joint on Route 23 in Wayne. Their love and admiration grew and, one night while in Al’s car, he asked Irene if she would consider marriage. Once again, Irene smiled and gave him the answer he was looking for. They married on Saturday, November 30, 1963 at the Methodist Church in Wayne. After the wedding, the newlyweds hopped in Al’s maroon Chevy Corvair convertible and headed down the road for a three day honeymoon in Washington D.C. It was just three quick days because that’s all the time Al’s father would give him off from work.

Irene and Al’s first home as man and wife was in a garden apartment on Katz Avenue in Paterson. After about three years, they moved to a first-floor apartment in a two-family home in Totowa. This was followed by their own first home together on Valley Road in Wayne and finally to their present home in Wayne where they’ve lived for the past twenty-eight years.

Irene worked for a couple of years at the Kresge Department Store in Wayne’s Preakness Mall. When Stern Brothers Clothing and Department Store opened in the same mall, she took a job there starting out on the sales floor in various departments. It quickly became apparent to upper management that Irene was great with numbers – a virtual human calculator. They quickly moved her into the Credit Department where her skills could be best utilized. Irene enjoyed a long career spanning over twenty–eight years with Sterns until retirement in 2007, shortly after the store was bought out by Macy’s.

While much time was dedicated to her work at Sterns, Irene also enjoyed being home in the company of her beloved husband Al and, over the years, her faithful poodles Cindy, Ginger and Rusty. She always considered time spent in the kitchen to be a joy and it was evident to all because her culinary creations where delicious! Family favorites included Irene’s pot roast, red cabbage and noodles, and delicious tasty soups. Holidays were always looked forward to at her brothers Ray and William’s homes. Irene and Al also enjoyed some pretty special trips as husband and wife. They took a couple of cruises enjoying time in the Bahamas, Puerto Rico and seven different other islands in the Caribbean. Then there was the ten day trip to Florida with good friends touring the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and also Universal Studios where, although being in a wheelchair, Irene managed to get on a couple of wildly memorable rides.

In many respects, Irene’s life was one exemplified by acts of service. She and Al were heavily involved in their local Wayne Elks Lodge #2181. Irene served as president of the Elks Ladies Auxiliary and was always by Al’s side to assist him in the booking of weddings and other events, ordering of food, setting up and cleanup. It was not unusual for there to be multiple events in one day at the Elks Lodge and sometimes they would work together from sun-up till way beyond sundown. After they married, Irene and Al called St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Wayne their church home. Irene enjoyed singing in the church’s choir as a strong soprano, working in the kitchen for various events and fundraising dinners like the ones that were held for the church-sponsored orphanage in Kenya, Africa, and providing loving support for the annual blessing of the animals. She lived out her faith in God in her own special way, choosing to live by quiet example. She would often say, “If God made you, there has to be some good in you” and she always looked for that “good” in everyone that crossed her path. She was a real inspiration as she helped others in their own personal walks with God.  

Irene was the beloved wife of Alfred, blessed in marriage for 55 years. She was the much-loved sister of Raymond Van Hoorebeke of Belvidere, and William Van Hoorebeke and wife Eleanor of Mount Arlington; dear aunt of Lisa, Raymond, Jr., Ronald, Lori, Karen, and Elizabeth; and dear great-aunt of numerous great-nieces and great-nephews.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Irene’s name are asked to consider a gift to St. Michael’s Episcopal Church.

Anthony P. Bianciella, age 78 of Wayne, died Saturday, September 14, 2019 with his family gathered at his bedside.  He has lived in Wayne since 1973.

Anthony grew up in Jersey City and graduated from St. Peter’s Prep before earning his bachelor’s degree in mechanical Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology.  He continued his education and eventually earned his Master’s Degree.  He enjoyed a lengthy career as an engineer with Maxwell House, Nabisco, Drew Chemical, Singer-Kearfott, and he eventually retired as Director of Facilities from BAE Systems in 2003.

Anthony was a family man through and through.  He loved spending time with his children, grandchildren and even his grand-dogs. He always made time for them.  His children recall family vacations in the station wagon, towing their travel trailer, to various destinations.  He took them to Disney three times, Washington D.C., Canada, and the Jersey Shore, making great memories each time.  His kids also recall that somehow he seemed to make it to every one of their school activities or sporting events.  He was just always there.  He especially loved spending time at their beach home at the Jersey Shore, where he enjoyed talking with his friends, reading on the beach and surf fishing.  In recent years he cherished time there with his grandkids.  His family was always important to him.

Anthony met his wife Agnes while they were in high school. She lived on the same block and they started dating as young teenagers.  Anthony proposed while he was still in college and they waited until he graduated before exchanging vows on September 14, 1963.  After a memorable honeymoon to Bermuda, they lived in Jersey City and Little Falls before moving to Wayne in 1973.  They celebrated fifty-six years of a “wonderful and fantastic” marriage that was like a true love story.  They did everything together and were largely inseparable.  So much so, that they downsized to just one car because they always went places together and there was little need for another car.  They traveled a great deal together as well, to destinations such as Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, Ireland, Scotland, most of Europe, Greece and Italy.  Anthony’s favorite was Tuscany, Italy where they had visited with family.  They had a remarkable marriage and Agnes will miss him dearly.

Anthony is survived by his loving wife Agnes of Wayne, four children; Anthony and his wife Christine of Raritan, Mary Ann Bianciella-Thomas and her husband James of Wayne, Christopher and his wife Sandra of Wayne, and Amy Bianciella-Cano and her husband Tony of Long Island City, NY, eight grandchildren; Laura, Julie, Rachelle, Isabelle, Deanna, Abby, Christopher, and Nicholas.  He was predeceased by his sister; Margaret Schneebeli in 1992.

In lieu of flowers, donations would be appreciated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial Processing, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959, www.stjude.org.

Richard Botti, age 85, of Wayne passed away peacefully on Friday September 13, 2019 while receiving the loving care of his family.

Richard was born and raised in Paterson and was the youngest of four children.  After graduating from high school in Paterson with the class of 1952, Richard worked for several years at a few different places.  In 1958 Rich got the call to serve his country in the United States Army.  Rich served honorably in the US Army from 1958 until 1964.  Following his honorable discharge from the military, Richard found work quickly at a dye company in Paterson where he worked for about five years.  After about five years of employment at the dye company, Richard decided to invest in Real Estate in Paterson and became a self-employed landlord owning several homes and buildings.  Richard remained a landlord until his retirement in 2014.

In 1965 Richard married the love of his life, a woman by the name of Mathilda Klingler.  When Mathilda and Richard were first married, they lived in Paterson then the couple moved to Wayne shortly thereafter with Mathilda’s three children which Richard lovingly brought up as his own.  While living in Wayne, Mathilda and Richard welcomed their two sons Rick and Craig.  Richard and Mathilda remained in Wayne and called it home for the rest of their lives together.  Richard was a devoted father and husband, he and Mathilda cherished nearly fifty-four years of loving and loyal marriage together.  On April 25, 2002, tragedy struck Richard’s and Mathilda’s life when their son Craig passed away unexpectedly.

Richard enjoyed sports and was a New York Giants and Yankees fan.  His favorite pastime was playing golf.  When his son Rick was a young boy, the two of them would sneak onto one of the private golf courses in Wayne and play as long as they could before getting caught.  Richard loved the game and played until about ten years ago.  After Rich stopped playing golf, he continued to watch the game religiously on television for years to come.  Rich was an opinionated guy and believed deeply in what he stood for.  He stood his ground on everything and would not be swayed in believing otherwise.  Aside from all of Richard’s interests and talents, his greatest passion was for his family.  Nothing meant more to Rich than providing for, and spending time with his wife, children, and grandchildren.  Richard was a special person who touched the lives of many people and will be missed by everyone that knew him.

Richard is survived by his wife Mathilda (nee Klingler) of Wayne, his son Rick Botti and his wife Tracey of Oak Ridge, his daughter Sonia Petrowski of Wayne, two sons; Glenn D’Ura and his wife Joann of Wayne, and Edward D’Ura and his wife Etta of Forked River, eight grandchildren; Brooke Botti, Richie Botti, Christopher Botti, Annie McKay, Dawn Burrafato, Anthony Petrowski, Debra Lynn Casillo, and Eddie Outwater, and many great grand children.  He was predeceased by his son Craig Botti in 2002, as well as his four siblings Clara Hamway, Pasquale “Pat” Botti, Armando "Sal" Botti, and Americo Botti.

Marie L. Bunn, age 77 of Montville, died peacefully on Wednesday, September 11, 2019.  She was predeceased by her husband, Leslie S. Bunn in 2009.  Together, Marie and Leslie were active with the Trinity Baptist Church where Leslie had been pastor of the Deaf Ministry.

Carol Ann Holzli (nee Adamcik), age 73 of Wayne, passed away peacefully at home on Monday, September 9, 2019 while receiving the loving care of her family.

Carol was born in Passaic and raised in Garfield and Rochelle Park. After graduating from Pope Pius High School in Passaic, Class of 1963, she attended Mountainside Hospital School of Nursing in Montclair. Graduating in 1966, she began her career as a Registered Nurse at Mountainside Hospital. After taking time to raise her family, she resumed her nursing career at Hackensack Hospital and retired in 2010 after 28 years.

Carol met the love of her life, Felix Holzli, while out for a night of bingo at St. Stephen’s Church in Passaic. Carol liked to play bingo with her mom and Felix was the number caller. Intrigued by Felix, one night she went up to him and struck up a conversation, then, she pretty much asked him out. One of their first dates was to the Finger Lakes and, over time, their friendship grew to become love. One day, Carol and Felix were attending her aunt's wedding. As the ceremony ended, while Carol and Felix were still sitting in the church pews, Felix offered Carol a stick of gum. Accepting his offer, it did not take long for her to realize the gum in the sleeve was replaced with an engagement ring! Carol was so excited and showed everyone as they were coming out of the church sanctuary. Soon after, the wedding date was set for Saturday, May 4, 1968. Carol and Felix exchanged their wedding promises before God, friends and family at Sacred Heart Church in Rochelle Park. A reception at the VFW Hall in Saddle Brook followed with a live band. Everyone had so much fun the celebration went until 2:00 in the morning. The next day, the newlyweds were off to Bermuda for their honeymoon.

Carol and Felix’s first home was an apartment in the two-family home of Carol’s grandmother in Garfield. Soon after, they purchased their own home in Saddle Brook where they remained for a short time until building a house in Wayne, where they have resided since 1972.

Some of Carol’s greatest pastimes included a love for music, Broadway productions, and reading. A huge Barry Manilow fan, she saw him live in concert eight times. She also liked Kenny Rogers’ music and even saw Bon Jovi in concert with her daughters. Broadway made a lot of money off of Carol too. She loved a night out on Broadway and saw many shows including both the original performance of Hello Dolly with Carol Channing and the later version with Bette Midler. She also liked Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera, Roger and Hammerstein’s Carousel, as well as My Fair Lady, and Fiddler on the Roof. When it came to books, Carol could never resist a good romance novel by best-selling author Danielle Steel.

Carol was a long-time parishioner of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Wayne where she was honored to serve as a Eucharistic Minister. Her faith was most important to her, followed closely by her loving devotion to her family.

Carol especially enjoyed having all of her family together during the holidays. She continued the very special Polish Christmas traditions passed down from her grandparents and parents. In 2003, Carol and Felix took their family to Hawaii to celebrate their thirty-fifth wedding anniversary. Then, in 2008, after forty years of wedded bliss, their children surprised them with a trip to Las Vegas to renew their vows with Elvis at the Viva Las Vegas Wedding chapel. They broadcasted the great milestone to friends and family back home. Earlier in her life, Carol especially enjoyed trips down the Jersey Shore to Wildwood. More recently, she and Felix enjoyed a condominium they purchased in Ocean City, Maryland. Carol never went in the water but always had a smile on her face sitting under a beach umbrella with her feet in the sand and a good book in her hands.

Carol is the beloved wife of Felix, blessed in marriage for 51 years; loving mother of: Tim Holzli and his wife Lynn of Mullica Hill, NJ, Lori Schultz of North Redington Beach, FL and her late husband Johnnie Schultz (September 2018), and the late Suzanne “Sue” Holzli (September 2018); dear sister of the late Edward (June 2019) and wife Barbara Adamcik of Paramus and dearest friend of 56 years, Anita Holtzberg of Boynton Beach, FL.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Carol’s name are asked to consider St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Armand A. Figueroa, age 23, of Pompton Lakes, passed away on Saturday, September 7, 2019 while receiving the heartfelt love of his family.

Armand was born with a rare neurological condition called Microcephaly which caused developmental disabilities and a lifetime of challenge for him and his family. When he entered into his teenage years, he began to experience seizures which ultimately were more than his body could handle.

Despite Armand’s limitations, in a world that has its share of mean spiritedness and mixed-up priorities, his unconditionally loving spirit and eternal innocence left an indelibly positive mark on countless lives.    

To all who were in Armand’s life, he taught compassion, patience and the value of selflessness - giving of yourself to bless others and having an enlightened sense of what truly is important in life. Raising and living with Armand taught his parents and siblings to never take anything for granted and that, if something can be fixed or a situation rectified, then it’s really not a problem. In fact, this became his mother Linda’s mantra in life! Even though he could not help it, if Armand did something that really frustrated you, his one hundred percent pure innocence made it impossible to get upset with him. In fact, Armand was the epitome of innocence, laughter and love. Despite needing so much care, he was always happy and it was so easy to please him and make him laugh. The only word in Armand’s verbal vocabulary was “Mamma” but his non-verbal vocabulary spoke volumes! And because he could only speak one word, his father would playfully get Armand to laugh by complementing him for never giving him any talk-back. Armand was very special, always happy, and his family’s angel.

Caring for Armand was a labor of love that all of his family did with utmost dedication. Even his brothers and sister from as early an age of eleven years proactively pitched in to help with bathing, dressing, grooming, and loving on their brother. Many times, as they were growing up themselves, they sacrificed good times with friends for the well-being of Armand, getting out of school at 3:00 PM and immediately rushing home to help him off the school bus at 3:15 PM. Everyone rolled up their sleeves to help. Grandma Lulvere was a true go-to presence in Armand’s life. She loved to bring him his favorite meals and spend quality time feeding him and making him happy. Knowing that they needed a break, Grandma selflessly sent his whole family on a European vacation and stayed home with Armand the whole time they were gone. Armand’s Godmother Adeli Aquino-Johnston also loved him so deeply and was so hands on with him. Knowing how much joy he would receive, she even took him to Sesame Street Live for his birthday. Everyone was dedicated to ensuring that Armand always looked his best and anyone that met him fell in love with his beautiful eyelashes and thick beautiful hair.

Armand really enjoyed attending school at the North Jersey Elks Developmental Disabilities Agency (NJEDDA) in Clifton. One of he and his entire family’s proudest moments was when he graduated from their high school in June, 2017. After that he continued educational activities at the Red Ribbon Academy in Wayne. There he received therapy, got to go on day trips and saw lots of great movies – even ones his family hadn’t seen yet. He loved the gift of music and especially enjoyed the “waking up” activity at Red Ribbon Academy where all kinds of great musical instruments were played to get him and the other students motivated for each new day’s activities.

Armand was truly the biggest fan of the popular television series Barney and Friends starring that loveable purple and green dinosaur who conveyed positive educational messages through clever songs and dance routines. He owned at least two or three of every Barney and Friends DVD ever produced and his ultimate all-time favorite was Barney’s Musical Scrapbook. As soon as the credits came on the screen, a huge smile of recognition would come across Armand’s face and he’d start dancing in his chair. You could say that Armand and Barney were inseparable. When he turned ten, the whole family went to Universal Studios in Florida. While there, Armand got the hands-down best thrill of his life when he got to meet the real Barney. After the performance, Armand was invited to stay for a one-on-one meet and greet with Barney. He got to touch Barney’s face and let him know that he was his biggest fan.

Armand’s family would like to express special thanks to Ana, his aide for the past couple of years. She tirelessly cared for him as if he were her own grandson. She was there seven days a week and it was apparent to all that Ana genuinely cared for and loved Armand. Because of Ana, many in Armand’s neighborhood got to know him well because she was always taking him outside for walks. She also took him to car shows, garage sales, and he loved it when she took him to the Pompton Day Street Fair where he was always excited to get his face painted.    

Armand was the precious son of Lindita “Linda” and Patrick Burnett; dearest brother of Justin, Jade, Aiden and Isaiah; most cherished grandson of his maternal grandmother Lulvere “Lule” Qira and late maternal grandfather Zijadin Qira, his late paternal grandparents Gloria and Jose Figueroa, and his current grandparents Robert and Rita Burnett, and Nerys Roman; most loved nephew of: Agron and wife Nurije Qira, Shqipe “Susan” and husband Ron Tonuzi, Michael Burnett and Katharina Takacs, the late Liri Qira, Riccardo Figueroa, Daisy Figueroa, and the late Jarday Figueroa. He also leaves behind many awesome cousins.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Armand’s name are asked to consider North Jersey Elks Developmental Disabilities Agency (NJEDDA), 15 Union Avenue, Clifton, NJ 07011, or online at njedda.org.

Veronica Mary Heppel, age 84 of Wayne, passed away peacefully at home on Thursday September 5, 2019.

Also known as Ronnie, Aunt Bonnie, “Gloria” and Granny, she was born in NYC and grew up in the Bronx. Ronnie worked for the telephone company and after marrying her husband of 63 years, George, they moved to New Jersey where they bought a house and called Wayne, NJ home. She went on to work as an office manager for a dental office in Pompton Lakes where she made lifelong friends with her boss Dr. Louis Lees and her co-workers Melory and Patty as well as many patients that knew of her as “The Boss” of the office.

Ronnie was a devoted mother to her sons George and Eric and loved them fiercely. She supported them in all endeavors and was forever their number one fan. Anyone that knew Ronnie knew that her boys were everything to her. Until…her grandson Ryan was born and they both took a backseat. Ryan and Granny were pals and regularly went on dates. Their favorite spots were Steak and Ale and Pizza Man. She attended Ryan’s football games and high school graduation as well as driving to South Carolina to watch him graduate USMC bootcamp. She recently attended his PCSD pinning ceremony where she sat beaming with pride. Eric thrilled her once again when he gave her a beautiful granddaughter, Bera. Ronnie loved shopping for outfits and girly things for Bera. She also enjoyed sharing dinners, holidays and attending Bera’s birthday parties. She was a VERY proud Granny.

Ronnie loved to socialize and adored spending time with her niece Sharon (also known as her “person”). They would get their nails done and were always seeking out cool new places to try for lunch. She also loved to drive to Bayside Queens to spend time with her longtime friend Millie Farrell and her beautiful family. Ronnie had a loving friendship with her daughter in law Geri whom she referred to as the daughter she never had. The feeling was mutual.

Ronnie was a loving, kind, and extremely generous friend to many. If I was asked to summarize her I would have to include funny, direct, could NOT pronounce the word meatball (meatuhball), the life of the party, always turning down the a/c, a coffee and tea lover made even better with story telling and catching up and cookies, a Catholic, strong willed, hard working, notorious for letting whatever fly out of her mouth. She loved animals, Elvis, being Irish, a good martini, the game show channel, her family (including the furry ones), her friends, and all things potato. Not only did Ronnie love generously, she was loved back too. She was a larger than life presence that will be sorely missed.

Veronica is survived by her beloved husband George, her son George Heppel, Jr. and daughter in law Geri of Wayne, her beautiful grandchildren Ryan Heppel of Wayne and Bera Heppel of Fair Lawn, her niece Patricia Bischoff and her husband Mike Bischoff of Manahawkin, and her honorary son Mike Stubbington of Portsmouth, England. She was predeceased by her loving son Eric Heppel this past April 2019, her four dear brothers Joseph, William, Bernard, and John Flanagan, and her dear nephew John Patrick Flanagan.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Veronica’s name are asked to consider the Alan Purcell Wayne Township Animal Shelter, 201 Pompton Plains Crossroad, Wayne, NJ 07470

John Chironis, beloved husband, devoted father, and loving, caring and cherished grandfather passed away Tuesday, September 3, 2019 at the age of 83.

He was born and raised in midtown Manhattan where he met his wife, Theresa née Matarazzo and married in 1961.

John spent an entire career of 50 years in sales and in marketing consulting. He was employed by Gerber Baby Foods as a salesman and then as a Territory Manager for the New York and Westchester districts. He also worked as a marketing consultant for Independent Marketing Consultants in New York and New Jersey. Ultimately he became self-employed starting a candy and nut route covering northern and central New Jersey.

His hobbies included, gardening, photography, tropical fish, and was also a lighthouse enthusiast having visited all the east and west coast lighthouses.

He is survived by his wife, Theresa, of 58 years, a son, Christopher and wife Domenica, a daughter, Cindy Collins and husband Robert, and 5 granddaughters, Alexis, Krystal and Heather Chironis and Nicole and Carly Collins all of Wayne. Also a brother Nick Chironis from West Palm Beach and sister-in law, Mary Ann Matarazzo, from Staten Island, New York as well as nieces and nephews in New Jersey, Virginia and Florida.

May those who walk in the footprints John leaves behind be inspired by the ideals of his life and the generosity of his heart.

In lieu of flowers, those planning to make a donation in John's name may do so to the charity of their choice.

Paul Gray Burghardt, age 84, of Greenwood, Virginia and formerly of West Paterson, NJ, passed away on Sunday, September 1, 2019.

Paul was born and raised in West Paterson, NJ, known today Woodland Park. The eldest of Paul and Eleanor Burghardt’s three children, he graduated from Passaic Valley High School in Little Falls with the Class of 1953. His education continued at Montclair State College where four years later, he earned his bachelor’s degree in education with a concentration in business administration. While at Montclair State, Paul enjoyed participating in the cycling club and playing piano in jazz bands. Fresh out of college, his search for employment had to wait when, despite having a rheumatic heart condition, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and served in Korea in the demilitarized zone. Paul’s keen mind and excellent math skills lead him to duty in the Signal Corps decoding intercepted messages. Upon return to civilian life in 1959, Paul enrolled again at Montclair State College in pursuit of his master’s degree. As part of that quest, he studied abroad in Germany and Mexico. Paul enjoyed a long and satisfying career in education as an accounting teacher and later as a business administrator for the Manchester Regional High School in Haledon, NJ. During his years at Manchester he was beloved by his students and was thus awarded the prestigious Teacher of the Year Award by Governor Thomas Kean. A man of seemingly endless energy, during his years at Manchester High School, he concurrently served as an adjunct professor teaching accounting and other business courses at the Berkley School of Business in West Paterson and Passaic Community College in Paterson.

Those who knew Paul personally, affectionately called him by his middle name “Gray”. From restoring historical homes to advocating for all of God’s creatures, to making heavenly music, Gray was always involved in some interesting endeavor.

After retirement, Gray decided to take on the challenge of restoring an old historical home. He purchased The Frey House in Palatine Bridge, New York. Originally built in 1808 by Revolutionary War General John Frey and complete with the Frey family cemetery on the property, Paul returned the home to its original condition and architectural time period earning it a place on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.

One of Gray’s other interests was breeding and showing Pekingese dogs. This hobby led him to the love of his life and the woman he would eventually marry. Her name was Hope Hadley and Gray met Hope at a dog show in New York State. They married on May 25, 1990 at a church in Cooperstown, NY.

Soon after marriage, Gray and Hope moved to Greenwood, Virginia where they purchased and restored the historic Mirador home. This was the home of Viscountess Nancy Langhorne Aster, who became the first women member of the British Parliament.  Built in 1842, Wikipedia indicates it was a two story brick structure on a raised basement with a deck-on-hip roof capped by a Chinese Chippendale railing. It is worth noting that Paul’s time serving in Korea gave him a great appreciation for Asian art and architecture, so the Chinese Chippendale railing certainly was appealing to him. The Mirador home was surrounded by vast landscaped property that included a sunken lawn and a walk bordered by serpentine walls. The property also included a corner house, a stable, farm buildings, a manager’s home, a tenant house, two lakes and the Sam Black Tavern. This tavern was a log building built in 1769 and had the distinction of having visitors the likes of Thomas Jefferson who would stop for meals and to feed his horse, and Lewis and Clark. The Mirador home was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, was frequently toured by students from the University of Virginia, and was featured in motion pictures including Racing Stripes (2005) and Evan Almighty (2007). While living at Mirador, Gray furnished the home with his collection of early American art and antiques, as well as antiques from London and Asian art. Gray and Hope maintained an active farm including a dog kennel, horses, and a charitable rescue operation which they founded and ran called Hope for Animals.

Gray’s love of animals could not be underestimated. He shared this love with Hope and there wasn’t anything that he would not do for their well-being. Expecting only the best care possible, he would think nothing of taking the long drive to Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine if one of his animals needed medical attention. He was dearly loved by Esmerelda, a calico kitty he rescued from a gas station during a cold winter while she was pregnant. One of Esmerelda’s kittens was Scarlett, who Gray often referred to affectionately as “Essie” after his dear Esmerelda passed away.  

