Michael James Furtak, age 32, of Dover Delaware and formerly of Wayne, passed away on Sunday, December 31, 2017. His beloved wife, mother and sister lovingly stayed by his side at the time of his passing.

Born in Hackensack, the middle child of Walter and Gale Furtak, Mike’s father was in the Air Force so the family moved around a bit but, for the most part, Michael was raised in Wayne. He attended Wayne Public Schools and graduated from Wayne Hills High School with the Class of 2004 where he played on the school’s traveling basketball team.

Like any kid from his era, some of Mike’s favorite pastimes included constructing Lego creations and doing anything that had to do with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He was also a great lover of music possessing a huge CD collection of hip hop and old school rap, and he found his joy in being outdoors, especially near the ocean’s shore, taking in the sun and the surf. It stands to reason that he loved surfing and golfing to unwind with his friends. After high school, Michael chose to go to Wesley College in Dover Delaware. He chose the school because it was small and close enough to home.

While attending college, Michael got a job working at The Children’s Place – an American specialty retailer of children’s apparel with locations in malls all over the U.S. He worked his way up to Assistant Manager of one of their stores. It was there in 2007 that he first met Brianne Morkert, a fresh-faced nineteen year old who was brought on as temporary help during the Christmas holiday rush. Those who had seniority over Michael quickly recognized that he had a gift for increasing store sales and managing people. Consequently, the company transferred Michael from store location to store location to boost their sales numbers. For some reason, whenever this happened, Michael would always ask that Brianne, whose status with the company had moved from temporary to permanent, be transferred with him. This was a bit surprising because they seemed to have a sort-of teasing, pokey, tit-for-tat relationship. Over time, Brianne continued to move up the ladder with The Children’s Place and Mike moved on to go work for Aeropastale. Consequently, they lost touch with each other for a while but, as fate would have it, their paths would cross again in a most interesting way. In 2012, Brianne was working in one of the top grossing stores for The Children’s Place but, when the store’s lease ran out the mall didn’t want to renew it. It was looking like Brianne was going to lose her job. Luckily, the district manager for Aeropastale was aware of her store’s closing and he approached Brianne to see if she would want to interview for a job with Aeropastale. Needless to say, she aced the interview and got hired. Now the interesting part! Little did Brianne know, but Michael caught wind through inter-company memos, that Brianne was joining Aeropastale. He immediately requested that she come work at his store in the Queenstown Premium Outlets in Queenstown, Maryland. They were both dating others at the time but they messed with each other somewhat flirtatiously which drove Brianne nuts but she knew Mike was important by the way he’d put down his front and let the real him shine through.

In the spring of 2014, Mike received his diagnosis of cancer – melanoma…..just a tiny little spot on his ankle. Treatments began but Mike always downplayed the seriousness of his situation. Summer was coming and it was time for one of his most celebrated annual events – attending the Firefly Music Festival in Dover, DE. Mike loved music, especially live music, so going became a tradition. It had never been tradition for Brianne to go, but this year, she went too. A week later, the two of them went to a party and that was it! Messing with each other flirtatiously finally took a bow to all out love. They settled into a pretty comfortable relationship in which being together was the most important thing. Consequently, a late night was a great night doing something together as simple as watching Hey Arnold or Rug Rats at midnight. A short time later, while out bowling one evening with family and friends, Michael felt moved to share his heart with Brianne declaring “I hope you don’t mind but I think I’m going to be with you for the rest of my life.” Brianne remembered feeling so loved! Then, in the spring of 2015, Mike had to undergo exploratory surgery because that tiny bit of cancer on his toe had metastasized to his lung. Finding out the devastating news that it was inoperable, Mike found himself trying to convince Brianne to move on with her life without him. She’d wouldn’t hear it, telling him to be quiet and assuring him that it would be fine. Later that summer, they attended Firefly 2015 and, while the song “Shut Up and Dance with Me” by Walk the Moon was playing, Mike felt moved to propose marriage by the simple act of slipping an engagement ring on Brianne’s finger. On July 29, 2017, they married in Washington State with the Puget Sound in plain view because Mike always loved that beach, ocean, sun and surf. The location was near Brianne’s side of the family and it was a beautiful, warm day despite the area’s reputation for unpleasant weather.

Mike was such a gifted retail manager. He just possessed the perfect temperament, personality, and attitude to be successful. His great personality enabled him to make his customers feel helped yet not pushed to purchase and his mostly young employees to feel valued and inspired. Often showing up to work in jeans with holes, his Firefly baseball cap and flip-flops, he was very approachable, always trying to foster a sense of family with his employees while inspiring them to work hard to succeed. As a result, many of those young employees affectionately referred to Mike as “Work Dad.” Brianne described Mike as the ultimate “man-boy” who was able to function in an adult world with the heart of a kid. It was that man-boyishness that was the key to Mike’s success, enabling him to turn dysfunctional stores into great money makers.

The man-boy persona was not something that Mike turned on for work and turned off when he got home. He was always that way because that’s just who he was – a roll-with-it kinda guy who thought more about the simple things of life and just loving people. Consequently, wearing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle themed wear, watching Rug Rats, or getting together with his buddies to sing old school rap and hip hop (amazingly, they knew all the words) was normal for Michael, even to the end of his life. When his sweet little baby girl Siddalee “Sidda” was born, Mike was ecstatic! She became his ultimate play-mate and it was natural for him to share many of these simple pursuits with her too. He always wanted to be the one to put her toys or any baby furniture together for her, and his sensitive nature was magnified with the arrival of his little bundle of love. Brianne will always have fond memories of how Mike tried to change Sidda’s first diaper in the hospital as quietly as he could so as not to disturb Brianne’s sleep. But Mike generally loved all people and was sensitive to their needs, thinking nothing of taking in a stray friend to crash on his couch for as long as needed. And next to that couch was an end table with a drawer filled with an arsenal of Reese’s Pieces, assorted chips, Coke and any other junk food you could imagine. He was a great father and a great husband who would come home from work after a two-hour commute and start cleaning the house and doing laundry. No one is perfect but Michael’s family thought he could do no wrong often lightheartedly referring to him as “St. Michael.”

Michael leaves behind his beloved wife Brianne (Morkert); his adorable daughter Siddalee; his loving parents: Walter and Gale (Bartlo) Furtak of Wayne; his two much-loved siblings: Devon Buck and husband David of Florida, and Robert Furtak and fiancé Jessica Gilrain of Clayton, New York; his cherished grandmother Frieda Spinelli of Florida, and cherished grandfather Walter Furtak of Wallington; and his sweet niece Phoenix. He was predeceased by his cherished grandfather Thomas Bartlo and cherished grandmother Estelle Furtak.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Michael’s name are asked to consider Melanoma Research Foundation, P.O. Box 759329, Baltimore, MD, or at www.melanoma.org.

Nelly Villaverde, age 87, of Wayne, passed away on Friday, December 29, 2017

Born in Pinar Del Rio, Cuba, Nelly emigrated to the U.S. in 1962 and had been a resident of West New York, NJ for 53 years before moving to Wayne in 2015.

As a young girl, Nelly already knew that, when she grew up, she wanted to be a teacher. In her culture and in those times, most girls didn’t pursue the higher education that would be required to fulfill Nelly’s goals, but Nelly never let cultural norms stop her. In fact, Nelly never let anything stop her from pursuing her ambitions. When she announced to her father this goal of being a teacher, he said that first Nelly had to work to become a certified seamstress like her older sisters. Little did she know then, but this requirement would serve her well in the future when she would ultimately choose to live life in the United States. Nelly became a certified seamstress and then she began attending La Normal School – an advanced high school and college in Cuba with an accelerated curriculum. She had to be away from home during those years of school but fortunately, she had relatives that she could stay with. Upon graduation, she began her teaching career in Cuba. She was only nineteen years old when she started and her nineteenth year of life was a busy year indeed. Not only did she start her teaching career, but she also got married! She and her beloved husband Luis exchanged their wedding promises on December 22, 1949.

Initially, Nelly taught in Cuba and later in Venezuela. When she chose to immigrate to the U.S. in 1962, she had to pursue certification to teach in the states. While doing that, those seamstress skills her Papa made her learn came in handy as Nelly got temporary work as a seamstress and also working in a boxing factory in Ridgefield Park. She soon secured a position in the West New York, NJ public school system. Over her career there of more than fifty years, Nelly taught all grades from first grade through high school. Her dedication to her profession was so great, it earned her teacher of the year honors. Nelly was a beloved teacher whose passion for her students was unmatched. She also tutored as many as 30 of her students after school, in her home. Tutoring went on for 41 years and only stopped about five years ago. Many of the kids she tutored were immigrants who Nelly lovingly taught English as their second language.

When she wasn’t teaching or tutoring, Nelly could often be found creating culinary delights in the kitchen. Family favorites included her Ropa Vieja and plantains and her grandchildren especially loved their dear “Tita’s” famous steaks and soups. Between teaching, making lesson plans, tutoring, keeping her house clean, and managing all the other facets of being a homemaker, Nelly always found time for a little bit of vacationing. Her family especially looked forward to those times of leisure because they afforded the opportunity to spend precious time with her – time in which they didn’t have to share her with anyone else. No doubt those vacations were a wonderful opportunity for Nelly to sip on one of her favorite refreshments – Pina Coladas. For many years while residing in West New York, NJ, she was a faithful parishioner of the town’s hometown church, St. Joseph of the Palisades R.C. Church.

Above all else, Nelly’s love, adoration, and dedication was for her family. Her children will swear that there is no mother or grandmother who could come as close to being great as their "Tita". She will be dearly missed but her memory will shine on in the hearts of those whose lives she touched.

Nelly was the beloved wife of the late Luis Villaverde who passed away in 2007. She was the loving mother of Maria and her late husband Donald Kocialski of Wayne, Marianela and husband Patrick Martin of Wayne, and Nelly Mary Hayes of Bensalem, PA; adored grandmother of Richard Kocialski, Stephanie and husband Jeffrey Menzel, Peter Martin, Sammuel Martin, Katie Hayes, and Colin Hayes; cherished great-grandmother of: Marcelo and Cristiano; and dear sister of Juan Manuel Lopez of Miami, FL. She was also predeceased by dear brothers Amable Lopez and Rigoberto Lopez, and dear sisters Celeste Izquierdo, Teresa Camacho, and Irma Martin.

Karen Salley (nee Klinger), age 70 passed away suddenly and unexpectedly at her summer home in Wildwood Crest, N.J. on Friday, December 29, 2017.

Karen was born and raised in Chicago, later moving to South Holland ,Il., before finally settling in Wayne, NJ thirty five years ago. Karen’s father passed away while she was still quite young, leaving her to learn tough life lessons at a young age. Lessons she would pass on to her family and friends throughout her life allowing her to connect with so many. She attended Thornridge High School in Dolton, IL (class of 1965) and immediately joined the workforce after graduating. She found work at the Insurance Company of North America (INA) in Chicago and over a 10 year career grew her title to Regional Administrator.

Her time at INA was special not just professionally but also personally. In 1973, another INA employee named Roy Salley working in the New York office was transferred to Chicago as part of a promotion. It was this move from New York to Chicago that the beginning of both their lives would start to take shape. A short time after Roy arrived, they were set up on a date by a co-worker. This first date was a St. Patrick’s Day Party in a county park near Chicago where they basically, “stood around, talked, and drank beer.” in the snow! Although hardly a romantic, fairy-tale first date, as fate would have it, Roy and Karen fell in love. They dated a few years and on September 25, 1976 were married at Church of the Holy Name in Dolton, IL honeymooning in Wildwood Crest, NJ. Karen was of the Catholic Faith but converted to Episcopalian upon marrying Roy and remained a woman of strong faith. Karen and Roy cherished over forty years of loving and loyal marriage.

Karen and Roy settled in Dolton, IL immediately after marriage. They bought a home in nearby South Holland and began building their lives and family together. The next five years brought them three healthy children and in 1982 Roy’s work transferred him once again, this time back east. They moved to New Jersey and decided Wayne would be the place they call home and raise their children.

The move east meant Karen would be leaving behind her career and family to support that of her husbands while giving her kids the idyllic upbringing she wanted for them. This level of devotion and sacrifice came so naturally to her and is a small example of her many traits we will miss.

Immediately, Karen and Roy became active within the congregation of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church along with the Wayne PAL, where their kids played sports. Both organizations had a valuable impact on Karen and Roy. Not knowing at the time but the friendships they formed from their involvement would last a lifetime. Karen was also very active in the PTA where her children went to school and also found a part-time position as a Teacher’s Aid in the Wayne public Schools. Moving to New Jersey also brought out her love of the Jersey Shore. Karen and her family spent many summer days at various NJ Shore points. Karen fell so in love with the Wildwood’s that she plotted with her husband’s mother to purchase a home there. In 1994, 18 years after her initial honeymoon visit to Wildwood, Karen and her mother-in-law found “the perfect place,” and called her husband telling him the big news.

In addition to the Jersey Shore Karen got to visit outside the United States. Roy’s career allowed for global trips that often included spouses. The two traveled to many exotic locations around the world including Tokyo, Singapore, Sweden and France. One of the most memorable trips being a villa on the French Riviera that included Karen and Roy’s parents and kids.

Aside from all her interests and hobbies, her greatest passion was her family. Nothing meant more to Karen than being and spending quality time with her family. She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother and was especially close to her daughters in law, Kimmy and Tonya . She was an extraordinary person, loving, caring, and compassionate. She touched the lives of many, many people. She will be truly missed by everyone who knew her.

Karen is survived by her husband Roy of Wayne, two sons; Roy Salley II and his wife, Tonya of Cedar Grove and Shaun Salley and his wife, Kimberly of Riverdale, one daughter Colleen Salley of Morristown, her mother Shirlee Klinger of Portage, IN, one brother; Jack Klinger of Crown Point, IN, four grandchildren; Rebecca Salley, Morgan Salley, Ava Salley, and Henry Salley, as well as several nieces, nephews, and cousins.  Karen is survived by her in laws whom she had a close bond; Nancy and Roy Salley, Kim and Jim Salley, Scott and Amy Salley, and Wayne and Diane Salley.  She is also survived by two of her dogs; Elizabeth Taylor and Nora.

Mary “Ciss” Schramm ( nee Lernihan ) age 97, formerly of Wayne for over fifty years, passed peacefully at home in Cedar Crest on Dec. 26th.

Born in N.Y.C. to Mathias and Mary Mariah Lernihan in 1920, Ciss' family relocated five years later to the Middle Village section of Queens, New York. There, along with her brothers Jack and Matt, she attended St. Margaret's grammar school, and later graduated from Our Lady of Wisdom Academy High School with the Class of 1938. After high school she continued her education by completing secretarial school.

Ciss met the love of her life, George J. Schramm, while growing up in Middle Village, where they attended the same grade school, and were both active parishioners at Saint Margaret's RC Church in Queens. It was there, after Sunday mass, that George first invited Ciss out for an ice cream soda, which eventually lead to the two of them falling in love. They married on January 16, 1943 while George was home on furlough from Army basic training. He was deployed to the European Front during WWII.

While praying for and awaiting his safe return, Mary commuted (via trollys and trains) to Manhatten from Middle Village, where she developed a love of the law while working as an executive legal secretary.

When George returned from the war, they settled into an apartment in the Flushing section of Queens, New York, and in 1947 they welcomed their first child. In 1951 they moved to River Edge, NJ, where two more children joined their family. In 1957 they relocated again, so as to raise their family in what was, at the time, "the country", at Packanack Lake in Wayne, NJ. Then, in 1980, as "empty nesters", they moved across Wayne to Manitou. After George’s passing in 2008, Ciss moved to Cedar Crest in Pompton Plains, where she has lived for the past nine and a half years.

Ciss will be lovingly remembered for her gracious manner, strong values, wise counsel, and devout faith. Although a private person, it was no secret to anyone who knew her well that she had a special devotion to the Blessed Mother, and, much like her husband, was never without her rosary.

Ciss also loved to sing. For over 30 years, she was a member of the award-winning Ramapo Valley Sweet Adeline's chorus, where she had the pleasure of experiencing standing ovations at every venue in many cities, including Carnige Hall in NYC and the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Having an appreciation and knack for fashion, Ciss would make dresses for her girls when they were little, and was known for always looking "put together". She had a gift for innovation and loved decorating. Consequently, she enjoyed finding just the right placement for everything in her home, including her beloved collection of dolls and carefully chosen antiques.

The sea was another of her great loves; she enjoyed many a family vacation at the Jersey Shore, as well as wintering near the Florida coast after George retired. Her children and grandchildren also fondly remember her gift to them of the '97 ocean cruise to Bermuda.

Along with her husband George, Ciss enjoyed golfing, and was a founding member of the Packanack Lake Golf Club in Wayne. There they both developed and enjoyed lasting friendships fostered during many rounds on the course.

For many years they spent their weekends in the Pocono Mountains, where Ciss cherished the peace, natural beauty, and abundant wildlife. She especially enjoyed watching the deer quietly walk through the woods, and the many and varied birds that would visit her hanging geraniums and dine at her bird feeders.

Still sharp as a tack on her 97th birthday, Ciss stayed on top of world events by watching news every night. When she would change the channel, it would often be to QVC, for she did also love to shop.

The innocence and antics of little children always made her beautiful blue Irish eyes smile. But conversely, her heart would really ache for any child in need which is reflected in the Foundation referenced below.

Along with her enduring faith, her greatest love of all was the love she had in her heart for her family.

Ciss was the wife of sixty-five years to the late George J. Schramm (2008); mother of Gregory J. Schramm (Greg) of Wayne, Jacquelyn M. (and Jehovenn Honculada) Schramm of Wayne, and Mary-Therese Schramm (Tracy) of Pompton Plains. She had five grandchildren: Geoffrey (and Michelle) Schramm, Amy (and Chris) Adickes, Timothy (and Tracy) Schramm, Jehda (and Ken Hermanny) Honculada, and Jessica (and Frank Troia) Honculada. She had eight great-grandchildren: Kayla Schramm, Ryan Schramm, Jake Adickes, Dylan Adickes, Grady Schramm, Wesley Hermanny, Sophie Schramm and Gavin Hermanny.

She will continue to be deeply loved and will be missed beyond measure. Please remember her in your prayers.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Mary’s memory can be made to the Lernihan-Schramm Foundation, 25 Shady Terrace, Wayne, NJ 07470. This foundation helps families in need through established charitable organizations.

Charlotte Blau left us on Tuesday, December 26, 2017.

She died from a long journey with Alzheimer’s of about 13 years.

At the end of her life, she was surrounded by her children around the clock.

Charlotte was born in Union City, NJ, in 1939. There she was raised, met and married her husband Bill in 1956. They moved to Lyndhurst for 10 years and then settled in Wayne for the next 46 years. Charlotte spent those years raising her six children and making Christmas the most special holiday. Most memorable were all the home-made Christmas cookies shared in her special tins! So it is symbolic she leave us at this time of year!

Charlotte worked at Sterns in the Preakness Mall, then State Farm when the children were grown. There she found fulfillment and met many wonderful people that gave her fond memories and laughs. Most will remember her love for the beach, and the memories she and Bill had at their home in LBI.

Charlotte was predeceased by her husband William Blau of 55 years, her parents Charles and Grace Brunje, her brothers Charles, Richard, Arthur and Howard Brunje, and loved in-laws Phillip Monti and Anna Jenisch-Brunje.

She leaves behind her sister Pauline Monti of Wayne and her children: Janet and William Carafello of Seaside Heights, Diane Blau-Torres and Steve Torres of Wayne, Catherine Blau of Pompton Lakes, Tara Blau of Wayne, David and Sherry Blau of Pompton Plains, William Jr. and Kasia Blau of Wayne; her beautiful grandchildren: Kristen and Frankie Iattarelli, David and Samantha Torres, Alexandra, Kimberley, and David Blau, Annabelle and Allison Blau; and her nieces and nephews and in-laws.

Vincent Caropreso, age 51 of Pompton Plains and formerly of Wayne, died on Christmas Eve, Sunday, December 24, 2017. He was surrounded by his loving family and many loyal friends during the final days of his courageous battle with cancer.

Vinnie grew up in Wayne and graduated from Wayne Hills High School with the class of 1984. He had been a standout football player with the Wayne Hills Patriots and when he went on to study at Villanova University he tried out for the football team as a walk-on. The odds of joining a Division 1 football roster as a walk-on are slim, but despite the odds, Vinnie made the team! He enjoyed his time at Villanova, maybe even a little bit too much, and after a few semesters he decided to leave school and join the carpenters union in New York City. Vinnie has been a member for more than thirty years of NYCDCC Union 157 and he was most recently a project manager. His coworkers know him as a perfectionist and a workaholic.

Vinnie was selfless and caring and he who would do anything for his many dear friends. He could fix and do just about anything and he loved being able to help others. If he knew that you were doing a home improvement project, he would just show up and help you – and his work was meticulous. He volunteered on the Wayne P.O.L. Fire Company 2 for thirty years and served as their Chief from 2001-2003. His fellow firefighters were like brothers to him and he cherished their friendship. Being a firefighter emboldened Vinnie to enjoy one of his favorite hobbies; playing with fireworks! The Fourth of July was, understandably, his favorite holiday and Vinnie always seemed to have the best fireworks! Of course, it wasn’t uncommon for the police to show up in response. Vinnie loved throwing big parties as his house and cooking for all of his friends. His parties were always memorable.

Vinnie was devoted to his wife and two sons. He met his wife, Maureen (nee Bardone) at the famed “Waterfront” in Packanack Lake. She found him to be a romantic man who always wrote long notes in the cards he gave her. They married on Oct. 3, 1992 at St. Anthony’s RC Church in Butler, followed by an Aruba honeymoon. Their honeymoon was anything but typical, as two of Vinnie’s best friends, along with their wives, joined them for the week!!! Throughout their years together, Maureen and Vinnie’s love for each other grew stronger and stronger. As Maureen candidly and very honestly describes; they didn’t always like each other, but they always loved each other; they enjoyed fabulous times together and Vinnie gave her a wonderful life. When it came to Vinnie’s two boys; Dominic and Joseph, they were his everything and he loved the two of them tremendously. He could be a strict dad at times, but that was the ‘perfectionist’ side of him that wanted only the best for his boys. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for them and they always knew how much they were loved. In 2003, Maureen gave birth to twin boys; Joseph and Anthony. Sadly, Anthony passed away just a few days later and Vinnie’s love seemed to be amplified in response; drawing him even closer to his family. He had a huge heart and his family will miss him dearly.

Vinnie is survived by his beloved wife Maureen (nee Bardone) of Pompton Plains, his two sons; Dominic and Joseph, and by his dear mother; Joan Caropreso of Wayne, his sister; Kathy Siso and her husband Tom of Wayne, his step-sister; Megan Caropreso of Butler, nieces; Shauna Siso of Wayne, and nephew Patrick Siso of Wayne, and two aunts; Kathy Falato of Wayne and Catherine Garcia of Wayne. He was predeceased by his son Anthony in 2003 and by his father, Ugo in 2001.

Donations in Vinnie’s memory would be appreciated to benefit the St. Joseph’s Hospital NICU. Donations can be sent to; St. Joseph’s University Medical Center Foundation, 703 Main St, Paterson, NJ 07503 or visit www.stjosephshealth.org.

James “Jim” Sofis, age 95 of Manchester passed away peacefully on December 22, 2017 while receiving the loving care of his family.

Jim was born in New York City to Constantine and Esmeralda Sofianides. He lived in Wood-Ridge and Wayne before moving to Manchester 21 years ago. Jim graduated from Rutherford HS with the class of 1940. After High School graduation, Jim enrolled at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken. He studied there for two years. With a desire to serve and protect his country like many others, he dropped out of college and enlisted in the United States Army to serve during WWII. Jim was a rifleman and Draftsman, he was assigned to the 104th Infantry, 415th regiment. He was stationed in Europe where he fought very honorably and courageously, receiving two Purple Hearts, two Battle Stars, as well as the Combat Infantry Badge. Like many men returning from war, Jim didn’t speak much about his experiences, but it was clear that his service during the war played a profound role in his life.

After being honorably discharged from the United States Army, Jim earned a position as a tool designer for the Bendix Corporation in Teterboro, which later became known as Honeywell Industries. Jim worked there for forty two years until his retirement in 1989. Following his retirement, Jim was not the type of man to sit still, he continued to work part time for a company called Rickett Benckiser in the R&D labs for three years. Again, Jim felt the urge to retire and then moved to Leisure Village West in Manchester in 1996.

Following his service during World War II and amid his first few years working for Bendix Corporation, Jim met a lovely young women by the name of Nina Macredy. They dated for a short time and as fate would have it they fell in love and were married in 1952. They settled in Wood-Ridge for a time then eventually moved to Wayne in 1963. They would call Wayne their home for many years to come and would raise their two daughters and son there. Jim cherished twenty-five years of a loving and loyal marriage together until Nina’s passing. Jim eventually fell in love again and remarried a women named Bernice Wickersheim. Jim cherished another twenty five years of marriage to his second wife until her passing in 2011.

Jim was a member of the VFW in Manchester where he was very active for a while. He also loved to travel. He has been to just about every corner of the globe including memorable trips to China, Russia, Thailand, Sweden, England, Greece, Turkey, and Ireland, as well as traveling to the Caribbean on various cruise lines. Jim also enjoyed bowling in local leagues in his area and after his second wife passed away, took routine trips to Atlantic City where he enjoyed playing poker and socializing with many friends he made during his trips there. Jim was caring and generous and was the type of person that everyone liked.

Jim knew the Lord and was extremely devoted to his Christian Faith. Above all of Jim’s hobbies, talents and interests, he had a great love for his family. He was a devoted husband and a loving father, grandfather, and great grandfather. He cherished the time he spent with his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, nothing was more important to him. Jim was an extraordinary person who touched the lives of many people and will be missed by everyone who knew him.

Jim is survived by two daughters; Ginnie Palumbo and her husband Jimmy of Wayne, Irene Myers of Wayne, one son Stephen Sofis and his wife Jill of Vernon, one brother; Dr. Thomas Sofianides and his wife Anna of Tenafly and their daughter Catherine Sofianides, five grandchildren; Jessica Myers, Kimberly Myers, Jamie Sofis, Cassandra Sofis, and Erika Sofis, 2 great grandchildren; Dante Ferreira, and Madison Myers, and many nieces and a cousin. Jim is also survived by 6 step-children and 16 step grandchildren whom he loved very much, from his second wife Bernice. He was predeceased by his first wife Nina Macredy, and his second wife Bernice Wickersheim in 2011. Jim was also predeceased by his two sisters Clara Wassel and Faye Nicholiades in 2008.

Sebastian G. Basart, age 34, of New York City, passed away peacefully on December 7th, 2017, after a short battle with brain cancer, in the presence of his loving and caring family.

Sebastian was born to Monique Arends and Martin Basart. He and his family lived in Rye, NY until Sebastian was about five years old. Eventually his family moved to Kinnelon, NJ where he would spend his formative years growing up. As a child Sebastian was what you might call an overactive child. His mom and dad could barely keep up with him. His parents gave him the nickname “Apie”, which when translated from Dutch means, “monkey”. They would go outside looking for Sebastian and when he couldn’t be found his mom would “look up”. She often found that he had climbed up a tree which he was exceptionally good at. Sebastian was the most influential person of his brother Alex’s life. He will always be his inspiration.

As a teenager in High School, his charismatic personality fostered such an energy that it allowed him to build an extended family of lifelong friends He participated in many sports and activities while in school and particularly enjoyed swimming. He followed his love for swimming and as a teenager he obtained his first job as a lifeguard. Following his graduation from Kinnelon High School with the class of 2001, Sebastian attended William Paterson University where he earned a Bachelor Degree in Arts in 2006.

Sebastian followed the Basart family legacy in the record industry. Coupled with his passion for music, he embarked upon his career at Sony Music Entertainment.

He was at Sony for approximately six years until his promotion lead him to his current position: Manager, A&R Administration Columbia Records in Manhattan.

Shortly before Sebastian became ill, he met a young woman by the name of Elisa Araujo through a mutual friend. After several dates they grew to love each other. When Sebastian relayed the news to Elisa that he had become ill, she embraced his battle and never left his side. She cared for him and loved him unconditionally. Their connection and love for each other will carry on forever.

Sebastian was very spiritual. Meditation and yoga were positive forces in his life, which guided him to lead a healthy lifestyle. Traveling was another passion that took him all over the world: Brazil, Europe, Costa Rica and Iceland to name a few.

Sebastian was a kind-hearted, generous, humble and modest person who touched the lives of many people. His family remembers an incident when he had lost his wallet in New York City. The New York Transit Police found his wallet and returned it to him with nothing missing, including fifty dollars in cash. Sebastian decided to give the money to a homeless man on the street.

Unfortunately, he was taken from his family and friends too soon and will be missed by everyone that knew him and he will remain in our hearts for all eternity.

Sebastian is survived by his mother Monique Arends and her husband Max Munzer of Butler NJ, his father Martin Basart and his wife Kathleen Basart of Sebastian, FL, his brother Alex Basart of Sebastian, FL., girlfriend Elisa Araujo, many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews who live overseas as well as his many friends who were family to him.

Josephine Massoud, age 84, formerly of Wayne, passed away peacefully on December 8, 2017 while receiving the loving care of her family.

Our mother and matriarch Josephine passed away on December 8, 2017 to begin her journey home to her daughter Patricia, her mother Mary, her father Elias and the rest of her departed family and friends. Josephine lived life " Her Way". She always had a clear and confident vision for herself and her family. Josephine's love is strong, omnipresent and something that her family and friends cherish and rely on, like a shelter from the storm.. With OUR mother you always felt safe and you knew that she always had your back. When deserving she dealt swift, effective and conclusive discipline, but when the tears settled Josephine was there without fail to build you back up and let you know that no matter what you did you were still loved. "Don't do the crime if you can't do the time!" Her brand of love was intended to build character by bringing you to the source of the conflict, no matter how uncomfortable, for a face-to-face apology and hopeful resolution. Her "Iron Will" was never more apparent than when after 30 years of smoking a pack a day she stopped cold turkey on the birth of her first grandchild. Never to smoke again!

Our Josephine was and exceptional teacher. Countless Massoud's learned how to swim under her instruction in the pool at Emerson place in Wayne. There was only one rule, you drop off your child and you leave. The family bowling instructor produced students of high average and the captain of the Depaul bowling team. Not to mention that she carried a 187 average and was a legend in female bowling at T-ball in Wayne. When Josephine was on a roll, the lanes went silent like the time she notched a 297. Her hand eye coordination was incredible ,not only in sports but also as the family doctor. Just ask any of her patients who underwent splinter removal.

Perhaps her HOSPITALITY is what she's known best for by her friends and family. Organization was not just a passion but a necessity and an art of Josephines. Stop and think about the sheer number of people who passed through her front door. Not to mention those who chose to go around back called by the sounds of revelry. It was truly great because you never knew who was going to come around the side of the house to add to the party. She worked 14 hour days seven days a week and twice on the holidays. We all have memories of Christmas Eve , the Budbadah and we already miss the smell from her kitchen. You could eat in, have some laughs and tell stories, or you could pick up a package of love to take home to your family. Hospitality is Josephine, but always served with the biggest portion of Fun! EVERYONE has their favorite auntie Jo story.

At the age of 60 Josephine was dealt the worst possible hand, loss of a child, her precious daughter Patricia. Instead of being rewarded for all of her hard work with the joys of simply being a grandma, she was thrust back into the role of a parent to Patricia's children. But with Josephine there were No Excuses, simply unacceptable! Josephine and her husband began a decade of five hour round trip rides to South Jersey to assure Patty's children got their Sito Giddo and family time. No Exceptions! That is what you can expect when you are loved by Josephine.

Josephine gave wise counsel to those who would show up on her doorstep no matter the time or circumstances. Often she played family mediator or loving listener. Not unlike anyone else, sometimes people would get upset with her, but I believe most often it was caused by her shining a light on your imperfections in a dangerous attempt to help you reach your full potential.

My Mom was a living example of CLASS, HONOR and UNCONDITIONAL LOVE and she is DEEPLY MISSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Josephine is survived by her husband Joseph Massoud of Cypress, TX, two sons; Anthony Massoud of Spring, TX, and Bryan Massoud and his wife Jodi of Englewood Cliffs, one daughter; Michele Rosell and her husband Robert of Cypress, TX, two sisters; Gloria Massoud, and Shirley Massood, two brothers; Mike Massood, and Joseph Massood, 15 grandchildren, and 4 great grandchildren. She was predeceased by her daughter Patricia Massoud Beer in 1994.

Carlo A. Tirri, age 67 of Wayne, died on Friday, December 8, 2017 with his family gathered at his bedside.

Carlo was born in Monteforte Irpino, Italy, and came to the United States when he was six years old. They settled in Paterson and Carlo graduated from St. Joseph’s High School in Paterson. He went on to earn his Bachelor’s degree from Ramapo College where he also excelled in their football program. While in college, he worked for Coca Cola and earned enough money to purchase his first investment property. Thus began his career as a real estate investor which eventually enabled him to own property all over the area and even in multiple States. He did everything himself, including all the repairs and maintenance. He went on to earn his plumbers license and was skilled in all the trades. He loved being able to do everything himself and passed many of those skills along to his daughters. He always had a project to work on around the house.

Carlo was truly a devoted father. He spent as much time as possible with his daughters, taking them to Backstreet Boys’ concerts all over the country, MTV’s Total Request Live in Times Square, and many other fun and exciting adventures. He loved to gamble and as the girls got older, he would take them to Atlantic City and Las Vegas with him. He loved having a good time wherever he went, was gregarious and full of life. His family is grateful for all the wonderful memories and they’ll miss him terribly.

Carlo met his wife, Marilyn (nee Rodriguez), at the Cozy Castle Club. Carlo asked her “do you want to see my car?” referring to his new Seville that he was so proud of. At first she kinda laughed at him, but he was charming and they hit it off. Their wedding followed on October 11, 1980 and they celebrated with an Italian honeymoon to Rome and Avelino. They settled in Clifton before moving to Wayne in 1985. Over the years, they’ve enjoyed traveling to the Bahamas, Las Vegas, and countless trips to Atlantic City. Carlo loved to play Blackjack and you would often find him at the higher-stakes tables because he liked to play with people who really understood how the game is played. He recently had a ‘last request’ to visit Atlantic City so his family took him there for the day on November 4th. He got himself a suite at Harrah’s and played cards. After making a few dollars, he cashed out and went for a steak dinner. He liked to “hit’m and run!” as he would say, and he did exactly that.

Carlo is survived by his wife of thirty seven years; Marilyn of Wayne, three daughters; Lauren Tirri and her husband Donald Royce of Lincoln Park, Lisa Plitsas and her husband Alex of Fairfield, CT, and Toni Tirri and her husband Craig Bonagura of Riverdale, NJ, two granddaughters; Isabella and Sophia Plitsas, his two sisters; Rosa LaRosa and her husband Salvatore of Franklin Lakes, and Virginia Imbimbo and her husband Tony of Wayne, and a brother; Jerry Tirri and his wife Marilena of Park Ridge, as well as many nieces and nephews.

Donations in Carlo’s memory would be appreciate to the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 11454, Alexandria, VA 22312, www.diabetes.org

Agnes Bauzon Brady, age 55, of Wayne, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, December 6, 2017.

“Aggie” as she was affectionately known, was born in the city of Manila in the Philippines. When she was ten years old, her father Benjamin, who was a Merchant Marine, secured a job in the United States with the U.S. Postal Service and consequently, he moved his whole family to this new country. Of course, this had a profound effect upon ten-year-old Aggie and all of her family. They settled into their new home at 430 Lafayette Ave. in Passaic and Aggie eventually embraced life in America.

After graduating from Passaic High School with the Class of 1980, she immediately enrolled in Felician College, then in Lodi, where in 1982, she earned her associates degree and, after passing the board exam, became a registered nurse. From there, Aggie began a very special career in which, for the next 33 years, if you were in the emergency room or hospital, you would wish that you could be under the care of this loving compassionate woman. She started her career in the emergency room at Passaic General Hospital and tenderly served patients there for the next seventeen years. Then, after a short stint at Wayne General and Barnett Hospital, she settled in again, this time at Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville, NJ in the cardiac rehabilitation unit where she worked from 2003 to the present. She enjoyed the love and respect of her colleagues and patients alike. When she was growing up, Aggie wanted to be an engineer but her father convinced her to go into nursing instead. This turned out to be a very fortunate thing for her patients! Many of those patients loved her so much, they would bring her gifts – mostly bells and shot glasses because that’s what Aggie told them she liked, but they were actually items her husband Frank collected.

If you ask Aggie’s husband Frank when it was that he and Aggie first met, he’d tell you it was one night in September of 1982 at Passaic General Hospital in the emergency room when he, as a Passaic County Sheriff’s Officer, brought a prisoner to the E.R. Aggie was working that night but she didn’t attend to that prisoner and she didn’t even notice Frank, but he definitely noticed her. As coincidence would have it, Frank ran into her again, this time at Bentley’s Night Club in Wayne. As Frank described the encounter, he saw Aggie from across the room, wearing a white mini-skirt and dancing on the dance floor. He couldn’t resist approaching her to ask if she remembered him from the other night in the E.R. She replied that she didn’t, explaining that it was a busy night. Undaunted, Frank asked Aggie if she’d like to dance with him. Aggie replied that she was with someone else but Frank still didn’t give up. He asked Aggie if he could meet her later that night at the Golden Star Diner on Route 46 along with his buddy George. Aggie finally agreed and there, she and Frank began to get to know each other. Their next encounter was at a party at her friend’s house in Passaic, but Aggie told Frank to just meet her at the party because her father was real strict. Then, on New Year’s Eve, they went together to a party but, once again, because her father was so strict, Aggie told her father that she was going to the party with some girlfriends only to get picked up around the corner from her home by Frank. That’s when their love for each other really began to blossom. Frank and Aggie dated for the next two years – all this time, still unbeknownst to Aggie’s parents. A special night came for them on Thursday, October 18, 1984. They went out for a movie, then dinner in a restaurant on Mulberry Street in the Little Italy section of New York City. It was there that Frank proposed marriage to his dear Aggie. That same evening, they went and bought a ring. It was high time that Frank meet Aggies parents to ask for her hand in marriage. Aggie’s father was concerned, explaining as carefully as he could that Filipino girls marry Filipino men, not Irishmen. Frank gave his best and most sincere pitch, promising Aggie’s father that he would love, honor, and respect Aggie and do his very best to be a loving and supportive husband for her. All seemed ok after that but, a few months later, in the summer of 1985, when Frank excitedly announced to Aggie that he had booked a few days down in Wildwood Crest for the two of them, she disappointedly had to turn Frank down, explaining that her father was sending her to the Philippines to spend time with her rich uncle. She went to the Philippines where she was given the royal treatment and introduced to handsome, well-off Filipino men. But Aggie wanted Frank – her Irish rooted American boyfriend and fiancé. Love prevailed and Aggie and Frank exchanged their wedding promises before God and family and friends on Sunday, September 21, 1986 at St. Brendan’s Church in Clifton. After a celebratory reception at The Fiesta in Wood-Ridge, the newlyweds honeymooned in Jamaica, then settled into their first apartment together as husband and wife in the Richfield Village section of Clifton. After a couple years there, in May, 1989, they moved into their first home together at 10 Kievit Road in Wayne. They remained there until May of 1996 when they moved one more time into another home in Wayne where Aggie would end up spending the rest of her life.

Blessed by God with two sons – Frank, Jr. and Christopher, her boys became the most important part of Aggie’s life. She delighted in them, make them her utmost top priority, and consequently she always tailored her schedule around their activities and pursuits. From a very young age, both Frank, Jr. and Christopher displayed an evident gift for playing sports, especially football and basketball. When coached in the Wayne Boys and Girls Club football league by her husband Frank, Aggie was always there to support her sons and keep her husband calm. When they played basketball for the Wayne PAL Aggie and Frank traveled three times to Las Vegas and twice to Florida’s Disney Wide World of Sports to see the boys compete. As the boys grew older, Frank, Jr. attended DePaul High School then Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut while Chris attended Don Bosco Prep and later Yale University. Both boys played football in high school and college and, as a result, traveled extensively to compete. They could be sure that Aggie was at every game to root them on to victory.

Aggie always did her best to make life special for her family. Spending her early childhood in the Philippines, she quickly found great enjoyment from being near the water. Ironically, she couldn’t swim but, living in New Jersey, she loved going down to the Jersey shore too. Her boys will always have fond memories of, many summers, renting a little cottage house on Amberjack Road in Ocean Beach. Despite the house being small, Aggie always had that house full of extended family and friends. She had a tremendous gift for hospitality and an even greater gift for cooking! In the words of her boys, “Mom was an unbelievable chef!” She mixed a little bit of her Filipino roots with some American traditions, sprinkled in a little bit of Italian flavor and Spanish spice to make some of the most delicious recipes on earth. Her beef, veal and pork meatballs were famous and there was always way more food than anyone could possibly eat. Her son’s friends were regulars for dinner at the Brady house and every Sunday she made a traditional meal. She especially loved cooking for the holidays and she would always buy those disposable containers for leftovers so that the army of friends she invited over, could all take the extras home with them.

Aggie never shied away from putting in whatever effort it took to get a job done. Like a robot, she never seemed to tire. Up at 4:00 AM every morning, she’d get herself ready for work, make breakfast for her family, work all day caring for others, come home, make dinner, and clean up all the dishes afterward. In between, there would be laundry to wash, dry, fold and put away, and trips to Passaic to care for her much-loved mother. She was a genuinely caring, selfless, compassionate, hardworking individual whose life was shaped by a love for God and a love for others.

Aggie was the beloved wife of Frank Brady; loving and caring mother of Frank Brady, Jr. and Christopher Brady of Wayne; cherished daughter of Imelda Bauzon of Passaic; dear oldest sister of Valerie and husband John Kapsis of Albrightsville, PA, Lea Bauzon Rodriguez of Wantage, NJ, and Benjamin Bauzon of Passaic; dear sister-in-law of Joseph Brady, Jr and wife Virginia Brady of Wayne; and much-loved aunt of nephews and nieces: Joseph Brady, Jr., Anthony Brady, Michael Rodriguez, and Mia Rodriguez. Agnes was predeceased by her dear father Benjamin Bauzon in 2003.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Agnes’s name are asked to consider the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 417005, Boston, MA 02241-7005.

Vincenza “Nancy” Macaluso (nee Longo), age 94 of Wayne, NJ passed away on December 6, 2017. She was the devoted and loving wife of the late Gandolfo Macaluso (1995). Nancy was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY by the late Philip and Filomena Longo. Since moving to Wayne in 1965, she was a parishioner of Holy Cross Church and resided in the same house for 52 years.

Nancy was exceedingly dedicated to her family and passionately raised three children. That dedication certainly extended to spending time with and taking care of her four grandchildren. Undeniably, Nancy's life was all about family. She believed that God's most incredible gift is family, and she demonstrated that sentiment by example. Her strength of character and values taught her family lessons that will surely be passed down to multiple generations. Despite struggling with numerous health issues in her last years with us, she persevered and remained strong. Nancy faced every endeavor with a positive attitude, grace, and incomparable strength that truly inspired all who knew her.

Nancy is preceded in death by her husband Gandolfo, sisters Gloria Longo and Carmella Defeo, son-in-law Joseph Halloran, and grandson Joseph. Left to cherish her memory include her children Joseph of Wall, NJ, Joanne Wiener of Union, NJ, and Phyllis Halloran of Lincoln Park, NJ, and four adoring grandchildren Joseph, Samantha, Victoria-Lyn and Vincent.

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

William Gordon, 75 of Pompton Lakes, died on Wednesday, December 6, 2017.  He had been a butcher and Meat Manager at ShopRite in Lyndhurst, West Milford, Hasbrouck Heights, Emerson and Wayne, enjoying a career of fifty six years with Inserra Supermarkets. He retired from his position of meat manager twelve years ago but then kept working for them in CGO.

Bill was born and raised in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY. He and his brother Larry had loads of fun as kids, including swimming in Sunset Park, roller skating, and throwing various things off of the roof of the five-story building they lived in. On one silly occasion, the last day of school before summer recess, they spent an afternoon tearing pages out of their school books, folding them into airplanes, and then proceeded to throw dozens of them out the window. As a young boy, Bill was resourceful and learned to buy newspapers at the corner store for 10 cents, then sell them to the blurry-eyed patrons at the corner tavern for $1. As a teenager, Bill became an apprentice at the local meat market in Brooklyn where he learned his trade. His family moved to Wayne when he was just fifteen years old and he took a job at Great Eastern Mills.

Those skills he develop as a teenager would serve him well. He enjoyed a career of fifty six years as a butcher, Meat Manager, and recently retired as CGO for Inserra Supermarkets. Bill worked many of those years at the ShopRite in Wayne. Customers certainly knew him as a very personable guy, always smiling and laughing. Bill didn’t have mean bone in his body and loved having fun. “Joy to the World” by Three Dog Night was his favorite song, which says a lot about who he was. Earlier this year his family threw a 75th surprise birthday party for him. Somehow he became aware of the surprise so he decided to show up two hours early to the party! He came early not to ruin the surprise, but because he was so excited to greet all of his friends as they arrived! A great time was had by all. Bill liked watching TV too, and Johnny Carson and “Married, with Children” were among his favorite shows. He also loved watching the Barrett Jackson auto auctions. Bill was a car nut and even at a young age he could identify a car by sound, able to differentiate the subtleties of each rumble. He was a fast driver and often reminisced about the ’58 Impala he used to own; his favorite car.

Bill’s wife Barbara was the love of his life. They met while they were both working at Great Eastern Mills. Bills took her to a diner for their first date in 1960 and on May 13, 1962 they tied the knot at St. Mary’s RC Church in Pompton Lakes. After a honeymoon to Niagara Falls, they settled into their first apartment in Lyndhurst. They moved to Pompton Lakes on July 1, 1975 to raise their family. Bill and Barbara were simply meant for each other and they loved doing everything together. They went to Atlantic City as often as they could, enjoyed cruises, Aruba, and trips to the Poconos. When Barbara passed away in 2015, Bill was hopelessly heartbroken and he’s missed her terribly ever since. His love for Barbara was stronger than anything else and his wish was to join her for eternity.

Bill is survived by his children; Michele Marro and her boyfriend Jim Donohue of Pompton Lakes, son Anthony Gordon and his wife Jeanne of Flanders, two grandchildren; Danielle Marro of Pompton Lakes, and Anthony Gordon of Flanders, his brothers; Larry Gordon and his wife Eileen of Bushkill, PA, and Richard Gordon and his wife Barbara of N. Carolina, a sister; Patricia of Binghamton, NY, his brother-in-law; John Paduano of Brick, and many nieces, nephews, and very dear friends.

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

Petronella Lim (van Nunen) age 97, of Wayne, passed Wednesday, December 6, 2017. She was born in Eindhoven, Netherlands and was the youngest in her family. She was affectionately known as Petje (Pete-cha) by her family.

She lived through World War II and during that time she smuggled tobacco from Belgium into Holland and used the money to buy food. Those who know Petronella will remember her as a “survivor.” She always did what she had to do to survive.

Her first husband Martinus van den Oever passed at the age of 36 in 1954 along with her mother, she was truly devastated. Several years later she met Edward Lim at a social club in Holland. They married in 1956. They originally came to the United States that same year. A year and a half later, she became homesick and they returned to Holland. They did return back to live permanently in the United States in 1960.

They were originally sponsored to immigrate into California. By mistake, they ended up in New Jersey and settled there having lived in Newark, Toms River, Bloomfield and Nutley. After her husband’s death she moved in with her son in Wayne. She was a strong willed person, fighter, and would often say “getting old is not for sissys.” She lived to an old age despite eating just about anything including: salt, sugar, fresh veggies, and just about any fattening foods you could think of. As she put it, “lekker eten” (good food). Her family rarely went on a “vacation” as she did without in order to save money. They did however take day trips which provided many fond memories. They particularly enjoyed picnicking at the lakes. Petronella wanted everyone to know she truly cherished her friendships and family.

She was the loving mother of Martin van den Oever and his wife Madeline of Fairfield, Eddy Lim and his wife Bonnie of Wayne; cherished grandmother of Kristy Lim of Wayne. She was predeceased by her first husband Martinus van den Oever (1954) and her second husband Edward Lim (1996), three sisters and a brother.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to Saint Jude Children's Research Hospital,  Memorial Processing, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959 would be appreciated.

Agnes Bauzon Brady, age 55, of Wayne, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, December 6, 2017.

“Aggie” as she was affectionately known, was born in the city of Manila in the Philippines. When she was ten years old, her father Benjamin, who was a Merchant Marine, secured a job in the United States with the U.S. Postal Service and consequently, he moved his whole family to this new country. Of course, this had a profound effect upon ten-year-old Aggie and all of her family. They settled into their new home at 430 Lafayette Ave. in Passaic and Aggie eventually embraced life in America.

After graduating from Passaic High School with the Class of 1980, she immediately enrolled in Felician College, then in Lodi, where in 1982, she earned her associates degree and, after passing the board exam, became a registered nurse. From there, Aggie began a very special career in which, for the next 33 years, if you were in the emergency room or hospital, you would wish that you could be under the care of this loving compassionate woman. She started her career in the emergency room at Passaic General Hospital and tenderly served patients there for the next seventeen years. Then, after a short stint at Wayne General and Barnett Hospital, she settled in again, this time at Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville, NJ in the cardiac rehabilitation unit where she worked from 2003 to the present. She enjoyed the love and respect of her colleagues and patients alike. When she was growing up, Aggie wanted to be an engineer but her father convinced her to go into nursing instead. This turned out to be a very fortunate thing for her patients! Many of those patients loved her so much, they would bring her gifts – mostly bells and shot glasses because that’s what Aggie told them she liked, but they were actually items her husband Frank collected.

If you ask Aggie’s husband Frank when it was that he and Aggie first met, he’d tell you it was one night in September of 1982 at Passaic General Hospital in the emergency room when he, as a Passaic County Sheriff’s Officer, brought a prisoner to the E.R. Aggie was working that night but she didn’t attend to that prisoner and she didn’t even notice Frank, but he definitely noticed her. As coincidence would have it, Frank ran into her again, this time at Bentley’s Night Club in Wayne. As Frank described the encounter, he saw Aggie from across the room, wearing a white mini-skirt and dancing on the dance floor. He couldn’t resist approaching her to ask if she remembered him from the other night in the E.R. She replied that she didn’t, explaining that it was a busy night. Undaunted, Frank asked Aggie if she’d like to dance with him. Aggie replied that she was with someone else but Frank still didn’t give up. He asked Aggie if he could meet her later that night at the Golden Star Diner on Route 46 along with his buddy George. Aggie finally agreed and there, she and Frank began to get to know each other. Their next encounter was at a party at her friend’s house in Passaic, but Aggie told Frank to just meet her at the party because her father was real strict. Then, on New Year’s Eve, they went together to a party but, once again, because her father was so strict, Aggie told her father that she was going to the party with some girlfriends only to get picked up around the corner from her home by Frank. That’s when their love for each other really began to blossom. Frank and Aggie dated for the next two years – all this time, still unbeknownst to Aggie’s parents. A special night came for them on Thursday, October 18, 1984. They went out for a movie, then dinner in a restaurant on Mulberry Street in the Little Italy section of New York City. It was there that Frank proposed marriage to his dear Aggie. That same evening, they went and bought a ring. It was high time that Frank meet Aggies parents to ask for her hand in marriage. Aggie’s father was concerned, explaining as carefully as he could that Filipino girls marry Filipino men, not Irishmen. Frank gave his best and most sincere pitch, promising Aggie’s father that he would love, honor, and respect Aggie and do his very best to be a loving and supportive husband for her. All seemed ok after that but, a few months later, in the summer of 1985, when Frank excitedly announced to Aggie that he had booked a few days down in Wildwood Crest for the two of them, she disappointedly had to turn Frank down, explaining that her father was sending her to the Philippines to spend time with her rich uncle. She went to the Philippines where she was given the royal treatment and introduced to handsome, well-off Filipino men. But Aggie wanted Frank – her Irish rooted American boyfriend and fiancé. Love prevailed and Aggie and Frank exchanged their wedding promises before God and family and friends on Sunday, September 21, 1986 at St. Brendan’s Church in Clifton. After a celebratory reception at The Fiesta in Wood-Ridge, the newlyweds honeymooned in Jamaica, then settled into their first apartment together as husband and wife in the Richfield Village section of Clifton. After a couple years there, in May, 1989, they moved into their first home together at 10 Kievit Road in Wayne. They remained there until May of 1996 when they moved one more time into another home in Wayne where Aggie would end up spending the rest of her life.

Blessed by God with two sons – Frank, Jr. and Christopher, her boys became the most important part of Aggie’s life. She delighted in them, make them her utmost top priority, and consequently she always tailored her schedule around their activities and pursuits. From a very young age, both Frank, Jr. and Christopher displayed an evident gift for playing sports, especially football and basketball. When coached in the Wayne Boys and Girls Club football league by her husband Frank, Aggie was always there to support her sons and keep her husband calm. When they played basketball for the Wayne PAL Aggie and Frank traveled three times to Las Vegas and twice to Florida’s Disney Wide World of Sports to see the boys compete. As the boys grew older, Frank, Jr. attended DePaul High School then Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut while Chris attended Don Bosco Prep and later Yale University. Both boys played football in high school and college and, as a result, traveled extensively to compete. They could be sure that Aggie was at every game to root them on to victory.

Aggie always did her best to make life special for her family. Spending her early childhood in the Philippines, she quickly found great enjoyment from being near the water. Ironically, she couldn’t swim but, living in New Jersey, she loved going down to the Jersey shore too. Her boys will always have fond memories of, many summers, renting a little cottage house on Amberjack Road in Ocean Beach. Despite the house being small, Aggie always had that house full of extended family and friends. She had a tremendous gift for hospitality and an even greater gift for cooking! In the words of her boys, “Mom was an unbelievable chef!” She mixed a little bit of her Filipino roots with some American traditions, sprinkled in a little bit of Italian flavor and Spanish spice to make some of the most delicious recipes on earth. Her beef, veal and pork meatballs were famous and there was always way more food than anyone could possibly eat. Her son’s friends were regulars for dinner at the Brady house and every Sunday she made a traditional meal. She especially loved cooking for the holidays and she would always buy those disposable containers for leftovers so that the army of friends she invited over, could all take the extras home with them.

Aggie never shied away from putting in whatever effort it took to get a job done. Like a robot, she never seemed to tire. Up at 4:00 AM every morning, she’d get herself ready for work, make breakfast for her family, work all day caring for others, come home, make dinner, and clean up all the dishes afterward. In between, there would be laundry to wash, dry, fold and put away, and trips to Passaic to care for her much-loved mother. She was a genuinely caring, selfless, compassionate, hardworking individual whose life was shaped by a love for God and a love for others.

Aggie was the beloved wife of Frank Brady; loving and caring mother of Frank Brady, Jr. and Christopher Brady of Wayne; cherished daughter of Imelda Bauzon of Passaic; dear oldest sister of Valerie and husband John Kapsis of Albrightsville, PA, Lea Bauzon Rodriguez of Wantage, NJ, and Benjamin Bauzon of Passaic; dear sister-in-law of Joseph Brady, Jr and wife Virginia Brady of Wayne; and much-loved aunt of nephews and nieces: Joseph Brady, Jr., Anthony Brady, Michael Rodriguez, and Mia Rodriguez. Agnes was predeceased by her dear father Benjamin Bauzon in 2003.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Agnes’s name are asked to consider the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 417005, Boston, MA 02241-7005.