Gray was also an amazingly talented musician, proficient at playing the piano, harpsichord and organ. He was especially attracted to playing show tunes and was involved in auditioning Barbara Swift for the role of the Mother Superior in The Sound of Music. He taught piano lessons during his years in New Jersey and there are many home videos of him playing beautiful music.

Despite all his pursuits, there was nothing more important to Gray than his family. He loved to recall precious childhood memories of growing up in West Paterson climbing in the sandpits and learning to swim at John Bold’s Pond with his brother Allan and his sister Sally Ann. His interest in dogs was shared with Sally Ann and he always took a keen interest in his nieces and nephews. When they were considering colleges to attend, Gray would take it upon himself to do some research and lovingly guide them in such an important decision.    

Gray was the beloved husband of Hope, blessed in marriage for twenty-nine years. He was the loving brother of Allan and wife Marlene Burghardt of Woodland Park, and sister of Sally Ann and husband Bruce Duncan of Virginia; adored uncle of: his goddaughter Diane and husband Robert Marconi, Allan G. and wife Cindi Burghardt, Mark and wife Ruth Burghardt, Joseph Lochli and Paul Lochli; and dear great-uncle of numerous great-nieces and great-nephews.

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MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTION INFORMATION

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Paul’s name are asked to consider a memorial contribution to one of the following three organizations:

Staunton Augusta Rescue Squad

1601 North Coalter Street

Staunton, VA 24401

Albemarle County Rescue Squad

828 McIntire Road

Charlottesville, VA 22902

Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine

Development Office

205 Duck Pond Drive

Blacksburg, VA 24060

Fortunata Santangelo, age 75, of Riverdale, passed away at home surrounded by family on Saturday, August 31, 2019.

Born in Sicily, Italy, Fortunata was one of seven children. When she was young, her mother and three of her six siblings left to start a new life in the United States.  As you can image this must have been a very difficult decision for Fortunata’s mother. Circumstances restricted her mother from bringing four of her children along. This meant that at the age of seven, Fortunata had to leave school and become the main caregiver of her three year old sister and fourteen month old brother. After a period of about five years, Fortunata’s mother received permission to have her remaining four children sent to her in the United States. Fortunata’s mother sent tickets for the steamship SS Olympia.  However, once aboard the Olympia, the kids were told they could not travel to America, since they were all under the age of eighteen.  However, they were fortunate, and a complete stranger stepped forward and took full responsibility for the kids, during their passage.  The family has a great photo of the reunited family at Ellis Island, from an article published in the paper.

The children settled into their new home in Hackensack, New Jersey where Fortunata enrolled in school for a few years to help her learn the English language. She dropped out of school to work with her mother at Goldberg Slipper Factory to help the family.  Fortunata also attended beauty school and after graduating, worked as a beautician for a short time.  Fortunata married at the age of seventeen and was blessed with four children and eight grandchildren. When her children were older, she obtained her General Education Diploma (GED) and found work with the Valley National Bank in Wayne.  She worked there for several years before retiring in 1999.

Fortunata will be lovingly remembered as a great Italian cook who always went overboard with her holiday cooking.  The special ingredient of love she cooked into her lasagna and ricotta pie will be greatly missed.  She enjoyed summer vacations at the Wildwood Crest section of the Jersey Shore and enjoyed family poker and Monopoly. Fortunata was a caring, strong willed, honorable woman. Most of all, her family meant everything to her.  She had a great and loving relationship with all of her children, grandchildren, siblings, and friends. She also enjoyed the many friends she made traveling with the senior citizen group she belonged to. Fortunata was also a dedicated Catholic and parishioner of Saint Mary’s Church in Pompton Lakes.

Fortunata was the loving mother of the late Ralph Santangelo (d.1997), Gina Perrine and her husband Robert of Mahwah, Anthony Santangelo of Cedar Knolls, and Vera Santangelo of Boonton; she was the cherished grandmother of Daniel, James, Emily, Anthony, Marc, Evan, Giancarlo, and Emma; loved sister of Annette Vogt of Wanaque and her late husband William Vogt (d.2017), Arthur Isgro and his wife Cherie of Ringwood, Luciano Isgro and his wife Santina of Little Ferry, Tindero Isgro and his wife Carrie of Florida, the late Salvatore Isgro (d.2014) and his wife Stella, and the late Joseph Isgro (d.2004) and his wife Patricia.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Violet Stamboulian, 91 of Pompton Lakes, died peacefully on Friday, August 30, 2019.

Violet was raised in Aleppo, Syria and at the age of nineteen she was married to John Stamboulian.  John was living in America at the time and he received a letter from his family in Syria stating that there was a girl in Aleppo that he should marry.  They didn’t know each other, but John went to Syria to meet Violet and they enjoyed a six week courtship (with a chaperone, of course), and were married soon thereafter.  The newlyweds came to America and settled on Paxton Street in Paterson, later moving to Montclair Avenue.

Violet was a skilled seamstress and began working in the textile mills of Passaic and Paterson.  Extremely talented, she fashioned high-caliber women’s dresses which included her skilled handwork.  Retiring from the mills in 1992, she was among the hardest working women you may have ever met, and she continued doing seamstress work for her family until she was seventy-two years old.

Violet was the foundation of her family; the “rock” that held everyone together.  Her selfless devotion to family was evident to all who knew her and there wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do for them.  She was also an incredible cook who loved to feed her friends and family, cooking all sorts of traditional Armenian dishes.  Her lamb was perfect and her baking skills were second to none.  She was an incredible homemaker in every sense of the word.  Her home was spotlessly clean and her door was always open to guests.

Violet is survived by her daughter; Linda and Joseph Berecz of Pompton Lakes, her grandchildren; Keith Berecz and his wife Allyson of S. Orange, NJ and Dawn Turrin and her husband Reed of Bloomingdale, three great-grandchildren; Blake, Lily, and Faye, brother; Chris Stamboulian.  Violet was predeceased by her beloved husband John in 1981, by her daughter Dorothy Ann Stamboulian in 2012, her brother George Stamboulian, and a sister; Ohsanna Karanfilian.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to St. Leon Armenian Church would be appreciated.

John E. Sprofera Sr, age 74 of Whiting, passed quietly on Friday, August 30th in Oakland with his son by his side.  He was a resident of Whiting for the past 20 years, formerly of South Hackensack. John was predeceased by his wife Charlotte (nee Aversa) of 43 years, his parents Joseph and Lucy and his three siblings, Joanne, Victor and Theresa.  He is survived by his sister in law Margaret Montana of Beverly Hills, FL., his son John Edward Jr., daughter in law Kirsten, and his most cherished granddaughter Lucy.

He was born in Teaneck, NJ and resided in South Hackensack, NJ most of his life. John was a graduate from Bergen County Technical Vocational School and was very proud of his trade as a baker.  He went on to follow in his father's footsteps in pursuing a career in law enforcement. John served his community honorably as a police officer for the Hackensack Police Department as a motorcycle cop, Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the South Hackensack Police Department.  He then joined the Aversa family-owned business Ava-Gae Sales. Most recently he had worked as a court officer for the United States Marshal Service.

John and Charlotte resided in Crestwood Village 1 during their retirement where he served as a village trustee.  He was an active member of the village and enjoyed playing Bocce, bike rides and walks with his beloved wife. John is remembered as a prankster who truly loved to laugh.  He was a true friend and always loyal to those around him. Although John held many titles throughout his life, the one he was most proud of was “Pop-Pop.” John loved his granddaughter Lucy immensely as they shared a bond like no other.  

Memorial donations can be made to the American Cancer Society, NJ Chapter, 986 S Springfield Avenue, Springfield, NJ 07081, or visit www.cancer.org.

Jean F. Kruyd (nee Vande Griek), age 90, of Lincoln  Park passed away peacefully on Friday August 30, 2019 while receiving the loving care of her family.

Jean was born and raised in Passaic, NJ and was one of three children to Adrian and Trina Vande Griek.  After attending Passaic High School, Jean found work  at Federal Telephone in Passaic where she worked for several years.  On April 8, 1950 Jean married her childhood sweetheart, William Kruyd, Jr., who was also the local paperboy for her parents.  Jean and her husband stayed in Passaic for a few years welcoming their first son William in 1953.  In 1954 the family had a new home built and moved to Pequannock.  Then in 1956 the couple welcomed their second son Brian.  Immediately after getting married, Jean devoted herself to being a full time homemaker.  It was clear that Jean’s calling in life was to become a mother and this is where she flourished.  She was dedicated to being a mother and a wife, having dinner on the table at five o’clock every night and Sunday dinners at two o’clock sharp.  For many years Jean cherished hosting family dinners and holidays all year round at her home.

In 1968, Jean and her husband separated and later divorced. Jean went back to the workforce and found employment at General Hose Products in Fairfield. There, Jean worked as a clerk, handling and processing all documentation for the Production Control Department.  Jean worked there for twenty five years until her retirement in 1994.  During her time there she truly enjoyed her work and the people she worked with.

Jean enjoyed reading and walking and treasured spending time with her friends and family.  For many years, Jean and her dear friend and companion Jack McKowen would spend much of their free time driving for hours in search of the country-style furniture and knickknacks she loved and new and interesting restaurants in which to dine. In 2005, Jack retired to Florida while Jean stayed in New Jersey and moved to Lincoln Park.  Jean’s true passion in life was her family, and nothing in the world meant more to Jean than spending time with and providing for her family. She was a truly special person who touched the lives of many people and will be sincerely missed by everyone that knew her.

Jean is survived by her two sons, William Kruyd and his wife Lori of Rockaway, and Brian Kruyd of Parsippany, three nieces; Joyce Kish of Oak Ridge, Karen Sommers of Bartonsville, PA, and Joan Ferrell of Daytona Beach, FL.  Jean was predeceased by her sister Cornelia Johnson in 2009 and her brother Oliver Vande Griek in 1983.

Robert (Bob) Donohue, age 84 of Wayne, passed away on Thursday, August 29, 2019.  He was a resident of Wayne since 1964.

Bob was well-known throughout northern New Jersey where he plied his craft as a carpenter and general contractor for over fifty years. He was meticulous and worked at his own pace.

Bob was born in Paterson on May 20, 1935 to Cyril and Ellen (Earley) Donohue.  When Bob was a young boy the family moved from Paterson to Fair Lawn.  He attended Fair Lawn public schools and graduated from Fair Lawn high school in 1953.  During high school, he played football and enjoyed roller skating, becoming “the King” of the Paramus Roller Rink.  Growing up, Bob developed his lifelong passion for the outdoors, becoming an avid fisherman and trapper. Later in life, Bob became an avid hunter, enjoying bird hunting the most with his many friends and his beloved Brittany Spaniels, Corky and Rusty.  He was a member of the Rock Tavern Rod and Gun Club.

After high school, Bob joined the U.S. Army and served much of his two-year tour in Germany. After being honorably discharged in 1957, he returned home and began working as a carpenter. Initially Bob worked with his childhood friend, John Sabol, then later with his

brother-in-law, Tom Kelley. He eventually moved out to work on his own as R.C. Donohue.  

It was also after his return home from the service, that he met and began dating his future wife, Barbara Kielty.  After a couple of years of dating, Bob and Barbara married on October 3, 1959 and then honeymooned in Bermuda.

They settled in East Paterson (Elmwood Park) for a few years before moving to the Lion’s Head Lake section of Wayne in 1964.  Their family quickly grew to include five children. Their home was always warm and welcoming, hosting holiday celebrations and visiting frequently with family for Sunday dinners. When the children were a little older, one of the family past times was to go on “Sunday drives”. This is when the whole family was treated to destinations unknown.  His children eventually came to realize that those Sunday drives always ended up at a desirable fishing spot, and Bob always had his fishing rod with him.  He would send them off to play in the woods while he spent some relaxing time fishing.  Annual summer vacations to Lavallette were always fun for the family. He also enjoyed gardening, hiking, and taking long drives through the countryside using the “back roads”.

For those who knew him well, he was a gentle giant and kind-hearted, humble, man who took pleasure in his family and the simple things life offered. He was rarely critical and never had an unkind word to say about others.

Heartache did visit Bob in 2005 when he lost his wife Barbara after forty-six years of marriage, and then again in 2010 when he lost his daughter Denise.  He did, however, find joy in his beloved friendship with Carmen Walsh of Fair Lawn for the past eleven years. This included new experiences for both of them.  She brought Bob to Broadway shows and museums, and he introduced her to his love of the outdoors.  They both treasured their companionship and loved each other dearly.

Bob is survived by four children, Karen Pabst and her husband Neal of Wayne, Robert and his wife Patricia of Pine Brook, Brian of Bayonne, and Allison Donohue-Bokor of Wayne, six grandchildren:  Kayla Bokor, Brittany Bokor, Anna Bokor, Chloe Houston, Joseph Donohue, and Laurel Donohue, and his beloved friend Carmen Walsh. He is also survived by his sister-in-law and brother-in-law Kathleen and William Petteruti, sister in-law Barbara Kielty, and many nieces and nephews.  He was predeceased by his parents Cyril and Ellen, granddaughter Molly Johanna Donohue, his sister Joan Kelley and brother-in-law Thomas Kelley, niece Patty Kelley, brother-in-law Eugene Kielty, and niece Amy Kielty.

Assunta “Susan” Kelly, age 79 of Wayne passed Wednesday, August 28, 2019.

Susan was born in Jersey City to Raymond and Concetta “Connie” D’Amato. She was raised in Jersey City and attended Saint Dominic Academy in Jersey City with the Class of 1958.

Just out of high school Susan’s first job was as a bookkeeper with the Siperstein Paint Company in Jersey City. It is here that she met her future husband Eugene Kelly. They fell in love and married on July 9, 1960. In 1964, the Kelly’s moved to Wayne and Susan dedicated herself to raising her two sons. For over thirty years she worked as a tax preparer for friends and family and bookkeeper for several local small business. In 1983 she took on work as an office manager and bookkeeper for the Advanced Water Conditioning Company which was then in Wayne and where she worked for the next thirty years.

Susan was a collector and Precious Moments, Lladro, and Annalee were some of her favorites. She had a huge heart for those less fortunate and was probably the most generous person you would ever meet. She was a great Italian cook and renowned with family and friends for her awesome stuffed mushrooms. As the years went by her favorite recipe was ordering out. When she attended her daughter-in-law to be’s wedding shower all were to bring a favorite recipe to place into a binder. Susan’s recipe card had several local eateries phone numbers on it.

Susan was dedicated to her Catholic faith. She was a long time parishioner of Our Lady of Consolation Church in Wayne and always had her husband and children in tow.  At one particular Mass the priest, Fr. Wolsin, admonished his parishioners for sitting in the back pews and leaving the front pews empty. Well after that the front pew always had the Kelly’s in it. The only problem was that Susan had punctuality issues and was always coming up the aisle, with her family in tow, after the Mass had already begun.  

The Kelly family has many fond memories of vacations at their trailer in the Pocono’s, Disney World and pop-up trailer camping across the country. The camping vacations were very similar to the National Lampoon movie Vacation as they stopped at every conceivable roadside attraction. A stop at the world’s largest ball of twine and the location of Custer’s Last Stand where they stood in a field and were advised to tap their feet to keep the snakes away. Late at night the owner of a campground in Devils Tower Wyoming knocked on the pop-up door and asked Susan to either stop giggling or leave. Well this started her giggling even more. They did encounter a tornado once and Susan told the kids “well I guess were going to see Dorothy”. The tornado was so close it tore the mirror off their car. These two week summer adventures, guided by AAA Triptik Planners, usually had destinations in mind but rarely made it to them. Susan’s door was always open. Throughout the years her home was the hub of all family parties and celebrations.

Susan was the loving wife of the late Eugene Kelly (d. 2002); loving mother of Eugene “Gene Ray” Kelly of Wayne and Joseph Kelly and his wife Sharon of Pompton Lakes; cherished grandmother of Ryan and Evan Kelly; dear sister of John D’Amato of Fairfax, CA. She was the much loved aunt to many nieces and nephews, and dearly loved by her many cousins.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to Eva’s Village 393 Main Street, Paterson, NJ 07501 would be greatly appreciated.

Hon. Thomas R. Rumana, age 95 of Wayne, died suddenly on Saturday, August 24, 2019.

Tom grew up in Paterson and remained fond of the City his whole life.  A product of the Paterson Public Schools, Tom attended School 9, which he and his buddies called “Saint Nines,” since many of his friends went to Catholic schools.  He graduated from Central High School with the class of 1942 and was an outstanding basketball player.  He began taking college classes at William Paterson, but was soon called to join the U.S. Army in March of 1943.

During his service, Tom was assigned to Patton’s 3rd Army.  He landed on the beaches of Normandy, France just a few days after D-day and was engaged in battles and campaigns from Northern France to the Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe.  He recalled seeing the sky filled with airplanes too numerous to count, as far as he could see.  After his discharge in 1945, he returned home and took advantage of the GI Bill for college.  He graduated from Rutgers before earning his J.D. from Dickinson College in Pennsylvania.  He was very proud to have graduated second in his class…among just two graduates!  He was admitted to the Bar in 1950 and started his own law practice at 136 Washington Street in Paterson while also working on the assembly line at Curtis Wright to pay the bills.  He became Deputy Treasurer of the City of Paterson in 1953 and served there for several years.  He eventually moved to Wayne in 1964 and became involved in local politics.  He was soon elected to the Town Council in Wayne and became Council President right off the bat!  He served as President for all three years on the Council.  In 1972, he was sworn in as a Superior Court Judge and served on the bench in his beloved Paterson for more than eighteen years.  He retired from the bench in 1991.  In 2016, Tom was very proud to don his judge’s robe one more time for the historic ‘swearing in’ ceremony of his son; Hon. Scott T. Rumana.  It was the first time in Passaic County history that a Superior Court Judge was able to swear-in his own son, also as a Superior Court Judge.

Tom was an athlete from his early school days, playing basketball and football.  He became an avid golfer, tennis player, bowler, and he even taught himself how to ski as an adult.  He and his wife Marilyn enjoyed many weekends in Stowe Vermont skiing with friends, and they also went out to Colorado a few times.  Tom became a member of the National Ski Patrol and was trained to assist injured skiers off the mountain.  He remained active throughout his life and knew how to have a good time.  His family, of course, is what made him happiest, and his grandson, Tommy, was his pride and joy.  Little Tommy “lit him up” whenever they were together.  Each day brought him more smiles and they were wonderful for each other.

Tom met his wife, Marilyn O’Neil, while on vacation at Avon by the Sea, on the Jersey Shore.  It was July 3, 1953, to be exact.  The two of them were drawn away from the beach by a truck crash that created a large explosion and fire.  A crowd ran from the beach to see what had happened and Tom saw Marilyn in the crowd.  He followed her afterward and introduced himself.  They began dating and a few years later, Tom drove her to Avon by the Sea to reminisce.  He brought her to the spot where they had first met and proposed to her right there at that very location.  They married on May 28, 1960 and honeymooned on the island of Bermuda.  They have enjoyed fifty-nine fun years together, and Marilyn will miss him dearly.

Tom is survived by his beloved wife of fifty-nine years; Marilyn (nee O’Neil) of Wayne, his son; Hon. Scott T. Rumana and his wife Laura of Wayne, and one grandson; Tommy.

Donations in Tom’s memory would be appreciated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial Processing, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959, www.stjude.org.

Nicholas C. Montano, age 75, of Caldwell, passed Friday, August 23, 2019 surrounded by his loving Family.

He was born in Montclair and raised at 188 North 17th Street in Bloomfield.  Nick attended Bloomfield High for one year and then graduated from Essex Catholic High School in Newark where he graduated with the Class of 1961.  After high school he attended Saint Peters College and Farleigh Dickenson University.

In his youth Nick had a paper route and later worked for Larry’s Delicatessen in Bloomfield.  He also worked for the Cascade Pool Company in Highland Park. Nick found a long career with the Standard Tallow Company, first in Newark and later in Kearney.  He started as a truck driver and worked his way to Supervisor over his forty-two year career before retiring in 2006.

Nick met the love of his life Linda Buszko while working for the Cascade Pool Company.  Nick and Linda were introduced by friends and their attraction was immediate.  After a first date at the Jersey Shore swimming in Seaside Heights they fell in love.  First asking Linda’s father and getting his approval, Nick proposed marriage to Linda just after she graduated from high school.  They married on November 5, 1966 at Saint Francis Cabrini Church in Piscataway and had their reception at the Piscataway Fire House. They honeymooned in New York City staying at the Americana Hotel and seeing Barefoot in the Park on Broadway and Wayne Newton perform as well. They have had a loving, caring marriage of fifty-three years that you could characterize as “a marriage made in heaven".

Nick always had an appreciation for the beauty of cars. For many years he enjoyed drag racing with his Mustang Cobra at places like Raceway Park in Englishtown. He also loved his Rottweiler Titan who he raised and showed. Nick was very proud of the fact that Titan came in second place at the Westminster Dog Show in New York.  Many will remember Nick as a good man with a great deal of integrity. He was a trusted source of well-grounded advice to family and friends - a true moral compass for those nearest to him.  He loved watching his grandchildren’s sporting events and would make a point to attend as many as possible to show his loving and committed support. He also loved to sing, was a lover of music, and enjoyed watching old movies.

Nick was the loving husband of Linda Montano; devoted father of the late Nicole P. Montano (d.2005), Gloria Costigan and her husband Wayne of Caldwell, Michelle McGowan and her husband Christopher of Caldwell, and Albert N. Montano and his wife Karyn of Cedar Knolls; he was the cherished grandfather of Brittany, Anthony, Riley, Katie, Reece, Cole, Nicole, Matthew, Emma, and Jack; beloved brother of Marlene Zazzali and her husband George of Belleville, John Montano and his wife Lynne Ann of Oak Ridge, Alberta DiFabio and her husband Tony of Sewell, and Donna Marie Montano of Belleville; and loving uncle to many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Nick’s name are asked to consider St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial Processing 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105-9959 or online at StJude.org.

Anthony J. LaSala, Sr., age 82, and a more than fifty-year resident of Wayne, passed peacefully at his home, surrounded by his loving family, on Friday, August 23, 2019.

Tony was born in Paterson, New Jersey in 1936 to Frank and Anna LaSala. He was raised in Paterson on E.18th Street and later moved to E.24th Street. As a young boy, he learned a strong work ethic from his grandfather who ran a lemon ice stand in the Riverside section of Paterson. His parents and extended family all worked in the dye houses and as seamstresses in the Paterson textile industry.

He graduated Eastside High School in Paterson where he played baseball and handball. Tony spent one semester at the University of Notre Dame before his appointment to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Tony graduated the Naval Academy in 1959 and served honorably in the United States Navy as a guided missile officer for the cruiser, U.S.S. Boston, and the aircraft carrier, U.S.S. Kitty Hawk, later serving in the Bureau of Naval Personnel.

After trying out for Navy’s baseball team, Navy’s long time squash coach, CDR Potter was standing by the exit of the ballpark and said to Tony, “Son why don’t you come out for the squash team as you have the moves that should help.”  Tony went on to become a three time letter winner on the Navy Squash Team, winning the National Championship in 1957 and 1959. Tony was the captain of the 1959 undefeated National Championship team. He resigned from active duty in 1963 with the rank of Lieutenant.

After his naval service, Tony graduated New York University Law School in 1965, practicing law for over 50 years. After law school he worked for the Honorable Burrell I. Humphries in Paterson and not long after he decided to hang his own shingle in Wayne and never looked back. He would originally take in any kind of legal work that walked through his door and was quickly known as a true problem solver.

He became involved in real estate and owned, managed and developed numerous commercial shopping centers, office buildings, residential homes and subdivisions. Anthony was always passionate about his roots in Paterson, and helped found and served as the President, Chairman and General Counsel of Paterson Habitat for Humanity, Inc.

Throughout his over fifty year career in law and real estate he lived by words of the poem “Invictus” and the credo expressed in the “Message to Garcia” essay written by Elbert Hubbard in 1899 which extolls the value of individual initiative and conscientiousness relating to one’s work.  Message to Garcia was required reading for all midshipmen at the Naval Academy.

Tony was an athlete at heart and after his collegiate career played racquetball before getting a group of racquetball players to start a squash league at the YM-YWHA in Wayne where he played for many years.  On two different occasions, both when he was over forty years old, he was sent to the Olympic Training Center in Boulder, Colorado because he was simply unbeatable in squash. Tony always believed that his squash expertise was rooted in his love of mathematics as he could see and work the angles as if there were dotted lines around the squash court. Tony also loved to ski, play tennis and was an avid golfer and member of the North Jersey Country Club in Wayne. Tony developed his love of golf when he and his brother Frank got jobs in their teens caddying at the Ridgewood Country Club in New Jersey.