Patrick J. Del Vicario age 83 of Lincoln Park passed away on Tuesday December 5, 2017 while receiving the loving care of his family.

Patrick was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. He graduated from Boys High School with the class of 1951. After his graduation from high school, Patrick attended Adelphi College for two years then transferred to University of Southern Mississippi where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting and graduated with the class of 1956. Patrick was able to attend college on a full Football Scholarship, and following his graduation, he was drafted by the Baltimore Colts in the twenty second round. He played for the Colts for only a year but had the pleasure and honor of playing along one of the greats Johnny Unitis. He then took an opportunity to play for the New York Giants farm team. After a short time with the Giants farm team he went to play for the Newark Bears, a semi-professional football team. Since the Bears were a semi-pro team, Patrick needed to supplement his income by working for Rheingold Beer Company as a Goodwill Ambassador.

Patrick truly enjoyed his time and position at Rheingold, however it was short-lived when the company went out of business several years later. It was then that Patrick earned a position as an Insurance Agent at Mutual of Omaha in New York City. He worked there for twenty years until retiring in 1999. Patrick wasn’t the type to sit around for very long, he then went to work for the Wayne Township Board of Education as a Paraprofessional. Patrick worked there for eleven years until he was forced into an early retirement due to his illness.

In 1951 tragedy struck Patrick’s family when his older brother Anthony passed away suddenly and unexpectedly while returning home from his service with the US armed forces. Patrick had a special and very close relationship with his brother. After his passing, Patrick tried to go on with his life but was never really the same after that.

Needless to say that Patrick was a huge sports fan, particularly of the New York Giants and the New York Yankees. He loved playing Poker with his buddies and he also enjoyed bowling and golfing as well. He was devoted to his Catholic Faith and was a Parishioner of Our Lady of the Valley RC Church in Wayne. Aside from all of Patrick’s hobbies, talents, and interests, his greatest love was for his family. Spending time with his wife and children were the things that were most important to him. Patrick was an extraordinary person who touched the lives of many people and will be sincerely missed by all who knew him.

Patrick is survived by his wife Mary (nee Bonomolo) of Lincoln Park, one daughter; Carolyn Del Vicario of Lincoln Park, two sons; Joseph Del Vicario of Florida and Patrick A Del Vicario, one sister; Mary Jane Del Vicario of Queens, NY, and two grandchildren; Angelina Del Vicario and James Patrick Furler. He was predeceased by his brother Anthony L Del Vicario in 1951.

Carmen Peter Cerbone, age 75, of Wayne, passed Tuesday, December 5, 2017.

He was born and raised in Jersey City and when he was sixteen the family moved to North Arlington. Carmen graduated from Queen of Peace High School in North Arlington with the Class of 1960.

After high school he worked in the actuarial department at the Prudential Insurance Company in Newark and joined the National Guard in Newark. He left Prudential and worked at a men’s shop on Ridge Road in North Arlington that soon burned down. After the fire Carmen and a partner opened their own men’s shop in the town called J.Arnold. He would leave the men’s shop and found work with the Pavey Envelope Company in Jersey City and later the Mailwell Company in Jersey City. He would retire from the Prime Envelope Company in Teterboro in 1992.

Carmen met the love of his life, Linda, over forty years ago. They enjoyed each other’s company for over twenty-nine years before they got married in Las Vegas. They went to Vegas with a few friends and decided to “tie the knot” at the Little Chapel of the West. They didn’t tell anyone of their plans and Carmen called his daughter and said “I just got married in Vegas.

Carmen was a proud member of the Fidelians of North Haledon. He would spend hours at the un-official Men’s Coffee Gang located at the Dunkin Donuts on Valley Road in Wayne and the MacDonald’s on Hamburg Turnpike in Wayne. He was a very social guy and just loved to be around people. Carmen was cheerful, warm, loved conversation, and will be loving remembered as a good guy with a sense of humor. He also enjoyed listening to doo-wop music and oldies. He loved Christmas each year as it brought family and friends together. He found great joy in watching the excitement as the kids opened their gifts, and Linda would open something special from him. He always said, “Just get me a card,” because time together was what he wanted.

Carmen’s family has fond memories of annual and sometime twice a year, trips to the Silver Beach Motel in Wildwood Crest. He loved the ocean, was great at bodysurfing, and enjoyed his trips to Curley’s fries, and horseshoes in the sand with annual beach friends. Most of all he loved to see the joy the Jersey Shore trips brought his daughter, and later his grandchildren.

He was the loving husband of Linda (Allen) Cerbone; devoted father of Susan George (his daughter from his previous marriage to Joan) and her husband Robert of Toms River; cherished grandfather of Janelle, Robert, Abigail, and Daniel George. He is predeceased by beloved brother Ernest Cerbone Jr. and by their beloved parents, Ernest and Susan Cerbone.

Memorial donations to the Wayne Memorial First Aid Squad, PO Box 2004, Wayne, NJ 07474 would be appreciated.

Lillian Lucchesi, age 90 of Pompton Plains died on Sunday, December 3, 2017. She had lived in Great River, Long Island with her husband Andrew (2012) before moving to Cedar Crest Village eight years ago.

Lillian grew up in Forest Hills, Queens, NY, as an only child to Giuseppe and Teresa DelPonte. She was very fortunate during her childhood to enjoy summers in Patchoque, Long Island, where she developed her love for the beach. She met her husband at a local dance and the two fell in love. They were married on June 18, 1955 and celebrated their honeymoon in Havana, Cuba. That marked the beginning of fifty-seven years of marriage filled with many travels, laughs, and wonderful memories. Lillian and Andrew had visited Italy numerous times, London, Greece, Mexico, and many other destinations. They truly had a great life together and made for a perfect combination. Moving to Cedar Crest Village proved to be the best thing for them. Lillian was an avid Bridge player and she could always find a card game there, and after Andrew passed away in 2012, she found countless friends and neighbors who helped during her grieving. Lillian’s children are especially grateful to those friends for all the support they shared.

Lillian had earned a Master’s Degree in Psychology and was a social worker at the New York Foundling Hospital. After starting a family, she became a full-time mom and was devoted to raising her three children. As much as Lillian enjoyed old movies, books, and visits to the beach, there was nothing she loved more than her family. Her grandchildren were the light of her life and she moved to New Jersey in order to be closer to them. They will all miss her dearly.

Lillian is survived by her three children; Joanne Delaney and her husband Robert of Ridgewood, NJ, Andrew “Drew” Lucchesi and his wife Dianne of Wayne, and Paul Lucchesi and his wife Sophie of Chicago, and nine grandchildren; Sara (husband Joe), Jack, Michael, Andrew, Cristina, P.J., Francesca, Tom and Charlie. She was predeceased by her beloved husband Andrew in 2012.

Lillian survived breast cancer nearly forty years ago and donations in her memory would be appreciated to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Ave., New York, NY 10065, or visit their website at www.mskcc.org.

Dorothy R. Bradshaw, age 87, of Cedar Crest Village in Pompton Plains, passed peacefully on Sunday, December 3, 2017.

She was born in Queens, New York and raised at the family home on Park Avenue in North Bergen. At Union Hill High School, along with being voted Best Dressed in the Class of 1948, she was also the class treasurer. After high school, Dorothy worked as a public relations secretary at Hill & Knowlton located in the Empire State Building. She enjoyed working in New York very much. After having children, Dorothy was a full-time mother and was very busy with three boys and a girl. As her children got older, she went back to work as a secretary for Lehn & Fink in Montvale.

Soon after high school, Dorothy met her soul mate, John “Leo" Bradshaw. They would often meet friends at the Grotheer Ice Cream Parlor in North Bergen. Dorothy and Leo fell in love and married at Saint Joseph of the Palisades Church in West New York, New Jersey on October 28, 1950 and honeymooned in the Poconos. Married for fifty-five years, Dorothy and Leo, always had a very loving and devoted relationship. They both adored the beach, whether at the Jersey Shore or Naples, Florida.

Dorothy was a devoted Catholic, attending mass every week either at the church or watching on television. Her faith stayed strong throughout her life. Dorothy enjoyed entertaining friends and family, playing card games, and recently, became an avid golf fan. She loved her children and grandchildren deeply and treasured holiday and family get togethers.

Dorothy was the loving wife of the late John “Leo” Bradshaw (2005); devoted mother of Tom Bradshaw and his wife Kathleen of Mendham, the late Peter Bradshaw (1998), Jack Bradshaw of Tinton Falls, and Karen Finneran and her husband John of Mahwah; cherished grandmother of Alexis Bradshaw, Christina Bradshaw, Taylor Bradshaw, Elizabeth Finneran, Katherine Finneran, and Conor Finneran; dear sister of the late Jack Dalton and the late Lillian Genrich.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to the American Lung Association would be greatly appreciated.

Jacob “Jake” Meyer, age 74, of Wayne, passed Saturday, December 2, 2017.

Jake, a devoted husband who loved his wife Estelle for 48 years and expressed it in so many beautiful ways and she to him.

Jake, loving father, who held his son, Dave and wife, Nancy and his daughter, Sherry and husband Jerry so close to his heart every day.

Jake, kind grandpa who greeted his granddaughters with open arms and big hugs.

Jake, son-in-law, brother, brother-in-law, uncle, nephew, cousin, friend, who always had a warm welcome for all.

Jake, a man of strong faith in God, a prayerful man who loved family and friends will be missed by so many people.

Jake met his wife Estelle in 1967 after she drove her friend to Chilton Hospital to pay Jake a visit. Estelle first saw Jake in a hospital room and thought to herself... mmm 'he's cute'. She saw him again about a year later at the T-Bowl bowling alley in Wayne. He recognized her immediately as the girl who stopped into his room at the hospital and they hit it off. Little did they know then that quite a few hospital visits would be in their future. They dated for two years and fell deeply in love marrying on June 21, 1969. Over their forty-eight year marriage they became closer and closer as loving companions.

Jake lived with diabetes since a young child, but he never stopped living a full life because of it. Treasured family memories tell his story of a joyful and blest life!

Jake loved gardening and transformed his backyard into a huge garden of tomatoes, corn, beans, strawberries, blueberries and fruit trees. He was always watering, weeding or just fussing in his garden. Jake made the best blueberry pancakes, of course from his homegrown blueberries, and if Estelle allowed him he’d have them seven days a week - for breakfast and for dinner.

Family vacations at the Jersey Shore in North Wildwood is where many memories were made. Jake loved to fish and spent many hours on ocean jetty’s in search of that big one while 'Stelle' relaxed in a cozy beach chair watching and waiting to hear Jake exclaim "I got one"! Jake's fileting skills were evidenced by the fact that no one hardly ever found a bone. Those fileting skills were only outdone by the fact that the one fish he caught could miraculously feed fifteen people! For many years he and Estelle bowled together with his sister Hilda and her husband Don. Estelle recalls that he said if she scored a 110 he would buy her a new bowling ball. That was easy and along came the whole outfit....blue case, blue shoes and blue bowling ball.

Jake’s children Dave and Sherry remember that their Dad was just plain fun. They have such fond memories of their father pitching a tent and building a fort in the backyard, playing baseball , making objects with paper mache, playing arcade games, and Nintendo’s Mario Brothers, which he was an expert at, for hours on end - the list of fun things dad will be remembered for just goes on and on. Many will remember his knowledge of trees and flowers. You could call and ask him anything about those trees or flowers and he had the answer. Whether it was football talk about the NY Giants with his son Dave or gardening tips with his daughter Sherry he was the best resource for all information, he was a smart guy! He also enjoyed watching the NY Yankees with his wife Estelle by his side. Estelle learned the best tips about planting geraniums from her loving Jake and they enjoyed this yearly planting tradition together. Jake, the hunter, even dabbled in taxidermy and mounted very creative displays of game birds. His taxidermy skills and techniques are something he proudly passed on to his daughter Sherry. Jake also had a gift for music. Dave recalls that Dad often had his favorite country music songs playing on the radio and played Christmas carols on an organ even without the sheet music. His musical ear passed onto Dave. Jake enjoyed playing cards with family and friends and after every birthday party or get together a card game would begin with Jake always a player. His granddaughters loved playing cards with Grandpa Jake!

Whenever the kids didn’t feel well Jake would say “Stelle go buy the ingredients so I can make chicken soup.” Jake would make the soup and Estelle’s job was to deliver it. Husband and wife, a good team! Jake had diabetic related pain in his legs and feet for many years but wouldn't dwell on it. He always had a positive attitude, a great sense of humor and he persevered in whatever he needed to do. He enjoyed just chatting with others, he had a great gift of gab, says Estelle and she will so deeply miss it.

Jake was a life long resident of Wayne Township who put his creative touches in landscaping designs in his work with his family of H.Meyer and Sons. Jake also was employed with his father-in-law at North Jersey Textile Co. He was a member of the Preakness Valley United Reformed Church in Wayne. Jake and Estelle were an ecumenical couple who attended both the protestant and catholic churches together for many years.

God and family were very important to Jake. He was “a man of great faith…a privilege to meet and know him…” these were words from his physical therapist who came to the house twice a week. "He left his family and friends many riches…rich memories of love, joy and faith in Christ, which he so readily shared through his words and actions. My dearest Jake is truly with the Lord and his spirit will always remain in us” were beautiful words from his wife Estelle.

Jake was the loving husband of forty-eight years to Estelle (Aldi) Meyer; devoted father of David Meyer and his wife Nancy of Wayne and of Sherry Liguori and her husband Jerry of Salt Lake City, UT; cherished grandfather of Kayla, Shayna, Heather, Chloe, and Sabrina Meyer; much loved son-in-law of Dominic Aldi and the late Estelle Aldi (April 2017); loved brother-in-law of Dominic M. Aldi of Wayne; loved brother of Hilda Tanis of Wayne and the late brother-in-law Don Tanis; loved brother of Janie Koldyk and husband Henri of Vt.; loved brother to Joseph Meyer and wife Pauline of Barnegat NJ; loved brother to Harry Meyer and wife Pat of Wayne; loved brother to Garry Meyer and wife Susan of Wayne and loved brother to the late John Meyer and wife Barbara of Wayne. Jake was the son of late  Harry Meyer, Sr. and Wilhelmina (nee Brain) Meyer.

Flowers are appreciated or those inclined to make a memorial donation are asked to consider the Wayne Memorial First Aid Squad, PO Box 2004, Wayne, NJ 07474.

Florence Waldy, age 92, of Wayne, passed peacefully on Saturday, December 2, 2017.

Florence was born to Bernard and Mary Bruder, raised in Union City, having graduated from Union Hill High School with the Class of 1942. The family lived in North Bergen, Hackensack, and Weehawken for thirty-five years before moving to Wayne in 1992.

Florence was a secretary to the president of the Arrow Shirt Company in New York City for many years. She then dedicated herself to raising her family before returning to work as a secretary to the president of Gaylords Department Store in Secaucus before retiring in 1985.

She will be lovingly remembered as a family oriented, pleasant, person who was nice to just about everyone. She loved a party, going to the Jersey Shore, and fishing with her husband both from the surf at Point Pleasant or their boat named the “Debbie II.” For many years she was a member of Saint Augustine’s Church in Union City and an active member of the Weehawken Elks Lodge’s Ladies Auxiliary. She was a wonderful cook and her special touch on turnips and pot roast will never be forgotten.

Florence met a cute boy named William Waldy at the Jersey Shore. Both of their families had a tradition of summering there. William served during WWII and upon his return he went to Mass at Our Lady of Fatima church in North Bergen, spied Florence, and said “don’t I know you?” Those couple of words would lead to them falling in love and marrying on April 30, 1949 at Our Lady of Fatima. For their honeymoon they were headed to Cape Cod but due to bad weather they changed their minds, in the car, and went to Washington, DC. On their honeymoon they were driving a Kaiser automobile as William’s father owned a Kaiser dealership at the time. Florence and William enjoyed a loving, caring marriage of thirty-nine years before his passing in 1988.

Florence was the devoted mother of Deborah Ricciardi and her husband Robert of Wayne, William Waldy and his wife Judy of Wilmington, NY, and Barbara Combates and her husband Nicholas of Glen Gardner; cherished grandmother of eight grandchildren: Paul Ricciardi, Gina Aiello, Lisa Priestner, Tara Agelis, Alexandra Combates, Cole Combates, Marina Waldy, and William Waldy, III; and seven great-grandchildren; loved sister of Veronica Obringer of Pompton Plains and the late Bernard Bruder.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Deborah Heart and Lung Center, 200 Trenton Road, Browns Mills, NJ 08015 or at demanddeborah.org, would be greatly appreciated.

James Thomson, age 91, of Wayne, passed away peacefully on Friday, December 1, 2017.

Born and raised in Paterson, Jim was a gifted student who consequently was able to graduate from Paterson’s Central High School at the young age of sixteen with the Class of 1942. While in high school and later in college, he excelled at sports, especially basketball where, at 5’ 2” he made an excellent guard.

After graduation, Jim proudly served in the U.S. Navy from 1944 to 1946, then he attended Rutgers University where he graduated earning his bachelor’s degree in accounting. He immediately started a job with prestigious accounting firm Price Waterhouse in New York City. While there, he worked hard and eventually ascended to the title of Vice President of Accounting. In the course of that pursuit, he became a CPA in 1966. During the span of his career, Jim split his time between Price Waterhouse and Warner Lambert before retiring completely in 1992.

Jim was the beloved husband of Ellen J. Donohue. They met down the Jersey shore in Manasquan, a place that they and many of their friends would frequent when they were young. Jim was a bit of a talent on the piano and, one day while playing in Manasquan, he apparently won Ellen’s heart. After dating for some time, in somewhat unconventional fashion, Ellen actually proposed to Jim. The two married on Sunday, October 16, 1960 at Church of the Nativity in Midland Park, NJ. After a honeymoon in Miami, Florida, they settled for a couple of years in Paterson during which time they welcomed their firstborn – a baby girl which they named MaryEllen. In 1962, they moved into a brand new home at 389 Annette Court in Wyckoff and soon after welcomed another child – this time a boy which they named James. For the next thirty years, this house in Wyckoff was their home. In 1992, after Jim’s retirement, he and Ellen decided to downsize so they moved into a new condominium development in Wayne called Breckenridge. It was here that Jim remained until 2016 when he moved to Sunrise Assisted Living in Wayne.

Throughout his life, Jim had varied interests, one of them being playing golf. Most of his spare time was spent on the High Mountain Golf Course in Franklin Lakes near his home in Wyckoff. There, he usually played with three of his buddies who played together so frequently, that they ultimately dubbed themselves the “Core 4”. He held the distinct honor and bragging rights for getting a hole-in-one and he continued to enjoy the game into his eighties and was presently the oldest living member of the High Mountain Country Club. He also had a few opportunities to play golf in Scotland, the homeland of his parents, and when he wasn’t actually playing, he enjoyed watching the pros play on television.

That earlier-mentioned love of piano stayed with Jim throughout his whole life. For relaxation and fun, you could find him sitting at home tickling those fifty-two white and thirty six black keys on his upright because, as a Scotsman, he was too cheap to buy a grand piano. A self-taught player, he especially liked Scottish tunes of a more classical genre. As a lover of music in general, Jim also enjoyed attending local concerts and other musical events. Interestingly, Jim also had a unique love and fascination with penguins.

Sadly, Jim experienced some heartache in his life too. In 1980, he and Ellen’s son Jim suddenly lost his life in a car accident and, while Jim and Ellen did get to enjoy some travel time together on cruises and trips to Florida, Ellen’s failing health necessitated extra care on Jim’s part. A loving husband who took his marriage vows of “for better for worse, in sickness in health” very seriously, Jim faithfully and lovingly cared for his beloved Ellen until her peaceful passing in 2002. In later years, Jim derived great enjoyment from watching his grandchildren grow. He always looked forward to attending their varied activities and event and especially liked being with all of his family to celebrate birthdays and holidays. Jim eventually found companionship again with a special lady named Anne Micone. For the past twelve years, they enjoyed each other’s company in days of leisure and engagement in many activities including attending Sr. Club, time at the casinos and bus rides to nowhere. Always loyal, even at age 91, he still valued the group of friends that he walked through much of his life with and, while it was harder to get together, he frequently kept in touch with them by phone and an occasional evening out for dinner.

A guy who always played by the rules, Jim’s conservative nature and positive work ethic were stabling factors and helped to set positive, foundational values for his kids during their formative years. Jim was generally serious but he could also display a sense of humor sure to put a smile on anyone’s face. He will be dearly missed.

Jim is survived by his loving daughter MaryEllen and husband Dan Finch of Flemington; dear grandchildren Ryan and wife Kelly Finch, and Megan Finch; numerous nieces and nephews; and his dear companion Anne Micone of Riverdale. He was predeceased by his beloved wife of 42 years - Ellen J. (nee Donohue) in 2002, and his dear son James Thomson in 1980.

Karen Lee Siepe, age 65, of Effort, PA and a former long-time resident of Wayne, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, November 29, 2017.

Karen was born in Jersey City but, soon after her birth, in 1953 her family moved to Archung Road in the Packanack Lake Section of Wayne, NJ. As a young child, Karen enjoyed riding horses on the wide open fields that today are replaced by the Willowbrook Mall in Wayne. She also enjoyed swimming in Packanack Lake and was an accomplished dancer.

While in her senior year at Wayne Valley High School, Karen met a handsome young man named Kim Siepe one night while at a party. They soon became high school sweethearts. Being a year ahead of Kim in school, following graduation in 1970, she headed to Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Despite the miles that separated them, her love for Kim was steadfast. She befriended a player on the Marshall University Football team who, like herself, also had a long-distance love. Karen and the football player enjoyed a platonic friendship which was tragically taken away when, in 1970, the life of that football player and 74 other football players, coaches, flight crew and numerous fans were cut short by the worst single air tragedy in NCAA sports history. A year later, when Kim finished high school Karen left Marshall University and joined him at the University of Miami. Then in 1975, Karen and Kim returned to New Jersey and a few months later, on December 27, 1975, they made their wedding promises to each other at Wayne United Methodist Church. After a reception at the Mona Lisa in West Paterson (today called Woodland Park), they honeymooned in Cove Haven in the Poconos.

The newlyweds returned to Miami, Florida so that Kim could pursue being a major league baseball player but returned to New Jersey to live for a while with Karen’s parents while working at her parents knitting mill in Union City, NJ. In 1977 Karen and Kim purchased their first home in Oak Ridge, NJ and over the next four years they welcomed the three joys of their lives – Keather, Kourtney, and Kasey. They returned to Wayne in 1981 and Karen served as a caring and supportive mother and homemaker for her family while working for a local veterinarian and volunteering at the Friends of Wayne Animal Shelter.

As her growing family moved into greater independence, Karen maintained a busy schedule of attending their school events, working as an aerobics instructor at Spa 23 in Wayne and the Women’s Way Fitness Center in Fairfield, and volunteering with animal rescue. She enjoyed attending services at Calvary Temple in Wayne and she and Kim even hosted a couple of girls from Africa who came to church on a choir tour to perform.

Advocating for homeless dogs became Karen’s passion – so much so that, in 2003, she and Kim decided to move to Effort, PA. There they purchased a large piece of property so that they could rescue more dogs. Since their move to PA, Karen and Kim were able to rescue 68 dogs in all. As part of this endeavor, Karen established her own business which she called God’s Green Acres and eventually she began breeding too. She focused on the breeding of Brussels Griffons and her reputation for selling well-loved, healthy pups was quickly established. Karen’s love for these dogs always took precedence over the profits she derived from selling them. Consequently, her prices were always known to be very fair, offering large discounts to veterans and police officers, and, if a customer changed their mind, she always took the dog back, no strings attached because there was no way one of her puppies was going to end up in a pound! Presently, she and Kim were the host of thirty dogs in all and she knew all of them by name. All thirty lived with them in their home but you’d never know because Karen was also a hard-working, fastidious homemaker who valued cleanliness as a close second to godliness.

Karen’s love for her canine friends was great but her love for her family was just as great. When her own children were young, she and Kim took them every summer down the Jersey shore to Long Beach Island where they rented a house on 10 Osborne Terrace. This tradition lasted sixteen years and many fun, family times took place with countless good memories made. She always attended her children’s activities and especially loved going to her son Kasey’s sporting events and watching him check an opponent into the boards while playing hockey. Karen felt that it was important to raise her kids to know and love God and when the blessing of grandchildren came along she would often say, “If I had known how great being a grandmother would be, I would have done that first!” She loved spoiling her grandkids and her favorite gift to give them was, of course, a stuffed animal doggy. Karen would do anything for her children and grandchildren. She had the honor of having her granddaughter Kyana live with her the first four years of her life and, as a result, the two of them became very close! In her spare time, Karen was a Fox 5 news addict and she also loved to watch Dancing with the Stars and Little Big Shots.

A joy-filled soul, the happiness that Karen experienced in her life bubbled from her heart and usually manifested itself in the exuberant utterance of a song. Already as a little girl in the backyard Karen simply loved to sing! Right on into adulthood, she sang everywhere – around the house, in the shower, in the car – always putting on little solo concerts. Her renditions from Bette Midler’s Beaches album, inspirational gospel numbers from the famous Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir or God-glorifying music by BeBe and CeCe Winans or Avalon, were unconsciously used by her as vehicles to spread that joy in her heart to anyone who would have the pleasure of hearing her sing. And now that same passion is passed down to her two daughters who love singing and music too. Heaven surely has gained a wonderful new member in their choir!

Karen was the beloved wife of Kim Siepe; loving mother of Keather and husband Walter Clark of Hewitt, NJ, Kourtney and husband Jeffrey Jensen of Dingmans Ferry, PA, and Kasey Siepe and his companion Effie Haralambidis of Pine Brook, NJ; adoring grandmother of Aaron, Kyana, Meiha, Kacer, Kennavysia, and Jeffrey; dear sister of Keith Radhuber and Craig Radhuber; dear sister-in-law of Craig Siepe, Jeff Siepe, and Narmeen; and dear aunt of numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Karen’s name are asked to consider Greyhound Friends of New Jersey, Inc. PO Box 4416, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034 or online at greyhoundfriendsnj.biz.

Edith Vanden Houten, age 89, of Wayne passed away peacefully on Tuesday, November 28, 2017 while receiving the loving care of her daughter.

Edith was born and raised in Paterson, NJ. Edith left school at an early age to help her mother care for her family. When she got a little older she established a position at a textile plant. This is where she met a young man by the name of Peter Vanden Houten. Peter and Edith dated for a a short time and as fate would have it they fell in love and were married on June 7, 1952 at St Anthony’s Church in Paterson.

Immediately after getting married Edith decided to set aside any work or salary she could contribute to her new family and became a homemaker. It was not long at all after getting married that Peter and Edith hade their first and only child Joanne. They were settled in Paterson after they were married and lived there for several years until moving to Pompton Lakes in the late 1950’s. Peter and Edith lived in Pompton Lakes for over twenty years. In 1981, the love of Edith’s life, Peter, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. After Peter’s passing, Edith and her daughter moved to Wayne. Edith and Peter cherished nearly thirty years of loving and loyal marriage together. Edith and her family would take summer vacations at Wildwood Crest nearly every year. She was a great Italian cook, always had dinner on the table for her family every night and hosted many a Sunday and Holiday Dinner, preparing the traditional Italian menus. Edith was extremely devoted to her Catholic Faith, she and her sister were called “Prayer Warriors” by her family. Her family remembers her as being kind-hearted, gentle, quiet and soft-spoken. She was a loving wife and a devoted mom. Edith was a very special person who touched the lives of many people and will be missed by everyone that knew her.

Edith is survived by her daughter Joanne Vanden Houten of Wayne, one brother Neil Colella of Totowa and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her four brothers; Dominik Colella, Michael Colella, Joseph Colella, and Adolf Colella, and also by her four sisters; Jenny Elmini, Theresa Mastrogiovanni, Susan Lippolis, and Antoinette Colella.

Those wishing to make a donation in Edith’s name may consider St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Memorial Processing 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959.

Angela Lau Ng, age 68, of Ringwood passed away peacefully on November 27, 2017 while receiving the loving care of her family.

Angela was born and raised in Toisan, China to Chok and Waisin Lau. Shortly after graduating High School, Angela set out to the United States in search of a better life and the “American Dream.” Not long after arriving the United States, she was introduced to a young man named Newton Ng in New York City by a mutual friend. They’re first night out together was a double date with some friends. They dated for a short time and as fate would have it, they fell in love and were married on Mother’s Day, May 10, 1970. Soon after getting married they settled in Bloomfield, NJ. During their time in Bloomfield, the couple had their first child, Vivian. They lived there for approximately two years and then moved to Chicago, IL. Angela and Newton moved back to New Jersey again after a few years and this time settled in Lodi, NJ. Following their move back to New Jersey, Newton and Angela celebrated the birth of their second child, Edmund. It was shortly after Edmund was born, when Angela and Newton bought their home in Ringwood, NJ. They would call Ringwood their home for the rest of their lives together and would raise both of their children.

Angela worked after getting married but stopped after her daughter Vivian was born.  Angela then decided to put any employment that she had or money she could earn aside and devote herself to nurturing and caring for her family. Angela truly flourished as a Homemaker, she was always there for her husband and her children and would do anything for them. Angela remained a Homemaker for more than sixteen years, then courageously decided to return to the workplace. She earned a position as an Assembler at Maquet in Wayne, NJ. She worked there for twenty-five years until her retirement a few years ago.

One of the things that Angela loved to do was travel. She traveled to almost every corner of the globe, she and her husband Newton often traveled by cruise ship. Some of their most memorable vacations were cruising through the Panama Canal, a cruise around the entire continent of South America and their land tour of China. While traveling, Angela and Newton were often joined by Angela’s sisters and their families and friends. While traveling was one of her greatest passions, shopping was the other. Angela loved to shop, and it didn’t matter what she was shopping for, she truly enjoyed it. She was also quite a wonderful cook of American and Chinese food. Her husband and children knew every night there would be something delicious on the dinner table waiting for them. Aside from all of Angela’s talents, hobbies and passions, her greatest love was for her family. She was a devoted wife, cherishing forty-seven years of loving and loyal marriage with her husband Newton. She was also a loving mother and grandmother. Nothing was more important to Angela than spending time with her family. Angela was a very special person who touched the lives of many people, she will be sincerely missed by all who knew her.

Angela is survived by her husband Newton of Ringwood, her daughter; Vivian VanHorn and her husband Britton of Odenton, MD, her son; Edmund Ng of Nutley, NJ, four sisters; Shuet Ming Chin of New Milford, NJ, Lorna Mah of Edmonton, Canada, Julie Lee of Edmonton, Canada, and Feng Ming Eng of Bridgeport, CT, two brothers; Yen Ming Lau of New York City, NY, and Steven Lau of Morris Plains, NJ, and three grandchildren; Eric VanHorn, Nora VanHorn, and Shea Ng, one sister-in-law; Lanai Jung of Lehigh Acres, FL, and one brother-in-law; Martin Ng of Lehigh Acres, FL, and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy may make donations in Angela’s name to American Cancer Society, NJ Chapter, 20 Mercer Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601. www.cancer.org  ngnewton@optonline.net

Nigel Warren McAndrew, age 85, of Wayne, passed peacefully on Sunday, November 26, 2017.

He was born in Georgetown, British Guiana (now known as Guyana) and raised at 201 George Street in the city. He also lived on DeAndred Street in Newtown, Guyana and married Yvette Isaacs Callender before moving to the Untied States of America in 1968. The family lived on 20th Avenue in Paterson, New Jersey before moving to Wayne in 1977.

After completing his schooling in Georgetown, Nigel was selected to study overseas in the United Kingdom and returned to work for the Guyanese government. During this time of study, adventure and reflection, Nigel decided to pursue other career opportunities in the United States. Upon arrival in the United States, Nigel worked in the accounting field and enrolled at Rutgers University (night program), where he received a B.S. in Accounting. Thereafter, Nigel worked as an accountant for Drakes Bakery, Inc. in Wayne for approximately twenty years. During his time at Drakes, Nigel assumed roles with increasing responsibility before becoming the financial controller. Nigel eventually retired in 1992.

Nigel will be remembered as a charismatic and gregarious man who loved a good time. As a young man, Nigel loved soccer, cricket, and table tennis. Nigel also was a member of a social club in Guyana where he played dominos with family and friends. He enjoyed parties with family and friends, loved a good barbeque, and was always willing to help a friend.

When Nigel first met Yvette, it was love at first sight. After a long courtship, they married in 1961. In 2011, they had their 50th wedding celebration at the Grand Chalet in Wayne. They were married for fifty-one years before Yvette’s passing in 2012.

Nigel was the devoted father of Newell McAndrew of Montclair, Norv McAndrew and his wife Amy of Blue Bell, PA, and the late Nevin McAndrew (2003) and his surviving wife Shelly of East Stroudsburg, PA; Nigel was the cherished grandfather of the late Schulyer McAndrew (2013), Brice, Nicole, Sterling, Raven, Kara, and Owen McAndrew; and Nigel was the dear brother of Wordsworth, Wilton, Winifred, Waveney, and Carmen.

The McAndrew family would also like to thank the special angels on earth who took care of Nigel and made the past few years of his journey memorable and comfortable.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to the Wayne Memorial First Aid Squad, PO Box 2004, Wayne, NJ 07474 would be greatly appreciated.

Margaret I. Cornwell, age 94 of Paterson, died on Saturday, November 25, 2017. In her true fashion she had enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with her family on Thursday before her passing.

Margaret was raised in Garfield and Clifton and had lived in Paterson since the 1940’s. As a young girl, she met a handsome boy named Clark Cornwell, Jr. who worked at the local ice cream parlor in Clifton. They began dating but Clark was called off to fight in World War II and their romance was placed on hold until his return a few years later. They were eventually married on March 18, 1946 and they settled into their home in Paterson. Clark took over the family ice cream business and moved the operation to Paterson, calling it the “Guernsey Crest Ice Cream Company,” which is still in operation today! Margaret became the brains behind the operation, doing all the bookkeeping, accounting, and administrative work. She retired at the ripe age of 92 with her mind still as sharp as a tack. Margaret was very proud to see the business being run by her grandchildren, the fourth generation of Cornwells to do so. Margaret and Clark enjoyed a wonderful life together in which they had much fun. Dinning out at the area’s finest restaurants and celebrating their own version of ‘date night’ every Saturday were among their secrets to a long and happy marriage. Of course, it was no secret that Margaret enjoyed her Manhattan cocktails, which she treated herself to regularly as well. She and Clark enjoyed nearly forty-six years together before Clark passed away in 1992.

Margaret was a gourmet cook, and that’s an understatement. She was incredible in the kitchen and preparing large holiday meals was a passion of hers. Everything she cooked was beyond delicious. She was also very handy and her son recalls how she assembled a swimming pool in their back yard, installed all the Christmas lights during the holidays, and did most of the home repairs herself. She was a talented interior decorator and loved listening to Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra around the house. Years ago, Margaret had been in office with the Junior Women’s Club in Paterson, which was a really big deal back then, and she has been a lifelong member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Paterson.

In addition to losing her beloved husband Clark in 1992, Margaret also lost her dear son Kevin in 1997, when he was just forty-two years old. This was a devastating blow to Margaret’s enthusiastic perspective on life. Somehow, though, she found the strength to persevere and with the love of her family she pressed on. She and Kevin’s wife, Joy, have maintained a very close and loving relationship throughout the years, which has certainly helped with the healing. Margaret’s loss will also be a difficult one and her family will all miss her dearly.

Margaret is survived by her son; Clark L. Cornwell, III, Esq. of Paterson, her daughter-in-law; Joy Cornwell of Wayne, Joy’s sister; Nancy D’Acierno of Wayne, and her three grandchildren; Nicholas Cornwell of Wayne, Kevin Cornwell of Clifton, and Clark J. Cornwell of Hamburg.

Margaret would love to have flowers at her funeral, but for those who wish to make a donation in her memory, please consider St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 451 Van Houten Street, Paterson, NJ 07501 or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial Processing, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959.

Anthony Joseph Rowek, 27 of Naples, Florida, and formerly of Wayne, passed away on Thursday, November 23, 2017. Anthony graduated from Wayne Hills High School in 2008 and was a senior at Hodges University in Naples working toward a Bachelor of Science degree in Bio-Medical sciences. Anthony hoped to become a Physician’s Assistant in Endocrinology, his passion. He was the principle source of medical knowledge for his entire family and friends. He was dedicated to caring for others and found happiness in this process. Everyone contacted Anthony after doctor’s visits to confirm their diagnosis and treatment plan.

Anthony loved as his lived; deeply, intensely, and with loyalty to those he chose to commit to. Always ready with a goofy smile and sarcasm, it was as if his life’s purpose was to make others feel good from the inside out. Anthony carried the ability to see the needs of others and lend a hand. He had a strong sense of fairness and honor, loyalty, and family values. Anthony was a warm, loving, friendly person who would make everyone he spoke to feel like they’d known him forever. His spirit will live on in each of us who were blessed to have known him. He will be sadly missed by friends and family.

He is survived by his parents; Anthony and Michele Rowek of Wayne, his brother; Nicholas, by his fiancé; Suzette Henderson of Naples, FL, his grandmother; Gloria Bsales of Wayne, and many aunts, uncles and cousins on both sides of the family. He was predeceased by his grandparents; Louis and Eva Rowek and Michael Bsales.

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

William T. Harkey, age 77 of Wayne, died on Wednesday, November 22, 2017. Bill had lived in Pompton Lakes before moving to Packanack Lake in 1990.

Bill lived in several towns during his younger years, including Belleville, Passaic, Rutherford and Lyndhurst, before his parents settled to a small log cabin in the Packanack Lake community. He went on to graduate from Wayne High School with the class of 1958 before joining the U.S. Army. Bill served in Northern Italy before being discharged and returning home.

Upon his return, Bill started working in the flexible packaging industry where he eventually became a salesman. This job literally changed his life. Bill was on a sales call to the Drake’s bakery in Wayne where he met Marion Giordano, who would soon become his wife. They exchanged vows on August 12, 1966 and have been inseparable for more than fifty years now. They enjoyed shopping together, watching TV together, and they took some great trips to places like London, Italy, and Ireland. Among their favorite TV shows to watch was Dancing with the Stars and earlier this year they were able to go see the show live in Los Angeles. Their sons treated them to VIP seats during the “final four” dance competition and they had a spectacular time. Bill’s sons recall their dad being there for them at all their sporting events and special occasions. Bill was much more than just a supportive dad and he would somehow work a lesson into every experience that the kids had. While they lived in Pompton Lakes, Bill was active coaching and leading the Pompton Lakes Youth Organization where he impacted the lives of many young people. He didn’t just stand on the sidelines but preferred to take an active role and make a difference in the lives of everyone he touched.

Bill was a stickler for detail and he always had to take an active role in seeing things done just right. For those of you who served with Bill on the Packanack Lake Board of Governors, or the Water Quality Commission, or if you decorated the clubhouse for Christmas with him, you know how important it was to him that things be done just so. He took pride in all these things and he was a man of principle who wasn’t afraid to roll up his sleeves and get to work. Bill was also a member of the Angler’s Club and loved to go fishing up at Greenwood Lake or Lake Hopatcong. He also made a point of patronizing the local businesses around Packanack Lake because he understood how important they all are to the overall quality of the community. As a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, he became a Eucharistic Minister and enjoyed his church family there. They will all miss him dearly.

Bill is survived by his loving wife of fifty one years; Marion (nee Giordano) of Wayne, two sons; Michael Harkey and his wife Jennifer of Wanaque, and David Harkey of Wayne, two grandchildren; Jacob and Mikayla of Wanaque, a brother; Bob Harkey and his wife Mary Ellen of Connecticut, and many nieces and nephews.

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

AHART, Robert Edward, 87 of Wayne, New Jersey passed peacefully on November 21, 2017.

Bob was an honorable family man, financial advisor, engineer, and veteran. Proud father of five, grandfather of thirteen, and beloved husband of Carol (nee Dahl) for 61 years. Born and raised in Paterson, New Jersey, he was the son of Edward Ahart and Josephine Chiara. He graduated from Eastside High School in 1947, and after one year of working in a ribbon factory, enlisted in the US Air Force where he achieved the rank of Staff Sargent specializing in automotive electronics. Following his service, he attended Fairleigh Dickinson University where he graduated with high honors, majoring in Industrial Engineering. While in college, he met Carol.

Upon graduation he began a very successful career as an innovative industrial engineer and manager with companies that include Bendix, Curtis Wright, American Brakeshoe, and MicroLab. While working in industry, he also taught evening economics courses at St. Peter’s College and Rutgers University. During the ‘60s Bob developed a passion for investing and in 1969, he took the bold step of changing careers and became a stock broker at Shearson Hammill & Co. (now Morgan Stanley). The timing of the career change coincided with a six year period of decline in stock prices and the corresponding financial pressures nearly forced Bob to return to a career in industry. However, Bob’s confidence, patience, and courage of conviction paid off as the markets recovered. After that rough start, Bob enjoyed a long career as a successful investment broker.

Upon his retirement, he continued devoting his free time to investing and to an interest in genealogy and wrote a history of his father’s family. He enjoyed many summers at Long Beach Island and Lake Hopatcong with Carol, their children and grandchildren. Bob will always be remembered for his integrity and passion for investing as well as his generosity with, and empathy for, people less fortunate than himself.

He is survived by daughters Joann Vander Zee and her husband John of Montville, NJ, Susan Sesko and her husband Steve, also of Montville, sons Robert and his wife Kelly of Tuxedo, NY, John of Kinnelon, NJ, and Joe and his wife Mary Lynn of Jefferson, NJ; grandchildren Carolyn (Nicholas), Stephanie, Brian, Joe, Robert, Julia, Stephen, Jackie, Jennifer, Erin, Michael, Jack, and Chris.

Memorial donations may be made to the ASPCA; www.aspca.org.

Stojan “Stanley” Vucenovic, 82 of Lincoln Park, passed away on Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017. He had lived in Clifton before moving to Lincoln Park in 1987.

Stanley was born in Bosnia, growing up in the town of Povelic, near the northern border. From a very young age, traveling was in his blood. He began exploring and his travels took him further and further from home. Securing a passport was impossible for people living in that region of the world, so Stanley became resourceful and learned how to cross international borders without being detected.

In 1960, Stanley successfully escaped from Yugoslavia to Austria. After a short time, he applied to move to Australia and lived there for the next three-and-a-half years. Surprisingly, he willingly returned to Yugoslavia. He quickly realized that he had no future there. He attempted several times to escape again by walking across the Austrian Alps. On his final attempt, Stanley’s childhood friend Jovo hid Stanley and a few other stowaways in the ceiling of a train passenger car. While in the ceiling of that train, Stanley fell asleep and began to snore loudly, almost getting them all caught! The train came to an unexpected stop and, after a brief period of time, they left the passenger car because it had been disconnected due to brake failure. Jovo quickly purchased tickets for another train and soon they were on their way again from Munich to their final destination in Solingen, Germany. His dream however was to make it to America. He attempted to apply for a U.S. Visa during the 1960’s, but at that time foreigners were required to commit to the Army and go to Vietnam in order to gain entry to the U.S. Although Stanley had an adventurous spirit, the idea of going to war in Vietnam didn’t appeal to him. After some hesitation, he threw caution to the wind and agreed to the terms. Upon arriving at the airport in New York, he imagined that soldiers would meet him there and he’d be immediately enlisted…but no authorities greeted him. In typical Stanley fashion, he walked out of the airport doors and made his way to his friend Sveto’s home in Paterson. There he started his new life and he never looked back! First working in the construction trades, he later became a machinist with the John Royal Company in Pompton Lakes.

In 1970, Jovo went to Croatia to visit his sister who was very ill. He stayed in Croatia for seven months but, just before leaving, he met a young woman named Magda Kras. A year later, he returned to Croatia again, this time with Stanley joining him, due to his sisters passing. At Jovos wedding, Stanley was introduced to Jovo’s wife’s sister, Marija. When they returned to the United States, Stanley kept thinking about Marija and shared these feelings with Jovo. This prompted Jovo to make a deal with Stanley. He would pay the $325 to fly Marija to the U.S. If Stanley didn’t marry Marija, he would not have to pay him back, but if he did end up marrying Marija, he’d have to give him $325. It turned out to be the best $325 Stanley had ever spent as he and Marija were married by the justice of the peace in Paterson within two weeks of Marija stepping off that airplane.

Stanley’s desire to travel never waned and his bicycle became his favorite mode of transportation. On any given day, he would ride his bike from Lincoln Park to Pompton Plains, then over to Jack’s Super Foodtown in Wayne, then perhaps down to Willowbrook Mall where he would go inside to walk around for a little while, after which he would bike home to Lincoln Park once again! He would stop along the way at his favorite places to pick up something to eat or drink, but then he was soon back on his bike. He was unstoppable. Family and friends would enjoy receiving texts including pictures of Stanley riding his bicycle somewhere. You never knew where the next “Stanley sighting” might be! Recently his cardiologist told him to stop riding the bicycle, but there was no way Stanley would listen to such a directive. That bike was a part of him, so he kept riding.

Stanley loved his family very much and he was extremely proud of his grandchildren. “Deda” (Grandpa) was his most favorite name, he loved hearing it, and he spent as much time as possible with his grandchildren. He made it to as many of their activities as he could, usually arriving on his bicycle. He would ride to each of his sons homes almost daily, and often picked his grandchildren up at school. If he arrived a little early, he would walk laps around the school while waiting for the bell to ring. He simply couldn’t sit still for any length of time. In fact, it became commonplace for him to go ‘missing’ occasionally, as he would just walk off to explore. He would amazingly reappear right around the time that his family began to worry about him. Stanley has now departed on a new and wondrous adventure, exploring far and wide once again.

Stanley is survived by his beloved wife of forty four years; Marija (Kras) of Lincoln Park, two sons; Elvis Vucenovic and his wife Wendy of Pompton Plains, and Nenad Vucenovic and his wife Gina of Pequannock, and four grandchildren; Julia, Ryan, Sophia, and Geno.

Jacob "Jack" Kozell, age 83, passed peacefully on Sunday, November 19, 2017.

Jacob A. Kozell, 83, of Wayne New Jersey passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving wife, Ruth of 60 years and his loving family members on November 19, 2017. Born in Passaic, New Jersey to the late Stephen and Anne Kozell on January 1, 1934, he was fondly referred to as “Jack.”

Jack served in the U.S. Army from 1953-1955, he received the Good Conduct Medal as well the National Defense Service Medal, in recognition of his service for his country. After serving in the military, Jack was employed by United Parcel Service for 32 years and retired at the early age of 55. Jack enjoyed auto mechanics, woodworking, and cooking.

Jack was a devoted father and was extremely proud of his four daughters. Jack always adored being surrounded by his loving family members. He especially loved the holidays and spending time with his wife, children, and grandchildren. Jack dedicated his life to his wife and family.

Jack leaves his wife Ruth, daughters: Deborah Kozell; Donna Kozell; Doreen and husband Don Catelli; Dawn and husband Richard Kennedy; grandchildren, Nicholas, Joseph, and Megan and pre-deceased by his sister, Shirley Kozell. He leaves many close and cherished friends.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to the Wounded Warrior Project would be appreciated. (You can click on the blue text to be guided to their donation page.)

Norma Muina, age 89, of Passaic, passed on Saturday, November 18, 2017.

She was born in Havana, Cuba and at the onset of the Cuban Revolution her husband thought it best to head to the United States. The family initially went to Jamaica and stayed at a boarding house and lived with some Jamaican locals who took them in while they waited for their United States immigration paperwork to clear. Once they had secured the correct paperwork the family moved to Miami, Florida. From here Norma’s husband got a job transfer to New York City. The family lived in Manhattan and Queens, New York before settling into life in Paterson, New Jersey. They raised their family in Paterson, and Norma worked at the Broadway Bank in Paterson up until its closing. After the bank closed she worked as a travel agent for Liberty Travel in Jersey City before finding a career as a realtor. She has worked for the Leopizzi Realty Company in Woodland Park for the past twenty-five years. She was still working up until about six weeks ago when her failing health made her stop. Some will remember her as a translator for the Clifton Board of Education, as well.

Many will remember Norma for her larger than life personality. She had to be the center of attention wherever she went. She enjoyed just about anything to do with life, and when telling stories about her life she took the liberty of embellishing, a lot, to help the story along. Many would say she had a Forest Gump-like effect on the world around her. She also enjoyed telling everyone how everybody loved her and wanted to hire her. She also loved trips to Atlantic City where she would play the nickel slot machines all night and sleep all day. Some will recall her stack of submissions to Publisher’s Clearinghouse. She sent in hundreds of applications and was always looking for the “Prize Patrol” to come with her balloons and millions.

While at a country club in Cuba, Norma met a cute man named Manuel. Soon Manuel was trying to impress Norma and dove into the water from a catwalk. He hit his head on a rock in the water and when Norma saw the blood in the water she jumped in to save him. This unusual start to a love affair was the beginning of a thirty-six year loving and devoted marriage. Manuel would show you the scar on his head that lead to him marrying the love of his life.

Norma was the loving wife of the late Manuel Muina (1990); the devoted mother of Manuel Muina and his wife Janet of Toms River, and Toni Macchiarelli and her husband Richard of Pompton Plains; she was the cherished grandmother of Matthew Muina, Brian Macchiarelli and his wife Lauren, Anthony Muina and his fiancé Natalie, Alyson Macchiarelli, Meghan Pereria and her husband Richard, and Taylor Macchiarelli; she was also the much loved great-grandmother of Genevieve and Margaux Macchiarelli.

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

Kevin A. Walker, age 49, of Wayne, passed away peacefully on Thursday, November 16, 2017.

Kevin was born in the Manhattan section of New York City. Soon after his family moved to Wanaque, NJ where he spent his formative years. After graduating from DePaul High School with the Class of 1986, Kevin attended Misericordia University in Dallas, PA where he majored in history. After earning his bachelor’s degree in 1990, he began full time work as an inside sales representative with the Ricoh Corporation. For the next twenty years he enjoyed much success and satisfaction and enjoyed the camaraderie of his customers and associates. Most recently, he joined the sales team at PTS Data Center Solutions in Oakland, NJ.

In his spare time, Kevin could often be found on the green at the Preakness Valley Golf Course in Wayne and the Sunset Valley Golf Course in Pompton Plains playing eighteen holes of golf with his buddies. He was a big fan of America’s favorite pastimes of baseball and football choosing to cast his loyalties first and foremost to the New York Mets and New York Giants. His love of sports was surely instilled in him as a young boy playing baseball, football, hockey, and racing wood go-carts with his brother and his neighborhood friends. Kevin also enjoyed music – especially classic rock.

While leisure-time amusements were fine, nothing was more important to Kevin than being with his family. He loved gathering during the holidays with his numerous uncles, aunts, and cousins, visiting his brother and sister, and most recently, he loved hanging out with his little nephew Ryan.

Kevin will always be remembered for being one who always put the needs of others above his own needs. He will be dearly missed.

Kevin is survived by his dear brother Brian and wife Kimberly Walker of Wanaque, his dear sister Kerith Ann Walker of Glassboro, his nephew Ryan Walker, and numerous uncles, aunts, and cousins. He was predeceased by his loving parents Arthur and Joan Walker.

Phyllis Virginia Andersen, age 87, formerly of Wyckoff, passed peacefully on Wednesday, November 15, 2017.

She was born in Brooklyn, New York and lived briefly on Long Island before spending her childhood in Ridgewood, New Jersey. Phyllis graduated from Ridgewood High School with the Class of 1948. After high school she enrolled in the Green Mountain Junior College in Vermont. This was an all-girls school and when her mother found out the girls would go to bars on the weekends to try and meet boys she pulled her daughter right out of there. She then went to Ottawa University in Kansas where she received her Associates Degree in Home Economics. Always trying to improve herself, in her early 50’s she enrolled at William Paterson University in Wayne and received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology.

As a young girl out of college Phyllis worked as a bank teller for the Peoples Trust Bank in Ridgewood. In 1952, Andrew joined the youth group at the Broadway Baptist Church in Paterson. The president of the youth group, Phyllis Read, introduced herself to him and they soon began dating. Her parents took a liking to Andrew right away, which surely provided the encouragement he needed to propose marriage. They exchanged nuptials on July 17, 1954 at Broadway Baptist and enjoyed a honeymoon in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. They first settled in Clifton, then lived in Wayne, before Andrew was able to design his dream home which they built in Wyckoff. Together, they raised their family there and enjoyed their home for more than forty seven years before moving to Cedar Crest Village in Pompton Plains. Andrew and Phyllis had sixty years of loving and devoted marriage before his passing in February of 2015.

Phyllis will be remembered for her loving personality, unpretentious willingness to be goofy sometimes, and love of laughter. She was a truly dedicated mother to her three children and deeply loved her four grandchildren; she focused on making her home a warm and inviting place for all. She lovingly cared for both her and her husband’s parents in their autumn years and was the go-to person whenever a family member was sick or in need. Her children fondly remember over forty years of two week summer vacations at the Twin Lake Village in New Hampshire. Phyllis also cherished the time with her grandchildren often playing board games with them and was always very proud of their accomplishments. Her love of games lasted her entire life as she most recently enjoyed playing BINGO and dominos. She was a good cook, fastidious housekeeper and was always vacuuming. When she wasn’t cooking or cleaning she was either eating ice cream or drinking a glass or two of white wine. Her husband Andrew used to get mad at her because she would have ice cream for lunch! Even most recently she would eat ice cream every day and sometime twice a day. She was also an animal lover and always had a special spot in her heart for her two poodles Jackie and Rusty.

Phyllis was very dedicated to her Christian faith. This faith was born from a seed planted by her paternal grandfather who was a Baptist minister. She was an active member of the Broadway Baptist Church in Paterson, the Ramapo Valley Baptist Church in Oakland, and later the Hawthorne Gospel Church in Hawthorne.

Phyllis and Andrew both enjoyed traveling and toured throughout Europe, Scandinavia, Israel and Egypt, the Far East, Ireland, Scotland and England, Russia, the Baltics, as well as many vacations to the Caribbean. They wintered at a condo in Venice, Florida and so as not to be a “golf widow” she took up the game of golf. They played together all over the world including during the winter in Venice and at the North Jersey Country Club in Wayne where they were members for many years.

Phyllis was the loving wife of 61 years to the late Andrew Andersen (2015); devoted mother of James Andersen and his wife Elise of Wayne, Beth Andersen-Pochtar and her husband Paul of Basking Ridge, and Barbara Andersen of Newton, MA; she was the cherished grandmother of Darby Pochtar, Jacob Andersen, Hayley Pochtar, and John Andersen.

Dr. Edward J. Rahuba, age 82, of Wanaque and formerly of Wayne, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, November 15, 2017.

The son of Alexander and Albertyna Rahuba, Polish immigrants who came to America through Ellis Island, Ed was born after they arrived in the U.S., in Paterson, and he grew up in Fair Lawn, graduating from Fair Lawn High School with the Class of 1952. After further study at Seton Hall University in South Orange where he earned his B.S. degree, he went on to receive his Doctorate from the Chiropractic Institute of New York in 1959.

While in college, he met his wife Barbara Tranberg at a Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) social gathering. Their first date was to the movies in Totowa where they saw Marlon Brando star in “The Wild One.” They soon fell in love, and were united in marriage before family and friends on Saturday, November 29, 1958 at St. Anne’s Church in Fair Lawn. They honeymooned in the Poconos and settled into their new life together.