Those who knew him would say he was a perfectionist, intense, witty, and impatient with extremely high moral and ethical standards. He had a strong work ethic and expected everyone to work just as hard as he did. Tony was an accomplished pianist and always challenged his mind with crossword puzzles and solving mathematical problems as a form of relaxation. His work ethic is something he tirelessly tried to impart on those around him.  

Tony was the loving husband of 32 years to Marion LaSala; loving father of the late Anthony LaSala, Jr. (d.2016) and his wife Jill,  Frank LaSala of Franklin Lakes, and Maria Profita and her husband Mario of Mountainside; step-father of Lorna Franck of Wayne, Gary Macleod and his wife Jennifer of Bradenton, FL, and David Macleod of Gilford, CT; he was the cherished grandfather of Alexandra, Shayna, Sophia, and Aranka LaSala, Vincent Profita, Bryce Franck, Ian, Lucas and Sophie Macleod; loved brother of Jeanne M. Farkas and her husband William of Wayne, and the late Frank A. LaSala (d.1987) and his wife Shiela.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Anthony’s name are asked to consider Paterson Habitat for Humanity, 146 North 1st Street, Paterson, NJ 07522.

It is with great sadness that the family of Erica Jean (Nick) Mandeville, age 38, of Wayne, announces her unexpected passing this past Tuesday, August 20, 2019.

Born in Ridgewood, NJ and raised in Wayne, Erica was the seventh of Ken (Mike) and Edna Nick’s nine children – seven daughters and then two sons. She was a graduate of Wayne Valley High School, Class of 1999.

Erica was a beautiful person, so full of love and life. Everything she did, she did with such passion. The greatest loves in her life were her two daughters, Kathleen and Allyson, and her very large, yet extremely close family.

Erica was an eclectic mix of character traits. She represented a mix of both of her parents. Like her mom, Erica was a completely devoted mother to her children. She also loved crafts, decorating, dancing and, most importantly, singing. Singing was Erica’s greatest joy. She had the most beautiful voice and never missed an opportunity to sing – whether at Karaoke, at an event, or just in the car with her girls. Her favorite songs to sing were those from Pat Benatar, Heart, Stevie Nicks and nearly anything 80’s.

Erica was also very much her father’s daughter. Like him, she loved everything “cars” – from attending Lead East, other car shows, tractor pulls and even watching her father participate in demolition derbies. Despite being a beautiful girlie-girl at times, she was a bit of a cow girl by nature. She also shared her father’s love of fishing and country music.

Growing up with seven siblings, Erica was never alone. There was always something going on, always so much fun to be had. Those close ties extend far beyond her immediate family and included close relationships with her many aunts and uncles as well as her sixty-plus first cousins. She was a dear and very special part of each of their lives.

Without question, Erica’s greatest source of love and devotion were her girls. She was an outstanding mom for her two daughters including petite, quiet, dainty and demure Kathleen, and tell-it-like-it-is, “I’m pretty sure I know what I want” Allyson who also inherited her mom’s desire to sing. She loved being from a huge family. Many great memories were made visiting her father’s family in Pennsylvania and she always looked forward to “Cousins Weekend” which, with twenty to thirty cousins getting together every year, was no small event. Then there was the annual “Girls Night Out” fundraiser put on by the Fryburg, PA Volunteer Fire Department. It seemed that Erica was always the winner of all the raffled prizes. Additionally, there were always many family events – birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, BBQ’s, graduations, confirmations, and just getting together because.

Erica was a giving person whose warm generous heart was always ready to give of her time, treasures and talents to help out a friend or stranger in need. She touched the lives of many in positive ways and will be missed dearly by all who were blessed to have known her.

Erica was the loving daughter of Kenneth L. Nick, Sr. and Edna Nick of Wayne; precious mother of Kathleen Nelson and Allyson Nick Nelson; and much-loved sister of: Margaret Nick Henry of Wayne, Brenda and husband Luis Amaya of Tabernacle, NJ, Tammy and husband Mark Miller of Wayne, Paula Van Der Wende of Wayne, Karey and husband Anthony Sorrentino of Totowa, Krissy Montana of Wayne, the late Kenneth Nick, Jr. (1985), and Michael and wife Jessica Nick of Pompton Lakes. She is also survived by many dear uncles and aunts, cousins, second cousins, and nieces and nephews. She was also predeceased by her paternal grandparents: Clarence J. Nick and Margaret J. Nick; and her maternal grandparents: Warren Congleton, Sr. and Edna Mae Congleton.

Pauline R. Verduin, age 90, of Wayne, passed away peacefully on Monday, August 19, 2019.

Born in Coplay, PA to Austrian immigrants Frank and Johanna (Fandl) Furst, Pauline was their third of four children. Soon after she was born, Pauline’s father took a job in Garfield, NJ and that is where she spent her formative years and where she attended Garfield High School.

Pauline met the love of her life, Edward Verduin while working together at Smallman’s Wallet Factory – a manufacturing company in South Paterson. Their first date together took place on Ed’s birthday and they went to a live radio broadcast in New York City. That first date went great and so did subsequent ones. Their love for each other grew, eventually leading to marriage on Saturday, November 4, 1950 at St. Stephen’s Roman Catholic Church in Passaic – the church Pauline grew up attending. After a reception at Golumb’s Hall in Passaic, Pauline and Ed took a road trip to Niagara Falls, NY for their honeymoon. Their first home together was in the oldest house in Garfield. Pauline’s father had purchased it and divided it into four flats – one for each of his children. Soon after, the blessing of a baby girl arrived and, when baby Patricia turned two, this family of three moved to the Richfield Village apartments on Allwood Road in Clifton. They moved again – to Ed’s parent’s two-family home in Paterson before moving one more time in 1965 to a home in the Packanack Lake section of Wayne which they purchased for a mere $23,000. Pauline would call this house her home for the rest of her life.

As a young mother, when Patty started attending elementary school in Paterson, Pauline secured a job at the local dry cleaner. It worked out real well because the dry cleaner was located right between their house and Patty’s school. When the family moved to Wayne in 1965, Pauline took a job as an office clerk for Western Publishing Company right in town. She worked there for several years until Patty graduated from college. Pauline was just 43 years old at that time and all of her family teased her about how young she was for retiring.

A homebody at heart, Pauline loved all things domestic. Her truest passion was making her house a loving, warm and welcoming place for family and friends to gather. Much of the skills Pauline possessed were passed down from her Austrian mother to her and her sisters. From cutting the grass and cultivating beautiful flower gardens to securing the extension ladder while Ed painted the outside of their house, it seemed that Pauline was always striving for the distinction of having the house with the most enviable curb appeal on the block. Indoors, her house was equally lovely. The patterns on the wallpaper, which she hung by herself, always matched perfectly, and the curtains she sewed were the perfect complement to that wallpaper. Pauline was also an excellent cook and baker whose mother taught her the old Austrian recipes. Her fried chicken, roast beef, popovers, and Austrian cookies were family favorites. She loved hosting and entertaining for all the holidays, summer barbeques and birthday celebrations and when her family came, they were always encouraged to bring a big appetite because Pauline had a tendency to prepare food in abundance. Pauline would always be busy the night before her guests would arrive cleaning her already clean house and, one of the greatest compliments you could pay her was to tell her that her floors were so clean you could eat off of them.

In the early days of their marriage, every summer when the plant where her husband Ed worked would shut down, he and Pauline and Patty would seize that time off to tour different parts of the U.S. including Cape Cod, Florida, New Orleans and as far away as Texas. In those days, there was no air conditioning in the car but no one seemed to mind. Retirement brought opportunities for Ed and Pauline to enjoy a more relaxed pace of life. They made it a tradition to go out for lunch once a week and they also enjoyed simply getting in the car to go for a ride. Conversely, retirement brought numerous physical and medical challenges for Ed and, through them all, Pauline was right by his side, lovingly staying with him in the hospital for up to eight hours a day and taking him to all his appointments with doctors. Even the visiting nurses that would come to care for Ed would admit that Pauline did a better job than they did. Devout in her Christian faith, she and her family were parishioners of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Wayne, since they moved to Wayne from Paterson in 1965.

Pauline was a quiet and humble servant. She had nothing but the most sincere and genuine love and devotion for her family and friends and she demonstrated this through her many true acts of hospitality and kindness. She will surely be missed but, her family is thankful that she is finally at peace and they look forward to the day when they will see her again.

Pauline was the beloved wife of Edward Verduin, blessed in marriage for 68 years until Ed’s passing this past March, 2019. She was the loving mother of Patricia Verduin of Wayne, dear sister of Mary LaMantia of Galloway, and dear aunt of several nieces and nephews. She was also predeceased by her brother Frank Fust, Jr. and her sister Johanna Stamler.

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MEMORIAL DONATION INFORMATION

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Pauline’s name are asked to consider a charity of their own choice.

Georgette Deraney, age 84, of Wayne, passed away peacefully on Thursday, August 8, 2019. She was in the loving presence of her dear family at the time of her passing into God’s loving arms.

Georgette, or simply “Gette” as she was affectionately called, was born in Gloversville, NY – known for its world famous glove making, including those long elegant gloves worn by Hollywood stars from a bygone era. She spent the formative years of her life in Gloversville, graduating from her hometown Gloversville High School before attending and graduating from Cortland State University in Cortland, New York on June 9, 1956 with her Bachelor’s degree in Education. Seven days later, on June 16, 1956, Gette married the love of her life, Henry “Hank” Deraney at St. Mary’s Church then headed off together to Washington DC for their honeymoon. Their first encounter in life – a walk with their moms, took place when Gette was just a few months old and Hank was eleven. Both of Lebanese descent, their parents had been good friends before coming to America. When Hank’s father passed away at an early age, his mother returned to Lebanon with her family. Hank spent the rest of his childhood there eventually joining the U.S. Air Force as a young man. He and Georgette’s family always stayed in touch and, after World War II, Hank requested to be discharged to New York City. Upon his return to civilian life, the first thing he did was return to Gloversville, NY. Georgette and Hank dated for only three months before he proposed marriage. Surprisingly, Gette said she needed to think about it for a few days. She ultimately accepted his proposal and they enjoyed a loving and devoted marriage of 45 years before Hank’s passing in 2002.

Following their summer wedding, Georgette and Hank moved to Fair Lawn, NJ where Gette began teaching first and second grade in the Fair Lawn Public Schools that following September. Though she was enjoying her new career, her teaching career ended almost as fast as it started with the arrival of their firstborn, Hank, Jr. in May, 1957. Eleven months later, Hank, Jr. got a little brother named Robert and, twelve months after that, the family welcomed baby Michele – three children in just 33 months! Needless to say, Georgette’s primary role became the care and nurture of her three children, a duty which she shared with Hank’s mother who came to live with them.

Georgette made that house in Fair Lawn, a loving home for her husband and children until 1968 when they moved to Wayne. It was well known that friends and family were always welcome and many of them coming and going from Lebanon were fortunate recipients of Gette’s warmth and welcoming hospitality. She used to joke that there surely was a sign down at the shipping pier that said “All are welcome to stay at the Deraney house.” Gette’s outstanding cooking alone was a good reason for visitors to want to stay a few days. She made the best Tabbouleh and Kibbi as well as other fantastic Lebanese recipes. Gette was such a great cook that many members of the family happily took cooking lessons from her.

In between all the activity in their busy home, Georgette and Hank managed to start their own water testing and treatment business together in 1959. They called it Deran Water Conditioning and Hank soon brought his younger brother Edward Deraney into the business with them. Together they built the business from the ground up, eventually having over seventy employees. Hank took care of all the sales, installation and service while Gette made sure that all the financial and administrative aspects of the business were in good order. In between, they managed to get away every summer with their children for some fun times at Lake George in New York State. After retiring, Georgette and Hank also enjoyed some travel to Europe.

To Georgette, nothing in life was more important to her than her family and her faith. If you wanted to know anything about her or Hank’s family’s ancestry, Gette was the family historian with all the answers. She could tell you anything about any family member going back to both her and Hank’s great-grandparents on both sides. She simply adored her grandchildren and great-grandchildren knitting her family together like the blankets she made for each of them and the scarves that she would make for anyone. Her heart was truly broken at the loss of her son Robert in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and naturally, she did her best to fill the role of a caring mother again at age 71 to her grandchildren Zade and Zana when their mother and her daughter Michelle passed away in 2006. Through all the good times and challenging times, it was Georgette’s deep faith in God that sustained her, helped her make sense of this world, and inspired her.    

Georgette was the beloved wife of Hank, Sr., blessed in marriage for 45 years until his passing in 2002. She was the loving and devoted mother of the late Michele Deraney Haobsh (2006), the late Robert J. Deraney (9/11/2001), and Hank Deraney, Jr. and wife Debbie of Pompton Lakes; cherished grandmother of Hank Deraney, III and wife Angie, James Deraney and wife Kelly, Daniel Deraney and Michelle Leto, Zade Haobsh, and Zana Haobsh; adoring great-grandmother of Bennett, Hank, IV, Nora and Jack; dear sister of George Farhart and wife Pamela of Gloversville, NY and Margo Potter and husband Jim of Oneonta, NY; dear sister-in-law of the late Edward Deraney and his wife Pam Deraney; dear aunt of: Colleen and husband Scott Andrew, Cathy and husband Jake Deleski, Christopher and wife Jessica Farhart, Dr. Rashid and wife Dr. Rola Baddoura, Dr. Walid Baddoura, Randa and husband Dr. Jack Tohme, Renee and husband Randy Severs, Robert and wife Janice Haddad, Rose and husband Rod Kulp, the late Rod Haddad, Danielle and husband Tony Palumbo, Rod and wife May Deraney, and Edward Deraney; and numerous cousins.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Georgette’s name are asked to consider St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial Processing, 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105-9959 or online at stjude.org.

http://stjude.org

Norma L. Casazza, née Salerno, age 92 of Wayne, died on Friday, August 16, 2019.  She lived in North Haledon for more than 40 years where she raised her family.

Norma grew up on a tobacco farm in East Hartford, CT.  In her early 20’s, she moved to Wayne, NJ to live with her aunt, where she learned to be a hairdresser and began a long career. Later in life she took great pride in working as caregiver until well into her 80’s. Norma was an Anglophile: she visited England many times and was a fan of Shakespeare.  Norma was an incredible cook, had a huge cookbook collection and mastered many different styles of cuisine, including Italian, Indian, and Chinese, just to name a few.  She enjoyed having family dinners and entertaining in her home.  No one left her house hungry.  Norma had a lifelong interest in politics and was also appreciative of opera, art, and theater.

Norma is survived by her four children: Lawrence Casazza of Hamburg, NJ, Bruce Casazza and his fiancé, Deborah Petrone, of Avenel, NJ, Denise Barrand and her husband, David, of Wayne, NJ, Steven Casazza and his wife, Jerri, of Washington, DC; six grandchildren: Steven Casazza and his wife, Alissa Wylie, of Washington, DC, Jennifer Casazza and her fiancé, Aaron Carter, of Cranford, NJ, Maxwell Casazza of Washington, DC, Christopher Casazza and his wife, Nicole, of Woodland Park, NJ, Alexander Casazza of Hamburg, NJ, and Drayton Barrand of Wayne, NJ; and one great-grandchild: Mia Casazza of Woodland Park, NJ. She was predeceased by her brother and her sister.

Donations in lieu of flowers may be sent to Doctor’s Without Borders: www.doctorswithoutborders.org

Edwin D. Banta, 88 of Kinnelon, died peacefully on Wednesday, August 14, 2019.  He had been a resident of Kinnelon for the past forty years.

Ed was born in Elizabeth, NJ but spent much of his youth in Ohio before moving to California as a teenager.  He started college in California, but soon dropped out when his mother was diagnosed with ALS.  He moved back to Pennsylvania to care for her and he started working in the Bedford, PA area.  He was a very bright young man and when he was about thirty-five years old, his colleagues compelled him to go back to college.  Ed was married already, and raising a family.  The idea of going back to college was daunting, but he applied to the University of Pennsylvania and was soon accepted!  Given his prior work experience, Ed was given the opportunity to sit for all the required undergraduate exams without taking a single class, and he passed with flying colors!  This allowed him to enter directly into the Master’s Degree program without first earning his Bachelor’s Degree!  He went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering and was then further encouraged to go for his PhD.  At the age of forty-four he succeeded and was honored as the first UPenn PhD recipient who did not have a Bachelor’s degree!  He was extremely proud of his academic success and applied his knowledge passionately throughout his career.  Many of Ed’s colleagues admired him as a brilliant man and they were all honored to work with him.  He spent his entire career in the aerospace industry with Singer-Kearfott and later retired from BAE Systems.

Ed was passionate about music and this went well beyond just listening.  He wrote music, composed two musicals for his church (which he also produced and directed), and he sang in various church choirs over the years.  He simply loved music and was very talented.  He also loved his family and enjoyed having the whole gang around.  He was a terrible babysitter though; giving the children (and grandchildren) whatever they wanted, or allowing them to eat or do anything.  Frankly, there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for his family and he was kind and generous to a fault.  His heart was always in the right place.  He loved ice cream and hot dogs more than anything, and in all his eighty-eight years he never ate a vegetable.

Ed met his wife Alma on a blind date.  She was teaching at the time, and chaperoning a prom.  Ed joined her for the evening and they hit it off.  So much so that they were engaged within eight weeks and married within six months of meeting!  Alma likes to say that after their first blind date, she never got her eyesight back and has enjoyed sixty-five years of a “wonderful” marriage ever since.  In many ways they were polar opposites, but worked well together and have loved each other very much.  She will miss him dearly.

Ed is survived by his beloved wife Alma (nee Bloemker) of Kinnelon, seven children; Mary Elizabeth Mondelli and her husband Frank of Newport, RI, Mary Alma Simakowicz and her husband Gene of Ocean Grove, NJ, Mary Theresa Banta of Des Moines, IA, Mary Anne Nelson and her husband Mike of Montville, NJ, Mary Clare Clark and her husband Ray of Wayne, and Stephen Joseph Banta and his wife Paras of Herndon, VA, ten grandchildren; Jeri,Autumn,Josh, Ben, Madeline, Ray, Ryan, Rachel, Cyrus, Dariya, and one great-grandchild Jack, a sister; Mary Whittemore and her husband Ron of California, and a brother; Andy Banta and his wife Linda of California, as well as many nieces and nephews.  Ed was predeceased by his son Edwin earlier this year, and by his infant daughter Mary Madeline in 1955.

In lieu of flowers, a contribution in Ed’s memory may be made to the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research (www.lustgarten.org).

Vincent “Vince” Henry Rimbach, age 86 of Boonton, passed peacefully on Monday, August 12, 2019.

He was born in Orange, New Jersey and raised at 68 Roosevelt Avenue in West Orange by Vincent and Anna Rimbach.  Vince graduated from the West Orange High School with the Class of 1951. After high school he worked in the construction trade and soon was called to serve in the United States Army.  On April 17, 1953 he was inducted into the service and served during the Korean War.  Vince was honorably discharged on March 31, 1953 as a Corporal.  For his service he was awarded the Korean Service Medal, the National Service Medal, and the United Nations Service Medal.

After his military service Vince met a cute girl named Ann Gossweiler who lived in the neighborhood.  He was told through Vincent's sister Fern that Ann was available and he called her a few days later.  After a first date to the movies and falling in love they decided to get married.  When Vince was over at Ann’s house helping to shovel snow out of the driveway he worked up the nerve to go inside and speak to Ann’s father.  Ann’s father had a bit of a sense of humor and when Vince told him he wanted to marry his daughter he said: “I’m not losing a daughter…I’m gaining a shovel.”  They married at the Pleasantdale Presbyterian Church in West Orange on November 15, 1958.  They honeymooned at Niagara Falls, New York and Ann remembers there were very few people there in November.   Ann and Vince had over sixty years of a loving, caring marriage that was blessed with three children and rooted in a strong commitment to God.

For many years Vince has been a member of the Trinity Baptist Church of Montville.  He worked in the building trades his entire life.  He had a strong work ethic and worked for other contractors, struck out on his own a couple of times and even worked for Western Exterminating and the Becton Dickenson Company’s warehouse at night while working as a carpenter by day. Although he thought he was too young to retire at 71 years old he did so in 2004.  In his retirement he devoted himself to helping at the church.

Vince was the loving husband of Ann Rimbach; devoted father of Laura Martin and her husband Arthur of Stroudsburg, PA, Vincent Rimbach and his wife Sylvie of Ottawa, Canada, and Carl Rimbach of Montville; he was the cherished grandfather of Jason and Tara Martin and Daniel and Sarah Rimbach; and he is the cherished adopted grandfather to Julie Morrison (nee Carlson), Sheryl Larrazbal (nee Carlson), and Andrew Carlson;  he was the dearly loved great-grandfather of Hailey and Jason Martin; he was the loved brother of Fern MacGrath of Kinnelon and Charles Rimbach of Rome, New York.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to the Trinity Baptist Church of Montville, 160 Changebridge Road, Montville, NJ 07045 would be greatly appreciated.

Patricia Ann Gamez (nee Forte), age 47, of Wayne passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on Monday, August 12, 2019.

Patty is survived by her husband Byron Gamez, a daughter Sophia, her parents Patrick and Joanne Forte, two sisters; Andrea Facciolo and her husband Rocco of Wayne, and Lisa Forte and her fiancé Christopher Voight of Clifton, her nephews and niece Rocco Jr, Anthony and Gianna Facciolo, her in-laws, Byron Gamez, Sr. and Marie Elby Gamez, her brother in law, Walter Jesse Gamez and sister in law Andrea Gamez.   She is also survived by many loving aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

Patty, born in Jersey City and raised in Sayreville, was the oldest of three daughters to Patrick and Joanne Forte.  She graduated from Sayreville High School in 1989.  Patty then attended Community College.  Patty worked in retail management for a number of years before switching to the field of Human Resources.  For the past several years, she worked for the company Co-Advantage, Inc. in Wayne as a Benefits Analyst.  Patty felt the people at her job were like family, and enjoyed it very much.

It was clear that Patty was meant to be a dedicated mother and wife.  She did everything for her family.  Patty was always there for Sophia; whether it was volunteering as a class mom, participating in the PTO or supporting Sophia in her various activities.  

Patty enjoyed spending time with friends and family.  She vacationed yearly with her family. The beach was one of her favorite places to be.  Patty would light up a room when she walked into it.  She was the type of person who was fun to be around and who you couldn’t help but like.  She put everyone above herself and was a truly devoted person, especially with her family. Patty loved shopping and planning for events and parties for anyone she could.  She valued traditions such as holiday baking with the family. Aside from all of Patty’s talents and interests, her greatest passion was providing for and spending time with her family.  She was a very warm and special person who touched the lives of many people and will be sincerely missed by everyone that knew her.

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In lieu of flowers, those wishing to make an expression of sympathy may wish to consider making a donation to the “Sophia Gamez Trust” organized by her family. Donations can be sent to her aunt, Andrea Facciolo, at 33 Hamilton Avenue, Wayne, NJ 07470.

Harold W. "Hal" Anton, Jr., of Wayne, N.J., retired Wayne Hills High School guidance counselor and tennis coach, died on August 12.  He was 86.

Harold was born in Teaneck, N.J. and raised in Ridgefield.  He graduated from St. Cecilia High School in Englewood in 1950 and St. Peter’s College in Jersey City in 1954.  He later obtained a master’s degree from Seton Hall University.  He began his teaching career as a business education teacher at Our Lady of the Valley High School in Orange.   He was a guidance counselor at Lakeland Regional High School in Wanaque from 1962-68 and at Wayne Hills High School in Wayne from 1970-95.  He also was the boys’ tennis coach at Wayne Hills for fifteen years.  He retired in 1995.

Harold was a 1st Lt. U.S. Army veteran. He was accepted into the flight training program at the Gary Air Base in San Marcos, Texas, where he would eventually fly solo.  He did not finish the flight training program, but completed his service at Ft. Stewart in Georgia.

On July 4, 1958, he met the love of his life, Dorothy King, at Manasquan Beach.  They were married one year later and moved to Packanack Lake in 1962 where they raised their three sons and became life-long members of the community.  Harold coached football, basketball, and baseball teams for the Packanack Lake youth programs for many years.  He was a member of the Packanack Lake Tennis Club for more than 50 years and also participated in the Boy Scouts of America as a Life Scout and Treasurer of Troop 102 in Wayne.  He was a parishioner of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Wayne.  He enjoyed reading history books, playing tennis, and travelling with his wife.

Harold is survived by Dorothy Anton, his wife of 60 years, his three sons, Hal Anton of Wayne; Gregory Anton of  Provincetown, Massachusetts; and John Anton of Red Bank, N.J.; his brother, Bob Anton, of North Carolina; his sister, Jane McDevitt of Michigan; and many nieces and nephews.  He was predeceased by his brothers Arthur Anton and Jan Anton.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made in his name to Smile Train https://my.smiletrain.org/donation/donate/givenow or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Memorial Processing, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959, https://www.stjude.org/donate/donate-to-st-jude.html?sc_icid=header-btn-donate-now.