In 1960, Dr. Rahuba began his chiropractic practice in Wayne. His office was originally on Valley Road but five years later he moved it to his new home on the corner of Alps Road and Eleron Place in Wayne. This location served as the home in which he and Barbara raised their two sons and three daughters and the place that many in the community came as patients for relief and wellness for themselves and their family through Dr. Rahuba’s skilled and caring hands. For 50 years, until retiring in 2010, Ed faithfully served his patients. He also served the profession well as Treasurer of the Garden State Chiropractic Society and then the Council of NJ Chiropractors. His philosophy of chiropractic revealed a lot about who he was - someone who trusted in the inherent wisdom of the body to heal itself when free of interference. His children recall that when they were young, Ed would enthusiastically explain the importance of this philosophy and how Chiropractic served its place in helping people express their highest level of health. That enthusiasm was contagious as it inspired his daughter Kim to ultimately embrace the profession for herself, and soon, two of his grandchildren will also graduate Chiropractic College. Ed surely made a great mark for himself and his legacy lives on through the generations of patients he served and the generations in his own family that he inspired to pursue the profession for themselves.

Ed and Barbara enjoyed a loving 56 year marriage filled with the blessings of children and grandchildren and lots of fine memories. For example, during the early years of raising their family, Ed and three other families purchased a 28-foot Winnebago Motor Home. Each family got to use it for two weeks in the summer and Ed made the most of that time by taking his family up and down the east coast including trips as far north as Sebago Lake in Maine to as far south as Florida. In the fall, Ed and Barbara piled in the motor home to go to football games at West Point with lifelong friends. Ed also loved spending time at the summer home down the shore in Long Beach Island. The friends and memories from Kentucky Avenue were a huge part of their life. In later years, when the weather turned cold in New Jersey, he and Barbara gladly escaped to their winter home in Sarasota, FL and they enjoyed trips to Germany, Italy, Russia, Denmark, France, and Hawaii, as well as cruising. Ed felt very lucky to enjoy his seven grandchildren and there was nothing he loved more than having his whole family gathered for the holiday. Founding parishioners of Our Lady of the Valley Church in Wayne, Ed and Barbara had the privilege of renewing their wedding vows there in 2008 after 50 years of marriage. He really missed his sweet Barbara when she passed away in the summer of 2015. Around the house, it seemed that Ed was always working on some project. When they moved into that home in Wayne, he made it even more beautiful installing all the Wainscot and special trim himself. He also planted 150 tiny shrubs which, over many years, grew to become a beautiful natural privacy fence. He took great pride in those bushes, always brushing off the snow after a big storm so that the branches would not be damaged.

While enjoying his family and being the best chiropractor he could be were Ed’s greatest passions, he had other interests which made his life interesting. Ed was quite a cook who enjoyed making good food for himself but equally enjoyed sharing his kitchen creations with others. He seemed to have a thing for clams and, while spaghetti with clam sauce was his most frequently made recipe, he would also make clams casino, clams oreganata, and clams posillipo, just to add some variety. He loved clams so much that, his family recalls many times at the shore when these wonderful appetizers left little room for the actual dinner! Ed loved computers because they were great for looking up information and he loved music – especially big band and show tunes. When retirement years arrived, the extra hours of leisure were often spent getting together with his buddies to play eighteen holes of golf. He played all over the place including at the former High Mountain Country Club, the Passaic County course and, when at the beach house in LBI, he played at the Seaview Golf Course, and in Sarasota, Florida at the Palm Air Country Club. At those courses in Jersey, he and his buddies gave themselves a name – the Romeos, aka Retired Old Men Eating Out.

Ed was a quiet calm guy. So quiet and calm that his friends and business associates called him “The Ghost.” All of a sudden, there he was! Although quiet by nature, Ed leaves behind a plethora of special memories for his family and friends who will miss him greatly.

Edward was predeceased by his beloved wife Barbara in 2015. He is survived by his five children: Edward “Scott” Rahuba of Intervale, NH, Dr. Kim and husband Dr. Greg Stetzel of Branchville, Karen and husband Charlie Verhoog of Wyckoff, Donna and husband Manuel Cancel of Wayne, and Patrick and wife Rosalie Rahuba of Hamburg; and grandchildren, Emma and Gabbi Cancel, Billy and Danielle Stetzel, and Brianne, Charles and Christy Verhoog; and his loving sister-in-law and brother-in-law Ellen and John Donlevy and their family. He was also predeceased by his brother Walter Rahuba in 2014.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Edward’s name are asked to consider Institutional Advancement, Sherman College of Chiropractic, P.O. Box 1452, Spartanburg, SC 29304 (sherman.edu/donate).

Charles J. (Chuck) Werkley, 97 of Wayne, passed away on November 13, 2017 at the New Jersey Veterans home in Paramus. He was born on December 22, 1919 in Paterson NJ to John and Catherine Werkley. He is predeceased by his wife Janet, nee Lauder, in 2005, brother Jack in 1949, and sister Frances Lutoff in 1974.

After service with the US Navy during World War II, he was employed by the NJ Bell Telephone Company for 34 years, retiring in 1980. He was a proud member and Trustee of the Wayne Elks Club 2181 and served as past President of the Haledon Lions Club. In 1989 he relocated to Port St. Lucie FL, where he pursued a career in real estate, retiring in 2014, after which he returned to NJ to spend time with family. He subsequently authored an autobiography in 2013 entitled “Family Values”.

He is survived by his son Tim and wife Loretta Werkley, daughter Joan and husband Bob Duvalois, daughter Carol and husband Jim Talerico, grandchildren Daryl Marchant, Darrin Duvalois, Tim Werkley, Jim Talerico Jr., Lauren Lamoureaux and 8 great grand children.

In lieu of flowers please send donations to the Joseph Robert Duvalois Foundation (His great grandson who predeceased him in 2010), C/O Stephanie Ferrara, 31 Hill Street, Belleville, NJ 07109.

Irene King (née Chioccarello Quazza), age 86 of Wayne, died Saturday, November 11, 2017, after a brief battle with cancer. She had owned and operated Haledon Nurseries on Valley Rd. in Wayne since 1961.

Irene resided in Haledon and graduated from Central High School with the class of 1949. After high school, she served as the deputy borough clerk and tax collector for Haledon. It was there that she met Harold Quazza, who owned the newly-founded Haledon Nurseries in Haledon. The two of them hit it off and wedding plans were soon being made. They married on October 12, 1952, at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Haledon. Truth be told, Irene not only married Harold that day, but she married Haledon Nurseries as well! The two of them worked side by side, building the business together on Norwood Street in Haledon. In 1961, they purchased a small parcel of land in Wayne and moved the business to 262 Valley Road. Their home was also on the premises, where Irene and Harold raised their two children. Carl grew up in the nursery business, while Amy chose a career in the food industry. They recall their mom being very active in their lives not just as a mom, but also as Cub Scout Den mother, and PTA member. She never missed a dance recital or baseball game. Irene was also a terrific host; being social came easy to her and she loved entertaining. The parties at Irene and Harold’s home were to be remembered! Tragically, Harold died in a car accident in 1980, leaving Irene to run the business with her son Carl.

During her fifty years in the business, Irene enjoyed special friendships with many of her colleagues and she was widely respected throughout the Nursery and Landscaping industry. In 2004, she was inducted into the NJ Nursery and Landscapers Association Hall of Fame for her industry contributions during the fifty years she was in business. She urged education within the industry, stating that the public needs to know NJNLA members are very knowledgeable and are keeping America beautiful through the use of plant material which should be very important to everyone. She was quoted as saying; “It takes more than a shovel and a pickup truck” to make a company last.

In 1983, Irene married once more to Roy King, Jr. They enjoyed traveling and visited England, the Bahamas, Christmas Island, Alaska, Montana, and many other beautiful destinations. Harbour Island, Bahamas was her hands-down favorite! Roy enjoyed fly fishing, and Irene enjoyed visiting all the spectacular places that he wanted to fish. Sadly, Roy passed in 2006. Irene was an avid bowler and was a participant in many leagues over the years. She was the Secretary and Treasurer of the “Breakfast Club” bowling league at T-Bowl II Lanes at the time of her death. She also bowled in the Senior League on Tuesdays. She recently had a hip and knee replacement and was back to bowling as quickly as she could. Knitting and needlepoint were also among her leisure activities, but she wasn’t one to sit still for very long. Irene was always on the go and she enjoyed dining at fine restaurants throughout North Jersey and New York. She loved to dance, the NY Mets, and spending time laughing with her many friends and three grandchildren.

Irene is survived by her two children; Carl Quazza and his wife Bonnie of Wayne, Amy Quazza,(and partner Walter Murawinski) of Hoboken, three grandchildren; Darrell, Adam and Dana Quazza, all of Wayne, her sister; Dolores DeWitt and her husband John of Manahawkin. In addition, she is survived by three nieces and their families. During the past eleven years, Irene was in an extremely loving relationship with Mr. Michael Corbo, her bowling and life partner.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to Wayne Township Memorial First Aid Squad, P.O. Box 2004, Wayne, NJ 07474 or New Jersey Fireman's Home, 565 Lathrop Avenue, Boonton, NJ 07005 would be greatly appreciated.

Margaret “Peggy” Baer, age 95 of Wayne, passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday, November 7, 2017.

Margaret was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on May 13, 1922. Her parents, Andrew and Jennifer Boyd had moved there from their homes on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Canada, which Margaret visited every summer as a child. She deeply loved her Nova Scotian heritage and throughout her life, she continued returning to the Island to visit family and friends, and enjoy her beloved Cape Breton fiddle music.

Margaret, the oldest of four children, soon moved with her family from Boston to the Bronx in New York City, where her father worked construction on the George Washington Bridge. In 1931, at age 9, together with her family, she attended the bridge’s ceremonial opening, an event presided over by then New York Governor, Franklin D. Roosevelt. Growing up in the Bronx, Margaret attended high school at Saint Nicholas of Tolentine on Fordham Road, where she graduated in 1940.

In 1946, she married William E. Baer, also of the Bronx, who was recently returned from service in the Pacific Theatre during World War II. Together with their three children, the family lived primarily in the Bronx until moving to Packanack Lake in Wayne, New Jersey, in 1960. While raising her three children in Packanack, Margaret initiated her life-long love of community theater, participating with the “Packanack Players” for many years as an actress, dancer, writer and director. In 1976, she received the Best Actress Award in a state-wide drama festival in Atlantic City for her performance in Something Unspoken by Tennessee Williams.

In 1970, she began working for the United States Post Office. Starting at the entry level, she quickly rose through the ranks, eventually becoming Director of Finance for the Paterson postal region, overseeing the finances of nearly a hundred post offices. She retired in 1990 as the Postmaster of Fair Lawn, New Jersey.

Margaret touched countless lives with her kindness, and was loved by everyone who knew her. She was predeceased by her husband, William E. Baer, her brother Andrew Boyd and her sister Evelyn Stuart. She is survived by her three children: Robert Baer of Wayne, New Jersey; William Baer of Wayne, New Jersey; and Richard Baer of Tenafly, New Jersey; as well as her daughter-in-law, Foon Wu-Baer of Tenafly, New Jersey; and three grandchildren, Margaret Baer of Silver Springs, Maryland; William Baer, III, of Vienna, Ohio; and Jennifer Baer of Tenafly, New Jersey. She is also survived by her brother, Jack Boyd, and her sister-in-law, Margaret Boyd, of Syracuse, New York, and her sister-in-law, Catherine Boyd of Goshen, New York, as well as fifteen nephews and nieces.

The world lost a beautiful young lady, Kerry Loftus, on Tuesday, November 7, 2017, after a brief illness.

Join Us.....Drumming was her passion!

We will be celebrating Kerry's life with a drum circle gathering on Sunday December 10th at the Community Church of Cedar Grove, 65 Bowden Road, Cedar Grove, NJ.  Please come and go as you please between the hours of 2 and 4:30 in the afternoon.  Sneakers and jeans were her style so come casual.  Hope to see you there.

Family and Friends of Kerry.

Please no alcohol or smoking on premises.  

The world lost a beautiful young lady, Kerry Loftus, on Tuesday, November 7, 2017, after a brief illness.

Kerry was raised in Wayne having graduated from Wayne Hills High School with the Class of 1989. She went on to earn her BS in Nursing and RN degrees from Fairfield University with the Class of 1993.

Her first job ever was working at Kay’s Bakery in Normandy Beach at the Jersey Shore. After college she worked as a nurse for a dermatology group in Montclair, an Administrator for Richards Associates Insurance in Clifton, and the Foundation for the Blind in Denville as a teacher relating to the technologies available to the blind.

Kerry was a warrior having fought through two kidney transplants, two pancreas transplants, blindness, diabetes, and did it all with a smile. She was fun loving, outgoing, always smiling, and drank coffee day and night. She would sip her hazelnut coffee and more recently Latte’s for hours on end until it was ice cold. Armed with her walking stick, coffee, and Uber app Kerry was fearless in her travels. She had a “Mr. Magoo-like” ability to narrowly avoid accidents and trouble that would make those accompanying her cringe.

Those that know Kerry will agree that she marched to a different drummer – both literally and figuratively. While working at the Foundation for the Blind she was introduced to Drum Circle Therapy that helped heal through rhythm and sound. She found great comfort in seeing the results of this therapy with the many and varied groups that were influenced by it.

To honor Kerry’s life her family is organizing a Drum Circle with WoodnDrums with whom she worked with for several years. The date and time of this Celebration of Kerry’s life will be posted here once they have been scheduled. To honor Kerry’s memory in the meantime the family asks you to order a coffee, sip it, and remember how she touched your life.

Kerry was the loving and devoted daughter of Ed and Carol “Snuffy” Loftus; beloved sister of Kevin Loftus and his wife Terri of Montville, Craig Loftus and his wife Emma of Ho-Ho-Kus, and Kristin Gallagher and her husband Scott of Verona; she was the much loved aunt of seven nieces and nephews and her much loved friend, Glenn Weissman, of Cedar Grove.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Transplant Center, RWJ St. Barnabas Health, 95 Old Short Hills Road, West Orange, NJ 07052 would be greatly appreciated.

Ada M. Kuiken, age 84, of Wyckoff and a former long-time resident of Wayne, passed away peacefully on Monday, November 6, 2017,

Ada was born and raised in Clifton, NJ. She attended and later graduated from Eastern Academy in Prospect Park, known today as Eastern Christian High School in North Haledon. One night during her sophomore year, while attending an Eastern Academy basketball game, Ada met a very charming and engaging young gentleman, a farmer from Preakness named Herman Kuiken. She was fifteen at the time and Herm was twenty-one. Because of their age difference, later when they were married and were raising their own children, Ada’s husband would often joke with his kids, kiddingly explaining, “You know, kids, I actually brought your mother up.” They dated throughout Ada’s years of high school, and soon after graduating with the Class of 1951, they began to make plans for marriage – plans that were surely hastened by the fact that Herm was serving in the U.S. Army and was about to be deployed far from home. One day, while together in Herm’s 1942 Plymouth, he officially proposed marriage to Ada. Their wedding promises were made before God, family and friends at the home of Herm’s Aunt Jessie located at 370 North 10th Street in Prospect Park. The service was officiated by Reverend Hessel Bouma who was pastor of the Summer Street Christian Reformed Church in Paterson. Following a family reception at the Peacock House in Mountain View, the newlyweds left for a wedding tour of Washington D. C. and the southern states. Herm recalls that, while in our nation’s capital, they couldn’t find a parking space so they just drove around looking at all the different monuments.

Ada and Herman’s marriage life began residing with Ada’s parents in Clifton. Shortly thereafter, they rented an apartment on Hopper Street in Paterson before moving to Woodridge Terrace in the Preakness section of Wayne in 1955. This house became their home and the place where Ada lovingly served as a caring and dedicated mother to her three children – Susan, Richard, and Russell, and where she contributed to many happy family memories for the next 57 years. In 2012 it became time to pack up for a move to Montville. Then, in September, 2014, due to declining health, Ada moved to the Christian Health Care Center in Wyckoff where she had since received wonderful Christian care from their loving staff.

Prior to marriage, Ada worked as an office employee at Botany Mills in Passaic. When blessed with the births of Sue, Rich and Russ, she took a break from the outside work world to give them a loving, Christian upbringing before returning to the workforce. Little did Ada know that this would be the beginning of thirty years of service to the township in which she was ultimately promoted to the position of Purchasing Coordinator. Ada remained a highly valued employee and was rightfully honored at her retirement party on February 14, 1997 with an official proclamation from the mayor declaring that day “Ada Kuiken Day” in Wayne Township.

In their years of dating and early marriage, Ada and Herman enjoyed being members of the Summer Street Church bowling club. Ada cherished her family dearly and so family traditions were very important to her. When her children were growing up, the whole family enjoyed annual summer vacations to Brant Lake in the Adirondacks, and after church on Easter Sundays, the go-to place was to Grandma Kuiken’s house for the annual Easter egg hunt which Ada continued for her much-loved grandchildren and great-grandchildren. It was hard to tell who had more fun, them or her. For countless years Ada also looked forward to hosting huge 4th of July picnics for the entire extended family and many family friends as the 4th of July was also Herm’s father, Dick Kuiken’s, birthday.

While enjoying the blessing of family was of paramount importance, Ada also had a servant’s heart. Already as a young woman before marriage, she served as President of the Girl’s Society and as a member of the choir at Summer Street Christian Reformed Church. Later on, Ada joined Herm as a member of the Preakness Christian Reformed Church where Herm’s family were Charter Members. At Preakness she served as a member of the Mary and Martha Society and as Calvinette Counselor. Most recently, Ada was a member of the Pompton Plains Reformed Bible Church where she and Herm worshipped faithfully and loved being involved in the Senior Circle. A true believer in the value of a Christ-centered education, Ada also volunteered for many years at the Corner Closet – a thrift store in Hawthorne that donated all of its’ profits to the Eastern Christian School Association.

Ada will above-all be remembered for being a faithful wife and loving mother and grandmother, and also as true example of living a life in the service and trust of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It was this knowledge and trust in God which sustained her and helped her to find peace and acceptance in life’s challenges, and which helped her to recognize that the many blessings she enjoyed, were blessings from Him.

Ada is survived by Herman - her beloved husband of 65 years; her loving daughter: Susan and husband Bill Gaechter of Bloomingdale; two dear sons: Reverend Richard J. Kuiken and wife Margaret of Pompton Plains, and Reverend Russell J. Kuiken and wife Diane of Beaverton, Oregon; twelve adored grandchildren: Reverend Matt and wife Sabrina Kuiken, Jenny and husband Drew Robeson, Melissa and husband Ken Ritsma, Greta and husband Pete Godino, Holly and husband Matt Hoogmoed, Mandy and husband Jordan Minnema, Kelly and husband Jon Poag, Ben and wife Kathy Kuiken, Jesse and wife Tina Kuiken, Rachel Kuiken, Christie and husband Brian Lim, and Bethany Kuiken; twenty-five cherished great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her dear brother and two sisters: Herbert “Bud” Houseward, Helen Houseward, and Jeanne Vogel.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Ada’s name are asked to consider the Pompton Plains Reformed Bible Church.

Ada M. Kuiken, age 84, of Wyckoff and a former long-time resident of Wayne, passed away peacefully on Monday, November 6, 2017,

Ada was born and raised in Clifton, NJ. She attended and later graduated from Eastern Academy in Prospect Park, known today as Eastern Christian High School in North Haledon. One night during her sophomore year, while attending an Eastern Academy basketball game, Ada met a very charming and engaging young gentleman, a farmer from Preakness named Herman Kuiken. She was fifteen at the time and Herm was twenty-one. Because of their age difference, later when they were married and were raising their own children, Ada’s husband would often joke with his kids, kiddingly explaining, “You know, kids, I actually brought your mother up.” They dated throughout Ada’s years of high school, and soon after graduating with the Class of 1951, they began to make plans for marriage – plans that were surely hastened by the fact that Herm was serving in the U.S. Army and was about to be deployed far from home. One day, while together in Herm’s 1942 Plymouth, he officially proposed marriage to Ada. Their wedding promises were made before God, family and friends at the home of Herm’s Aunt Jessie located at 370 North 10th Street in Prospect Park. The service was officiated by Reverend Hessel Bouma who was pastor of the Summer Street Christian Reformed Church in Paterson. Following a family reception at the Peacock House in Mountain View, the newlyweds left for a wedding tour of Washington D. C. and the southern states. Herm recalls that, while in our nation’s capital, they couldn’t find a parking space so they just drove around looking at all the different monuments.

Ada and Herman’s marriage life began residing with Ada’s parents in Clifton. Shortly thereafter, they rented an apartment on Hopper Street in Paterson before moving to Woodridge Terrace in the Preakness section of Wayne in 1955. This house became their home and the place where Ada lovingly served as a caring and dedicated mother to her three children – Susan, Richard, and Russell, and where she contributed to many happy family memories for the next 57 years. In 2012 it became time to pack up for a move to Montville. Then, in September, 2014, due to declining health, Ada moved to the Christian Health Care Center in Wyckoff where she had since received wonderful Christian care from their loving staff.

Prior to marriage, Ada worked as an office employee at Botany Mills in Passaic. When blessed with the births of Sue, Rich and Russ, she took a break from the outside work world to give them a loving, Christian upbringing before returning to the workforce. Little did Ada know that this would be the beginning of thirty years of service to the township in which she was ultimately promoted to the position of Purchasing Coordinator. Ada remained a highly valued employee and was rightfully honored at her retirement party on February 14, 1997 with an official proclamation from the mayor declaring that day “Ada Kuiken Day” in Wayne Township.

In their years of dating and early marriage, Ada and Herman enjoyed being members of the Summer Street Church bowling club. Ada cherished her family dearly and so family traditions were very important to her. When her children were growing up, the whole family enjoyed annual summer vacations to Brant Lake in the Adirondacks, and after church on Easter Sundays, the go-to place was to Grandma Kuiken’s house for the annual Easter egg hunt which Ada continued for her much-loved grandchildren and great-grandchildren. It was hard to tell who had more fun, them or her. For countless years Ada also looked forward to hosting huge 4th of July picnics for the entire extended family and many family friends as the 4th of July was also Herm’s father, Dick Kuiken’s, birthday.

While enjoying the blessing of family was of paramount importance, Ada also had a servant’s heart. Already as a young woman before marriage, she served as President of the Girl’s Society and as a member of the choir at Summer Street Christian Reformed Church. Later on, Ada joined Herm as a member of the Preakness Christian Reformed Church where Herm’s family were Charter Members. At Preakness she served as a member of the Mary and Martha Society and as Calvinette Counselor. Most recently, Ada was a member of the Pompton Plains Reformed Bible Church where she and Herm worshipped faithfully and loved being involved in the Senior Circle. A true believer in the value of a Christ-centered education, Ada also volunteered for many years at the Corner Closet – a thrift store in Hawthorne that donated all of its’ profits to the Eastern Christian School Association.

Ada will above-all be remembered for being a faithful wife and loving mother and grandmother, and also as true example of living a life in the service and trust of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It was this knowledge and trust in God which sustained her and helped her to find peace and acceptance in life’s challenges, and which helped her to recognize that the many blessings she enjoyed, were blessings from Him.

Ada is survived by Herman - her beloved husband of 65 years; her loving daughter: Susan and husband Bill Gaechter of Bloomingdale; two dear sons: Reverend Richard J. Kuiken and wife Margaret of Pompton Plains, and Reverend Russell J. Kuiken and wife Diane of Beaverton, Oregon; twelve adored grandchildren: Reverend Matt and wife Sabrina Kuiken, Jenny and husband Drew Robeson, Melissa and husband Ken Ritsma, Greta and husband Pete Godino, Holly and husband Matt Hoogmoed, Mandy and husband Jordan Minnema, Kelly and husband Jon Poag, Ben and wife Kathy Kuiken, Jesse and wife Tina Kuiken, Rachel Kuiken, Christie and husband Brian Lim, and Bethany Kuiken; twenty-five cherished great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her dear brother and two sisters: Herbert “Bud” Houseward, Helen Houseward, and Jeanne Vogel.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Ada’s name are asked to consider the Pompton Plains Reformed Bible Church.

Robert A. Ricker, Jr., age 57, of Wayne, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, November 4, 2017.

Bob was born in Annapolis, Maryland to Dorothy and Robert A. Ricker, Sr. His family moved to Atlanta, Georgia, then to Valdosta, Georgia in 1965 where Bob was raised. He attended Lowndes Junior and Senior High School in Valdosta where he participated in many competitions, festivals and concerts. Because Bob was exceptionally tall, he was often asked why he didn’t play basketball. His typical response was “Because the cheerleaders are all on the band bus.” He graduated high school with the Class of 1978 and, after one year at the University of Maine, Bob quickly concluded that the weather was too cold. He shifted gears and, in 1982, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps. After reporting for boot camp in San Diego Bob was sent to the Armed Forces School of Music in Virginia and soon-after he became a member of the Marine Corps Band where he was stationed in New Orleans. An extremely talented musician, Bob played saxophone, tuba, and string bass. While touring with the band, he was honored to play bass with famous American clarinetist Pete Fountain at a performance at Mt. Rushmore. There he also received a standing ovation for singing Lee Greenwood’s famous song “Proud to be an American.” Bob loved to tell stories about flying to concert locations in a C-130 plane and, for his service to his country, he was honored with two letters of appreciation, a certificate of appreciation, the Good Conduct Medal, and a Meritorious Unit Commendation.

After being honorably discharged from the Marines in 1985, Bob remained in his beloved New Orleans where he attended and graduated from Tulane University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in May, 1993. Bob supported himself by doing what he did so well – playing his guitar and singing along and telling jokes. He was so good at it, he was even billed “The Funniest White Boy on Bourbon Street.” Later Bob became part of The Bob and Dick Show along with his funny-man counterpart Dick Hughs. They kept everyone laughing in the French Quarter until 1995 when Bob was ready for a new adventure. He spent the next eighteen months in St. Thomas and, in the fall of 1997 he moved to New York City where he worked as an optician for Gruen Optica in Manhattan and East Hampton, NY. There he made many friends including Lynn Brescia in 1998. They fell in love and were married on June 6, 1999 settling in the Pines Lake area of Wayne, NJ and Amagansett, NY. Bob received his New Jersey real estate license in 2000 and greatly enjoyed working for Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in the Wyckoff/Franklin Lakes Regional Office alongside his wife Lynn Brescia as her online marketing expert and photographer.

Bob possessed a tremendously active spirit. He enjoyed long cross-country motorcycle trips, including a ride to Alaska where he met his brother-in-law for a continued trip together to the Arctic Circle. There were also the annual trips to Mardi Gras to catch up with old friends, and frequent trips to Broadway where he always liked to sit in one of the first three rows to see the Christmas Show at Radio City Music Hall where he loved the Rockettes and swears that one of them winked at him. The tickets for this year were already purchased. Bob also loved to sail so he spent lots of hours on his Hobie Cat sailing around Gardiners Island and last year taking a sail with his good buddy Aaron Romaine around the Statue of Liberty from Atlantic Highlands, NJ. Around Thanksgiving you could always find Bob frying lots of turkeys for his family but also many for his friends. You could be sure that his precious “Pumpkins” – his beloved Shih Tzu’s Pearl, Bruno, Bubba and Lulu would be by his side angling for a piece of that delicious turkey.

Bob will be greatly missed by all his Pines Lake friends who he would see while walking the lake, always greeting everyone with a huge smile and a warm hello.

Bob was the beloved husband of Lynn Brescia of Wayne, with whom he shared nineteen years of divine happiness and laughs, and her daughter Noelle Brescia, who he affectionately called Boo Boo, of Pompton Plains, NJ; loving son of Dorothy and Robert Ricker, Sr. of Clermont, Florida; dear brother of Michael Ricker and wife Christine and their daughters Ryeigh and Aly of Mount Dora, Florida, and Terri Martin of Winter Garden, Florida; loving nephew of Audrey Warren and Lucille Dickerson, both of Maryland; loving uncle of Megan Brashears of NYC, Michele Townsend and partner Kenneth Webb and their daughter Serenity of Anniston, Alabama, Crystal Shaw of Colorado Springs CO, Rachel and husband Danny Lauretta of Wayne, NJ, and Bjorn Holmgren and wife Sunshine of Wantage, NJ; dear son-in-law of Brooks Scholz of Wayne, NJ; dear brother-in-law of Mary Holmgren of Wayne, NJ, and Claire Shaw and husband Ike of Florissant, Colorado; and dear friend to many in Long Island, NY and friends in Georgia who just visited in late October.

A light has gone out but, because you touched so many people while you were here, we will pay it forward. You will be in our hearts forever.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Bob Ricker’s name are asked to consider The Carter Center at One Copenhill, 453 Freedom Parkway, Atlanta, Georgia, 30307 (cartercenter.org), or The SYTA Youth Foundation, Attention Hazel Mejia, 8400 West Park Drive 2nd floor, McLean, Virginia 22102 (sytayouthfoundation.org)

Lewis “Lou” Vincent Benfatti, Sr., age 75 of Green Pond, passed away peacefully at home with the comfort of family by his side, on Friday, November 3, 2017.

Lou grew up in Paterson as the oldest in a family of 7 children.  He was active at Paterson Central High School as a football, basketball, and baseball player. He was in two school plays with a lead role in Oklahoma.

Lou met the love of his life Judy Scripture during a Palm Sunday service in Totowa when she was 13 and Lou was 14. They were both in the choir where Lou told Judy to read the wrong lines in the hymnal! (This was the beginning of what would become 53 beautiful years together.) Judy followed his sports career from afar, but they went their separate ways until he was in college. Judy eventually went to one of his Montclair wrestling matches. They began dating after that. They were engaged at Mayfair Farms after Lou’s college graduation in June, and married in November. They have enjoyed a loving and devoted marriage of 53 years. Their first home was in Green Pond where they rented for 8 months and then bought a house in Bloomingdale. They moved back to Green Pond in 1971 with three kids, and soon were blessed with 2 more, and have lived there for the past 46 years. They considered Green Pond a special place to live and raise their children and now their grandchildren get to enjoy the special place Green Pond is.

Lou graduated from Montclair State University in 1964 with a degree in Physical Education and Health and where he also eventually completed his Masters degree in School Administration. He quickly began his teaching career at Jefferson Township and when the head wrestling coach position opened at Wayne Valley High School in Wayne, he moved there to teach both physical education and health. Along with coaching wrestling, he also coached football, track, and field hockey. He taught and coached at Wayne Valley until he retired in 2004.

He was also instrumental in starting a swim team in Green Pond to keep track of his own kids. By now there were five. His oldest child Jill is married to Danny and they have five children, Ally Gunther (Steve), Kristen, Danny Jr., Lindsay, and Connor. Robyn is engaged to Antonio and has three children; Kylie, Skyler, and Harrison. Lou Jr, is married to Jodi and has 4 children, Cole, Drew, Danae, and Gavin. Sheri is married to Rick and has 5 children, Olivia, Sydnee, Trevor, Landon, and Sawyer. His youngest child Dave is married to Vanessa and has 3 children, Gianna, DJ, and Mia. The kids are involved with many sports thanks to his leadership and encouragement. Lou was the loved brother of Vincent Benfatti (Irene) of Naples, FL, Mary Ann Smith (Joe) of Lakewood, Elaine Bisciotti (Bruce) of North Haledon, James Benfatti (Janet), and Lori Dougherty (John) of Bloomfield, and the late Ronald Benfatti.

Lou, Mr. Ben, Coach Ben, Papa Lou, Pop Pop, and Uncle Lou to most of the people at Green Pond will be lovingly remembered for his encouraging ways, positive attitude, and smile. He had a great sense of humor and was always ready with a funny saying, quip, quote, cliché, or pun. He had a gift for teaching, coaching, and motivating students to be the best they could be. He never shied away from hard work, was always punctual, and never had enough fire wood. This unattainable quest for enough fire wood would give him several injuries to his neck, hand, and leg. He was a get it done person who wanted the task at hand done yesterday. He will also be remembered for liking his food and/or coffee hot, not warm but hot! He was a great house painter, made many wooden outdoor Christmas decorations for his kids, and enjoyed boating. He was a lover of animals, had many dogs over the years, and will be greatly missed by his Golden Retriever named Chloe. He always enjoyed taking the dogs out for a walk, especially if he was in the doghouse himself. Most of all Lou was proud of his grandchildren. He unconditionally loved all of them and was by far the proudest Pop Pop at any of their activities he attended.

Lou was a longtime member of the Green Pond Bible Chapel and had a deep faith in his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. One of his proudest accomplishments was passing this faith on to his family. He was very active at the Green Pond Bible Chapel with Youth Group, Couples Club, softball, and where since he retired, began the Upward Basketball program. He felt God had a real sense of humor placing him in this role, as this was not one of the sports he had ever coached.

In 1976, Lou and Judy took their first trip to Disney. This actually was the start of what would become an annual family trip that has given them much joy and pleasure. Some of their best memories were made there. Recently there was a family cruise to Bermuda which included 34 immediate family members and Lou’s sister Mary Ann and her family. Another favorite experience has been their annual trips to the Outer Banks with special friends every May.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Green Pond Bible Chapel, P.O. Box 99, Newfoundland, NJ 07435 would be appreciated.  You can also donate online by visiting the church website at www.greenpondbible.org.

Anthony L. Giannini, age 87, of Wayne, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on Friday, November 3rd, 2017.

Anthony was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey where he graduated from Central High school. Upon graduation, he enlisted in the United States Army and proudly served three years in the Korean War obtaining the rank of Corporal. During his service he was awarded several prestigious medals including the Korean Outstanding Service Medal and Bronze Service Stars. Anthony was also awarded a medal by the Passaic County Freeholders for his distinguished military service.

He loved to share many very poignant stories of his service, but the most touching one happened on Christmas Eve during an extremely cold night. A young Korean boy approached him; freezing and hungry. The boy stood in front of Anthony staring and shivering. Being the person he was, Anthony gave all his rations to the young boy. This act of selflessness and generosity carried through countless times throughout his life.

Upon returning from service, Anthony had his eyes set on a lovely young woman who happened to live across the street from him. Anthony asked Ann on a first date to see Johnny Ray at the Paramount Theater in New York City. Persistence paid off and Anthony and Ann fell in love. They got married on November 14,1954 at St. Rocco's RC Church in Newark.

Upon marriage Anthony and Ann lived in the Ivy Hill Section of Newark. They moved to Irvington where they started their family and were blessed with three boys. They finally moved to Wayne, NJ where they lived ever since.

As a young man Anthony attended the Newark College of Engineering and started his lengthy career as a Mechanical Design Engineer for Atlantic Design in Newark. As his career progressed, he worked for several prestigious companies such as Bendix, Simmonds Precision, and finally with the B.F. Goodrich Aerospace Division, in which he retired in 2002.

Anthony loved to be with his family at holidays, simple gatherings and truly enjoyed seeing his family laugh and enjoy life. He was a parishioner at Holy Cross Church in Wayne, NJ and a member of the Golden Age Circle of Wayne and the Wayne Elks.

Anthony was a loving and devoted husband for 63 years to Ann (Cifelli) Giannini. A devoted father to the late Robert (2004) and his surviving wife Jane (Kunis) of Bethlehem Township, Pa, Michael and wife Virginia (Federico) of Wayne, NJ and Anthony and wife Sharon (Leins) of Blandon, Pa; and cherished grandfather of Anthony, Deanna, Michael, Christina, Stephanie, and Ava.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memorial Processing, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959 would be greatly appreciated.

Ruth Clover, 86, of 106 Old Friends Lane, Shelby, NC, was joyfully received into the loving arms of Jesus and her family and friends gone before on November 2, 2017. She is survived by her husband of 66 years, Henry, and three sons: Thomas of Denville, NJ, David of Sioux City, IA, and Stephen of Shelby, NC.

Born in Paterson, NJ, Ruth spent most of her life in Passaic County before moving to Shelby, NC in 2012. Her life was centered in raising three sons in the fear and nurture of the Lord and service in the church – choir singing, piano playing, and serving as a secretary in Central Reformed Church in Paterson, NJ. She also enjoyed reading, knitting, crocheting, bowling and cross-word puzzles. Her working career spanned 25 years as a secretary in the Paterson, NJ school system, primarily at John F. Kennedy High School in Paterson. She was a member of the Preakness Valley United Reformed Church in Wayne, NJ before moving to Shelby under the care of family. At the time of her passing into glory she was a member of the McBrayer Springs Presbyterian Church in Shelby, NC.

Daughter of the late Rev. Walter H. and Elizabeth A. MacMillan, she also leaves behind six grandchildren: Laura, Daniel, Joseph, Heather, Brendan and Breanna, and five great grandchildren: Eli, Dylanee, Paislee. Ruthee, and Sonora.

Memorials may be sent to the Christian Health Care Center, 301 Sicomac Avenue, Wyckoff, NJ 07481 and the Preakness Valley United Reformed Church, 480 Valley Road, Wayne, NJ 07470.

Olivia McKay Minutolo

March 2, 1941 - Oct 29, 2017

Olivia was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland and spent the first 22 years of her life there. She was the eldest of 4 siblings and took pride in her education. Olivia was one of the few in her neighborhood who did well on the exams which determined whether you go on for further education or prepare for work.

She continued her education until her father’s illness caused him to stop work and caused her to quit school and go to work.

She immigrated to the United States in 1963 as a governess for a family with 3 children in Connecticut. That didn’t last for long and she found herself working in administration. Olivia married Martin McKay, also from Belfast and member of the 1960 Irish Olympic cycling team. She moved into human resources when she was a part-timer at the newly opened Livingston Bamberger’s store. She progressed in human resources and started working at Fortunoffs. They encouraged her and paid her tuition at William Paterson where she received a BS in business management while working part time and raising her family. She continued to grow and worked for Konica Medical and then Merrimac Industries. She was proud of her growth from governess to Director of Human Resources.

Olivia’s brother Samuel predeceased her and her brother James and sister in-law Hilary live in Ballyclaire, Northern Ireland. Her sister Margaret lives in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Olivia has 2 children, Martin and Erica. Erica passed away in 2012 of breast cancer at the age of 40. Martin, his wife Annie and their 2 wonderful children Aidan and Evan whom Olivia adored live in Wayne, NJ.

Olivia married Frank Minutolo and they have been together for the past 22 years as residents of Wayne. She has been an active member of Preakness Reformed Church since 1972.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to the Preakness Reformed Church, 131 Church Lane, Wayne, NJ 07470 would be appreciated.

Constance “Connie” Little, age 95 of Wayne, died peacefully at home on Tuesday, October 31, 2017. She had lived in Wayne since 1954.

Connie grew up in Paterson, the daughter of proud Italian immigrants during the Great Depression. She learned the values of hard work, education, self-reliance and family life. Connie recited Depression-era stories to her children teaching them the same values. After high school, Connie went on to business school and learned to be a bookkeeper. It was at one of her early jobs that she met a handsome man while distributing the payroll checks one Friday. Thomas Little was his name, and they began dating. When Tom asked her to marry him, she said “yes” and they married on May 25, 1952. They lived in Paterson during the early years of their marriage while Tom built their home in Packanack Lake. It took him two years to finish building their home and they moved there in 1954. Connie and Tom were blessed with a “solid” marriage, truly committed to one another.

Connie became the consummate homemaker when they moved to Wayne and she enjoyed being a full-time mother, raising her two children. She became a den mother with the Cub Scouts and Brownie mom with her daughter. She was always there for them. Over the years she enjoyed cooking, sewing, embroidery, crocheting and water-color painting. Her children recall fun family vacations at the Jersey Shore each summer to various beach towns. They were fun times and made for great family memories. Connie also encouraged her children to go to college and she and Tom put them both through school, something her children appreciate greatly. Connie and Tom were also founding parishioners of Immaculate Heart of Mary RC Church, Wayne. They attended the very first masses which were held in the Packanack Elementary School, adjacent to where the church was being built at the time. In retirement, they traveled all around the US, to Canada and also to a WWII reunion in England. She has missed Tom dearly since he passed in 2009.

Connie is survived by her two children; Patricia Little of Wayne, and Dr. Thomas Little and his wife Ruth Ann of Cookeville, TN, and three grandchildren; Angela Little of Easton, PA, Ryan Little of Los Angeles, CA, and Brenden Little of Easton, PA. She was predeceased by her beloved husband Thomas in 2009, by her sister Josephine Hartman and by her brother Samuel DeFeo.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Immaculate Heart of Mary RC Church, 580 Ratzer Rd., Wayne, NJ 07470, or to the Wayne Memorial First Aid Squad, P.O. Box 2004, Wayne, NJ 07474, would be greatly appreciated.

Arthur J. Di Stasi, age 103 of Allendale and formerly of Wayne, joined his loved ones in eternity on Sunday, October 29, 2017.

There are so many things to say about Dad, a man loved by his family, and admired by his friends and colleagues.

Who was he really? There were many facets to this ever moving, bow-tie wearing bundle of physical and mental energy. His family was the most important part of his life. We never saw him cross or angry, he always had a positive attitude (although we’re sure on occasion he just shook his head)… With his “OK, let’s try that” and “roll with the punches” philosophy, life in our house always seemed fun and interesting.

Dad had three brothers, Frank, Mike, and Albert, a sister, Millie and a step sister, Clara and is the last to make this journey. He was a good student, going to high school at night and working during the day. After high school, he continued his education graduating in 1938 from the Casey Jones School of Aeronautics now called Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology in Queens, NY. To complete his education, he obtained Professional Engineering degrees for New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

After graduating, his first engineering jobs were in California. He spent 3 years there, but moved back to NJ where he married Ida in 1944, who was the love of his life. He knew her family because he used to bootleg for her uncle. In his early days, he drove the trucks of sugar, but graduated to building a still and making liquor…said he was really good at it too! But that’s a story for another time.

He became a family man when Bob was born in 1945 and Linda in 1947. That responsibility was simply and naturally the next chapter in his life, and he made the most of it. Of course, we thought everyone had a dad like ours. He could fix anything and built some wonderful toys…like the full size, motor-driven carousel made from airplane fuel drop tanks which he erected and ran in our backyard...anything for his kids! Bob had a pedal car with a propeller on the front – one of a kind in the neighborhood…seemed normal to us. He was a very resourceful fellow. Because of the WWII, conveniences like washing machines were not to be had, except he somehow managed to have one delivered to our house, along with some precious nylon stockings, making life easier and happier for mom...!

Dad was interested in everything. He loved the water…he bought a boat…we all learned to water ski…and spent many weekends at the Jersey Shore for the beach and boardwalk activities. He loved airplanes…we attended many airshows, noted as background footage in numerous family photos. His love for mom was evidenced by making sure we had lots of time with her family and our cousins. We visited his family in Trenton as well, and picked wonderful fresh vegetables from “pop pop’s” garden including those delicious figs. One “oops” at pop pop’s house: the children once spent a joyful hour in the old unused coal bin…we had fun getting dirty…he rolled his eyes. His children loved animals, so we always had a four-footed friend around, and if horses were his daughter’s love, he got her to the nearest stable to learn to ride. Bob became a good sailor and pilot because of Dad’s enthusiasm with the “go ahead – try it” attitude. Dad’s creative juices – with mom’s input - were put to good use when he designed and built 3 homes – one in West Trenton, one in Brookside, NJ and the final one on Merion Drive in Pennsylvania.

His love of airplanes and flight started very early in his childhood. His first plane was a simple fuselage built in his teens. His career was airplanes, his hobby was airplanes and we often thought he should have been a bird he loved flying so much. He obtained his pilot’s license, bought planes, refurbished and flew them. Sometimes his planes came in baskets of parts – “needs some assembly” was the operative phrase but he loved the challenge. He also learned to fly sail planes, but the most fun he had was building his Fly Baby in 1970…that took a few years. We hauled that “project” from New Jersey to Florida, to Maryland and back to New Jersey where it was completed and he finally got to fly it. That little single-seat, open cockpit plane was quite an accomplishment for him to build and a thrill for him to fly. Eventually he sold it and started building and flying ultra-light airplanes and finally at 94 was learning to fly helicopters. Model airplanes also fascinated him, and his basement was full of ongoing projects some new ventures and some crashed models in need of “fixing.” See what I mean about the “bird” complex…?

So the guy with all the energy, what else did he do? Of course he had a job. He worked at Cape Canaveral on the early space programs, Curtiss-Wright and Boeing Rotocraft Systems as a critical skills engineer. He and Mom became the entertainment chairmen at their country club, organizing and decorating for holiday parties and bringing in local talent for the enjoyment of club members. He bowled, became a ham radio operator, joined the Masons and Elks, and was president of his local AARP group for a few years. In his later years, he learned how to use a computer enjoying many hours learning AutoCAD and designing parts.

He and mom went dancing on Saturday nights, they learned to snow ski, travelled extensively and visited much of the United States…cruised the islands and went overseas to Italy, England, Spain and North Africa. While in North Africa as mom went shopping, Dad said he ended up trying to ride a camel although he didn’t stay on very long. He worked many years after his “formal” retirement and eventually volunteered his time at Boeing on some special projects. The American Helicopter Museum and Education Center in West Chester, PA also received a lot of his attention and he enjoyed his many hours of service there.

So what is his legacy? With a twinkle in his eye he said “I’d just like to be remembered.” Well, who in our family can forget him? His enthusiasm was infectious. He was the energizer bunny with a penchant for surprises. He loved his family more than life itself, and was delighted to have daughter-in-law, Lynne, and son-in-law, John, join the family…then came 2 grandchildren–Jeff and Stephanie. The icing on the cake was that Jeff married Jessica and Stephanie married Ben. He had mom beside him for 70 years…he was a very happy man and in honor of his request…we will certainly remember this unforgettable man who had a very rich, full life.

Arthur was predeceased by his beloved wife of seventy years – Ida Di Stasi (nee Lanzi). He is survived by his son, Robert Di Stasi, wife Lynne; his daughter Linda Di Stasi Schweighardt, husband John; Grandchildren: Jeffrey Di Stasi, wife Jessica, and Stephanie Di Stasi Roewer, husband Ben; and great granddaughter Annie Roewer.

Mary-Louise Clark, age ,98, passed peacefully in her home on October 26, 2017.

Louise was a former resident of New York, where she worked as an Executive secretary for CIT, and a resident of New Jersey before moving to Fort Lauderdale Fl.

Mary-Louise is the beloved wife of the former G. Russell Clark , sister of Rene Binginot of Stowe, VT, sister-in-law to Bernice Binginot of Stowe, VT, aunt to Michele Hochmuth of Middleboro, Ma, and James Binginot of Morrisville VT, great aunt to three grand nephews, Jason and Jeffrey Hochmuth and Matthew Binginot, Step mother to Douglas Clark, Jane Seeley and the late Gordon Clark.

She was a member of Lago Mar and former member of Ft Lauderdale Country Club .She was also a member of St Sebastian Catholic Church.

Vincent Della Valle, 75, of Wayne, formerly of Newark, passed away at exactly 11:29pm on October 24 at Good Shepherd Hospice in Port Jefferson, NY. It was a warm and rainy night surrounded by his wife and kids as he transitioned peacefully into pure love and light.

Vincent, called Jason by many, and Ice Poppy (because of his ability to create spontaneous and hilarious freestyle raps) by some, was born on August 21, 1942 and raised in Newark. Born to the late Nicholas & Eleanor Della Valle, he graduated from Barringer High School in 1960 before graduating from Upsala College. During this time, he became a black belt in karate and played music in various bands, including The Plurals, The Bachelors 5 and then finally The Jason Craig Band, of whom he was the band leader for over 25 years.

To many people, he was known as Jason Craig, the namesake of his company for many years, Jason Craig Entertainment. During his over 50 year career as an Entertainer and musician in New Jersey/New York, he sang for tens of thousands of people, always bringing his light and exuberant energy to every event which he felt privileged to attend. For the past 5 years, he sang at countless nursing homes and elder facilities, bringing his voice and sense of humor to people of all ages until the very end of his life. A true entertainer never retires.

In 1977, Vincent met his wife of 39 years, Jacqueline Winand. They met when Jacque attended a family friend's wedding that Jason was singing at. The rest is history. They honeymooned in Lake George and had their first child, Jason, 9 months later in 1979. They moved from Jacque's home town of East Rutherford to Packanack Lake in Wayne, where they continued to grow their family. Five and seven years later they brought their daughters Jocelyn and Jolie into the world.

Vincent had many hobbies and was known to throw himself whole heartedly into his sports and passion projects, excelling at everything he put his mind to. He was a long time skier and golfer, and he had a passion for practicing his Italian & Spanish. He enjoyed going to Hunter Mountain and Killington to ski and learning his lyrics for his upcoming events. Over the years, he became an EMT and even a member of the Hidden Valley Ski Patrol. He skied so much and always wore loud and colorful outfits made by the brand Spyder, which earned him the nickname Spyderman at Hunter Mountain. He went to the gym almost every day and was on a first name and friendly basis with virtually everyone who crossed his path.

But most of all his accomplishments, Vincent was a dedicated and beloved husband to Jacqueline. Father to Jason, Jocelyn, Jolie, and his chihuahua Tito. Brother to Nicholas, Annie, & Stephen. Grandfather to Sloane, Kai, Georgie, & Maréa. Beloved Uncle, Nephew, and a friend to so many. An inspiration to all who knew him. A generous spirit and a tender soul who appreciated life and lived it graciously, with dignity, color, and style.

His favorite movie was Summer of 42. His favorite TV show was Curb Your Enthusiasm. His favorite singer was Johnny Mathis. His favorite word was Gobagool.

We will all miss his presence, his sense of humor, his vitality, his enthusiasm for life. He will be surely celebrated by all who knew him.

Vincent's gift to the world was his spirit and his energy. Music was his vehicle and he used it to bring entertainment, peace, and healing to other souls. Therefore, because there will be no burial and In lieu of flowers, we ask that any contributions or donations be made in Vincent's name to Ukulele Kids Club (www.theukc.org), a nationally recognized non-for-profit organization that harnesses the healing power of music by gifting ukuleles to sick children in cancer hospitals and other medical facilities though their music therapy teams. Online donations can be made at: https://www.gofundme.com/ukulele-kids-club-house-concerts Any checks can be made out to: Ukulele Kids Club and mailed to PO Box 1564, Wayne, NJ 07474.

Frank P. Brattole, age 89, of Wayne, formerly of  Jersey City and Parsippany, passed peacefully at home on Sunday, October 22, 2017.

Frank was born and raised in Jersey City having graduated from Snyder High School in Jersey City with the Class of 1946 before attending Rutgers University.

Frank served in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War and was Honorably Discharged as a Private First Class. He served as a Field Artillery Fire Control Man and as a Field Artillery Crewman. He received the Honorable Service Lapel Button, the Marine Corps Discharge Button, and the Good Conduct Medal.

When Frank returned from his service with the Marines he settled in to civilian life in Jersey City. Frank, with the nickname “Marine Bean,” was invited to a picnic after returning from the service. At this picnic he was spied by a pretty girl named Joan Lamont. Joan was engaged to be married but upon seeing Frank she said to her friends “I’m going to marry THAT man.” Joan broke her engagement and Frank separated from his girlfriend at the time and the two soon fell deeply in love. They married on October 16, 1954 in Jersey City. The October 16 date is an important one as that was the date of Frank’s parents wedding, and more recently the date of Frank and Joan’s daughter Francine’s wedding. Frank and Joan honeymooned at Niagara Falls, New York and settled in to life at 325 Liberty Avenue in Jersey City where they started and raised their family. They enjoyed a loving and devoted marriage of sixty years that can best be characterized as “peanut butter and jelly” as they were truly meant for each other. Frank lived in Jersey City, Parsippany for many years, before moving to Wayne two years ago.

As a young man just out of the Marine Corps he took a job working for the Erie Railroad as an electrical engineer. He stayed with the railroad his entire working career as it changed names to the Erie Lackawanna, Conrail, and NJ Transit before his retirement in 1990 after forty years. He was proud of his service to the railroad and his “Lifelong Pass” with NJ Transit. For many years, in his retirement, he would take his grandchildren, individually, to the Hoboken Rail Station and visit the train yard. They would ride the trains with the Engineer and then go to lunch afterword. This was an annual tradition with his grandchildren for many years. Although the grandchildren enjoyed it some will say Frank enjoyed it much more.

Frank will be remembered as a loving family man. For many years Frank and Joan loved helping at their son Joseph’s business in Parsippany. Frank was a “glass half empty” kind of guy, and would predict, in February, that his beloved Yankees were going to be beaten by the Boston Red Sox in the upcoming season. The family remembers a Frank having a discussion/argument at the table (most Italian families will understand the subtleties) about who was the best Yankee ever. Joe DiMaggio and Lou Gehrig’s statistics were being thrown around when Frank’s little grandson Matthew stated his opinion that Mickey Mantle was the best. He backed up his statement with statistics and took all the fight from Frank’s argument as he loved his grandson so much he couldn’t contradict him. He loved all of his grandchildren and cherished the time he spent with each one of them. Frank was very proud of his granddaughter Marissa when she became a doctor. He especially enjoyed watching football with his son and grandson and truly enjoyed walks around Lake Parsippany taking his grandchildren for ice cream. He and Joan were also fond of just sitting on the deck, overlooking Lake Parsippany watching the boats, ducks, or swans for hours on end. He loved the old black & white movies, and enjoyed doing puzzles. Once a puzzle was finished he would shellac and frame it. He will also be remembered as a walking, talking encyclopedia. History, dates, current events, facts - if he saw it, read it, or heard it, once he could recall it instantly. He was great at Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, and a brilliant mathematician. When it came to math he did everything longhand, never a calculator, and could show you all kind and manner of mathematical shortcuts. Since Joan’s passing in 2014 Frank and his daughter Francine have treasured their past three years together.

Frank was the loving husband of the late Joan (Lamont) Brattole (2014); devoted father of Joseph Brattole of Del Ray Beach, Florida, and Francine Karamian and her husband Rich of Wayne; he was the cherished grandfather of Dr. Marissa Petralia and her husband Nicholas, Joseph Brattole and his wife Eileen, Matthew Karamian, and Rachel Karamian; he was the loved brother of the late Joseph Brattole (killed in Germany during WWII), the late George Brattole, and Thomas Brattole and his wife Joann of Toms River; he was the much loved uncle to Chrisanne, Joseph, Frank, and Anthony.

Doris V. Porta age 87 of Port Richey, FL and formerly of Wayne passed away peacefully on Sunday, October 22, 2017 while receiving the loving care of her family.

Doris was born and raised in Wayne. Immediately after graduating High School, she earned a clerical position at Haband in Wayne. She worked there for a short time and then while attending a square dance at a hall in Totowa, she danced with a handsome young man named Eugene Porta. It turned out that they lived a very short distance from one another. They danced together and hit it off great. They dated for a couple of years and as fate would have they fell in love, were married on August 4th, 1951 at Mt. View Methodist Church in Wayne and honeymooned at The Fernwood Resort located in the Poconos.

After getting married, Eugene and Doris settled in Wayne and called it their home for the rest of their lives together. This is also where they would also raise their two children, Debra and Robert. Shortly after the birth of their first child, Doris took on the daunting but rewarding task of a homemaker. She dedicated herself to caring and nurturing her family. In 1981 tragedy struck Doris’ life when her son Robert passed away unexpectedly in an automobile accident. Although Doris was a strong woman and dedicated to her faith, she never really recovered from the loss of her only son. Shortly after her son passed away, Doris lost her true love Eugene in 1982. Doris and Eugene were able to cherish thirty years of loving and loyal marriage. Doris eventually went back to work after her children had grown. She worked odd jobs and in school cafeterias and also at Meyer Brothers Department Store in Paterson.