Helen Nelan, of Wayne and formerly of Farmingdale and Glen Cove, NY, passed away peacefully on Sunday, August 11, 2019 with loving and supportive family by her bedside. She made it to 99 years, 9 months and 2 days. The 100th birthday party was not meant to be on this earth but will surely be celebrated in heaven.

Helen was born Alba Marie Colasanti in November of 1919 to Italian immigrant parents Donato “Dan” and Carmela Colasanti who came to America thru Ellis Island. Woodrow Wilson was the president and World War I had ended just a year earlier. Helen was the sixth of seven children and the first daughter living with her five older brothers and one younger sister at 9 Club Road in Glen Cove, NY. Her Italian family decided to be more ‘American’ so they began calling her Helen. She was baptized, received her first communion, was confirmed, and married at St. Patrick’s R.C. Church in Glen Cove and for many years, she walked the 1.3 miles from her home to that church to attend Mass.

Helen met the love of her life, Jim Nelan, at the Hempstead Roller Rink. They dated and quickly fell in love, but marriage had to wait when Jim was sent overseas to serve our country during World War II. They corresponded daily with each other and, as soon as Jim returned stateside, he proposed marriage. They married at St. Patrick’s Church in Glen Cove on Saturday, November 3, 1946, raised their daughter and two sons in a home full of love at 53 West Zoranne Drive in Farmingdale, NY. During those years together as a young family, they attended St. James R.C. Church in Seaford, NY. When all was said and done, they lived in that home in Farmingdale for over 50 years and Helen and Jim enjoyed 60 memorable years of life together until Jim’s passing in 2007. They were a very sentimental couple who saved everything and their children still have all their letters.

While raising her family, Helen blessed her young children with her utmost care and support and of course – her excellent cooking. When Jack, her youngest, was old enough, she returned to the workplace where, utilizing her strong typing and stenographer skills, Helen enjoyed a strong career as head secretary for the Eastplain Elementary School while earning the love and respect of both the children she served as well as her colleagues. In retirement, Helen was afforded more time and the opportunity to engage in her artistic endeavors and she and Jim enjoyed several wonderful cruises and trips to Europe, Greece, Hawaii and the Caribbean. They were great dancers and very active in the Long Island square dancing community. When taking care of the home in Farmingdale became too much to handle, Helen and Jim sold it and moved to a senior apartment at Sienna Village in Wayne, NJ so that they could be closer to their daughter Judy. After Jim’s passing, Helen stayed in the apartment for a few years before moving in with Judy and son-in-law Gary in Wayne. Eventually, her care needs became more significant necessitating a move to the Wayne View Acute Care Facility in Wayne.

Helen loved watching and hearing about all of the things her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and relatives were involved with. Telling a joke or using technology were not her strong points, but she was constantly amazed at the wonders of the world and the technologies that evolved over the course of her lifetime.

Some of us are destined to leave this world suddenly or too soon.  Helen was given a long and full life that tested the temporal and physical limits of the human body. For several years she would say, “I’m an old woman, why am I still here?” Her family would respond with cliché’s that sounded hollower as the quality of her life faded. Helen’s best and strongest quality was her ability to love. It was the kind of love that was genuine and endured to the end. The last words that Helen was able to speak to those around her were “Thank you’ and “I love you”. She was such a wonderful wife, mother, Grammy, aunt, and friend! She will be missed dearly, but her peaceful passing was a blessing. Her legacy is the love she instilled in those who were fortunate to know her.  

Helen was the beloved wife of James, blessed in marriage for 60 years until his passing in 2007. She was the loving mother of Judith and husband Gary Van Schaften of Hilton Head, SC, James, Jr. and wife Janet Nelan of Vero Beach, FL, and Jack and wife Celina Nelan of East Haddam, CT; seven adored grandsons: Erik and wife Abby Van Schaften, Chip Van Schaften, Ryan and wife Krissy Van Schaften, Jamie and wife Tina Nelan, Sean and wife Alyssa Van Schaften, Cory Nelan, and Thomas and wife Erin Nelan; and six cherished great-grandchildren: Josie Van Schaften, Riley Van Schaften, Chris Van Schaften, Audrey Nelan, Luka Van Schaften, and Blake Van Schaften. Helen was predeceased by her five brothers and one sister: John, Louis, Dominick, Anthony, and Michael Colasanti and Rose Kearns.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Helen’s name are asked to consider St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial Processing, 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105-9959 or online at stjude.org.

Maureen Hannigan (nee Naughton), age 73, of Wayne, passed away peacefully, in the comfort of her own home with her family by her side on Saturday, August 10, 2019.

Maureen, or “Mo” and “Mosey” as she was affectionately known, was born in New York City. With her loving father Bernard Naughton departing this life when Maureen was just a child of six years, she was lovingly raised at the family’s home located at 521 W. 186th Street by her devoted mother Helen who received lots of wonderful supportive help from Maureen’s two older brothers, Patrick and William.

Maureen received her education from St. Elizabeth’s Elementary School and Cathedral High School, both in the city. Her years in private school were instrumental in inspiring a personal relationship with God and a strong faith that would come to help her make sense of this world and sustain her throughout the varying seasons of life. Soon after graduation, Maureen started her family with one sweet baby girl after another- Colleen, Mary, Terry, and Kelly.

In 1970, she said goodbye to life in New York City, moving across the river into an apartment in Elmwood Park, NJ. She began working various jobs, doing her level best to care and provide for her girls, just like her own mother had done for her. Maureen began working at Hoffmann La-Roche Pharmaceutical Corporation in Nutley as part of the cleaning department. Ultimately, Maureen’s big break came when she landed a job in the security division at that same company. A career in security quickly proved to be her true calling and, over the next thirty-plus years until retirement in 2014, she protected Hoffmann La-Roche with dedication and professionalism, always demonstrating a natural instinct for the duties she was called upon to carry out. Becoming the company’s first ever woman to reach the rank of lieutenant, Maureen received many awards and citations and enjoyed the love and respect of countless company colleagues.

When Maureen wasn’t working, she found great joy in traveling with best friends Marion, Peggy, Kathy and Janice. She especially loved taking cruises but also taking trips all over the U.S. and abroad to places like Ireland where she’d visit relatives.

When with her family, Mo was truly her happiest. “Girls Weekends” with her daughters and weekly gatherings at Grasshopper Too in Wayne made for lots of good times and special memories. During football season, if a game was televised, Mosey was probably tuned in. She especially loved the 49ers during the Joe Montana era, and later loved catching games with “Tom Terrific” and the Patriots. She was always up for getting in on any football pools either at work or with her family.

Maureen’s daughters couldn’t have made her happier than providing the blessing of a big bunch of grandchildren – ten in all! Each one was the apple of her eye and she had a basket full! From sporting competitions and school performances to graduations, “Gram” was always there to cheer them on. She loved playing poker with her grandsons and, no pun intended, you could always bet that there was money at stake.

Christmas was definitely Maureen’s favorite holiday season and everyone always knew that the Christmas Eve gathering was going to be at her house. It was a huge celebration for family and extended family and every year. Maureen had the most stunning Christmas tree adorned exclusively with red and white. She was so serious about her Christmas tree that no one else was allowed to touch it. It seemed like she just couldn’t get enough of decorating so, when her own house was finished, Maureen would head over to decorate her daughter’s Terry and Kelly’s hair salon. Despite having to work almost every holiday, she always managed to show up for celebrations, even if for just a little while. Christmas will never be the same without Maureen.

She will be so missed for her daily phone calls – just to say hi, for her strongly held and expressed feelings about politics and religion, her love of Jeopardy and for her mere presence in the lives of all who were blessed to know her.

Maureen leaves behind her older brother: Rev. Msgr. William Naughton, Associate Director of Pastoral Care at Straight and Narrow and retired Air Force Reserve Chaplain. She also leaves behind a lasting legacy of four loving daughters: Mary Del Balso and husband Michael of Wayne, Kelly Andreas of Wayne, Terry Tighe and husband Rob of Wayne, and Colleen Hannigan and husband Billy Loschiavo of Maywood; ten adored and cherished grandchildren: Billy, Nico, Devyn, Tyler, Ryan, Connor, Kyle, Jake, Robbie, and Shannon; She was predeceased by her other brother Patrick “Pat” in 1988 and her devoted mother Helen that same year.

Maureen’s family’s wish is that in lieu of flowers, please consider donating to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial Processing, 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105-9959 or online at stjude.org as this was Maureen’s favorite charity.

Joseph C. Crowley, Jr., age 83, of Wayne passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, August 8, 2019 while receiving the loving care of his family.

Joseph was born in Quincy, MA.  He and his family lived in a number of places including Weymouth and Scituate, MA, Bridgewater and Summit, NJ before moving to Wayne many years ago.  Joe graduated from North Quincy High School before attending Thayer Academy and then Tufts University where he received his BA in 1959.  During his school years, Joe was a star athlete in baseball, football, basketball and track.  Following college, Joe accepted a position at John Hancock, then later became Executive Vice President and CEO of Rolodex Corporation for many years.

Joe was ordained a Permanent Deacon in the Catholic Diocese of Paterson in 1999, and was a beloved deacon who served at the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Wayne, NJ. He also worked extensively with the developmentally disabled at Catholic Charities where he was honored as the volunteer of the year in 2004. He served as Hospice Chaplain, and volunteered for Habitat for Humanity and the American Red Cross. Joe was also a volunteer coach at Thayer Academy, Braintree, MA where the highlight of his experience was the legendary 1964 football team's season in which they were undefeated, un-tied and un-scored upon. He continued his athletic pursuits throughout his life and became an exceptional runner at the age of forty completing so many marathons that he lost count including the NYC Marathon for many years and the Boston Marathon.

Joe was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.  He cherished sixty-two years of loving and loyal marriage to his wife Joan.  He touched the lives of countless people and will be sincerely missed by everyone who knew him.

Joe is survived by his wife, Dr. Joan C. Crowley, and five children, Joe Crowley III and his wife Clernise, Kathleen Mitchell, Marianne Crowley and her partner Tom Shannon, Deirdre Crowley and her husband Jim Yanker, Tim Crowley and his wife Carolyn. He is also survived by eight grandchildren: Melissa Beveridge (Marshall), Kelly Gingell, Jessica Willis, James Willis, Timothy Crowley, Michael Crowley, Lindsey Mitchell, and Rebecca Mitchell and one great-grandson Tyler Beveridge. Joe is also survived by his brother James “Duke” Crowley and sister-in-law Betty.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Joseph's name to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, Donation Processing, P.O. Box 5014

Hagerstown, MD 21741-5014 https://www.michaeljfox.org or Greyhound Friends of NJ,  GFNJ PO Box 4416 Cherry Hill, NJ  08034-0669, https://www.greyhoundfriendsnj.org/

Dan McDermott, age 57, of Wayne, passed peacefully at home receiving the loving care of his family on Thursday, August 8, 2019.

Dan was born in Paterson to Daniel and Marilyn McDermott. He was raised in Wayne and graduated from Wayne Valley High School with the Class of 1979. He continued his education at Ryder University where he was a member of the Theta Chi Fraternity and received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business with the Class of 1983.

In his younger years, Dan was a caddy at the Preakness Hills Country Club and after graduating college he took a job with AJ Jersey Corporation in South Plainfield. Dan worked in sales for AJ Jersey for the past thirty-five years.

Dan, also known as“Mc D” will be fondly remembered by all his friends and family. He was the ultimate sportsman who loved boating, hunting and fishing. Dan enjoyed many weekends with friends on the Hudson on his boat named “Need a Lift”. Dan loved to go on tropical vacations with his loved ones.

Dan loved having dogs his entire life and will be missed dearly by his

“best-friend”Riley, his baby Daisy and Mr. B.  

He was the loving husband of Cindy McDermott; devoted father of Daniel J. McDermott, III and Bianca McDermott of Wayne; he was the loved brother of Sheri Flandreau and her husband Matt of Sturbridge, MA; dearly loved uncle of Matti and Liza Flandreau; and the dear nephew of Joe McDermott of Toms River.

Judith Ann Corvino was born on June 12, 1941 to the parents of Arthur and Marion Wood in Marblehead, MA.  She was very active in her youth; sailing, swimming, cheerleading and many other activities.  She was very close with her twin sister, Sandy and older sister, Barbara.  Judy graduated from Marblehead High School in 1959 and attended Westbrook Junior College, graduating with an Associate Degree in Applied Science.

On September 12, 1964, Judy was married to Anthony J. Corvino of Danbury, CT, which would be the start of a long and fruitful marriage filled with love and laughter.  The couple eventually settled down in the town of Wayne, NJ, and a small lake community called Packanack.  Judy and Tony had 2 children, Craig J. Corvino and Brian H. Corvino, who were blessed with two loving parents and a special mother who was the backbone of the family.

Activity continued to follow Judy throughout her adulthood.  She was an avid tennis player, golfer, and skier.  A member of the Pack-A-News, Garden Club and Tennis Club.  Judy’s faith played a major role in her life and was an active member of the Packanack Community Church.  She was also President of the Tennis Club, Trustee at the Packanack Community Church and Treasury for the Pack-A-News.

Judy was loved by a community of friends and neighbors.  They would tell you she was a humble person, always thinking of other’s first and lived life with a passion to be of service.

Judy passed away comfortably on August 6, 2019, with her dog Bessie by her side.

She is predeceased by her husband, Tony Corvino, sister, Barbara Wade, and son, Craig Corvino. She is survived by her son, Brian Corvino, Daughter-in-law, Natalie Corvino and twin sister, Sandy Avery.

In lieu of flowers, the Corvino family is asking that donations be made to the ALS Association.(by clicking on the blue text you will be directed to the donation page)

Joyce A. Wilson, age 90 of Wayne, passed away on Friday, August 2, 2019.

Joyce was born on Long Island in Port Washington, NY, and lived in New York City before moving to Wayne. She worked for many years in the publishing industry, most recently with John Wiley and Sons in Hoboken.

Joyce’s greatest passion was for loving, breeding, and showing her Irish Terriers. As a young girl, the family pet was a Samoyed that belonged to her brother. After the Samoyed passed away at the old age of seventeen, the house felt especially empty, so Joyce bought a Cocker Spaniel from Gimbel’s Pet Shop in New York City. Having no other way to get him home, she transported him on the Long Island Railroad. When she was in her twenties, Joyce got her first Irish Terrier. She named her Dundalk’s Scarlet O’Hara and called her Sally. For many years she showed her dogs and owned too many champion Irish Terriers to remember. But she loved them all, whether they won a championship or not. When asked who she would choose if she could have any Irish Terrier in the history of the breed, Joyce replied, “Sally”, because she was such a clown and she just loved her to death. The same year she got Sally – 1957, Joyce joined the Irish Terrier Club of New York (ITCNY) and was one of its eight original members. For many years, Joyce’s love and knowledge of the Irish Terriers was one of her greatest gifts to countless persons.

Joyce is survived by her great niece Heather Hena, her great nephew Sean Loughrey, and many dear friends.    

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Joyce’s name are asked to consider Morris Animal Foundation, 720 S. Colorado Blvd., Ste 174A, Denver, CO 80246, or Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Ave., New York, NY 10065.

Fay Piombo (nee Nardino), age 88 of Wayne, died on Friday, August 2, 2019.  She had lived in Wayne for more than sixty years.

Fay was raised in Garfield, NJ and after graduating high school, she went to secretarial school.  She was employed by Becton Dickinson of Rutherford for many years before becoming a full-time mother to her five children.  She essentially traded in her typewriter for a wooden spoon, which proved to be very effective at keeping those kids in line.  Her children fondly recall their mother being an excellent cook who spoiled them with baked goods on a regular basis.  Her biscotti and Christmas cookies were legendary.  Her meatballs every Thursday were equally remarkable.  She enjoyed summer vacations to the Jersey Shore with her family, wading in the surf and basking in the sun.  Throughout the years, she’s amassed a collection of sea glass from the Jersey Shore that she was rather proud of.  Being at the beach with her children, and later her grandchildren, made for some of her most fond memories.  Fay and her husband, Mickey, were both big hockey fans, and they loved the NJ DEVILS!  They went to games as often as possible and especially enjoyed taking their grandkids with them.

Fay met her husband, Mickey, through mutual friends.  Truth be told; Fay couldn’t stand him when they first met.  But Mickey was smitten and he soon won her heart.  They married on June 1, 1952 at Our Lady of Mount Virgin RC Church in Garfield and honeymooned in Miami Beach.  They drove there in Mickey’s brand new Ford and stayed at the Sorrento Hotel.  Sixty years of a very loving and devoted marriage ensued thereafter, until Mickey passed away in 2012.  They both enjoyed a very deep faith in God as well, and were parishioners at Our Lady of the Valley RC Church in Wayne since before the church was built.

Fay is survived by her five children; Judy Bailey and her husband Christopher of Wayne, Lois McPeek and her husband Kenneth of Cedar Knolls, Donna Franzini and her husband Anthony of Cedar Knolls, Albert Piombo and his wife Suzanne of Wayne, and Patrice Dydo and her husband John of St. Cloud, Florida; cherished grandmother to Thomas and Amanda Bailey, Kennie McPeek and his wife Amanda, Kevin McPeek and his wife Amy, Melissa Piombo, Albert Piombo and his wife Jenna, and Gianna and Francesca Dydo; six great-grandchildren; Chase, Mackenzie, Cameron, Mason, Emily, and Kayla.  She was predeceased by her husband Mickey in 2012, by her sister Gilda Graziano in 2016, and by her sister Mimi Corsetto in 2019.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to the Preakness Fire Company #4, 1739 Ratzer Road, Wayne, NJ 07470 or the Wayne First Aid Squad, PO Box 2004, Wayne, NJ 07474 would be appreciated.

Spyros Lenas, age 89, a Wayne resident for over fifty years, passed Wednesday, July 31, 2019.

Born of Greek origin, Spyros came to the U.S. in 1953 and settled first in New York City, later living in Englewood, and Tenafly, before moving to Wayne.

His is a wonderful story of a life lived from oppression to enjoyment of the great freedoms offered in our American society.  He came to America because of the great pressure of the communist political system. His first months in this country were spent in a conservative life style that was humble in diet in order to save money to pursue his dreams. His first job was as a dishwasher, and weeks later his talents were realized and he was given a job as a theatre assistant manager.  He would work extra nights cleaning the theatre and on his days off and his two vacation weeks he had per year he would work in restaurants.

Spyros worked himself into the position of Assistant to the President of United Artists Theaters and early in 1965 went into the theatre business for himself.  At one point, Spyros was the largest independent theatre owner in the Metropolitan area.  While working for United Artists, he invested in real estate having bought his first piece of real estate after six months of being in this country.

In 1960, he saw an opportunity in the Wayne area and he started buying land.  He assembled most of the land where the Willowbrook Mall is today.  Later, he developed shopping centers, residential housing, and restaurants.

He came to this country, as he used to say, “with $1.50 in his pocket, and was grateful to be here.”  In the early years, he worked an average of 18 hours a day and slept in the back of the theatre, which was more recently called “The Palladium,” but then known as the “Academy of Music” in New York City. He would sleep in one of the dressing rooms for three years in order to save money, and most of the time he ate bread, feta cheese and olives for sustenance.  In those days he only ate meat once a week.

“There are no short cuts in life,” he used to say “only hard work will get you there.”  “It is the guy who wakes up early in the morning and goes to bed late at night that always gets to the top.”  He always liked and felt for the little guy and all of those who knew him and worked for him, loved him.  He always knew how to relate to this because he had been there himself.  Not one of his workers called him Mr. Lenas as all called him by his first name “Spyros” or “Uncle Spyros.” Until the end he always worked a seven day work week.

Spyros was a well-known self-employed real estate expert and restaurant owner for many years in the Wayne area.  When asked for his obituary what is the most important thing for him in his life’s experience he offered the following: the joy in his heart and dream in his mind in first giving all thanks to God for his successes and his family, he was honored and privileged to be in this wonderful country with the true freedoms that are here for us to enjoy, family is the most important element of life and that he not only loves his family but takes great joy in nurturing his family and relatives.  An example of his joyous successes was bringing his brother and his wife and two children to this country from Albania in 1990.  He not only brought them here but provided work for them and a college education for the children.  He went on to say that his successes in life are all the gift of God and with the help of wonderful and loyal people who participated with him during his life’s journey.  Above all that Spryos did in his life he was proud of his loving and caring family.

Spyros was the loving father of Constantine Lenas and his wife Erriette of Franklin Lakes, Spyros Lenas, Jr. and his wife Fountain of Wayne and Elizabeth Lenas and her boyfriend Alvaro Gama of Oakland; cherished grandfather of Alexandra Parker, Victoria Lenas, Alexis Donohue, Aristotle and wife, Julian Sclavounos, and Spyros Sclavounos; adored great-grandfather of Winter and Zephyr Parker; dearly loved brother of Pandeli Lenas and his wife Lydia of Wayne; much loved uncle of Dr. Suella Lenas and Erion Lenas.

Mary Belli, age 103, of Pompton Plains and formerly of Wayne, passed away peacefully on Monday, July 29, 2019.  She was the daughter of Judita and Bernardo Belli, of Clifton, NJ.

Mary was born and raised in Clifton where, after graduating from Clifton High School, she attended nursing school. She was a registered nurse with St. Mary’s Hospital in Hoboken where one of her more notable charges was caring for Frank Sinatra, Jr. at the time of his birth.

Mary met her husband-to-be, Justus Belli when they were in elementary school. After they married, they moved to Alexandria, Virginia, where Justus worked for the federal government in the General Accounting Office while Mary settled into her role as a homemaker. Eventually, they moved back to New Jersey and settled in Wayne, living there for many years.

Mary’s greatest joy was enjoying the company of family and friends.  Able to speak fluently in Italian, one of the highlights of her life was traveling to her parent’s hometown of San Vito di Cadore, Italy.  She also traveled extensively throughout Europe with her brother, John. She was a most beloved aunt to her niece and nephew, Anita and John.  Mary was like a second mother to them and when they were young, she would invite them to spend the summer with her in Alexandria, Virginia, always making sure those visits were very entertaining. She loved showing them all there was to see around Washington D.C.   Mary loved to cook and bake and those who knew her were happy recipients of her delicious Italian polenta and osso buco, and for dessert – the best chocolate cake and cheesecake in the world! After a long winter, Mary couldn’t wait to get outside to work in her gardens. As a result, Mary’s deck was resplendent with gorgeous red geraniums and fragrant basil.    

Embracing a strong faith in God, Mary was a longtime parishioner of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Wayne. Prior to moving to Wayne, she worshiped at Sacred Heart Church in Clifton. Mary was also devoted to the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in North Haledon, also known as the Salesian Sisters, and their work in educating youth of all ages, serving the poor, and assisting women at risk. Two of Mary’s cousins served there and Mary opened her heart to them by bringing gifts, making regular financial donations, and even donating her car to them when she stopped driving.

Mary possessed a genuine sweetness and a truly kind and complimentary and generous spirit. She was always willing to do anything she could possibly do for anyone. A great listener, she would talk with you for hours on the phone if you needed her help.

Mary was the beloved wife of the late Justus Belli; dear aunt of Anita and husband Michael Balabon of Marlton, John Belli of Cherry Hill and Sally Belli of Brick, two great nephews, Brian and Michael G. and one great niece, Jillian. She was also predeceased by her baby daughter, Judith Theresa Belli, and her brother, John Belli.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Mary’s name are asked to consider Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 580 Ratzer Road, Wayne, NJ 07470.

Mark Forsatz, age 73, of Wayne, passed Sunday, July 28, 2019.

He was born in Paterson and raised in Clifton at 305 Washington Avenue. He served in the Air National Guard of New Jersey with the 108th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and was Honorably discharged as a Sergeant on September 1, 1972.

Mark always had an innate knowledge of all things mechanical. As a young man he worked for his father at Johnnie’s Garage and Towing in Clifton having also worked at Sears Automotive Department in Wayne, Clifton Auto Parts, and then as a North Jersey Sales Associate for Uniroyal Tire, Progressive Hydraulics and the Kwikway Manufacturing Company’s  automotive reconditioning equipment division. Before semi-retiring he worked as an instructor for Lincoln Technical Institute in Mahwah for about fifteen years. Never one to sit still for too long Mark worked for the Breckenridge Condominium complex and later Brittany Chase Condominium and Townhome associations as a handyman.

Mark met his wife Mollie in 1969 while working at Sears in Wayne.  Mark’s ability to fix anything is what brought Mollie into his life.  Mollie’s car broke down and they met at the Auto Service Center.  A few weeks later, their paths crossed again when Mark bought an ugly statue as a Christmas gift for his mother from Mollie’s department in Sears. (Needless to say the statue was returned) They started dating and five years later he asked Mollie’s father, John for his blessing.  They were married on May 12, 1973, at St. John’s, Russian Orthodox Church in Singac, New Jersey.  They honeymooned in Ocho Rios, Jamaica.