One of Doris’ passions was dancing, she loved to dance and was great at it, whether it was the Jitterbug or Disco Dancing at various clubs in the area. She was also a wonderful tap dancer, as a youth she danced the Mandy dance at various minstrel shows with her Sister Gloria. Doris never lost her love of music and dancing.

Doris could have been a professional seamstress, she made her own wedding gown as well as her daughters! She was also a dog lover all her life, and she always had a dog and treated it as a member of her family. Sometime after her husband’s passing she reconnected with an old friend of the family named Richard Riedel. They reacquainted and became companions up until Richard’s passing in 2005. In 2007, Doris moved to Florida for the warm weather she had always cared for, but mostly to be near to her only daughter Debra.

Doris was an extraordinary person, “like an Angel”, her family remembers. She was loving, caring and always had her door open to anyone that needed help. She was the kind of person that everyone seemed to like, she was sassy and was always the best dressed person in the room. Aside from all of Doris’ interests, talents and hobbies, nothing was more important and there was no greater passion than her family. She was a devoted wife, a loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Doris touched the lives of many people and will be sincerely missed by all who knew her.

Doris is survived by her sister, Gloria Post and her husband Robert of Wayne, her loving daughter, Debra Stockland and her husband Roy of Port Richey, FL, nephew Eugene Porta of Bloomingdale, three grandchildren; Danny and his wife Tammy of Hudson, FL, Michael and his wife Connie Jefferson Twp, PA, and Kristin of Port Richey, FL and five great grandchildren; Destiny, Dakota, Dusty all of Jefferson Twp, PA, and Samuel and Nicholas both of Hudson, FL, and she is also survived by her dog and best friend Patches. She was predeceased by her only son Robert Porta in 1981 and her husband Eugene Porta in 1982.

Walter G. Moeller, age 91, of Walton, NY and a long-time former resident of Lincoln Park, passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 21, 2017 at the New Jersey Firemen’s Home in Boonton.

Walter was born in Paterson. During the Depression, his family moved to Queens Village, NY and later to Smithtown Branch, NY. When Walt’s father got a job with the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the family moved again. His father was working on the North Carolina Battleship and Walter got to be there for the ship’s christening. While there, Walter attended Brooklyn Tech. He later moved to Lincoln Park and lived with his grandmother while attending Bloomfield Tech until his sophomore year. He worked various jobs including at the fountain in the local drug store, on various farms including the Parson’s farm where one of his responsibilities was fixing the tractor, at Harmon’s Machine Corporation, and driving a truck with deliveries to New York City.

In 1945, Walter enlisted in the United States Navy and served as a soldier during World War II until the war ended in 1946. While in the Navy, he gained more mechanical knowledge which would prove to serve him well going forward in his life’s vocation. In thanks for his time in the Navy, Walter was the recipient of the Victory Medal, Asiatic Pacific Medal, and American Theatre Medal.

After the war, Walt returned home to Lincoln Park and got a job as a truck driver with Halls Motor Freight in Paterson. He met Margaret Morgan at the roller skating rink one night and quickly fell in love. Believing that Margaret always deserved to be picked up in a clean car, while they were dating, he rented a garage next to the trucking company, to house that car so it wouldn’t get unnecessarily dirty sitting outside all day. Their mutual affection led to marriage on Saturday, November 6, 1948 at the Reformed Church in Ridgewood.

After the wedding, Walter initially took a job working for Margaret’s uncle delivering bricks, but his love of auto mechanics ultimately led him into that field of work. Walter owned a Texaco gas and repair business on Chapel Hill Road in Lincoln Park, then, in 1966, he built a state-of-the-art, five-service bay Shell gas and service center at 275 Comly Road in Lincoln Park. Walt placed a high value on customer service. Consequently, if an employee failed to clean a customer’s windshield or ask them if they’d like their oil checked, they would find themselves seeking employment elsewhere. As part of his business, he also operated a busy tow truck fleet. On one particular call, Walt went to do the tow himself. Not knowing that it was Walt, the customer said, “Just tell Walt I’ll pay him when I see him” to which Walt replied, “I’m Walt and you can pay me now.” In 1971, Walt shifted gears again. He leased the gas station to Shell Oil and began a new venture – a mobile service which he called “Walt’s Automotive Service.” In this business, his work was strictly restricted to the repair of commercial trucks and, instead of customers coming to him, he would go to where the customer was.

In the late 1960’s, Walt and Margaret purchased land and built a home in Trout Creek, NY. They enjoyed weekends upstate until moving there permanently in 1990 after Walt retired. Throughout their 47 years of marriage, Walt and Margaret enjoyed many good times together until her passing in 1995. They got to go to Hawaii once and, because of their love for country music, they loved trips to Branson, Missouri.

Throughout his entire life, Walt lived a life dedicated to the service of his family, friends, and neighbors. In addition to his voluntary service in the U.S. Navy, you could name almost any organization and Walt probably served in it, including many faithful years as a local member of the Lincoln Park American Legion Post 279, the Lincoln Park Lions Club, The Free and Accepted Masons, and The Shriners. When he was just 16 years old, Walt joined the Lincoln Park Fire Department Hose Company #1. For the next 50 years he responded to fire calls day and night in Lincoln Park and the surrounding area and, when he permanently moved to Trout Creek, NY, he promptly joined the local fire department there and served for another 25 years, as well as at the local Trout Creek Masonic Lodge and Lions Club. He even had his own antique American LaFrance fire truck.

Recently, Walt moved into the New Jersey Firemen’s home in Boonton. He enjoyed playing bingo, going to concerts and other musical programs, being outside on a beautiful day, and especially socializing with fellow-retired fire fighters from all over the state. As a tribute to his fellow residents Walt even took it upon himself to create a huge map of New Jersey on which he marked the name of every resident fire fighter by the town on the map where that fire fighter had served.

Walt was a beloved human being who loved gathering his whole family, including his grandchildren, at his home in New York State, or serving others through his community presence and involvement in so many philanthropic organizations. He had the honor of touching a lot of lives during the course of his 91 years on this earth. Walt knew so many people and, consequently, it seemed that, no matter where he went, he would often be overheard asking someone “Where are you from?” He will be dearly missed.

Walter was predeceased by his beloved wife Margaret Moeller (nee Morgan) in 1995. He is survived by his daughter Carol Ann Anderson of Lincoln Park; two sons: Daniel W. Moeller and wife Barbara and Donald K. Moeller and wife Maria, both of Lincoln Park; five grandchildren: Kristie and husband Rob, Courtney and husband Adam, Danielle and husband Dave, Alysia, and Donald; five great-grandchildren: Emily, Timmy, Logan, Callie, and Chase; his longtime companion Eleanor Misner of Walton, NY; his two sisters: Doris and Edna Mae; and Lois Moeller. He was predeceased by his sister Kathy Moeller.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Walter’s name are asked to consider the New Jersey Firemen’s Home, 565 Lathrop Avenue, Boonton, NJ 07005.

Raymond A. Solowski of Wayne, died on Friday, October 20, 2017.

Born to the late Joseph and Mae Solowski, (née Hoffman) Ray was raised by his parents in Perth Amboy where he enjoyed a boy’s childhood with his brother, Joseph, and sister, Carol, as well as many cousins and friends. It's there where the seeds of a lifelong love and commitment to family were planted.

After graduating St. John Kanty Prep HS, he began his college education in pursuit of his future. However, he selflessly set aside his own plans and interrupted his education when his parents needed him more.

He enlisted in the US Navy where, ironically, he never served aboard a ship during his Naval career. Instead he found himself on a plane, part of a crew flying Navy dignitaries to and from the nuclear test sites all around Bikini Atoll and the Marshall Islands, giving him an early start on his frequent flyer miles.

Upon his discharge in 1956, he took advantage of the GI Bill and completed his education, earning a degree in Electrical Engineering from Fairleigh Dickinson. He enjoyed a successful career in sales, continuing to add on to those early frequent flyer miles as he traveled the country, earning the respect of colleagues and competitors alike. His tall stature, business knowledge, and outgoing personality made him memorable amongst his peers. These traits, along with his sales acumen, led to many industry awards. At his retirement, he was the National Sales Manager for MagneTek of Torrance, California.

In spite of his professional success, family is truly where his heart lay at, with his wife Diane at the root. He met her after agreeing to drive his sister on an outing to the Jersey shore with her pen pal, Diane. Upon meeting her, he gladly agreed to drive his sister to Diane's anytime.

Their romance blossomed and they were married on May 27, 1961 at St. Joseph Church in Passaic followed by a honeymoon to Florida. After a first apartment in Edison, they settled in Wayne to start their family. They’ve enjoyed fifty six years of a loving and devoted marriage and she will miss him dearly.

Despite his busy work schedule, Ray always had time for family. He was a frequent and an enthusiastic PAL girls’ basketball coach who developed a reputation for winning championships. He enjoyed traveling with his wife and daughters, and loved spending days at the Jersey shore, often with extended family. He took pleasure in watching college and professional basketball and was an avid Yankees and Giants fan. Although “retired” from coaching, Ray became an avid spectator at his grandchildren’s sporting events and school activities.

Ray was a hero to his family through the daily sacrifices he made to his whole family. He delighted in his family and they will always treasure his warmth and love. He was a great storyteller with a wonderful laugh and an infectious smile. A more devoted Husband, Father, Grandfather, Brother, Uncle, Brother-in-law, Father-in-law you could not ask for. A gentleman always, he set an example they will always look up to and strive for, and he will leave a hole that can never be filled.

Ray is survived by his beloved wife Diane of Wayne, three daughters; Tracy Solowski of Wayne, Lisa Velicky and her husband Paul of Parsippany, and Dr. Nancy Solowski and her husband Kevin Kampherstein of Maryland, eight grandchildren; Alex, Tristan, Christopher, Nicholas, Sarah, Paulie, Breyen, and Eme, his sister; Carol Lloyd of East Windsor, NJ, sisters-in-law; Margaret Solowski of Sewaren, NJ, and Susan Mortaro and her husband Louis of Wayne, and many dear nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brother Joseph in 1993, and by his brother-in-law Philip Lloyd in 2000.

Eligio “Eli” Pelosi, age 65 died on Thursday, October 19, 2017 with his family at his bedside. He had lived in New Jersey for many years before moving to Florida in 2001.

Eli was raised in Serino Avellino, Italy and contracted polio when he was 2 years old. He immigrated from Italy to America when he was 12 years with his mother to meet up with his father and brother, Claudio in New Jersey. He settled in Haledon and graduated high school from East Side High in Paterson, NJ and he enjoyed a lengthy career as an accountant.

Eli was a talented singer and musician who played keyboard with various local bands that played a variety of Italian and popular music. He had a great time during those years, and he simply loved to perform. When he moved to Florida in 2001, he started his own DJ & Karaoke business with a friend and began working at local restaurants and events. He was a great entertainer and was always the life of the party.

Eli was extremely resourceful and independent. He enjoyed taking things apart from appliances to computers and cars. He made costumes and toys for his kids and some of their favorites were his homemade rubber band guns and Ghostbusters costumes. His creative approach to fixing things left everyone stunned in awe from a screwdriver in the carburetor, to a heating system made from tin foil and toilet paper rolls, to using a paneling nail to fix and accelerator cable. He always included his kids in his projects and amazed them by what he could accomplish using just a roll of duct tape.

Eli enjoyed camping, rafting, and fishing with his family. Every year he would plan family trips to go rafting down the Delaware River. He loved the outdoors and would frequently go camping with some of his favorite spots being Stokes State Forrest and the Jersey Shore. Eli enjoyed visiting family and every year would load up his station wagon and drive his family out to Chicago to visit his brother, Donato and his nieces and nephews. His curiosity brought him close to alligators, manatees, and he even befriended a few chipmunks along the way. His kids all have wonderful memories to cherish of the great times they all shared together, and they will miss him dearly.

Eli is survived by his five children; Diana Scinto and her husband Rob of Wayne, Jennifer Pelosi and her fiancé Bret Utter of Wanaque, Christopher Pelosi of W. Milford, Michael Pelosi and his fiancé Olga Chomicova of Libertyville, IL, and Alexandra Gregory of Pompton Lakes, two brothers; Claudio Pelosi and his wife Filomena of Haledon, NJ, and Donato Pelosi and his wife Rosa of Melbourne, FL, and four grandchildren; Rocco and Dante Scinto, Arianna Scott, and Bret Utter, Jr.

Dr. Thomas F. Killeen, PhD, 68 of Wayne, passed away suddenly on October 17, 2017.

Tom was born in Jersey City, NJ and lived in Lyndhurst as a child. The family moved to Wayne when Tom was a teenager. He graduated from DePaul High School and received his undergraduate degree from Siena College.

Tom began a long and distinguished career in education, retiring as a principal of KAS Prep in North Bergen, NJ. Through the years he managed to add two Master’s degrees and a Doctorate Degree to his list of accomplishments, along with the publishing of two books. Tom would tell you that his greatest achievement however, was the countless students he helped to reach academic goals they only dreamed of before coming to KAS Prep…a father figure to some and a friend to all.

Even in retirement, he was continuing in his pursuit to “save kid’s lives,” by speaking to politicians, including the Governor, about establishing what he knew was a successful program for young people struggling in school. Tom grew increasingly frustrated by their bureaucratic inaction. Tom lived by the famous words of Jim Valvano; “Don’t give up…don’t ever give up,” right to the day he died.

He leaves behind his wife “Kitty” of Wayne, his daughter; Heather of Lincoln Park, two brothers; Peter Killeen of Manahawkin, NJ and Francis Killeen of Jupiter, FL, sister-in-law Diane Killeen of Hawthorne, NJ, and three nephews; Ryan, Kyle, and Sean. He was predeceased by his brother Michael Killeen of Hawthorne, NJ in 2012.

Donations in Tom’s memory would be greatly appreciated. He always had a special place in his heart for animals, so it would be appropriate if you made a donation to your local animal shelter.

Theresa Slonieski, age 87, of Wayne, passed away on Tuesday, October 17, 2017.

Theresa was born and raised in Nanticoke, PA where she graduated from Nanticoke High School with the Class of 1946.

While living in Nanticoke, Theresa met a young gentleman named Raymond Slonieski at a corner tavern. She had to sneak in as she was only sixteen years old at the time. She and Ray fell in love and she gladly accepted Ray’s proposal of marriage on Christmas Eve at her parent’s home. They married on Saturday, October 23, 1948 at Holy Trinity Church in Nanticoke. They had no money for a honeymoon but they felt blessed anyway.

In 1952, Theresa and Ray moved to Wayne where she had continued to live – 65 years in all! Theresa settled into her role as homemaker and loving Mom to their daughter and son Patricia and Raymond. Her husband Ray got involved in the Wayne Elks Lodge 2181 where he was very influential in establishing Elk’s Camp Moore in Haskell and was also a dedicated volunteer on the Wayne Elks Crippled Children’s Committee. During those years, Theresa was always volunteering right beside her husband and attending all the events as a member of the Elks Ladies Auxiliary.

In 1967, when her kids were old enough to enjoy some independence, Theresa decide to re-enter the workforce. She took a job with the Kodak Corporation in Fair Lawn as a film processor and film cutter. It was her job to take those 24 or 36 exposure rolls of film that consumers brought in for processing, and cut each roll into individual negatives. Later in her twenty-year tenure with the company, she got involved in touching up customers photos for a more pleasing final product. In 1971, while he was attending college, Theresa’s son Ray joined her at work in a part-time capacity. Together, they worked the 4:00 to 12:00 midnight shift and would occasionally go out together to grab a beer after work. They both thought that was pretty cool!

When Theresa retired from Kodak in 1987, she filled her days spending much-enjoyed hours with her husband Ray. They took weekly trips to Atlantic City where their casino of choice was always Caesars. Closer to home, she was a regular at Bingo night at the Wayne Boys and Girls Club. Her love for bingo was sparked from a very young age when her own mom and dad would take her to play. If Theresa wasn’t out looking for fun, you could usually find her at home, curled up on the couch watching old time movies on television, and Sundays were always started by attending mass at Our Lady of the Valley Church in Wayne, followed by Sunday dinner at her daughter Pat and son-in-law Chris’ house.

Theresa and Ray were blessed with a loving and devoted marriage for sixty-three years until Ray’s passing in 2011. Her son and daughter will always enjoy reminiscing about growing up in Wayne and vacationing as a family down the Jersey shore, and up in Lake George, NY.

Theresa was predeceased by her beloved husband Raymond in 2011. She was the loving mother of Patricia and husband Chris Hoey of Wayne, and Raymond and wife Anne Marie Slonieski of Toms River; cherished grandmother of Christopher Slonieski of Toms River and Kelsey Slonieski of Boston, MA; loved sister of the late Geraldine Diaz.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Theresa’s name are asked to consider the Elks Camp Moore c/o Wayne Elks Lodge or the Special Needs Children’s Fund at the Wayne Elks Lodge, 50 Hinchman Avenue, Wayne, NJ 07470.

Jean A. Breeman, age 80 of North Haledon, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 17, 2017. Her family stood by in loving and comforting support, playing hymns of her Christian faith to encourage her at the time of her passing.

Jean was born in Paterson and raised in the family’s home on 12th Street in Prospect Park. She was a graduate of Hawthorne High School, Class of 1954,

After completing her schooling, Jean initially worked as a bank teller. Soon after, she started dating Robert Breeman – a handsome guy she knew from church. Her children recall how Jean would tell them about some of her and Bob’s first dates together, ice skating on Gaeds Pond on Pompton Road in Wayne. They fell in love but marriage had to wait a bit as Bob was called into service in the U.S. Army. When he returned, they exchanged their wedding vows before God, family and friends at the Morningside Chapel in Haledon. After the wedding, they initially settled in Prospect Park before moving to North Haledon in 1963.

Jean settled into the busy role of homemaker and mom. Showered with the blessing of children, their home in North Haledon was situated in a perfect neighborhood to raise a family. A quiet street with each house on a relatively small lot, there was a great sense of community in the neighborhood and lots and lots of kids. It seemed that the Breeman house emerged as the hub for kids to gather and play. This of course was not by accident. Nothing made Jean happier than to know that her home was a welcome place and she fostered that in many ways. Her sons and daughters were encouraged to invite their friends for sleepovers, or to come swim in the family pool, and of course, there were always fresh home-made treats to be enjoyed. When her children were all grown up and married, Jean loved it when they would return home with the greatest gifts a mom could ever ask for – grandchildren! She was blessed with seven in all including her grandson Jeffrey who was actually raised his whole life in Jean’s home by Jean so that her daughter Carol could go to work to provide. Jeff and all his cousins, when they frequently came to visit, continued to foster the Breeman home to be a hub for all the new generation of neighborhood kids to gather, and Jean made sure the welcome mat was always out for this new generation of kids.

Having family gathered together was Jean’s greatest joy and Jean’s family got to enjoy a delicious home-cooked meal on a daily basis. Every Sunday after church, the Breemans came home, gave God thanks for their blessings, then enjoyed the time-honored tradition of a delicious Jean-prepared Sunday pot roast complimented with potatoes and vegetables. The family did everything together and Jean was the glue that held them all together. She shared her love of ice skating with her family and after a good snow storm, they all headed to the big hill at Manchester High School or Goffle Brook Park for sleigh riding. Summer times featured backyard pool parties and annual vacations down the Jersey shore to Wildwood Crest, and Beach Haven at LBI. Those shore trips went on for at least twenty consecutive years.

One of Jean’s favorite place to be was right in her kitchen. She produced some of the most delicious home-baked goods you could imagine in that room. Her family would get really excited (and hungry) if you asked them about their favorite recipe that Mom baked, including pineapple upside down cake, graham cracker squares, chocolate cake with homemade white icing, pumpkin pie, sour cream coffee cake, cream puffs, and rice pudding. Yes, it’s true, Jean always made sure her family had plenty of treats in the house to enjoy but she loved sharing her baked goods with many folks beyond her family. For example, if you were sick and Jean found out, you’d get cookies. Or if you just needed some encouragement, you’d get a cake. Or if you paid Jean a compliment for something she had baked, you could be sure she would make a special batch of that treat just for you. In the fall season, when apples were ready for picking, her kitchen become a canning factory. She’d fill hundreds of Ball mason jars with delicious, juicy, sweet apples and apple sauce and, of course, she gave a lot of it away. In fact, because her generous heart caused he to give so much away, her family learned to hide some bottles so that they would be able to enjoy a little too. When Jean’s mother-in-law passed away, she was called upon to carry on the family tradition of making the Easter bread and, since baked goods were almost like a ministry to her, Jean always made countless more loaves than she needed with the express intention of blessing others with a loaf.

In later years, Jean and Bob seized on the opportunity to travel a bit. They enjoyed trips together with their good friends Pete and Marie Drost to Myrtle Beach South Carolina, and a cruise to the Bahamas. A little closer to home, they especially liked going to Lancaster, PA where they usually stayed at the Bird- in-Hand and enjoyed hearty meals at the Shady Maple Smorgasbord. Jean also loved the simple things of life like simply gathering with her good friend Carol Ann Boonstra for coffee, or spending time with her grandchildren, or cheering on her beloved New York Yankees.

Above all else, Jean was dedicated to her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Her faith defined everything that she did and everything that was important to her. As Jesus invested himself into the lives of others, so did Jean. That’s why baking was such a ministry to her and that’s why she spent time in prayer every day for her family and friends. She greatly desired to know that her children and grandchildren were walking with the Lord and she did her best to teach them all to be faithful stewards through her loving example. For many years she was a faithful member of Bethany Reformed Church in Prospect Park.

Jean will be fondly remembered by her family and friends for her genuinely loving and caring heart. It often becomes a bit of a cliché but Jean truly did care about others more than she cared about herself. She learned this from her Christian faith and, while her family is thankful for her life, love and example, and that she’s now at peace, she will be truly missed.

Jean was predeceased by her beloved husband Robert in 2004 and her dear daughter Karen Breeman in 1960. She was the loving mother of Janyce and husband James MacRae of Port St. Lucie, FL, Robert and wife Annmarie Breeman of North Haledon, Carol Breeman of North Haledon, Douglas and wife Catrina Breeman of West Milford, and Steven and wife Colleen Breeman of Oak Ridge; adored grandmother of Frank and wife Marissa Liccardo, Nicole and husband Tim Boyd, Robert Breeman, III, Joshua Breeman, Jeffrey Breeman, Steven Breeman, and Victoria Breeman; cherished great-grandmother of her soon-to-be-born great-grandson Lucas David Liccardo; and dear sister-in-law of Lois Verblaauw of Punta Gorda, FL. She was also predeceased by her dear brother Richard Verblaauw in 2008.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Jean’s name are asked to consider The Myelodysplastic Syndromes Foundation, Inc., 4573 South Broad St., Suite 150, Yardville, NJ 08620 (www.mds-foundation.org).

Marlene G. Baez (nee Di Maio), age 66, of Wayne, passed away unexpectedly on Monday, October 16, 2017.

Born in Newark, she was a resident of Verona where she graduated from Verona High School with the Class of 1969.

After high school, Marlene began a long career in retail. Working in various shopping malls, she met a wonderful gentleman named Nery Baez while they were both working at the Woodbridge Mall. Nery worked at Lorry’s Restaurant in the mall and Marlene worked at the Franklin and Simon Department Store in the mall. They enjoyed each other’s company, fell in love, and eloped on November 19, 1976.

After marriage, Marlene continued working in retail and she and Nery moved to Wayne in 1976. In December, 1983, they received the greatest Christmas gift anyone could ask for – a beautiful son which they named Jason. From that time forward, Marlene dedicated her life to the care of her newborn son. As he grew, Marlene and Nery learned that Jason was developmentally disabled. They became their son’s greatest advocates and Marlene was present for all of Jason’s endeavors including his participation in the bowling competition at the Special Olympics which took place in Wayne’s T-Bowl. When Jason became an adult, she found a great place for Jason to work called the Foundation for the Handicapped in Wayne. This organization was founded to provide long-term employment for developmentally disabled adults. Over the ensuing months Marlene got to know the wonderful workers and volunteers at the foundation and this prompted her to start volunteering some time there herself. Before she knew it, she was working at the Foundation full-time, most recently as the Plant Manager. It became her job to book jobs for the workers, supervise them, and handle all the payroll. She became the true “Jack of all trades” and she loved every moment of it. In all, she had been with Foundation for the Handicapped for the last ten years.

In 2011, Marlene and Jason experienced the loss of a wonderful husband of 35 years and a father when Nery passed away. Marlene was a warm person with a bubbly personality, a great sense of humor, and a real heart for the work she felt called to. She was a sincere advocate for the developmentally disabled and she will be dearly missed by her family and friends whose lives she truly touched.

Marlene was the beloved wife of the late Nery Baez who passed away in 2011. She was the loving mother of Jason Baez of Wayne, dear sister of: Angelina Farand and husband Maurice of Old Bridge, Ralph Di Maio of Oxford, CT, Rocco Di Maio of Provincetown, MA, Samuel Di Maio of North Branford, CT, and Madeline Rowan and husband Thomas of Verona; and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Marlene’s name are asked to consider the Foundation for the Handicapped Inc., 30 Woodridge Terrace, Wayne, NJ 07470.

Doris Van Hoven (nee Streelman), age 84 of Pompton Plains, NJ died on Thursday, October 12, 2017. She had lived in W. Paterson since 1956 before moving to Cedar Crest Village in 2007.

Doris was born at home in Hawthorne, NJ and graduated third in her class from Hawthorne High School in 1950. She went to work for Bell Telephone, who at the time would only hire the brightest graduates in the top 10% of the class. Doris was quickly frustrated there, however, when she was given nothing more than menial tasks, essentially just pushing papers around. When the workers went on strike, she quit and found a new job at Brogan Cadillac in Paterson, where she managed the bookkeeping for the showroom sales staff. She eventually became the bookkeeper for Verduin Machinery in Paterson and retired in 1995.

Doris was a good cook and an excellent baker! She made cakes, pies, almond cake, homemade applesauce, and a host of other delicious treats that her family will surely miss. Along with her husband John, she was a member of the 2nd Reformed Church in Little Falls for many years and she volunteered at the “Corner Closet” second-hand thrift store. Once they moved to Cedar Crest Village, Doris joined the Cedar Crest Church Committee and they began attending services there.

Doris met her husband John through a mutual friend. They had been acquainted for years but when John returned from serving in the U.S. Army, they began dating. They married on July 17, 1954 with a service right in her sister’s home, followed by a honeymoon to Lake George. During their sixty three years together, they never fought and were blessed to share a bond with one another that grew stronger through each year. John recalls how Doris would often make a sandwich for the two of them to share, and she would always offer him the larger half. But John would kindly offer it back to her, taking the smaller half for himself instead. There’s no doubt that the little sacrifices made their years together so enjoyable. Their family vacations to the Jersey Shore, including Ocean Beach and LBI made for some wonderful memories, and more recently they enjoyed going to visit family in Florida and taking trips out to Lancaster, PA.

Doris is survived by her loving husband John of Pompton Plains, two daughters; Diane Spath and her husband Alfred of Edison, NJ, and Nancy Huhn of Parsippany, NJ, five grandchildren; Stephen Huhn and his wife Kendra of Houston, TX, Daniel Huhn of Parsippany, Lauren Spath of Edison, Gregory Spath of Edison, and Michael Spath and his wife Laura of Oklahoma, two great-grandchildren; Aubrey and Bryce Huhn of Houston, TX, and one sister; Beatrice Belanus and her husband Neil of N. Carolina.

Donations in Doris’ memory would be appreciated to the “Resident Care Fund” at Cedar Crest Village. Mail donations to; Cedar Crest Village, c/o Philanthropy Dept., Cedar Crest Drive, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444.

Mary Gawrys, age 96, formerly of Wayne, passed away peacefully at her home in Toms River, on Monday, October 9, 2017. She was in the loving and supportive company of family at the time of her passing.