Mark will be lovingly remembered as being outgoing and generous with his time and talents. He could fix just about anything and was always there to lend a hand to friends and family when you needed him.  He could talk to just about anyone and always enjoyed putting his Irish take on funny jokes and stories.  He was dedicated to raising his children and loved to take them camping, helping at soccer and scouting. Another of his joys was restoring cars and building street rods.  For many years he was a member of the Meadowlands Street Rod car club and enjoyed drag racing at Raceway Park in Englishtown.

Mark was also dedicated to his Catholic faith.  For many years he was a dedicated parishioner of Our Lady of the Valley Church in Wayne. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus Council 6354 of Our Lady of the Valley and Holy Cross Churches where he had previously served as Grand Knight.

Mark was the loving husband of Mary Helen “Mollie” Forsatz; devoted father of Brian Forsatz and his wife Meghan of West Caldwell, and Kathryn “Kate” Loayza and her husband Christopher of Brooklyn, NY; he was the cherished grandfather of Juliana Loayza; loved brother of John “Jack” Forsatz and his wife Eileen of Wayne, Richard “Rick” Forsatz and his wife Janet of Cedar Grove, and Karen Conte of Bel Air, Maryland.

Gilbert John Goudsward, age 79, of Harleysville, PA and formerly of Pequannock, NJ, passed away on Sunday, July 28, 2019.

Gil was born in Paterson, NJ where he spent his childhood, ultimately attending and graduating from Eastside High School with the Class of 1957. He then attended Rutgers University, obtaining his Bachelor’s degree in 1962 in Pharmacology.  He joined the pharmacy staff at Chilton Hospital in Pompton Plains and then later at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, where he worked for the remainder of his career.

Gil also joined the U.S. Army and later the Army Reserve, where he served his country for over twenty five years, retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

For many years, Gil was an active member of the Pompton Valley Presbyterian Church in Pompton Plains, NJ where he faithfully served as a deacon. He later was a member of the First Reformed Church in Pompton Plains.

Gil is survived by his three dear sons: Jeffrey and wife Mary Goudsward of Woxall PA, Kevin Goudsward of Harleysville, PA, and Todd and wife Jennifer Goudsward of Harleysville, PA; eight adored grandchildren: Kelsea, Hannah, Jacob, Katie, Samantha, Erin, Joshua, and Bernadette; and his sister-in-law Jane Goudsward of Vernon, NJ. He was predeceased by his brother Edward in 2017.

In lieu of flowers, we ask to make a donation to the Miles for Mantle campaign, which will go towards research into treating and curing Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma Cancer.
http://givingpages.upenn.edu/milesformantle

Sara Lynn Gordon, age 38, of Wayne passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on Tuesday, July 23, 2019.

Sara was raised in, and was a lifelong resident of, Wayne.  She was one of three children to Lori and George Gordon.  Growing up in Wayne, Sara played in various soccer clubs then attended Wayne Hills High School.  While in High School Sara excelled in Music playing the flute.  She was a select player in all the school’s ensembles including Marching Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band and she also performed with the school’s chorus.  Following her graduation with the class of 1999, Sara auditioned and was selected for an Honors Band which performed a twenty four day tour of Europe.  The ensemble played in several different countries including; Holland, Italy, Germany, France, and Austria.  Sara also played in a local Jazz ensemble that performed at William Paterson University and other venues in the area.  Sara was not only a talented musician but a talented artist as well.  She painted, sketched, and was an extremely competent photographer.  One of Sara’s sketches (a doodle Sara referred to it as) was sold to someone as a tattoo.

Subsequent to her Honors Band tour, Sara attended a semester at West Virginia University but then deciding it wasn’t for her.  She then focused on furthering her education at Morris County Community College where she earned her Associates Degree in Criminal Justice.  It took nearly six years to get her degree because of her health issues, however Sara’s will and determination were strong and she wouldn’t stop until she succeeded.  During the time she was going to Morris County College, Sara was offered a position as a spokesperson for various alcohol products including Jägermeister.  Sara’s sales territory stretched to the Jersey Shore points where she would host events and parties at local taverns and restaurants.  Sara had the perfect personality for this position, she was cordial, happy, congenial, and always seen with a smile.

On December 27, 2002, Sara was introduced to the love of her life when her son Timothy Waldron was born.  When Sara’s son was born, her purpose in life became apparently clear.  Sara was an extremely devoted mother, nurturing and caring for her son Timothy.  When Timothy was a young boy, Sara volunteered coaching Soccer, Basketball, and Baseball for the Boys and Girls Club of Wayne as well as the Wayne P.A.L.  Sara was always there for her son Tim.  Sara’s family remembers her never raising her voice to Tim as many parents do, but still being able to teach Tim everything.  Sara was always friendly, cordial, and bubbly.  As a young girl of  seven or so, Sara won the Miss congeniality award at a child’s beauty pageant.  Sara was a wonderful young lady who was taken too soon and whose greatest passion was for her son and her family.  She touched the lives of many people and will be sincerely missed by everyone that knew her.      

Sara is survived by her son Timothy Waldron of Wayne, her mother and father Lori and George Gordon of Wayne, one brother Daniel Gordon and his wife Sandra of Columbia, SC, one sister Lindsay Gordon and her fiancé Kevin Tilson of Springhill, FL, three nieces; Samantha, Julia, and Mileena, one nephew Demetrius, and her son’s father Adam Waldron.

Those planning to make donations in Sara's name are asked to consider Lupus Foundation of America, 2121 K Street, NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20037.  http://www.lupus.org

“Joe Sausage”

Joseph Cinque, “Joe Sausage,” age 80 of Hallandale Beach, Florida died at home on Monday, July 29, 2019.  The founder of Premio Foods, Hawthorne, NJ, he was raised in South Brooklyn, NY, started a family in Flatbush, Brooklyn, and lived in Selden, NY before moving to Wayne, NJ, for many years, and then retiring to Florida in 1986.

He learned how to work hard and hustle from his earliest years.  Joe went on to become a successful salesman for Eatwell Foods, an Italian sausage maker in Jamaica, Queens, where he developed a passion for selling.  He went on to buy Garden State Sausage in 1977 which eventually became Premio Foods.  He was generous to a fault and always willing to help out anyone in need, never forgetting his humble beginnings.

Joe’s true passion was his family, especially his twelve grandchildren.  He enjoyed spending time at the beach, walking on the boardwalk, or eating a bucket of fries from Kuppers.  Joe recently celebrated sixty years of marriage with the love of his life; Helene, and she will miss him dearly.

Joe is survived by his beloved wife, Helene (nee Israel) of Hallandale Beach, FL, two children; Elisa Moore (Dave) of Glen Rock, NJ, and Marc Cinque (Rosa) of N. Caldwell, NJ, his daughter in law; Denise Cinque of Wayne, NJ, twelve grandchildren; Monique, Joey, Anthony, Steven, Alec, Alana, Adam, DJ, Stevie, Max, Hailey, and Stella.  He was predeceased by his son, Steven Cinque in 2009.

In lieu of flowers, donations would be appreciated to the ALS Association of Greater New York Chapter, 42 Broadway, Suite 1724, New York, NY 10004, or visit www.als-ny.org.

Evalyn E. Pollara, age 91 of Wayne, passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 21, 2019.

Evalyn was born in Paterson. Soon after birth, her family moved to Clifton and there she lived during her formative years. After graduating from Clifton High School, Evalyn went to work as a teller for First National Bank in Clifton. Over the course of several years she worked also for other various banks. Working in the bank lead to a casual interest in collecting wheat side pennies and more importantly, silver coins which customers regularly brought into to convert to paper currency because it was just so much easier to handle. As the silver came in, Evalyn bought it all and she had quite a stash by the time she moved on from banking.

Soon Evalyn met, fell in love with, and married George A. Pollara. They married in August, 1948 and initially lived in Clifton while George, a full-time building contractor, worked during his off-time on the construction of a new home in Wayne for himself and Evalyn. The excitement of moving into that new house in 1953 was only eclipsed by the birth of a newborn son – John F. Pollara that same year. Evalyn had her work cut out for her making their new house into a loving home and caring for her newborn son. She stayed home to raise John, not returning to the workplace until he hit his teenage years. Her first job back was as a secretary and payroll clerk for Speed Unlimited – a custom built BMX bike shop in the Mountain View section of Wayne. Evalyn had a lot of fun working that job during the 1970’s and early 1980’s, but then the flood of 1984 forced the shop to close. She promptly secured another job utilizing those same skills with Dell Construction Company in Paterson and remained there for the next ten years until being more-or-less forced into retirement to care for her husband George who had recently sustained a stroke.

Even after putting in a full day of work, Evalyn was never one to sit still. She had a lot of interests and pursuits to keep her busy and many of them shared a common theme – enriching the lives of other. While she loved serving as chairman (that’s what they called it then) during the 1960’s and 1970’s for the Passaic County Chapter of the Republican Club, she was not happy at all with the state of present-day politics. Evalyn also loved making the stay of the patients at Wayne General Hospital a little more pleasant by volunteering in any capacity to attain that goal. Even when sitting home at night, her hands were often busy at work knitting or crocheting something warm, soft, and beautiful which she would invariably give away to someone to bless their heart. When her son John was a kid, Evalyn always found some time to get out into the back yard with him to toss the baseball or work on his hitting skills so he could help lead his little league team to victory. And there was always that puzzle on a board on the rolling table in the living room that Evalyn enjoyed the challenge of putting together. Having once owned property in New Hampshire with her husband George, the puzzles where typically nature scenes that reminded her of those days. When the last piece was put in place, it was proudly displayed for a while before being pushed under the couch because she just couldn’t bring herself to take apart that which had taken so many nights to assemble. But eventually, Evalyn would relent, break it down and put it back in the box, only because she needed the board to make the next puzzle.

Above all else, Evalyn derived the most joy in her life from the love, affection and company of her family. When blessed with her grandson John A. Pollara, she loved to spoil him, no doubt using some of the money she made with all that silver she collected in her banking days. She was always sneaking him little gifts when given the chance. Eventually that grandson grew up and gave Evalyn her great granddaughter Scarlett Jade which Evalyn always referred to as “My beautiful little girl!” Evalyn’s canine buddies Lilo and Oakley were always by her side. Recently, when Evalyn would recline on the couch with several pillows making her comfortable, Oakley would always be nearby, cradled around her shoulders like a mink scarf and giving her the protection that only a pit bull could.  

Evalyn was the beloved wife of George A. Pollara, blest in marriage for fifty-six years until his passing in 2004. She is survived by her loving son John F. Pollara and his wife Corry of Wayne; cherished grandson John A. Pollara and his wife Sabina of Wayne; adoring great-granddaughter Scarlett Jade Pollara; numerous nieces and nephews; and her dear pooches, Lilo and Oakley. She was predeceased by her dear brother Eric Neukirchner and her dear sister Eleanor Braunlich. Evalyn’s family is also exceedingly grateful to the dedicated and loving caregivers at Preakness Healthcare Center in Wayne for attending so well to all of her needs and requests while under their care.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Evalyn’s name are asked to consider the Wayne Animal Shelter 201 Pompton Plains Crossroads, Wayne, NJ 07470.

Carmine N. Balzano, age 55, of Fairfield passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on Friday, July 19, 2019.

Carmine was born in Jersey City and was raised in Caldwell, NJ.  He was an only child to Carmine and Andrea Balzano.  Growing up in Caldwell, Carmine attended high school there and excelled in football.  After graduating with the class of 1981, Carmine attended Lincoln Technical School where he learned the trade of Auto Mechanic.  After receiving his certification in auto mechanics, Carmine worked for multiple auto shops in the area before securing a position as a mechanic with Fleet Management in Essex County.  Carmine remained at this position for eighteen years before his retirement several years ago.

In 1986, Carmine met an attractive young woman by the name of Stacey Ives.  They met through mutual friends, and really hit it off.  Carmine and Stacey dated for twelve years and on October 11, 1998 they were married at the Bethwood in Totowa.  After getting married, Carmine and Stacey settled in Fairfield and remained there for the next twenty plus years together.

Carmine enjoyed listening to music, southern rock in particular and some of his favorite groups were Lynyrd Skynyrd, and the Allman Brothers.  He was also a movie buff of all genres.  Carmine enjoyed swimming and cherished countless trips to lakes in the area including Lake Wallenpaupack and Morse Lake.  Carmine was also an animal lover and treasured his many canine companions over the years.  Carmine was gregarious and was always seen smiling, laughing and enjoying life to the fullest.  He was a very special person who will be missed by everyone that knew him.        

Carmine is survived by his wife Stacey (nee Ives) of Fairfield, and his mother Andrea Balzano of Lakewood, NJ.

Those wishing to make a donation in Carmine’s name are asked to consider Wayne Animal Shelter, 201 Pompton Plains Cross Rd, Wayne, NJ, https://www.waynetownship.com/shelter-donate.html or Pequannock Animal Shelter, 11 Washington St, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444, https://adoptapet.kindful.com/?campaign=298986

Mary O’Hara, age 82, formerly of the Bronx and Little Neck, New York, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July 17, 2019 at her residence in Wayne, New Jersey.

Mary was born in Pittstown, Pennsylvania.  She was raised in the Bronx, and was the younger of two children of Mildred and Thomas O’Hara.  After graduating high school with the class of 1953, Mary was a dedicated worker in the restaurant industry, including as a longtime server in a world famous diner/delicatessen on 44th Street in New York City.  She worked there for quite a time while she continued to live in the Bronx.  Mary then left restaurant business and entered into the field of nursing care for the elderly.  She spent the next twenty years in this industry until her retirement in 2009.

Mary spent her formative years in the Bronx, and then lived in Little Neck, New York until moving to Wayne in 2009.  In 1963, Mary gave birth to her only son Frank Bennet.  Mary was a wonderful mother and was remembered by her family as being tough but fair.  In her spare time, Mary enjoyed cooking, sewing and knitting.  She was a sweet and outgoing person with a good heart.  She was generous, caring and compassionate.  She welcomed friends and family into her home with love.  Mary was a special person who touched the lives of many people, she will be missed be everyone who knew her.

Mary is survived by her son Frank Bennet, her brother Joseph O’Hara and his wife Mary of Long Beach, NY, and three nephews; Thomas O’Hara and his wife Joanne of West Islip, NY, James O’Hara and his wife Susan of Rockville Centre, NY, and Christopher O’Hara and his wife Maryanne of Bethlehem, PA.  

Mildred "Millie" Opar, age 92, of Wayne, passed peacefully at home with the comfort of her daughter by her side, on Saturday, July 13, 2019.

Millie was born to John and Katherine Hudak in Youngstown, Ohio.  She was a 1945 graduate of the Woodrow Wilson High School in Youngstown.

She worked at the Peoples Bank of Youngstown and met a cute boy named John Opar while at a dance.  They soon fell in love and married on May 6, 1950 at Saint Matthias Church in Youngstown, OH and honeymooned in New York City.  John's work would have them move to Chicago, IL and Pittsburgh, PA, before they settled in Wayne, NJ in 1968. After Millie left the People’s Bank she dedicated herself to raising her family before opening Opar Office Supplies, which she ran with John from 1977 through 1992.  They had a forty-three year loving and devoted marriage that had been blessed with three children before John's passing in 1993.

Millie will be lovingly remembered as a fun loving, caring, and outgoing person. She loved to shop for clothing, jewelry, and all manner of home decorations. For many years she and John loved both domestic and international traveling and even after John’s passing she continued to travel.  The couple also enjoyed entertaining at home.  Millie was always trying out new recipes for the dinners and parties she hosted; at the same time, she enjoyed cooking ethnic Slovakian foods and everyone was especially fond of her stuffed cabbage. She was also very dedicated to her Catholic faith having been a parishioner of Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Immaculate Heart of Mary, and most recently Our Lady of the Valley Churches in Wayne. She was an active member of the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women for several years.

Millie joined Spa23 in Pompton Plains when it opened in 1980 and attributed her general good health and longevity to working out there.  In recent years, she was a regular at the water aerobics class.  Millie also belonged for a number of years to Golden Age Circle of Wayne.

Millie was the loving wife of the late John Opar (d.1993); devoted mother of Mary Opar and her fiancé Robert Leggo of Nuremberg, PA, the late John Opar (d. 2014), and the late Andrea Opar that Millie lost at just 3 days old. She was also predeceased by her six siblings.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to Our Lady of the Valley Church, 630 Valley Road, Wayne, NJ 07470 would be appreciated.

Ruby Maceira née Storch passed away peacefully in her sleep at her home in Canterbury Village in West Orange, New Jersey at the age of 81.

Ruby is survived by her two daughters, Helena Chicketano  Wayne, NJ and Donna Espenberg, Branford, CTand her son-in-law Ty Chicketano of Wayne NJ and her 7 grandchildren (Dominique Ocello, Shayna Ocello, Michael Ocello, Amy Chicketano, Anthony Chicketano, Christopher Tenorio and Liliana Tenorio. Ruby was preceded in death by her husband Antonio (Papa Tony/Pop Honey) Maceira in New York and her siblings, Alvin (Abby) and Sandra (Sandy) Storch in New York.

Ruby was born on July 25, 1937 in Brooklyn, NY to Anna Reiman and Aaron Storch. She married Arnold (Buddy) Espenberg in 1961. Ruby was remarried to her long-time sweetheart, Antonio Maceira after a nearly 25-year courtship beginning in 1981 and was married to him until his passing in 2016.

As a young woman, Ruby was very proud to have worked as a supervisor for Longines watches with her brother Abby.  When she was 25, Ruby gave birth to her first daughter, Donna and two years later to Helena; generous and giving, Ruby always doted on her daughters and tried to give them the best life she could and taught them the important life skills of independence and a “can-do” attitude of anything a boy could do a girl could do better! Later in life, after her children were more independent, Ruby ran a plumbing business together with Buddy and was a very successful business-owner and entrepreneur!

During her three-decade relationship with her sweetheart, Papa Tony/Pop Honey, Ruby enjoyed being a homemaker and took pride in a beautiful and well-appointed home in Woodside, NY. She enjoyed entertaining her family during Thanksgiving and other holidays, hosting dinners out and loved country music, seafood and going out to eat to different local restaurants. One of her favorites, the Fame Diner, became a mainstay for Ruby during the last few years in her residence in Woodside and loved their coffee so much, she would order it to be delivered to her home. Even during her last year and a half living at Canterbury Village, Ruby was one of the most popular residents and was in charge of calling her fellow residents to gather for mealtimes.
Ruby is fondly remembered by her family and friends as a sassy, witty, and feisty woman whose humor and caring affectionate demeanor will be sorely missed by all.

In lieu of flowers, please feel free to send donations to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10001 (866) 232-8484, email: info@alzfdn.org or Please consider a donation to the employee holiday fund at Canterbury Village at 33 Mt. Pleasant Avenue, West Orange NJ 07052.

Condolences can be sent to the family at either: The Chicketano’s -- 119 Tall Oaks Drive, Wayne NJ 07470 or Donna Espenberg -- 280 Brushy Plain Road, Branford CT 06405.

The family would like to thank all of the caregivers at Canterbury Village, 33 Mt. Pleasant Avenue, West Orange NJ 07052, and especially Ed Piotrowski, Director of Nursing and his wonderful team at Canterbury Village who took excellent care of Ruby Maceira during her time there.

Mary Catherine Ungemach, 87, of Pompton Plains and a long-time former resident of Pines Lake, a small lake community, in Wayne, passed away peacefully on July 11, 2019.

Mary Catherine was born on May 25, 1932, in Newark, New Jersey.  She was the daughter of Joseph and Catherine Mary Hackett, and an older sister to Joseph Hackett and Irene Grogan.
Mary graduated from Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Newark, New Jersey in 1950. Following high school, she worked as a secretary at Firemen’s Insurance Company and later at Hoffman-La Roche in Nutley, New Jersey.

Mary and her future husband Howland James Ungemach Jr. met on a Catholic Youth Organization blind date.  Following the first date, she told her mother that Howland was nice but that she would most likely not see him again. Ironically, they married on June 27, 1953 and enjoyed 53 years of marriage.
Mary and Howie moved to Pines Lake, a small lake community, in Wayne in 1955 and lived there for over 62 years. Together they raised six children: Howie, Cathy, Diane, Anne, Ray, and Jim.

Over the years, Mary and her family were active in the Pines Lake community.  Mary loved spending summer afternoons with her children and friends at Pines Lakes’ West Beach.  Mary and Howie were members in the Pines Lake Sailing Club from 1964 until 2004, sailing competitively at Pines Lake and up and down the east coast.  They also served as Secretary and Treasurer of the Jet 14 Class Association for over 35 years.

Mary and Howie also joined St. Mary’s Parish in Pompton Lakes in 1955. Mary actively participated in ministries including teaching CCD, singing in the choir, the Food Pantry, and coordinating the church cleaning crew. For her dedication to the church, she was awarded the Francis Medal in 2004 by the Province of the Most Holy Name.

Mary and Howie attended regular dinner parties with friends affectionately known as the “Dinner Group.” Even after the dinner party days ended, the group remained lifelong friends.

Mary and Howie enjoyed traveling and taking cruises. After raising their six children, they bareboat chartered with Pines Lake friends sailing throughout the British and U.S. Virgin Islands, the Windward and Leeward Islands.  Their travels also included trips to Alaska, Italy, Ireland, and Spain.

Mary was an avid painter who over the years completed nearly 50 oil paintings. In 2002, her work was showcased in an art show in Oakland, New Jersey. She enjoyed sharing her art with children and grandchildren.

Mary was pre-deceased by her loving husband Howie in 2006, her brother Joe Hackett, and her brother in law Jack Grogan.

She is survived by:
- Her sister Irene Grogan and sister in law Bette Hackett.

- 6 children; Howie Ungemach and his wife, Oonagh of Wayne, NJ, Cathy and her husband, Mike Miller of Holland Township, NJ, Diane and her husband, Bill McPeek of Vernon, NJ, Anne and her husband, Harry Livingston of Portsmouth, RI, Ray and his wife, Debbie Ungemach of Warren, NJ, and Jim and his wife, Cathy Ungemach of Wayne, NJ.

- 16 grandchildren 5 of whom are married. Lisa Ungemach, James Ungemach, Mary Catherine (Miller) and her husband, Rob Meyer, Sarah (Miller) and her husband, Nick Luciano, Katie (McPeek) and her husband, Kyle Sosnovik, Brian McPeek, Matt McPeek, Harry Livingston, Emma Livingston, Gregory Ungemach and his wife, Kara, Emilia (Ungemach) and her husband, Eric Huddle,  Weston Ungemach,  Violet Ungemach, Adam Ungemach, Brendan Ungemach, and Kieran Ungemach.

- 11 great grandchildren; Parker and Caity Meyer, Savannah and Austin Luciano, Grace, Brynn, and Paige Sosnovik, Peter and Evan Ungemach, and Carter and Cora Huddle.

Mary and Howie instilled in their children and grandchildren the importance of family, faith, friends, education, service to the community, and a strong work ethic. Mary continued to be a role model mastering her iPhone and social media at the age of 80. She enjoyed following her children and especially her grandchildren on Facebook, and sending family news via group text and emoji.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Mary’s name are asked to consider a donation to Saint Mary’s Church in Pompton Lakes, NJ.  Donations will benefit the many ministries at Saint Mary’s Parish, many of which Mary participated in:

Saint Mary’s R.C. Church
31 Pompton Avenue
Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442
Attn: Mary Ungemach Donation

Marie Feinbloom, age 83, of Pompton Lakes, passed away peacefully in her sleep on July 10, 2019.

Those wishing to honor Marie's memory can do so by fulfilling her long held desire that you share a joyous and memorable occasion with your loved ones to celebrate and remember her life.

Memorial donations in Marie's name may be made to Memorial Sloan Kettering.

William J. Leonhardt, 88, passed away peacefully at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown, PA.

He was born in West New York, NJ to the late William C. and Pauline E. (Spohn) Leonhardt. Bill met his wife Trudy F. (Chaloupek) in Germany when he was stationed there serving in the US Army during the Korean War. They were married for 63 years living in Wayne, NJ.

Bill graduated from Lodi High School in the Class of 1949. He had many jobs working with electronics and telecommunications. Most notably as the owner and president of Automated Production Concepts (APC) founded in 1975. Bill worked there for 25 years before retiring. He was a member of Packanack Community Church. Bill was also an assistant Scout Master with the Boy Scouts of America for Pack #104. He was known as a ‘handyman’ to his friends, family, and neighbors. Bill especially enjoyed tinkering with HAM radios (K2HAZ).

Bill is survived by his son, William C. Leonhardt and his wife Anna of Cape Coral, FL.; daughters, Sharon Kaczynski and her husband Robert of Macungie, PA, and Patricia Leonhardt and her fiancé David Upmalis from Erwinna, PA.; grandchildren, Will T. Leonhardt and his wife Chloe, Alyssa Hildreth and her husband Kyle, and Max Kaczynski; great-grandchild, Benjamin Leonhardt.

Contributions can be made to the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Associations at www.alz.orgor the Packanack Community Church at 120 Lake Drive East, Wayne, NJ 07470.

Nancy Pearlstine Conger died July 6, 2019 at her home in Green Pond, NJ after losing a courageous battle with bone and breast cancer. She was 73.

Nancy’s life combined her commitment to education and public service; her work in finance; and her love of family.

Nancy served on the board of her alma mater, Wheaton College (Norton, Mass.) for sixteen years, including three years as Board Chair. Prior to that she spent eight years on the board of Ursinus College. Ursinus, located in Collegeville, Pa. – her hometown – recently awarded Nancy an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. Nancy was also a member of the board of The Pingry School for twelve years, including several years when she served as its Vice Chair. At the time of her death, she was Board Chair of The Land Conservancy of New Jersey, having served on that board for six years.

A 1967 graduate of Wheaton College Massachusetts, Nancy spent 50 years in financial services including stints at LF Rothchild, Mid Atlantic Bank, Kidder Peabody and US Trust Company before founding Ezray Investment Advisors which became the present-day Red Hook Management of Morristown, NJ.

She is survived by her husband of 40 years William Conger, her three children, Ezra Jennings, Ray Conger and Abigail Conger, two daughters-in-law Alix and Hilary, two beloved granddaughters, Penelope and Cassie, and her brother Norman Pearlstine and sister (Lady) Marjorie Hattersley.

Nancy, the daughter of Raymond and Gladys Cohen Pearlstine, was born October 30, 1945 while her father was a soldier on active duty in Okinawa during the final days of World War II.

As the matriarch of her generation of the Cantor-Gerber-Pearlstine family she was always there to welcome new spouses or provide help and strength in time of need. A trip with her husband or husband and children was her idea of a good time. Nancy will be remembered by her friends and family for her strong will, sometimes salty language, can do attitude and hearty laugh. When not working or pursuing civic endeavors, she loved sharing a dry martini and good steak with family or friends.

A celebration of Nancy's life with a buffet lunch to follow will begin 10:30 AM on Friday, July 19, 2019 at the Westin Governor Morris, 2 Whippany Road in Morristown.

In lieu of flowers please consider a contribution to The Land Conservancy of New Jersey or Wheaton College Massachusetts.

Conrad Feit, age 85 of Garnerville, NY, died on Saturday, July 6, 2019 surrounded by his loving family.  Conrad was an electrician and lifelong member of Union Local 3 IBEW out of Flushing, NY.

Born in Passaic, NJ, his family moved to Brooklyn, NY shortly after.  He joined the U.S. Air Force after high school and met his wife Norma while stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base.  They were married in 1956 and moved back to Brooklyn.  They eventually settled to Garnerville in Rockland County, NY to raise their family.  Norma passed in 2017 after sixty one years of marriage.

Conrad’s passion for motorcycles was known by everyone who knew him.  He was secretary of the Ramapo Motorcycle Club for many years.  He had a great sense of humor, loved Werther’s candies, and always had a twinkle in his blue eyes.

Conrad is survived by his three children; Marc Feit and his wife Claire, Andrew Feit and his wife Jenna, and Michelle (Feit) Eden and her husband Christopher, and nine granddaughters; Carly, Molly (pre-deceased), Samantha, Rachel, Hanna, Meredyth, Maggi, Emma Clare and Naomi.

For those wishing to make a donation in Conrad’s memory, please consider St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, www.stjude.org.

Ralph J. Mazza age 88 of Wayne passed away peacefully on July 5, 2019 in his home while receiving the loving care of his family.  Ralph was born and raised in Union City, NJ, lived in North Bergen for almost 20 years and moved to Bogota where he lived for 19 years before retiring to Tampa, Florida.  In 2008 he moved back to Wayne to be close to his children and their families.  

He was a superintendent for P. Germinario and Sons in Palisades Park, NJ for nearly 30 years.  Ralph served his country in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean Conflict.  He was a member of the American Legion in Union City for over 40 years.  

Surviving are his two daughters, Susan Fusco of Wayne and Janet Newsome of Wall Township; his two sons, Steve Mazza of Wayne and Paul Mazza of Fairlawn; eight grandchildren, Erica Tavares, Jillian Soriano, Abbey Stolowsky, Joseph Fusco, Michael Fusco, Jake Mazza, Kyle Mazza and Maxx Mazza; five great grandchildren, Billy Tavares, Maddy Tavares, Jack Soriano, Tessa Soriano and Jaxon Fusco.  Ralph was pre-deceased by his wife Gladys in 2006 as well as his sisters Phyllis Orlando, Josephine Bruno, Geraldine Pullano and his brother Nicholas Mazza.

Please note: The funeral mass has been MOVED to Our Lady of Good Counsel RC Church, 155 West Parkway, Pompton Plains, NJ.  Dates and times are unchanged.

Peter P. Critelli, 77 of Kinnelon, died on July 4, 2019.  He had been a resident of Kinnelon for forty years.

Pete was the owner and president of Epec Sales, Inc. and was a sales representative for many industrial component manufacturers.  He started Epec Sales in 1968 and has operated the business himself for more than fifty years.

Pete grew up in Jersey City and moved to Lyndhurst at age twelve.  He graduated from Lyndhurst High School with the class of 1959 and has remained close with many of his classmates.  As a young boy, he was intrigued by trains and used to walk down to the rail yard and watch the activity.  This turned into a lifelong passion for Pete, so much so that he purchased his own locomotive and a caboose, which were both installed at his home, right in the yard!  His home was a landmark for many people in the area; “the house with the train in the yard!”   Only recently did he part with them; the locomotive is now in an historic display in Missouri, and the caboose now resides in Haverstraw, NY.  Pete was also a history and military buff.  He and his brother Joe enjoyed a World War II tour through England, France and Germany years ago and they had a great time.

Pete was a down to earth kind of guy who loved cutting his own grass, riding his tractor around, and doing his own home improvement projects. He also traveled quite a bit throughout the Caribbean, to Italy, North Carolina, and California.  He had a fun sense of humor and loved to laugh.  He had convinced his grandsons that he played minor league hockey when he was younger, and they believed him until they were old enough to find no evidence to back it up on Google!  Then he told them that he was really in the CIA, which they would never be able to confirm with Google!  He was known affectionately as “Papa Pete” to all of his grandchildren, and he loved spending time with each of them.  Pete also loved dogs and raised five or six German Shepherds throughout the years.  They were clearly his favorite breed.  A lover of hockey, Pete was a diehard NY RANGERS fan and remained loyal (for the most part) throughout the years.  He was also a very patriotic American who loved his country and the 4th of July was among his favorite holidays to celebrate.  He always had a big fireworks display of his own which he set off in his yard each year.  Coincidentally, he passed away on July 4th, leaving his family and friends with a good reason to remember him and celebrate his life on this date in the years that will follow.

Pete is survived by his wife Nancy Fanning of Kinnelon, his daughter; Lisa Critelli and her husband John Turnage of Ledgewood, NJ, Nancy’s children; Brian Fanning and his wife Lori of Bethlehem, PA, Kevin Fanning and his wife Angie of Surf City, NC, and Jennifer Fanning of Jersey City, NJ, his niece; Alison Earley of Carrboro, NC; and one sister, Christine Critelli-Earley and her husband Dan of North Carolina, and four grandchildren; Matthew, Christopher, Arlene, and Lucile Fanning.
 
For those wishing to make a donation in Pete’s memory, please consider Eva’s Village, 393 Main Street, Paterson, NJ 07501, or the NJ Sharing Network, Attn: Foundation, 691 Central Ave., New Providence, NJ 07974, or visit www.njsharingnetwork.org.

Leo McCawley, 90, of Charlotte, NC passed away on July 4, 2019 peacefully with his wife by his side.

Beloved husband to Carolyn, and devoted father to Leonard and his partner Rick Hanlon, Judithe Luker and her husband Scott.  Loving grandfather to Jason, Karlee, and Jakob.  Loving brother to Jack, Thomas, and Donald, and sister Mary Lou Kowalczyk,  as well as many nieces and nephews.  Predeceased by his first wife, Isabelle Moscatelli, parents Leo and Mary McCawley, sister Elizabeth Conners and brothers Robert, Richard, Gerald, William, and infant brother Francis.

Born to Leo and Mary McCawley in the family home at 42 Parnell Street in Pittston, PA, he attended the Pittston Area High School with the Class of 1947.  In his youth Leo delivered newspapers in Pittston and worked in coal surface mining before coming to NJ in 1952 having settled in East Orange, NJ and moved to Clifton in 1969 where he raised his children. Leo initially worked for the General Electric Corporation in Newark and then the Singer-Kearfott Guidance and Navigation Corporation in Little Falls where he worked for 39 years before he happily retired in 1991 as a General Foreman in Quality Control.

He will be lovingly remembered for his great sense of humor and outgoing personality.  He was loving, caring and always there to help others.  He was an avid car enthusiast who through the years had a Camaro, a Mustang, and nine Cadillac’s.  Leo was also a dedicated NY Yankees and NY Giants fan.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to: Special Olympics, 1133 19th St. N.W., Washington, DC 20036 or Autism Speaks, Inc., 1 East 33rd St., 4th Floor, NY, NY 10016 (non-profit 501 (c)(3) – tax exempt) would be greatly appreciated.

Matthew Brian Mitchell, age 66, of Wayne, passed away on Wednesday, July 3, 2019.

Matthew was born in Brooklyn and grew up in Passaic until age eight when his family moved to Wayne. He remained a resident of Wayne for the last 59 years and always loved living in the town.

After graduating from Wayne Valley High School with the Class of 1970, Matt began his first job with American Cyanamid Corporation in Wayne. Matt was an extremely dedicated and hard worker who, over the course of the next 48 consecutive years, worked for various companies including Comcast Cable, the Target Store in Fairfield and part time for Pathmark Grocery Store in Fair Lawn and ShopRite Grocery Store in Lincoln Park.

Matt loved to travel and took several cruises and even a trip to China in his lifetime. Above all else, nothing got Matt more excited than rooting for his beloved New York Yankees. You could almost say that his blood was Yankee blue and he was such a great fan that he wouldn’t shave his beard because if he did, the Yankees might start losing games. For years and years, he had tickets to twenty games per season at Yankee Stadium and he traveled all over the United States to see them play away games in numerous opponent’s stadiums.

Matt leaves behind a legacy of love for his family, friends and coworkers. He was the dear brother of Richard Mitchell of Clifton, and Floyd and wife Patricia Mitchell of Wilmington, NC; awesome uncle of Melanie and husband Brandon Floyd and Adam and wife Bridget Mitchell; great-uncle of Taylor Floyd and Adelynn and Harrison Mitchell, and dear nephew of Lina Mitchell of Metuchen and Arlene Baratz of Boynton Beach, FL. Matt was predeceased by his parents: Morris Mitchell in 1980 and Irene Mitchell in 2007; and his sister Jan Ersfeld in 2016.

Mary Joan Swanson Coombs “Joan Coombs”, age 84, of Wayne, passed away peacefully into God’s loving arms on Wednesday, July 3, 2019.

Born in Teaneck, Joan was raised in Fairview, NJ in the family home on Walker Street.

Already as a young lady, Joan was always looking for ways to exercise her independent and adventurous spirit. One particular adventure that she seemed to get a real kick out of was taking trips out west to spend time vacationing on a dude ranch and living the life of a cowgirl. When she returned her travel bags were always full of thoughtful souvenirs for family and friends.  
 
Joan eventually settled down and married William “Bill” Coombs in 1985. A year later she, her new husband and her widowed mom, May, moved to Wayne. Joan was a wonderful and dedicated daughter and now with the help of Bill, they lovingly cared for May as her health declined until her passing a few years later. Joan and Bill enjoyed a long and loving marriage until Bill’s passing in 2013. Joan continued to keep residence in Wayne until her passing.

Throughout her lifetime Joan held various administrative assistant and receptionist positions with different companies. She loved commuting by bus to New York City where she enjoyed working in the publishing industry. Many times after work, she would remain in the City to meet up with her girlfriends for dinner and a Broadway show. Music and theater were favorite pastimes of Joan and, when home, she loved catching a movie on television, especially the old classics. In more recent years, Joan chose to work closer to home holding administrative positions for a local law firm, furniture store and car dealership.

Joan and Bill shared a love for traveling. They especially enjoyed annual stays in Cape May at quaint bed and breakfasts, typically choosing to go in the off-season when things were a little quieter. Wherever they traveled Joan would often pick up anything that was tulip-themed, as she loved adorning her home with tulips crafted out of wood and small tulip paintings. Even her bedroom furniture featured carved tulips. Ironically, she wasn’t especially enamored with gardening and thus tulips did not adorn the curbside appeal of her and Bill’s home.

In later years, Joan loved nothing better than getting together with family or friends for lunch. She seemed to possess a particular attraction to buffets and especially the local one that featured both Chinese and Italian cuisine. Always full of energy, if you received a phone call from Joan, you’d better be prepared to settle in for a while as she could easily chat for up to an hour at a time.    

Throughout her lifetime, Joan always remained devout in her faith. She loved going to mass and she had been a longtime parishioner of Annunciation R.C. Church in Wayne.

Joan was predeceased by her beloved husband William Coombs in 2013. She is survived by her cousin Patricia Pacheco and her husband Frank Ferrara of Teaneck and their son and daughter: Lorena Camilo and Alex Jaramillo.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Joan’s name are asked to consider St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial Processing, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959, or online at www.stjude.org

Louis Jean Marie Fitamant was born and raised in Chateauneuf-du-Faou, France by his parents Jean Francois Louis Fitamant and Louise Marie Fitamant.  His childhood was largely shaped by the events of World War II.  Having lost his mother at 12 years old, his aunts (who were nuns) became his secondary caretaker, by the request of his dying mother.  During the war many women who belonged to different charitable societies around the world would sponsor children affected by the war.   A wealthy American woman became the sponsor of children in Louis’ hometown.  She was known to the children as the “Godmother of War.”  She lived in New York State, spoke French and would send shoes, clothes and sweets to Louis and the other children. More than 30 years later, in 1976, Louis traveled to New York State with his sister, to meet for the first time, their adopted “Godmother”, who helped them through this difficult period.

His uncle Yves Palo, a catholic priest who also watched over Louis, wanted to ensure his nephew was brought up with a good education and a strong religious background.  He sent him to St. Jean Bosco Seminary, a school for boys, at Coat-an-doc’h, where he lived for the next six years.  During his time there, he was part of the choir and traveled throughout France singing at many famous places such as Lourdes and Notre Dame de Paris.  While at St. Jean Bosco he successfully achieved two baccalaureate certificates.  He was strongly considering becoming a priest upon his graduation at St. Jean Bosco Seminary, but ultimately took a different path.

It was very difficult to find a job after the war in France, so after graduation, he traveled to America in 1952 and stayed with his uncle in Lodi New Jersey and was immediately employed by Hoffmann-la Roche. Within days of his arrival in America, the American government notified Louis and told him if he wanted to stay in America, he would have to join the Army.  At first, Louis declined, but once his visa was up, he had no choice and joined the Army with the provision that they give him American citizenship, which he was granted on April 30, 1954, a day he was very proud of.

On July 14, 1956, Louis met Simone Cau, at a French dance, at the Statler Hotel in New York City.  It was love at first sight. Three months later they were engaged and four months following that they were wed.  Louis and Simone were blessed to celebrate 62 anniversaries together.  They first settled in North Arlington, NJ before buying their home in Wayne, in 1964.  They raised their 4 children in Wayne and enjoyed spending their summers in the Catskills and Kerlouan, France.  Louis loved gardening, tennis, singing, and paying the harmonica and Bombarde.  He enjoyed hunting, both small and big game, and spent many weekends fishing on the Esopus Creek near his home in the Catskills.  Even his trips to the Jersey shore were not complete without fishing or crabbing.  He shared his passion for mathematics and crossword puzzles with his children and grandchildren.  His eight grandchildren were his pride and joy.  Louis was a devout Catholic and practiced his religious faith throughout the years at Holy Spirit Church in Pequannock, where he was a Parishioner.

Louis is survived by his wife Simone (nee Cau) of Wayne, daughter Lisette O’Sullivan and her husband Keith and children Conor and Kelly, of Wayne, three sons; Richard, his wife Mary, and children Eric and Marie Madeleine Louise of Toms River, Gerard, his wife Christine and children Corinne and Nicole, of Pompton Plains, and Louis Noel, his wife Lori and children Elizabeth and Aidan of Highland Lakes.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in his name to the Alzheimer’s Association.  The donation can be made through their website at act.alz.org.

With great sadness, coupled with our sense of the completion of a life exquisitely well lived, we announce the passing of our dear mother, Lillian Kleinschmidt Gut, at the age of 97. Angels lifted her up on the morning of July 2, 2019, bathed in the loving support of her family, friends and wonderful caregivers, after a period of declining health.

In many ways Lillian was a woman well ahead of her times, with a finely tuned independent spirit, abounding humor and wit, a thirst for knowledge, and a highly developed sense of design. She carried her tall, slender, lithe being with grace, beauty and presence. She lived with exuberance and embraced rich personal explorations.

Lillian loved learning, excelled academically and believed education to be the finest route to success and happiness. She grew up in Queens NY, along with her older sister Betty, daughters of Ernest and Elizabeth Kleinschmidt. She was graduated from the John Adams High School and then followed her passion for textile and design. Lillian studied fashion in NYC at the Traphagen School of Design. She was employed in design work in the garment industry, developing and honing lifelong skills and interests. Even into the last decades of her life, Lillian continued to design and sew much of her own clothes. She was always thrilled wearing her favorite hues of deep coral, while occasionally showcasing bold patterns.

In April 1944 Lillian married the love of her life, Stanley J. Gut. Together they were an extraordinary team, until his passing in 1979. They especially enjoyed dancing, live performances in classical music and ballet at the Lincoln Center, active political engagement, exploring modern art and architecture and sharing many, many friendships.

They proudly raised four beautiful children in the family centered community of Packanack Lake; Francis Gut of  Virginia, Lillian Jankowski of Florida,  Elizabeth Gut of Massachusetts, and Jeanne Palmieri.

Bringing her creative touches to homemaking, Lillian loved interior decorating as well as designing many fine Christmas and Easter holiday and special occasion outfits for her children. All on a budget of course. She also delighted in offering her children many of the rich cultural experiences of the area and nearby NYC.

In the years after her children were well launched in school, Lillian herself returned to school, studying music theory and piano at the Juilliard School of Music in NYC.  She then taught piano privately to young students.

Known also for her athletic prowess, Lillian participated fully in many community based activities. She was part of the township champion volleyball team, and loved tennis, swimming, and biking at the lake. In addition she acted in and directed many Packanack Players productions. Her comedic acts in the summer variety shows were always a big hit. Lillian also danced with the Packanack group, Senior Follies.

Lillian had a tremendously friendly, outgoing presence and for some years enjoyed hosting a television talk show, “ Wayne Today”, filmed at William Paterson University, featuring local personalities.

A source of great pride for Lillian was helping to support and build the Catholic Immaculate Heart of Mary School and Church in Packanack Lake, and support vibrant Catholic programs for the youth. Years later she proudly supported building a new Pius X Church and School in Forked River, NJ where she served as a Sunday church greeter. Lillian maintained a deeply private spiritual life and was tremendously blessed to partake regularly in the sacraments throughout her life. Her rosaries were at her bedside in her last days.

Post retirement Lillian moved to the relaxing Barnegat Bay community of Forked River, NJ. Her dear grandchildren, whom she completely adored, will always remember her thoughtful parties. Grand waterfront firework displays sometimes accompanied important celebrations. She will be cherished for the fun she brought their way; Jesse Florian, Jessica Florian, Zeph Stuart of Tokyo, and Matthew GutMassaro of Ann Arbor.

Lillian developed a strong, meaningful and lasting friendship with her companion Richard Gumbinger. Together they made time for wonderful domestic and international travel, including winter sojourns in Mexico and Puerto Rico, London theater trips, explorations in Rome and Greece, and extraordinary seacoast adventures.

Even in her late senior years, Lillian maintained a very healthy active lifestyle, mind and body. She continued literary pursuits in a library based book discussion group. One of her very favorite activities was going to the ocean, admiring the waves, the sounds, the smells, then delighting in a swim. In her 90’s Lillian choose her first retirement community because of the fabulous indoor pool and gym, great cultural offerings and fine gardening opportunities.

We are so comforted to know that Mom had such a remarkably full and rich life and are deeply grateful for the loving care she received in her very last years, in the fine hands of the Parker at Monroe and Parker at Landing Lane staff.

For those who may wish to do so, in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Lewy Body Dementia Association, LBDA.org.

Theodore Daniel Jordan, age 75, of Montville, passed Monday, July 1, 2019.

He was born in Jersey City and lived in Montville before moving to Secaucus.

He was the devoted son of the late Theodore (d. 2009) and Hazel (d. 2016) Jordan.

Gail M. Cusick (nee Murphy), age 79 of Wayne, died on June 30, 2019 with her family gathered at her bedside.  She had been a Wayne, NJ resident since 1966 before permanently relocating to Brant Beach, NJ on beautiful Long Beach Island.

Gail grew up in Bayonne, NJ and graduated from Bayonne High School in 1958 where she met her husband Robert.  “Murph,” as she was known then, went on her first date with Bob on a walk through the 16th Street Park and as fate would have it, fell in love and eventually married on November 9, 1963 at the 5Th Street Reformed Church in Bayonne.  After their marriage, Bob and Gail settled in Bayonne, NJ for a few years, but eventually wanted to move to the “country” where they resided in Wayne, NJ.  For over 30 years this is where Gail raised her children and made lifelong impressions with those who were fortunate to share her friendship.

For Gail, life revolved around family and friends.  She was a selfless person who was generous to a fault, always doing for others.  She loved to entertain for her family and friends.  Her home in Wayne or Brant Beach was always open, and only strangers would ring the doorbell or go to the front door as everyone that knew her would walk around back and come right inside thru the porch door and be greeted with a big hello and one quick question, “Are you Hungry?”  A fantastic cook, there was always great food to be enjoyed along with her warm conversations.  The best family memories were surely made at their home in LBI.  Her friends on the 60th Street block became some of the closest in her lifetime.  The summers seemed to be endless at the beach, and Gail simply loved to be with her family and friends on LBI.

Gail’s grandchildren meant the world to her and she loves them all to pieces.  There was nothing she wouldn’t do for them and she proved it often.  She was the most gracious and loving “Nana” to each of them, and summers at the beach won’t quite be the same without her there.  They will all remember her as their angel, always positive, caring and nurturing with her warm perfume and signature coral lipstick.

Gail is survived by her beloved husband Robert of Brant Beach, by her three children; Michael Cusick and his wife Karen of Wayne, Melissa Mathisen and her husband Tom of Wayne, Karen Raiser and her husband Mark of Wayne; six grandchildren, Alexandra Cusick, Nicole Cusick, Kaitlin Raiser and Robert Raiser, all of Wayne, Holly Shockley and her husband Greg of Peapack Gladstone, NJ, and Lindsay McDonald and her husband Ken of Whitehouse Station, NJ; as well as six great grandchildren; Gwenyth, Everett, Fletcher, Evelyn, Grant, and Bennett.  She was predeceased by her brother, Timothy Murphy, in 2013.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Gail’s memory would be appreciated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial Processing, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959, www.stjude.org, or to the Wounded Warrior Project, Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758516, Topeka, KS  66675, www.WoundedWarriorProject.org.

Lillian Alice Wujciak, 94, of Wayne, passed peacefully on Friday, June 28, 2019. She was born on July 29, 1924 to Anthony and Frances Pelszynski of Belleville.  NJ.  She had been a resident of Wayne for 60 years.  She was preceded in death by her husband Richard three years ago.

Lillian was an active member of Our Lady of Consolation RC Church in Wayne for many years, and enjoyed socializing with the OLC Seniors.  She was a member of the Columbiettes, as well as, the Ladies Auxiliary of the Wayne Elks.

She leaves behind her son James of Wayne, daughter Arlene Lofgren of Virginia, two granddaughters , one great-granddaughter, all of Virginia, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Filomena “Phyllis” Malanga, age 92, of Wayne, passed away peacefully on Thursday, June 27, 2019, with her loving family by her side.

Phyllis was born and raised in Montclair where she attended and graduated from Montclair High School. Immediately after graduating, she landed her first job as a secretary for General Motors Corporation in Bloomfield.

As a young woman living on Pine Street in Montclair, Phyllis had the good fortune of crossing paths with a handsome U.S. Navy veteran named Americo “Rick” Malanga. Recently receiving his honorable discharge from Navy service, Rick returned home and moved in with his sister, Thelma, who just happened to live on Pine Street across the street from Phyllis. Wanting to play matchmaker, Thelma tried to fix him up with Phyllis’s older sister, but liking Phyllis more, Rick wondered, “What’s wrong with her?” referring to Phyllis.  It was a fair question and it ultimately lead to the beginning of a loving relationship between Rick and Phyllis that was enjoyed for the rest of her life, including over 70 years of marriage. Phyllis and Rick made their wedding vows on December 5, 1948, at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church located on the same street they met – Pine Street in Montclair. After enjoying a honeymoon in Washington D.C., they moved into their first home together in the downstairs apartment of Phyllis’s parents. Blessed with two children, first their daughter, Annette, and then their son, Richard , they eventually moved to Wayne in 1962, calling that place home to this present day.

Phyllis’s main devotion was to her husband and children. She kept her home spotless and made it a welcome place for all her family. Dinner was served via a routine she and Rick shared which went something like this: When Rick was ready to come home at the end of the workday, he’d go to a nearby pay phone and call home, letting the phone ring just two times. Then he’d hang up so he could get his two dimes back. This was the signal for Phyllis to spring into action, putting the final touches on a deliciously home-cooked meal so she could have it on the table when he walked through the door. Phyllis’s family loved her cooking and her baking, too. Family favorites included her pot roast, fried meatballs, salad, anything Italian, and for dessert, a nice slice of banana cream pie or cheesecake always hit the spot.

While raising her children, Phyllis used those secretarial skills she learned at General Motors to support her husband in the family business – Rick’s Highway Service Center in Paterson and later at Malanga’s Automotive in Riverdale. It was a job she would never actually retire from. She could often be heard saying, “I have to do the books” and, like every other facet of her life, she did those books with excellence, often having post-it notes stuck up all over the place to keep her organized and efficient. Never one to sit still, Phyllis also thoroughly loved her job serving as a cafeteria and playground aid at Randall Carter Elementary School in Wayne for over 17 years. Working every morning through lunchtime, Phyllis called it the best three hours of her day. She was known by all the kids as “Ne Ne” and “Miss Phyllis” and was loved for her big smile and bedazzled jewel whistle which she used to line up the kids to come in from the playground. That bedazzled jewel whistle was just so fitting for the likes of Phyllis, who fancied herself quite the fashionista. She loved looking sharp from head to toe, including the nicest nail polish and a little misting of CK1 to smell pretty, too. In fact, one of the most flattering things to Phyllis was that her granddaughter enjoyed borrowing her clothes. Of course, looking beautiful took a little time so if Phyllis’s had plans and you were going to pick her up, she’d usually say, “Not before 11:00 AM.”  

When Phyllis would actually stop long enough to relax, she and Rick enjoyed kicking back by playing a few games of Skip Bo. In more recent years, she developed into quite a New York Yankees fan, and she got to know the game and players well enough to not hold back from expressing her opinion with regards to how a particular game should be managed. Near her phone were index cards with the phone numbers of all who were dear to Phyllis, and you could expect regular phone calls from her just checking on you or just to say hi. Country was her choice for music and, while not an extensive traveler, she and Rick did take a trip once to Vegas and they also enjoyed a memorable Royal Caribbean Cruise with their granddaughter, Phylissa, and her friends. They must have had a great time on that cruise because Phyllis and Rick could never be found. Above all, she loved being “Ne Ne” to her three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. There was not one event in their lives – dance recitals, sporting events, Christenings, First Communions, birthday parties, and all graduations, including college, that Ne Ne didn’t make time for, always asking, “You got me a ticket, right?”  She was still very upset that she had to miss grandson Nicholas’s First communion because she was hospitalized in need of a pacemaker.  If she had her way, she would have attended the Communion, then returned for the pacemaker.  Important things first!

Phyllis will always be adoringly remembered for her kind, caring heart, her very generous spirit (she could always be heard saying, “Get me my wallet.”), and even little things like the sweet smell of her perfume. She had an innate ability to make friends with total strangers, and she surely touched the hearts of all who had the privilege of knowing her.

Filomena was the beloved wife of Americo “Rick” Malanga, blessed in marriage for 70 years. She was the loving mother of Annette Avolio of Wayne and Richard Malanga of Riverdale; cherished grandmother of Louis and wife Marisa Avolio, Phylissa and husband Rocco Gallotta, and Nicholas Malanga; adored great-grandmother of Joseph, Louis, Michael, Rocco, and Liana; and dear sister of Patsy, Michael, and Antoinette Pasqualicchio – all predeceased.

Natalie Kiel passed away June 26, 2019 at her home in Wayne at the impressive age of 100 years old. Natalie was born to John and Anna Kopec. She worked as a registered nurse at St. Mary’s Hospital for many years and devoted her life to caring for others.

She was the loving wife of the late Joseph Kiel (d.1991), sister of the late Eugene Kopec and his surviving wife Jean of Morton Grove, IL, devoted aunt of Dr. Keith Kopec and his wife Dr. Nancy Kopec, Dr. Scott Kopec and his wife Rachel, and Lynett Kopec-Mohr and her husband Michael.  She was the much loved sister of the late Henry, Eugene, and John Kopec.

Edwin Lauwe, age 79, of Barnegat and formerly of Pequannock and Totowa, passed away on Wednesday, June 26, 2019.

Ed was born in Paterson in 1940, the only child of Leonard and Julia Lauwe. He grew up in Totowa, NJ and attended Passaic Valley High School where he played trumpet in the high school band as well as in the dance band for all the school dances. After graduating with the Class of 1958, he enlisted in the United States Army where he proudly served. Ed was a true and great patriot who loved our nation’s flag and everything it stands for. He would get teary-eyed every time he heard the Star Spangled Banner play.

After leaving the Army in 1960, Ed started working for Sun Chemical Corporation which later became known as U.S. Ink. His role was that of News Ink Technician or “Mixologist” as he referred to himself. He later became a Senior Chemist and was known throughout the company as “The Platinum Hand” because of his ability to formulate ink that was environmentally friendly, had less rub off and odor, and was over-all more efficient. His company lost a great talent when Ed retired in 2001 after 40 years of service.

Ed met the love of his life, Paulette Ciscon through her brother John who just happened to be Ed’s best friend. Their first date was out for a nice evening dinner. Over time their love for each other grew and they found themselves wishing more and more to be married. They exchanged their wedding promises to each other before God, family and friends on Saturday, April 27, 1968 at Holy Cross Church in Wayne. The ceremony was followed by a reception celebration at Neal’s Restaurant in Riverdale. From there, the newlyweds took off on a flight to Miami, Florida for their honeymoon.

Ed and Paulette first resided in Totowa where they were blessed with and raised their two children. Ed was a real family man who enjoyed spending time and making great family memories. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for any of them! In 1988 the Lauwe’s moved to Pequannock, NJ where Ed took great pride of ownership in his new home and property. After a long day, you would often find him relaxing in his pool with a Manhattan or admiring the fish in his pond, and during baseball season, he and Paulette frequently enjoyed catching a New York Yankees game on the television. Speaking of the fish in Ed’s backyard pond, he loved to go fishing and, for many years, he and his father Leonard enjoyed annual trips to Canada to go fishing together. One particular year, some other fisherman were just arriving and called out to Ed, “Catching much?” Ed calmly replied, “Not much, but I got this one!” And with that he held up a trophy-sized pike he had just caught. Ed also adored his new grandson Sean and the precious opportunities he had to read him stories and play with him with his toys.

When Paulette retired in 2010, she and Ed decided to move down the shore to Barnegat, NJ. Ed quickly made friends and enjoyed his new relaxing, laid back lifestyle. He loved telling stories about “the good old days”, friends and co-workers of the past, and especially about his cream colored 1965 Pontiac GTO. In fact, no one could tell a story like Ed. They were so vivid, you felt like you actually got to know the people in the story Ed was talking about. Ed and Paulette were parishioners of St. James of the Marches R.C. Church in Totowa until moving to Barnegat where they attended St. Mary’s R.C. Church.

Ed was the beloved husband of Paulette, blessed in marriage for 51 years; loving father of Scott and wife Kathrine Lauwe of Summerville, SC, and Kimberly and husband Michael Sepede of Wayne; cherished grandfather of Sean Sepede; dear cousin of Victor Traino and wife Eileen of Rockaway; dear brother-in-law of John and his late wife Elaine Ciscon of Wayne.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Edwin’s name are asked to consider St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial Processing, 501 St, Jude Place Memphis TN 38105-9959 or online at www.stjude.org.

Wade P. Cory, age 79, of Haskell, passed away peacefully on June 25, 2019 while receiving the loving care of his family.

Wade was born in Orange. NJ and was the first of four children to Joseph and Victoria Cory.  As a child, he and his family resided in Idaho and Oradell, finally settling in Ramsey, NJ.  Wade attended Ramsey High School and graduated with the class of 1957.  Following high school, Wade attended Michigan State University, earning his Bachelor’s degree and graduating with the class of 1961.  Michigan State University at the time offered a degree program called Lumber Merchandising.  Wade’s father Joseph co-owned and operated the family business at the time called Cory and Brett Lumber, which eventually became his own and was called Cory Lumber Corp.  Cory Lumber sold to lumber and building wholesalers such as Kuiken Lumber.  He was also the youngest-ever Snark of the Universe with Hoo-Hoo International – Fraternal Order of the Forest Products Industry.  


After years of owning and operating Cory Lumber, the business eventually closed due to the opening and rising of companies like Home Depot and Lowes.  Wade then went to work for Life Touch Photography as a sales representative, were he worked closely with churches and schools developing and organizing directories.  Wade did this for many years and retired in 2008.

Subsequent to Wade’s college graduation, he enlisted in the National Guard and served from 1961-1967.  He served one weekend every month and two weeks during the summer.  During his time serving in the National Guard his unit guarded Cape Cod for President John F. Kennedy.

From 1962 to 1984 Wade was married to Priscilla Armstrong.  In 1984, he met Donna Broersma at a divorce support group in Midland Park.  Wade and Donna’s first date was to the movies where they saw “The Right Stuff” and then went out for pizza.  As fate would have it they fell in love and were married on June 27, 1987 at Covenant Church.  Wade and Donna became members of St Michael’s Episcopalian Church and remained there for many years.  While members of the church, Wade cherished singing in the church choir with Donna as a bass.  Wade was also very active in the church’s Garden Committee, where he enjoyed gardening at the church behind the parking lot where he grew a variety of vegetables for himself.

As a child, Wade and his family would frequent the Jersey Shore, particularly Long Beach Island where he grew a great fondness of over the years.  Wade also treasured traveling with his wife Donna to other destinations such as the beaches of the Caribbean.  Whether on vacation at the Jersey Shore or elsewhere, Wade could always be found with a book in his hand, particularly Tom Clancy or Clive Cussler novels.  Wade was a super outgoing person and was the kind of guy you couldn’t help but like.  Wade and Donna Cherished thirty two years of loving and loyal marriage together.  Wade was a special person who touched the lives of many people and will be missed by everyone that knew him.

Wade is survived by his Wife Donna (nee Broersma) of Haskell, three daughters; Christine Odell and her husband Ed of Midland Park, Laura D’Ercole  and her husband Jason of Oakland, and Lora Smid and her husband Rob of Dedham, MA, two sons Eric Cory and his wife Liz of Lake Stockholm, and Brian Tuit of Vernon, one sister Sandra Doyle and her husband Tom of Florida, one daughter in law, Elvira Cory of Mahwah, ten grandchildren; Adrienne, Kayla, Riley, Grace, Avery, James, Meghan, Will, Dalia, and Keira, and two great grandchildren, Bennet, and Carson.  Wade was predeceased by his son Jon Cory in 2017 and his brothers Russell and Reid Cory.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Wade’s name to St Michael’s Church Garden Committee, Care of Wade P. Cory, 1219 Ratzer Rd, Wayne, NJ 07470.

Evelyn K. Hoogmoed, age 91 of North Haledon and formerly of Hawthorne, passed Tuesday, June 25, 2019.

She was born in the family home in Hawthorne to Jasper and Saartje Koster.  She graduated from Hawthorne High School with the Class of 1946.  After high school Evelyn continued her education at the Christian Sanatorium in Wyckoff where she received her Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) certification upon completion of their Nursing program.

Evelyn was a LPN for the Christian Sanatorium which later became known as the Christian Health Care Center in Wyckoff. She had a lifelong career of over forty years with them before retiring in 1993. Evelyn attended the Ebenezer Netherland Reformed Church in Franklin Lakes.

She will be lovingly remembered for her quiet demeanor and loving, nurturing devotion to family. Her caring, motherly, and nurturing way was also evidenced with her loving care of others as a nurse. Evelyn enjoyed playing the organ and for many years she liked knitting blankets, afghans, and sweaters for all.

Evelyn met a young man named Walter Hoogmoed at the Free Reformed Church in Passaic and they married on May 31, 1949.  They honeymooned at Niagara Falls, New York and had a devoted marriage of 55 years that was blessed with five children.

Evelyn was the loving wife of the late Walter Hoogmoed (d.2004); devoted mother of Evelyn Florit and her husband Michael of Prospect Park, Marie Douma Ten Kate and her husband David of North Haledon, Walter Hoogmoed of Riverdale, Richard Hoogmoed and his wife Nancy of Hawthorne, and Arthur Hoogmoed and his wife Patricia of West Milford;  cherished grandmother of twelve grandchildren and twenty-four great-grandchildren; and loving sister of the late Jennie Boer (d.2012) and Jasper Koster of North Haledon and his late wife Mary (d.2019).

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to the Holland Home, 151 Graham Ave., North Haledon, NJ 07508 or online at www.hchnj.org/donate would be greatly appreciated.

Frank A. Kopp, Jr., age 88 of Pompton Plains and formerly of Wayne, passed away on Sunday, June 23, 2019.

Frank was born in West New York, NJ and raised in Ridgefield. A graduate of Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood with the Class of 1948, he went on to study engineering and graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Steven’s Institute of Technology, Hoboken in 1952.

Frank landed his first job as an aerospace engineer with Curtis Wright Corporation. During a long and gratifying career he also held engineering positions with Kearfott Corporation and BAE Systems in Wayne before retiring in 1997.

Frank met the woman of his dreams in what he deemed to be one of the most unlikely of possible places. His mother, Florence Kopp, was a church organist who made Frank and his friends join the church choir. Frank would one day thank her for the greatest blessing that would come from singing in that choir as it allowed him to cross paths with a young woman named Alma Peters. Their first date began with dinner and a swim at the club followed by meeting up with some of Frank’s college fraternity brothers. As time passed, their admiration grew into a loving relationship ultimately leading to marriage on Saturday, February 12, 1955 at the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ridgefield. It snowed on that day, but not enough to keep them from exchanging their vows. After the church ceremony and reception, they escaped the cold by driving their car to Florida for their honeymoon.    

The young newlyweds started married life together in an apartment in Ridgefield. One night, they attended a party in what was then a quiet little sleepy town called Wayne. During a light conversation with the host of the party, Frank and Alma expressed some interest about a new development in Wayne. The host warned them that, if they took a look at the development, they wouldn’t be able to resist purchasing. The host’s words proved to be true and, while they never intended to stay in Wayne for a long time, Frank and Alma fell in love with the town as much as they fell in love with the home and ended up staying for a total of 60 years before moving to Cedar Crest Village in 2018.

One of the hallmarks of Frank and Alma’s home in Wayne was his beautiful gardens. The yard was adorned with beautiful flowers and his vegetable garden yielded an annual crop of the most delicious tomatoes which Frank attributed to some of his growing secrets – plant deep and always pinch off the plant’s suckers. Summertime was most enjoyed at his and Alma’s summer home in Narrowsburg, NY in the Catskills where Frank especially enjoyed getting out on the lake for some early morning fishing. Many of Frank’s skills came from being blessed with a keen, analytical mind and those skills were developed already at a young age as a boy scout. In fact, Frank and one of his fellow scouts were actually the first ever to earn the rank of Eagle Scout in Bergen County. Frank could draw and craft almost anything. Always interested in new challenges, he and his life-long friend Carl Hevert started their own enterprise on the side called Kovert, Inc., producing, selling, and distributing large decorative wood candles holders and wood cutting boards.      

Frank was the beloved husband of Alma (nee Peters), blessed in marriage for 64 years. He was the much-loved father of David and wife Ronnie Kopp of Mahwah, and Daniel and wife Gail Kopp of Bedminster; dear brother of Audrey Lago of Dallas, PA; and uncle of numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brother-in-law Jack Lago.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Frank’s name are asked to consider a gift to the Arbor Day Foundation, Trees in Memory.

There are two ways to give:

To give online, click on this link: https://shop.arborday.org/, then scroll down and click on Trees in Memory

To give by mail, send a gift to: The Arbor Day Foundation, 100 Arbor Avenue, Nebraska City, NE 68410
Please indicate that your gift is for Trees in Memory of Frank A. Kopp, Jr.

John W. Hanlon, Sr., age 64 of Riverdale, died on Saturday, June 22, 2019, after a courageous battle with cancer. He had lived in Riverdale since 1980.

John grew up in Nutley before moving to Caldwell as a child. He graduated from James Caldwell High School in 1972 and joined the U.S. Army. He also worked as Manager of a Hess gas station in Mahwah before getting a job with the Township of Fairfield DPW. Working as a heavy equipment operator for the first 25 years, he then transitioned to the engineering department as an inspector. As a retirement hobby, John bought his own backhoe, and opened Hanlon Construction Services, helping many families and businesses in the area. He was known to his friends and neighbors as a capable and reliable handyman.

John was generally a quiet guy--until he got to know you. He was a great storyteller with a dry sense of humor, and he always had one-liners to make you laugh. John had a private curiosity for writing, trying his hand at short stories and poetry, but it was music that played a special role in his life. He played the piano, harmonica, and bagpipes, and many years ago he started singing in the choir at St. Mary’s Church in Pompton Lakes. He later sang in the choir at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark. In 2003, he was invited to tour Europe with the choir and that trip was highlighted by singing for Pope John Paul II at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. In 2007, John auditioned and was selected to sing at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. While with the choir in NYC, he had the honor to sing for His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, during his Pastoral Visit to New York in April 2008. Later that year, he sang for President George W. Bush at the White House for the National Day of Prayer.

Family was always important to John, and the values he learned as the oldest brother he applied to his own family. That started when he met Marian on the dancefloor in 1976. John was a great dancer, and Marian noticed his stylish moves. Their first date was to “Rod’s,” an upscale restaurant with a historic ambiance. Despite Marian flinging her baked potato to the floor that night, John proposed within three months of meeting her. They selected a ring together, and Marian would take her friends to see it at the store while John worked for months to pay for it. They were married on April 8, 1978, and honeymooned on the island of St. Maarten. They first lived in the Lakeland section of Wanaque before moving to their home in Riverdale. Raising their two children was a joy, and John took great pride in the achievements of his kids. Having a pool in the backyard was an added pleasure, as it was an enjoyable way for the family to spend the summer. As hard a worker as John was--and there wasn't a day he didn't have sore hands or feet--he emphasized the need for taking time to relax. He made this a priority for his family, and at least one trip down the shore was guaranteed every summer. He worked all year for that one week of sailing on the bay, coffee breaks at Ebby's, and bicycle rides with his family. In the 41 years that have passed since John and Marian were married, John has remained the love of her life and she will miss him dearly.

John is survived by his loving wife Marian (nee Tenthoff) of Riverdale, his son John Jr. and wife Aimee of Parsippany, his daughter Bethany and husband Christoffer of Stanley, NC, his two grandsons Elias and Liam Hanlon of Parsippany, his brother Henry Hanlon, Jr. and wife Janet of Barnegat, NJ, his brother Edward Hanlon and wife Barbara of Oakton, VA, and his sister Evelyn of Lincoln Park, NJ. John was predeceased by his parents Henry A. and Evelyn (nee Burkhardt), and by his 4-year-old brother Thomas many years ago.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in John’s name to a cancer research charity of your choice.

Floyd W. Van Nortwick, age 84, of Wayne passed peacefully at home with his family by his side on Thursday, June 20, 2019.

He was born in Passaic to Floyd and Marie Van Nortwick and raised at 114 Court Avenue in Lyndhurst. He attended Lyndhurst High School with the Class of 1952. As a young man Floyd worked for his father’s company Vans Fuel Oil.

Floyd was drafted in the US Army in 1957 and was stationed in Germany for eighteen months before being discharged in 1959. He got married July 2nd, 1961 to Natalie and they purchased their house in Wayne where they still reside. Floyd was recalled into the service three months later and was honorably discharged from the US Army on March 31, 1963.

After his service in the military Floyd found work with the New Jersey Carpenters Union Local 254. Then he started a business with his brother Richard called VanRad Contracting in Lyndhurst where he worked until retiring.

He will be remembered as a loving husband, father and grandfather. He was compassionate, easy going, and a huge sports fan. He had season tickets to the NY Giants from their days at the Polo grounds then to Yankee Stadium and finally for many years at the Meadowlands in New Jersey. He enjoyed gardening, working in the yard and loved speeding across Barnegat Bay and Greenwood Lake in his speedboats. Another of Floyd’s favorite things was vacationing at his condo on Miami Beach, their house at the Jersey Shore and Pigeon Forge in Tennesee where he could hear the country music that he enjoyed listening to. Floyd loved spending time with his German Shepherds. Lastly, Floyd and Natalie loved their date nights on Friday and Saturday where they met friends and dined at many local restaurants where they were well known to the staff and owners.

Floyd was the loving husband of Natalie (Gardzinski); he was the devoted father of Keith and his wife Debbie of Newfoundland and Kevin of Wayne; cherished grandfather (Poppi) of Matthew, Lindsey, and Jared; dear brother of the late Richard and his surviving wife Linda; much loved uncle of the late Richard, Gary, Michael and his wife Dian from Clifton, and Jimmy LaFaso and his wife Maureen of Rutherford and Bobby LaFaso of Lyndhurst.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations would be greatly appreciated and may be made in Floyd's name to the Wayne Memorial First Aid Squad, PO box 2004,Wayne NJ 07474.

Thomas Frank Portelli, Esq., age 71 of Wayne, died suddenly on Tuesday, June 18, 2019.  He had been a Wayne resident since 1985.

Thomas grew up in Paterson and graduated from St. John the Baptist Catholic High School in 1964.  He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Seton Hall University, his J.D. from the North Carolina Central University, and then his Master’s in Labor Law at NYU.  He began his professional career with the Clifton Public Utility, had his own legal practice for many years, and was currently the Public Defender for the Township of Wayne and Riverdale Boro.  He was also a member of many professional organizations.

Thomas was a devoted Catholic and has attended Our Lady of Fatima Chapel in Pequannock since 1989.  He was currently the Vice President of the American Catholic Lawyers Association, and also a Knight of Merit of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

Thomas had many hobbies and was affectionately known as “Mr. Green Thumb” for his prowess in the garden.  He grew beautiful roses and always had a great vegetable garden.  For a period of time he started to make his own wine, which wasn’t really all that bad.  Thomas was also a fantastic cook who could put together some really fantastic meals.  He would describe himself as a “chef” rather than a “cook” because of the way he prepared his dishes, and everyone raved about his cooking.

Thomas’s family was, of course, most important to him.  He and his wife enjoyed a fun and humorous marriage, and he never failed to make her laugh.  His children recall him being a very inspirational dad who would do anything for them.  He was a hero to all of them.  Always a very proud Italian, Tom even tried to teach his kids to speak Italian, but they only seemed to pick up the bad words.  Most of all though, Tom was enamored with his young grandson, Logan Thomas.  They were buddies and couldn’t get enough of each other.  Little Logan would follow grandpa everywhere.  There is also something special that Tom said each time any of them would part company, and it seems appropriate to share it right here;  “I love you.  God bless you.”

Thomas is survived by his wife Mary Jane of Wayne, four children; Andrew Portelli of Fairfield, Maria Donohue and her husband Timothy of Wanaque, Cristina Allstaedt and her husband Joshua of Lincoln Park, and Joseph Thomas Portelli of Wayne, a grandson; Logan Donohue, one sister; Linda Mallaney and her husband Thomas of Wyckoff, and a brother; Joseph A. Portelli and his wife Brenda of Wayne, as well as many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial Processing, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959, www.stjude.org, would be appreciated.

Donato “Danny” Sisto, Sr., age 86 of Wayne passed away on Tuesday, June 4, 2019.

Danny was born in Italy and after coming to the USA, he lived in Newark, Hillside, and Roselle Park before moving to Wayne in 2014. Danny served honorably in the US Army. He attended the Manhattan School of Music where he earned his Master’s Degree. Danny was a professional trumpet player for many years, performing with a wide variety of artists. He was also a Music Teacher in Elizabeth for twenty-five years until his retirement. He continued as a freelance musician during his teaching career and was a member of the American Federation of Musicians.

Danny was a devoted father and grandfather and he cherished 39 years of marriage with his wife Carmen until her passing in 2007. Danny touched the lives of many people and will be missed by everyone that knew him. Danny is survived by his son Donato “Dan” Sisto, Jr. and his wife Dina, sister Alba Barone, brother Frank Sisto, grandchildren Joseph and Jenna Sisto, step-daughter Xiomara Hiller, and two step-grandchildren; Graham and Iain Hiller.

Those planning an expression of sympathy are asked to consider donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memoril Processing, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959.  http://www.stjude.org or The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Foundation P.O. Box 781352, Philadelphia, PA 19178-1352.  http://www.chop.edu/giving

Betty C. Van Kerschaver, age 92 of Wayne, died peacefully at her home in Siena Village, Wayne, on Friday, June 7, 2019.  She had lived in West Paterson before moving to Wayne in 1952 and has recently resided at Siena Village in Wayne.

She was born on November 21, 1926 in Clifton, NJ to Walter and Catherine Schmidt (nee Tyler).  Betty attended all Clifton Schools and graduated from the Paterson Commercial College in Paterson, NJ.   She began her career at the A.B Du Mont Labs and Thomas Electronics of Passaic, NJ as the secretary to the manufacturing manager.  She retired from the Wayne Board of Education in 1997 after thirty-six years of service, first as a Café Manager of Preakness School and then thirty-one years in the Business Office.  She was a member of the Wayne Board of Education Retirees, the NJ Education Association, the National Education Association, the Passaic County Education Association, the Wayne Golden Age Circle, and the American Association of Retired Persons.  Her hobbies included knitting, crocheting, an avid reader and Bingo player.  She was also a member of Our Lady of the Valley RC Church, Wayne.

Betty met her husband, Raymond, in 1949 on a blind date.  They married in September of 1951 and in 1952 they bought a home in Wayne in the old Preakness section.  Raymond passed away in December of 1994 after forty-three years of marriage and two daughters.

Betty had the forethought and courage to plan her own funeral.  When asked by the funeral director what she considered to be the highlight of her life, she responded; “the birth of my grandson, Bryan Casella.”  She went on to say; “we have a Mutual Admiration Society of our own, Bryan and I.”  She also stated that she loved her children dearly and that she had a wonderful marriage for forty-three years to her husband, Raymond, before his passing in 1994.

Betty is survived by her two daughters; Susan Foreman and her husband Alan of Surprise, Arizona, and Jessie Rae of Edison, NJ, and by her beloved grandson; Bryan Casella and his wife Jennifer of Carlstadt, NJ.

For those wishing to make a donation in Betty’s memory, please consider the Wayne Memorial First Aid Squad, P.O. Box 2004, Wayne, NJ 07474.

Anne Maglione (nee Mulhall) age 87 of Wayne passed away peacefully on Monday June 17, 2019 while receiving the loving care of her family.

Anne was born and raised in Cumbola, Pennsylvania and was one of seven children to James and Helen Mulhall.  Anne was given the loving nickname Kitzer by her family.  She graduated from Pottsville High School.  She moved to NJ where she met Theodore Maglione. Kitzer and Theodore were married on January 15, 1955.

After getting married, Kitzer and Theodore settled in Bloomfield, East Orange, West Caldwell, North Caldwell, eventually settling in Wayne in 1985 and have been their ever since. They had 4  children Ted, Malinda, Annemarie, and David.

Kitzer devoted herself to being a full time homemaker and business woman.  She enjoyed taking college classes to increase her knowledge.  Kitzer owned and grew Paramount Bakery in Newark for several years.  She branched out into land ownership.

Kitzer was a veracious reader and was a member of various book clubs in different towns over the years.  She enjoyed playing cards with her family and friends as well as the tile based game Mahjong.  Kitzer treasured her home she had in Ship Bottom, NJ.  She would spend months out of the year there and at the beach.  Aside from all of Kitzer’s talents and interests, her greatest passion was for her family.  Nothing meant more to Kitzer than providing for and spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.  Kitzer touched the lives of many people and will be sincerely missed by everyone that knew her.

Kitzer is survived by her son Ted Maglione and his wife Joyce of Mendham, NJ, her daughter Malinda Maslo and her husband Wolf of Newark, DE, her daughter Annemarie Maglione and her husband Ken Foreman of Lincoln Park, and her son David Maglione of Healdsburg, CA, one sister Virginia McGowan of Clinton, NJ, eight grandchildren; Ted Maglione and his wife Kate, Tyler Maglione, Deanna Shipman and her husband Greg, Krista Maglione, Jessica Todd and her husband Eric, Jacklyn Ferver and her husband Trevor, Matthew Foreman, and Kenny Foreman, and five great-grandchildren; Addison, Olivia, James, Saoirse, and Connor.  She was predeceased by her husband Theodore Maglione in August of 2013.

Jelica Djurin, age 89, of Wayne passed Saturday, June 15, 2019.

She was born in Banatska Subotica, Serbia. She spent most of her life in Vrsac before coming to the United States in 1974 to join lifelong friend Gordana Oldja and her family.  Jelica and Miodrag’s marriage was blessed with two children Radovan “Ray” and Brankica “Lisa.”  They moved to Wayne in 1985 and have called it home ever since.

Jelica and Miodrag were one of the founding members of Saint John the Baptist Serbian Orthodox Church in Paterson. Jelica was a devoted and longtime member of the church’s women’s association “Kolo srpskih sestara”.  She was a very social person and will be remembered for her great sense of humor, easy going nature, her love of dancing, gardening, and cooking her Serbian specialties.  Jelica was born to be a mother and grandmother.  She raised her two children and was an integral part of her four grandchildren’s upbringing as well.  She was very proud of her children and grandchildren’s accomplishments and loved to hear her grandchildren call her “Majkica.”

Jelica was the loving wife of fifty-eight years to the late Miodrag Djurin (d.2011); she was the loving mother of Radovan “Ray” Djurin (Ellen) of Wayne and Brankica “Lisa” Solomonovic (Aleksandar) of Wayne; cherished grandmother of Alexandra Lindorff (Eric), Christopher Djurin (Rachel), Andrej Solomonovic, and Igor Solomonovic.  She was predeceased by her siblings Dusan and Vida who had lived and passed away in Serbia.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to Saint John Serbian Orthodox Church, 119 Carlisle Ave., Paterson, NJ 07501 would be greatly appreciated.

Mary A. Olson, age 96, of Pompton Plains, passed away on Friday, June 14, 2019.

Mary was born in 1923 in Garfield at the family home of Salvatore and Rose Grecco. She joined her older brother Charles, and sister Tillie. Ten years later, her younger brother James was born. Although Mary often spoke of hardships, she enjoyed school and singing. A favorite memory of hers was singing Cole Porter’s jazz standard “Begin the Beguine.” The lyrics to that song reveal many of the things Mary loved best – hearing the sound of music played by an orchestra, being down the shore, seeing the palms swaying, dancing under the stars, and finding a romance and a love that would live forever.

Years passed and Mary graduated from Garfield High School in 1941. She continued her education in New York City at a business school where she learned how to operate a comptometer. Those skills were put to use in her job at Ford Motor Company in Teterboro. While working at Ford, she met William Van Kruiningen. They fell in love and were married on November 13, 1948. After traveling by train and honeymooning in Florida, they began life together in an apartment in Hackensack and soon purchased property and built their home at 401 Simons Avenue in Hackensack. Their marriage was blessed with two children, Kathy who was born in 1950 and Karen born in 1955. Life was busy and happy. Mary was the stereotypical 1950’s homemaker – cooking, cleaning, and taking care of her children and husband. She liked setting a pretty table with flowers and candles and abundant food. She was an excellent cook and baker. Mary always wanted her environment to be filled with things she liked. Things like a delft vase, an impressionistic painting, a lace tablecloth, and traditional holiday and seasonal decorations.

Unfortunately, this happy time was short lived. When the girls were just thirteen and seven, Mary’s husband William had a heart attack and passed away in April, 1963. Now the songs Mary sang were of loss and sadness. However, as a widowed mother, she used her skills again as a comptometer operator to work from home. She worked on accounts and inventory for Ford Motor Company. After about four years, Mary applied for and got a job with the Hackensack Board of Education where she was in charge of payroll and health benefits for all the school system’s employees. While working, Mary watched her daughters grow, attend college, and find rewarding jobs. Mary loved her many years of working in Hackensack and did not retire until she was seventy-nine years old.

Mary’s life changed again when she married Walter J. Olson, Sr. on January 25, 1975. She moved to Packanack Lake in Wayne and they lived at 21 Sunset Terrace. While living in Packanack, Mary enjoyed playing golf at the Packanack Golf Club and bowling with her friends. She and Walter participated in many golf outing and trips with other couples, and traveled to Europe, California, Florida, and numerous other destinations. During this part of her life, Mary also saw her two daughters find wonderful husbands, and she became a grandmother when Andrea Gonnella was born in 1987 and when Christine Gonnella was born in 1991. After 26 years of marriage, Walter passed away and Mary continued to live in their home in Packanack Lake until moving to Cedar Crest Village in Pompton Plains in 2013.

Mary was blessed with the gift of a long and healthy life. In her elder years she liked the music of the Boston Pops, especially patriotic music such as “Strike up the Band” and “Stars and Stripes Forever.” She also said she enjoyed watching a great parade. So at the end of her life, we hope that she will again hear the words of “Begin the Beguine” which ends with the line: “And we suddenly know what heaven we’re in when they begin the beguine.” Her family hopes she relives the happier times, the heaven on earth moments. The parade is now over, but hopefully Mary still hears the band playing her tunes.

Mary was the loving wife of the late William Van Kruiningen (1963) and the late Walter J. Olson, Sr. (2002); devoted mother of Kathy Rohr and her husband William of Pompton Plains and Karen Gonnella and her husband Michael of Wayne; she was the cherished grandmother of Andrea Gonnella-Chiarello and her husband Brent of Plainview, Long Island, New York and Christine Gonnella-Moran and her husband Ryan of Northvale; she was the much loved sister of the late Charles Grecco, the late Tilly Peraino, and James Grecco of Randolph.

Edward J. Wojtowicz, passed away on June 12, 2019 at the age of 71.

Born in Bremen Germany on November 24, 1947 to Konstantin and Janina Wojtowicz. Ed is survived by three sisters, Monica Demmers and her husband Barry, Diane DeRenzo and her husband Donald, Susan Ramirez and her husband Ignacio. He is also survived by five nephews, Thomas, Eric, Brett, Michael, and Daniel, two great nephews, Thomas and Liam, and two great nieces, Brooke and Makaela. He will be greatly missed.

Ed's family came to the United States in 1959, he graduated from Passaic High School in 1965, Ed served his country proudly in the United States Air Force for four years, then went on to further his education at Fairleigh Dickinson University pursuing a Bachelor's degree in accounting. He later moved to Barnaget, NJ where he retired.

Alan Purcell passed away June 9th, 2019 peacefully in the love of his family.  Born December 16th 1952 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Paterson NJ to Elmer and Leona (nee: Van Durme) Purcell and was raised in Clifton NJ and then moved to Garfield where he served as a volunteer Firefighter.

Alan eventually settled his family in Wayne in 1985 where he completed his 30+ year career at Sears Roebuck & Co. as a field technician and mechanic before forming his own business “Just Garages LLC” in 2003.  In Wayne, he served his community proudly as a zoning board officer and later as a Ward 1 Wayne Councilman before retiring after 20 years.  Alan also served as a Passaic County SPCA officer and was instrumental in the opening of the “Alan Purcell Wayne Animal Shelter” which was named in his honor.  

Alan will be remembered as a man who was always engaged with community and helping his neighbors. He had a passionate love for animals and animal rights; an avid automotive mechanic hobbyist, Alan loved all things fast and loud and enjoyed working on "toys" with his sons, attending car shows and spending time with family and friends in any setting.

He leaves behind his wife Susan Marie (nee: Contey) Purcell of thirty two years, and their son Anthony and his girlfriend Ying Lam; his son Paul Alan and his wife Catrina and their son (grandson) Alan Joseph "AJ" Purcell; and his three sisters Joan Wojdyla (and her husband Fritz), Joyce Cicalese (and her husband Frank), and Linda Purcell (and her partner; Dr. Ted Wojno); and numerous loving cousins, nephews and nieces.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his name can be made to the “Alan Purcell Wayne Animal Shelter” located at 201 Pompton Plains Cross Rd, Wayne NJ 07470.

Valentino DiIanni, 94 of Wayne, died on Saturday, June 8, 2019.  He lived in Clifton for many years before moving to Wayne in 2006.

Valentino was born in Villalago, in the province of L’Aquila in the Abruzzo region of Italy.  On April 16, 1950, he married Rosa Caranfa, a girl he had grown up with in Villalago.  Just weeks later, Valentino boarded a ship and set off for America.  He worked himself to the bone for seven years before being able to afford for his wife and daughter to join him in America.

Upon first arriving in the States, he started working in construction and soon learned to be a mason.  Joining Union Local #2 in Paterson, he worked his way up to Shop Steward and Supervisor, overseeing many large projects throughout the area.  He was particularly good at building relationships and he was very good at getting his men to work together to complete their projects.  His work ethic was based upon one principle: work hard!  He was like a bull and never stopped working!  Even during his time off, he worked side jobs pouring concrete patios, sidewalks, or whatever anyone needed him to do.  He never took a vacation, and the idea of taking time off was almost unimaginable to him.  He did enjoy keeping a large garden at home, and that was a labor of love for him.  He grew more produce than he could possibly use himself, and it brought him joy to share his harvest with friends and neighbors.

Sadly, after fifty-six years of marriage, his beloved wife Rosa passed away in 2006. Following her passing, he decided to visit his childhood home in Italy for several months before returning to New Jersey and moving to his son’s home in Wayne.  Valentino loved spending time with his grandkids there and cherished every moment he had with them.  This made him very happy and was the best thing he could have done in his retirement years.  They love him and will surely miss him very much.

Valentino is survived by his two children; Angelo DiIanni and his wife Norma of Wayne, Josphine DiIanni of Rome, Italy, three grandchildren; Paolo Iafolla of Rome, Julia and Angelo, Jr. of Wayne, two sisters; Vincenza Gatta of Clifton, NJ and Niva DiIanni and her husband Franco Mancini of Italy, and one brother; Giuliano DiIanni of Italy.  He was predeceased by his dear wife Rosa in 2006, and by two brothers; Pasquilino and Tulio.

John J. Chirichella, age 92, of Wayne passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 8, 2019 while receiving the loving care of his family and caregivers.

John was born and raised in Hoboken, NJ and was one of two children to Anthony and Margaret Chirichella.  John attended Hoboken High School where he was a talented member of the Roller Skating Club.  Following his graduation from high school with the class of 1944, John attended Pace University in New York for a few semesters.  John put his education on hold and was offered a position as a Union Truck Driver with Cochran Trucking located in Hoboken.  John remained as a truck driver working for two other companies over the next 40 years before retiring in 1986.  During his trucking career he was a member of the Teamsters Union Local 560.
Still able, willing, and eager to work, John then took a position with the Waldwick Board of Education where he worked in the custodial department.  John held this position until finally retiring in 1996.  

When John was just out of high school and while attending night classes at Pace, he took a job at Hostess Cupcakes.  While employed at Hostess Cupcakes, John met an attractive young woman, who was his co-worker, named Catherine Vangelakos.  John and Catherine hit it off great and dated for a few years.  As fate would have it, they fell in love and were married on September 1, 1951.  After getting married, the couple settled in Hoboken where they welcomed the birth of the one and only child Katina.  A couple of years after Katina was born, the family moved to Wayne.  John and Catherine remained in Wayne and called it their home for the next fifty-nine years.  John and Catherine cherished an amazing sixty-seven years of loving and loyal marriage.

John was dedicated to his Catholic Faith.  He and Catherine were parishioners of Our Lady of Consolation RC Church in Wayne for many years.  John was a kind and compassionate man who loved gardening, growing tomatoes, cucumbers, and other various vegetables.  He had a wonderful sense of humor and was the kind of person you couldn’t help but like.  Aside from all of John’s interests and hobbies, his greatest passion was for his family.  Nothing in the world meant more to John than providing for and spending time with his family.  John touched the lives of many people and will be sincerely missed by everyone that knew him.

John is survived by his wife Catherine (nee Vangelakos) of Wayne, one daughter Katina Britton of Lincoln Park, one grandson Michael Britton of Lincoln Park and many nieces and nephews.  John was predeceased by his sister Jessie Alfano.

Long-time resident of Wayne Francis Schumm, Jr., age 72, passed away somewhat unexpectedly on Sunday, June 2, 2019. With his outgoing nature and friendly spirit, he brought life to the town of Wayne and touched the lives of many who had the privilege of knowing him during his 60 plus years as a resident.

Born in Valley Stream, NY, Francis moved to Wayne when he was just six years old and remained a resident for the rest of his life. He was a student first at the former Preakness School on Hamburg Turnpike, then Lafayette School, the former Anthony Wayne Junior High School (occupied today by Siena Village) and the former Wayne Senior High School (known today as Wayne Valley High School) where he was a member of the marching band.

After graduating from Wayne Senior High with the Class of 1964, Francis enrolled in Rets Technical School where he studied to be an electronics technician. He soon landed a position with Conrac/Gianini Control Corporation – a subcontractor of the U.S. Department of Defense in Fairfield, working as a circuit board trouble shooter on their Minute Man missile systems. Over the course of his career that spanned more than twenty years, he ascended to the rank of company supervisor.

Francis had a tremendous love for national holidays and the traditions that went along with them. On St. Patrick’s Day, everyone could always count on him dressing up in his green leisure suit and inviting anyone who wanted to join him out for a good old-fashioned Irish dinner. On Halloween, every kid in the neighborhood knew that ringing Francis’ doorbell would yield the absolute best bag of treats of the night, and at Christmas, his house was always festively decorated inside and out and he could be found enthusiastically playing the role of Santa Claus for the Christmas celebrations at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church.

Francis had a true national pride which was clearly evidenced by the countless patriotic memorabilia he loved to collect. His house was filled with Americana, especially anything depicting the American eagle or American flag. Francis enjoyed collecting other types of things too – lots of different items. For example, he loved frequenting the train shows in Edison and Allentown, PA where he could always find pieces to add to his train collection. This could include anything to do with trains including train lanterns, and lanterns in general were another item he loved to collect. He was a collector of bicycles and, at last count, he owned over forty different bikes. If you needed a recording of an old favorite song you grew up hearing on the radio, Francis probably had it on one of those old 78 RPM records. More recently, he was into collecting walking canes and, while he had a real love for the old Chevy Corvairs of the 1960’s, he only ever owned one. With such a love for collecting, it should come as no surprise that everyone could always count on seeing Francis at garage sales all over town, or at the frequent flea markets that would be held at the Rec Building or Wayne PAL.

While all these facets of life brought Francis much joy, they could not be matched by his love for his family and friends, including the many wonderful canine companions – mostly Cocker Spaniels and Schnauzers that he gave a loving home to over many years. When home, Shotzie, Paris and currently Honey were his family. Treating them as such, he had a pooch named Lady who even joined Francis every morning for coffee, preferring to drink hers from a saucer. When he wasn’t home, Francis frequented many of the local Wayne eateries including Wayne Hills Diner, Park Wayne Diner, the Preakness Luncheonette, Charlie Browns, the Barnyard in Totowa, and the Hotdog Hut just under the overpass of Route 23 in the Mountain View section of Wayne. A regular at all these venues, over the years, Francis became like a friend to lots of good people through his many visits. He was equally well known in his neighborhood, taking daily walks with the dogs and stopping along the way to chat with his many neighbors. One neighbor in particular was Angela and Mark Ricciardi and their son Mark and daughter Michelle. They became long-time best friends and considered each other to be family, with Francis being like a second father to Mark and Michelle.

Francis’ faith in God was foundational in his life and as such, he regularly took part in the parish life at Our Lady of the Valley Church and had masses held on the anniversary of his parent’s deaths and birthdays as well as on Christmas. He also attended St. Michael’s Episcopal Church where he liked to bring his dogs for a blessing.

Francis is survived by his dear Aunt Anna Kearsch and dear cousins Robert Fisher, Sharon Quinn, Debbie Thorton, Richard Miesemer, Russell Miesemer, Marilyn Sylvester, and Karen Weingart.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy are asked to consider a gift dedicated to the welfare, sheltering and placement of homeless animals through Friends of Wayne Animals (FOWA Rescue), P.O. Box 3701, Wayne, NJ 07474.

Philip Dimitrijevic, age 25, of Montville, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, May 31, 2019.

Born in Pompton Plains, Phil lived in North Arlington and Butler before moving to Basking Ridge where he played football for the Ridge High School Red Devils, graduating with the Class of 2011. He had been living with his dad, mom, and younger brother in Montville since 2016.

Phil attended the Raritan Valley Community College Automotive Technology Program where he earned a certification as an automotive technician. After graduating, he worked as an auto body mechanic before joining the family business, VPV Electric, as a commercial electrician.

From a very young age, Phil had displayed a strong-willed and stubborn personality. As he entered adulthood, he developed a perspective which ran, in many ways, against the grain, but was always expressed with the highest degree of respect. He believed in complete freedom of expression and encouraged everyone to allow their true selves to shine. One of Phil’s favorite manners of self-expression were his tattoos - his creed, “Family First”, was tattooed on his left forearm.

Despite his rebelliousness, Phil always maintained a warm spirit and a larger-than-life personality. People from all walks of life were drawn to him. It wasn’t surprising that the question “Is Phil going to be there?” preceded nearly every family event. It never mattered how old or young you were, Phil had the unique ability to relate to anyone. One minute, he was an old soul projecting wisdom that usually only comes through a lifetime of experience, and the next, he’s a big kid on the floor with the little ones perfectly comfortable in their world. He could play with them for hours, genuinely committed to making them happy. Beat Phil up? No problem. Give him a crazy makeover complete with orange hair? Go ahead and take pictures while you’re at it.

Phil had a heart of gold and a constant desire to help. In high school, he was assigned hat knitting for prematurely born babies at the Morristown Memorial Hospital as disciplinary action. However, what started out as a disciplinary tactic turned into something Phil truly embraced and excelled at. He was the only boy in the group, and his hats always turned out to be works of both love and art. Phil was one to stop in the middle of the night to help change a tire for a stranger. Phil was the one friends called to help move at midnight. Phil was the one willing to drive a rent-a-truck all the way to Miami to help a family start a new life. Countless acts like these are what cemented him as a real legend among friends and family.

With a heart as big as his stature (known to many as “Big Phil” for good reason), receiving a hug from him was like getting hugged by an angel, and he always made you feel loved and safe; as long as he had you in his embrace, everything would be okay. Phil was a people-person in the purest sense - he was loved and respected by all who encountered his loving spirit.

On Phil’s last family vacation, he and his father rode motorcycles from Phoenix to San Francisco - the trip of lifetime. Following a long day of riding in blistering heat and sun, Phil couldn’t wait to go out and mingle with locals while his father was resting. A month later, while riding back home on the east coast, Phil sustained a serious leg injury from an accident in which he was T-boned by a car. While the recuperation was an arduous journey, Phil’s remarkable spirit and motivation allowed him to recover without a hiccup; it seemed all the love he’d been sending out to the world throughout his life had come back and given him the strength to bounce back.

Phil’s life philosophy was, in his own words: “Never take life too seriously - be sure to cherish and enjoy every moment.” Phil always paved his own way through life and sought to encourage anyone who happened to cross his path, whether they were longtime friends or complete strangers, to do the same. He convinced those around him that the paths of worry and stress were not the paths we should choose. Instead, we should seek those that let us enjoy the beautiful world we live in and share our lives with the people we love.

“Legends Never Die”

Phil is survived by his most loving parents Vlado “Val” and Aleksandra Dimitrijevic of Montville; his dear brother of Petar of Montville; his maternal grandmother Rada Opalic of Croatia, paternal grandmother Vera Peric and husband Slobodan of Venice, FL, and adoptive grandmother Natasa Graure of Basking Ridge; many uncles and aunts including: Radovan Opalic and his children Aleksandra and Ksenija of France, Natalie Gagic and husband Djordje and children Tamara and Daniela of Wayne, Dusan Peric and wife Meg and son Alex of Sarasota, FL, George Dimitrijevic of Lincoln Park, Miroslav Dimitrijevic of Nutley, Suzana Zrno and husband Pero and children Tomislav and Frano of Austria, and Dubravka Bozie and daughter Una of Croatia. Phil was predeceased by his paternal grandmother Ana Dimitrijevic in 1989, his maternal grandfather Stojan Opalic in 2001, his paternal grandfather Vladeta Dimitrijevic in 2012, and his maternal great-grandfather Jovan Opalic in 2010.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Phil’s name are asked to consider Montville Animal Shelter, 7 Church Lane, Montville, NJ 07045.