Mary was the eighth of Andrew and Anna Elchin’s nine children and she was born in Portage, PA. She grew up in Portage where, having skipped the third grade, she graduated from high school a year earlier than most kids her age. When she was eighteen, she moved to Clifton, NJ where she lived in with a family serving as their fulltime nanny. In 1946, when she turned twenty-five, she married A. Edward Gawrys a handsome young man who came to the United States from Poland in 1914. Their first home together was in a two-family in Clifton, and in 1959, Mary and Eddie moved to their brand new home in the Lions Head Lake section of Wayne.

During their years in Wayne, Mary and Ed were faithful parishioners of Our Lady of Consolation Church. In fact, they were attending the church when it began by meeting in the auditorium of the Schuyler-Colfax Junior High School. Wayne was a great place to raise their family during the 1960’s and 1970’s and Mary especially enjoyed entertaining her family and friends through many pool parties and holiday parties at her house. Being the great cook and baker that she was, Mary also supplied all the goodies for these occasions.

As a young wife, Mary wore multiple hats including serving as a mother to three children and working as an electronics assembler for Dumont Oscilloscope in West Caldwell. She worked there for many years until retiring in 1977. A year later, she and Eddie sold their home in Wayne and moved to Toms River where they enjoyed carefree days in the sun and surf and vacations to California, Mexico and cruises in the Caribbean. At this time, Mary also got involved in taking dance lessons and she danced well into her seventies. She especially enjoyed visits from her grandchildren and getting to entertain them for the day at the beach in Seaside Heights or the community pool. In 1995 her beloved Ed passed away but Mary remained in Toms River for the rest of her life.

Mary always especially enjoyed caring for her beautiful flower gardens and indoor plants and those who were guests at her house were always especially impressed with her magnificent African violets. Mary also enjoyed her collection of Hummel’s and the company of her feline friends – Yachie, Smokey and Fred.

Mary was the beloved wife of the late A. Edward Gawrys (1995); dear mother of Pamela Zalusky of Wayne, Brian Gawrys of Toms River, and Gary Gawrys and wife Lucy of Fort Lauderdale, FL; cherished grandmother of Jennifer Bubenik, Brian Gawrys, Thomas Zalusky, Amy Agelis, Erica Guay, and Michael Gawrys; adored great-grandmother of Robert Bubenik, Dylan Bubenik, Dino Agelis, Parker Guay, and Elodie Agelis. Mary was also predeceased by her dear sister Helen Timura, her seven dear brothers: Andrew, Michael, John, Steven, Pete, George, and William Elchin; and her dear son-in-law Thomas Zalusky.

Ronald G. Clegg, age 81, of Port Charlotte, Florida, formerly a forty year Wayne resident, passed peacefully in his sleep at home on Thursday, October 5, 2017.

Ron was born and raised on 58 Sheridan Ave in Paterson having graduated from Central High School. He continued his education at William Paterson Teacher’s College in Wayne. Ron eventually joined the Plumbers Local 49 in Paterson which eventually merged into the Pipefitters Local 274. With over twenty years of service in the Union he worked his way through the ranks to General Foreman. He later worked as the Plant Manager for the Wayne Board of Education and coordinated all aspects of school maintenance. He retired from the Wayne Board of Education in 2002.

It was while working for the Wayne Board of Education that Ron met the love of his life Mary Jo Romano. They fell in love and married on October 21, 1984 at the Preakness Reformed Church in Wayne. They honeymooned in Hawaii and have enjoyed thirty-three years of a loving and devoted marriage. Ron truly loved and spoiled Mary Jo, who he affectionately called “Gorge” - short for gorgeous. He was always busy in his man cave garage always with a project whether it was making shelves, painting something, all at Mary Jo’s direction as she converted their house into a home.

Ron often enjoyed a cigar, a little Jack Daniels, and doting on Mary Jo. He also loved his children and grandchildren dearly and adored the nickname “Bum” they gave him. He will be remembered for his quiet, caring, considerate way and his good natured sense of humor.

Ron was the loving husband of Mary Jo (Romano) Clegg; devoted father of Ronald G. Clegg, III (Barbara) of Pompton Plains, Steven Clegg (Teresa) of Jefferson, Russell Clegg (Karen Hengge) of Vernon, John (Sue) of Rockaway, Caprice Vieldhouse (Kevin) of Wayne, and Pash Antonelli (David) of Teaneck; he was also the dear brother of Jacqueline Self (Ralph) of Wayne. Ron was the cherished grandfather of seventeen grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

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

Kenneth R. Cioletti, age 71, of Wayne, passed away on Thursday, October 5, 2017.

Born and raised in Paterson in his parent’s home on East 28th Street, Ken’s inquisitive nature and sharp intellect were contributing factors in helping him to be a member of the honor roll and graduating seventh in his class from Eastside High School with the Class of 1963.

After high school, Ken attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY, then graduated with a bachelor’s of science degree from Farleigh Dickinson College in May, 1967. He pursued more learning by going next to Rutgers College where, in 1970, he graduated with his masters of Science degree in chemistry, before moving on to SUNY College and graduating in 1978 with a doctorate in optometry. Ken began work as an optometrist but knew after one year that the challenge just was not there for him. A lover of photography, and a chemist at heart, Ken was able to formulate the chemicals needed to develop photos on his own, so he turned this knowledge into a career. He worked for a company formulating industrial press washes and hard surface cleaners for large scale printing. Then in 1995, he started his own company called Green Globe Industries in Rutherford, in which he developed chemicals for upstream oil production. Simultaneously, Ken started a consulting company which he called Sportco, consulting with various industries including sporting goods and cosmetics validation. His specialty was analytics – determining the chemical makeup of different products. Then, in 2015, Ken started a company with his son Matthew called Spec Chem in which they manufactured chemicals in Paterson. Ken was typically enthusiastic about all his pursuits, but none as much as working with his son in their new venture.

In 1973, Ken met his wife through mutual friends. Her name was Marie Hannan and, at the time they first met, Marie was actually dating someone else, but it couldn’t have been too serious. As Valentine’s Day was approaching, Marie decided that whoever gave her a Valentine’s card first – her present boyfriend or Ken – that would be who she would go out with. Ken gave her the card first and their first date was to The Barn in Wyckoff followed by a night at the movies for a showing of The Sting. They married on June 15, 1975 at St. Mary’s Church in Pompton Lakes. Then, after a reception at the Russian Hall in Singac, they honeymooned throughout Maine and New Hampshire before settling down in an apartment in Clifton. They moved for a short time to a better apartment, also in Clifton, before settling in Wayne in 1980. That house in Wayne has been home ever since. There, they raised their three sons and spent many fun-filled, interesting times together over their forty-two year marriage.

Throughout his entire life, Ken never had any trouble amusing himself and those around him. Ken grew up in the comic book era. Consequently, as a boy, a Sunday morning tradition typically included a walk to the local comic book store with a bunch of change in his pocket to get the latest edition of some sci-fi, super hero comic book. To this day, he still has all of those books from his childhood. His love of chemistry also started from a young age expressed through an interest in explosives. His sons remember Easter egg hunts at their aunt’s house where all the kids especially wanted to find the egg with $25 in it. One year, that prize egg was hidden in a gopher hole in the yard. When one of his sons reached into the hole to see if the egg was there, it slipped further down the hole and out of reach. Ken’s solution was to blow up the gopher hole to gain access to the prize. It worked……sort of, except that the egg and $25 prize became collateral damage from the explosion. Everyone had a good laugh though. Since he had an interest in pyrotechnics, it should be no surprise that Ken also enjoyed making his own fireworks and collecting guns – especially old guns that needed to be restored. While he and Marie were regular parishioners of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Pompton Lakes, there were some Sunday mornings when Ken chose to attend “Our Lady of Perpetual Bullseye Church” instead (the local shooting range). Ken was a great student of history and he loved to discuss and debate politics. Armed with a memory for detailed facts, Ken would have surely been a Jeopardy champ if he just tried out for the show. Combining that sharp memory and love of history always made him a tough match if you engaged him in a debate about politics. Ken was also a collector. He never had a piece of paper he couldn’t throw away which means he had over thirteen file cabinets filled with anything from instructions for how he made stuff as a kid, to formulas for things he figured out as a professional chemist, to recipes for Thanksgiving dinner.

In spite of his personal pursuits, the essence of Ken was really that his family meant the world to him. To Ken, preparing for Christmas was a year round endeavor. Dubbed “Mr. Christmas by his family, Ken took a keen interest in what his boys were into and, throughout the year, if he saw something they liked, he’d picked it up and squirrel it away. Consequently, when Christmas day came, each of his sons were presented with a pile……no, a mountain of thoughtful gifts! Among all the gifts, it was a given that every year they could expect to get flashlight because it’s always good to be prepared for a power failure. In recent years, they were presented with remote-controlled helicopters, drones, and video games that he was convinced his sons in their thirties, would still like to play. Thanksgiving was also a much-anticipated holiday for Ken and, in preparation for that day, he took over the kitchen, turning it into a sort-of culinary laboratory. Yes, chemistry could be explored in the kitchen too and Ken took great delight in making every last course of food for the holiday feast. Everything was made from scratch. No stuffing mix for Ken! He also loved traveling with Marie, especially to restored villages and other historical sites. There were also many special memories made in the backyard where a swimming pool was put in so that family could enjoy times together.

Ken’s life was cut short all too soon by a diagnosis of Leukemia this past February. His family is thankful for the times they got to be with him, enjoying the fruits of his exploratory nature, his great sense of humor, and his special example of being a loving husband, father, and grandfather. Ken was a quiet man who lived by the philosophy that what people say doesn’t mean nearly as much as what they do.

Ken was the loving husband of Marie (nee Hannan); devoted father of the late Jason Cioletti (2012) and his wife Dana of Bloomingdale, Matthew and wife Krista Cioletti of Oakland, and Jeff and wife Raina Cioletti of North Haledon; adored grandfather of Lina and Gabriella Cioletti of Wayne, Matthew Cioletti, Jr. of Oakland, and Jackson, Caydence, and Kaia Cioletti of North Haledon; and dear uncle of several nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Ken’s name are asked to consider St. Mary’s Special Needs Ministry, 17 Pompton Ave., Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442.

Nicholas V. Campanella, M.D., age 67, of Wyckoff, died on Wednesday, October 4, 2017 at the Valley Hospital in Ridgewood. He had lived in Wyckoff since 1983.

Dr. Campanella was raised in Brooklyn, NY and graduated from Xaverian High School. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Science from Brooklyn College before moving to Italy and completing medical school at the University of Bologna School of Medicine and Surgery. He returned to Brooklyn in 1978 and completed his residency at Maimonides Medical Center in Borough Park. He began working in private practice as an OB/GYN in 1982 and in 1990 he became the owner of Pilgrim Medical Center in Montclair, NJ. During his lengthy career, it’s estimated that he delivered somewhere in the neighborhood of 5,000 babies, and he’s earned numerous awards for skill and contribution to the medical profession. He was currently a Sr. Attending Physician at Clara Maass Medical Center in Belville, NJ and has been a Fellow with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecology for his entire career.

Dr. Campanella was also a loving husband, father and grandfather. He had an adventurous spirit that manifested in everything he and his family did together. Whether it involved a simple visit to a museum, or bringing his girls into the woods to cut down their own Christmas tree with an axe, Nick had a way of making things interesting. His daughters recall his enthusiasm to teach them to ride bicycles, ski and ice skate, roller skate, and even learn to scuba dive! They also enjoyed Broadway shows together, Caribbean vacations, and summers at the Jersey Shore. Nick was a very ‘hands-on’ dad and loved spending time with his daughters.

The story of how Nick met his wife, Marie Alfano, is charming; they were college students who shared a microscope during freshman biology lab. Not long after, they were strolling along the beach on Long Island when Nick proposed to Marie. They married on June 24, 1972 in Brooklyn, followed by a brief honeymoon of just three days in the Poconos. Nick had been accepted to medical school in Italy, so they packed their bags and moved to Bologna just two weeks after getting married! They lived in Bologna for six years before returning. Marie describes her husband as “a good man, with a good heart, who was passionate. He was a determined man, and if he put his mind to anything, you could bet it would come to be.” Nick and Marie have enjoyed a “fun” marriage for forty-five years and she will miss him dearly.

Dr. Campanella also enjoyed riding his motorcycles. He would often take his bike out for a ride up to Bear Mountain and back on any nice day. He would also enjoy going for rides with the Southern Cruisers Riding Club in the Tampa Bay, FL area, of which his brothers-in-law were members. He had a great comradeship with the other riders there and loved to go cruising with the club. More importantly, he enjoyed the fact that the club was a charitable organization that raised money for children’s charities, particularly St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Nick also loved taking his rescue dog, Pepper, for long walks around town on beautiful spring and fall days and was a strong advocate for animal rescue.

Dr. Campanella is survived by his beloved wife Marie (nee Alfano) of Wyckoff, his three daughters; Dr. Lisa Campanella-Coppo and her husband Thomas Coppo of Wyckoff, Cristina Hyde, Esq. and her husband Lt. Col. Milo Hyde, IV of Alexandria, VA, and Gina Campanella, Esq. of Wyckoff, and his three dear grandchildren; Julia Marie Coppo, Elissa Nicole Hyde and Anna Leigh Hyde.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Nick’s name to either St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, (www.stjude.org) or the ASPCA (www.aspca.org). Donations can be made online, or if mailing your donation, please use these addresses: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memorial Processing, 501 St. Jude Pl., Memphis, TN 38105-9959 and for the ASPCA; PO Box 96929, Washington, DC 20090-6929.

Teresa Gaffney, age 78, of Mallory Villages, Florida, formerly of Wayne, NJ, passed Monday, October 2, 2017.

Teresa, who was known as Terry, was born in Harrison, New Jersey on May 25, 1939 to Theresa and Theodore Piwaski. She attended Our Lady of Czestochowa Grammar School in Harrison and then Kearny High School. At Kearny High School, she was a twirler and the Vice President of her Senior Class. It was at Kearny High School that she met the love of her life, John Gaffney. They met as freshmen. After graduating from Kearny High School in 1956 and John completing two years of service in the Army, John and Terry dated for two years and were married on November 19, 1960. The couple lived in Kearny and Lake Hiawatha before moving to Wayne in 1969. The couple lived on Bullens Avenue in Wayne for 45 years before retiring to The Villages in Florida in 2014. The couple had three sons; Brian, Teddy and Johnny.

Terry was an active participant in the lives of her children and was a volunteer with the Wayne Little League, the Wayne Boys Club and the Our Lady of the Valley Grammar School Cub Scouts and CYO. She was an active member of the Wayne Elks and Our Lady of the Valley Parish.

Terry worked as a staff accountant with several women’s clothing companies and took classes at William Paterson College.

Terry had a strong faith in God and a tremendous love of life. She loved to dance, travel, shop, complete projects in her house, make ceramic and stain glass works of art, complete puzzles, read and watch TV game shows. Most of all she loved her family and friends. She loved her children Brian, Teddy and Johnny and their spouses Linda, Theresa and Claudine. She loved her eight grandchildren, Michael, Katelyn, Megan, Marie, Sean, Faith Mary, Maeve and Matthew as well as her sister Joanna and all of her cousins, nephews and nieces and relatives. Most of all, she loved and supported her husband John, with whom she shared 57 years in a loving and committed marriage.

Terry will be sorely missed by her family and friends.

In Lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Terry's name are asked to consider the Boys & Girls Club of Wayne, 153 Garside Avenue, Wayne, NJ 07470.

"Answers questioned."

Joel Harold Horowitz, age 79 of Wayne, New Jersey died on Monday October 2, 2017.

Joel was born and raised in Paterson, New Jersey and graduated from East Side High School. He continued his education and earned a Ph.D. from University of Georgia in 1975. He taught sociology at Columbus University Columbus, Georgia for 25 years when he retired. He became the department chair for many years and his exemplary teaching style earned him the teacher of the year award on more than one occasion. Joel was well known in town for establishing “Wednesday Night Live” where he facilitated lively discussions at a local restaurant with students and staff.

For all who knew Joel he had a knack for stimulating serious discussions which had people think and explore their beliefs and attitudes more thoroughly. As a result of his unique style a dear friend made up business cards and a hat for Joel with a tag line “answers questioned.”

Joel will be missed by many dear friends and relatives. He is survived by his sister Marcia Laky, her husband, Stephen Laky his nieces Diana Leu and her husband James Leu, Sandra Galdieri and her husband John Galdieri, two grand nephews, Tyler Leu and Xavier Galdieri and two grand nieces, Keira Leu and Cassidy Galdieri.

Caroline H. Connell, age 88, of Wayne, passed away peacefully with her loving family close by her side, on Monday, October 2, 2017.

Born at Mountainside Hospital in Glen Ridge, Caroline grew up in Bloomfield. She graduated from Bloomfield High School with the Class of 1946, and wasting no time, the following week, Caroline reported to her first full-time job as a secretary for Prudential Insurance Company in Newark.

Caroline met her future husband, Ray, also a Bloomfield High graduate, in Ray’s neighborhood, across the street from Holsten’s Ice Cream Parlor on Broad Street in Bloomfield (site of famous last scene from the Sopranos TV Series). One of their first dates together was a trip to the local movie theater to see Gone with the Wind. On Saturday, November 19, 1949 they exchanged their wedding vows at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Bloomfield with a reception following at the former Robinhood Inn in Clifton (now the Regency). Caroline was just twenty years old at the time. After the wedding, they enjoyed a weekend honeymoon in New York City. Caroline and Ray’s first home was a little apartment in Richfield Village in Clifton.

Working a total of four years for Prudential Insurance, Caroline left her secretarial position for what she considered a much higher calling - staying at home to take care of her firstborn – a baby girl which she and Ray named Karen. Sharon arrived less than a year later.

In 1953, the family moved to Wayne and Caroline has remained there for the last 64 years. The blessing of children continued with Jim arriving the following year and then Mary Beth, Danny and David all in a row shortly after. Caroline had her hands full. When her youngest son David was old enough, Caroline returned to the workplace where she was a sales associate in the housewares department of the former Bamberger’s Department Store in the Willowbrook Mall in Wayne. In all, she worked there a total of ten years.

Caroline was a dear wife and mother who quietly went about her business lovingly caring for her family and taking care of her home. Her spare time was most enjoyed curling up with a good book, a daily perusal of the latest news in the newspaper and challenging herself with daily crossword puzzles. She always had a cup of tea in hand and collected tea pots, along with music boxes. For many years, she and Ray went to shows twice a year at the Montclair Operetta Club where she was a longtime season ticket holder. She was a huge fan of Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune and everyone that was close to her knew not to call Caroline on the phone when those two shows were airing. She simply would not answer! She was the best friend of every two and four-legged creature that would come into her yard. Feeding them regularly, she certainly gave Snow White a run for her money.

Caroline’s faith in God was an integral part of everything that she thought about and did in life. A founding parishioner of Our Lady of the Valley Church in Wayne, she and her husband Ray were always active in the life of the church, serving on various committees. For as long as her health would allow, she always faithfully attended daily mass, and even when her kids were little, she’d get up early to go to the 6:30 morning mass so she could be home again before they awoke.

Caroline will be remembered for being the kindest and gentlest of souls. Her children will testify that in all of their lives, even to the present, they never ever heard their mom yell at them (or anyone). Rest in peace “Sweet Caroline”.

Caroline was the beloved and devoted wife of Raymond until his passing in 1998. She is survived by her six dearly loved children: Karen Connell of Montclair, Sharon Ferguson and her partner Terry Ow of Santa Cruz, CA, James Connell and his partner Valerie Hrabal of Kinnelon, Mary Beth Sullivan and her husband Steve of Wayne, Dan Connell and his wife Helen of Mapleville, RI, and David Connell of Lincoln Park; eight cherished grandchildren: Danny Sullivan and his wife Caitlin, Erin Marrero and her husband Davy, Allison Connell, Kevin Sullivan, Sean Connell, Laura Kane and her husband Mark, Kaitlin Connell, and Lauren Connell; one precious great-granddaughter Lily Marrero; one dear brother: Charles Wolski and his wife Ellen of Dawsonville, GA; and one dear sister: Lee Toth and her husband Bob of Salisbury, NC.

Caroline’s family would also wish to express sincere thanks to Zenny, Caroline’s compassionate and dedicated caregiver for the last three years.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Caroline’s name are asked to consider Catholic Charities USA, P.O. Box 17066, Baltimore, MD 21297-1066, or online at www.catholiccharitiesusa.org.

Marie G. Maio (nee Nasello), age 83 of Wayne, died on Wednesday, September 27, 2017. She had lived in Wayne since 1964.

Raised in Kearny, NJ, Marie graduated from Georgian Court College with a degree in Education. She continued at Seton Hall University and earned her Master’s in Business Administration. She joined the Kearny School District as a teacher in 1957 and worked her way up. She retired as head of the Business Department in 1996, after a career spanning more than thirty-nine years!

Marie was quite the socialite and always kept up with the latest fashions and styles. She passionately avoided activities that might be considered ‘age-appropriate’ for her generation, and instead chose to enjoy herself in a much more youthful way. You’d never find her at a Bingo hall, but instead she liked going out on the town, sipping her gin and tonic cocktails, and having a good time. She was fortunate to have traveled to Alaska, the Caribbean Islands, London, Scotland, all corners of Europe, and even the Panama Canal. She had also made countless road trips including a favorite stop at Graceland. When all was said and done though, she was most happy enjoying summer sunset from the deck of her family’s home in Manasquan, at the Jersey Shore.

Marie met her husband Milton while she was in college. Milton’s sister was also a student at Georgian Court University and she introduced the two. They married on April 4, 1959 at St. Cecilia’s Church in Kearny, followed by a wonderful reception at the Essex House in Newark. They honeymooned at Nassau, Bahamas and settled in Clifton for a few years before finally building their home in Wayne in 1964. Marie was very proud of her home and decorated it beautifully. After thirty-eight years of marriage, Milton passed away in 1997, just two years after Marie had retired. She found the strength to forge on in the years since, traveling extensively and making many more wonderful memories with her family.

Marie is survived by her son Douglas of Pompton Lakes, by her sister Evelyn Valdeon of Montville, NJ, her three nieces; Courtney Valdeon and her spouse Donna Anderson of Boonton, NJ, Lindsay Valdeon of West Orange, NJ, and Pamela Hurley and her husband Pete of St. Pawleys Island, South Carolina, one nephew; Justin Valdeon and his wife Stephanie of Little Silver, NJ, as well as five grand-nieces and grand-nephews. She was predeceased by her husband Milton in 1997.

James S. Lacava, age 78, of Woodland Park, formerly of Wayne, passed Wednesday, September 27, 2017 .

He was born and raised in Paterson having graduated from Seton Hall Prep High School in South Orange. He continued his education at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting. He served an accounting internship at a firm in Paterson and once he received the title of CPA he worked for the Edward T. Boyle Firm in Hackensack. He later opened his own accounting firm on Ward Street in Paterson and eventually secured a position as Comptroller of the City of Hackensack. He served as Comptroller for twenty years and served another fifteen years as the City Manager of Hackensack before retiring in 2005. Although he officially retired in 2005 he was still working for several private clients, family, and friends up until last year. He was a member of several occupation related organizations including the NJ Society of CPA’s, the American Institute of CPA’s and GFOA (Government Finance Officers of America).

When James was fifteen years old he went to a Grammar School graduation party in Paterson where he met a cute thirteen year old name Beatrice McCauley. This chance encounter would lead to several years of dating and a proposal of marriage, after asking Beatrice’s father, at the family home located at 341 Trenton Avenue in Paterson. They married on June 2, 1962 at Saint Brendan’s RC Church in Clifton. After a reception at the Bow & Arrow in West Orange they honeymooned in Bermuda and Nassau in the Bahamas. They have enjoyed a “loving couple” marriage, as characterized by a friend recently, of fifty-five years.

James will be remembered as a loving family man who was strong willed, meticulous to a fault. To help understand his fastidious nature one only has to hear two examples: the first is about how he was fussy regarding the angle of a staple in document as you can’t fold over the pages correctly if the staple is not on a 45 degree angle and how he had business cards printed up with the exact way a bartender should make his Rob Roy cocktail. He was definitely a Type-A personality but there was usually a method to his madness. His family has fond memories of time at the NJ Shore town of Lavallette and over twenty years of spending the month of March at Marco Island in Florida.

He was very active in his community having been a member of the Lions Club, UNICO, and ARC all of Hackensack, the Italian Circle of Paterson, the Do Good House in Totowa, the Moose Lodge 399 of Ortley Beach, and the Packanack ROMEO’s.

James was also very giving of his time when it came to youth sports. He volunteered many hours as a CYO basketball coach at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Wayne, served as an American Legion and Little League baseball coach, and officiated at high school football games for many years. His dedication earned him a listing in the DePaul High School of Wayne’s Hall of Fame and entry into the Amateur Football’s Passaic County Chapter of the National Football Foundation’s Hall of Fame. He was also huge NY Giants fan and has been an original season ticket holder since 1976.

He was a devoted parishioner of Immaculate Heart of Mary RC Church in Wayne for many years.

James was the loving husband of Beatrice (McCauley) Lacava; devoted father of the late James Lacava (2010), Lynn Kahn and her husband Eric of Florham Park, and Beth DeMayo of Lincoln Park; he was the cherished grandfather of Amanda-Marie DeMayo and Nicole and Courtney Kahn; he was also the loved brother of the late Letitia Pellosie (2016), and uncle of Carmine Pellosie III and his wife Jennifer.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to the James G. Lacava Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o DePaul High School, 1512 Alps Road, Wayne, NJ 07470 would be greatly appreciated.

Salvatore “Sam” Occhipinti, age 93, passed away on Tuesday, September 26, 2017.

Sam, as he was known to all, was born and raised in Paterson. He remained a resident of Paterson his entire life until joining his daughter Diane in her home in Wayne in 2015.

Sam attended Eastside High School but, like so many young folks from that era, he left school before graduating to join the workforce. His first job was with Meyer Brothers Department Store in Paterson. It was there that he would meet the woman who would become the love of his life. Her name was June Ketch and she was the secretary to Mr. Bert Meyers. Sam had the pleasure of training June on a system that the store used to print addresses for packages going out for shipment. This gave Sam a great chance to get to know June which quickly led to him asking her out on a date. Their love for each other grew but marriage would have to wait due to World War II raging in Europe. Consequently, in 1943, Sam was called into service and, putting on the Army uniform, he proudly served as a rifleman in Central Europe during World War II as a member of the Army’s 71st Division, 66th Infantry. Sam was awarded the American Service Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal.

Soon after returning to civilian life in 1946, Sam and June’s wedding date was set. They exchanged wedding promises on Sunday, July 6, 1947 at Our Lady of Victories Church in Paterson. This was followed by a honeymoon train trip to Montreal Canada.

After the wedding festivities, Mr. Salvatore and Mrs. June Occhipinti settled into the first of several houses they would call home over the course of their 67 happy years of marriage - all of those homes in the City of Paterson until June’s passing in 2014. Sam had already begun a new job in one of Paterson’s many dye houses. He worked there for sixteen years and his family used to joke that he lost his fingerprints during that time due to the many chemicals he had to work with.

After the dye house, Sam became a letter carrier with the U.S. Postal Service. His route was always on foot which suited him since he loved to walk. He began letter carrying in 1962 and he worked more than two decades before retiring in the mid-1980’s. Sam wore the soles off many pairs of shoes but he loved his work and made many friends along the way as he faithfully delivered their mail.

Sam’s idea of relaxation and fun included pretty much anything centered on being at home and being with his family. He loved being outdoors so working in his beautiful vegetable garden and making sure his yard always looked ready for a feature story in Better Homes and Garden magazine were constant quests. In the kitchen, Sam’s wife June got off a little bit easy because Sam also loved to cook. His granddaughters, whom he adored, loved Poppy’s chili and everyone will always cherish the sweet memory of Sunday mornings enjoying his delicious pancakes. They’ll also remember marathon Scrabble games that could go on for three hours but never get boring because you’d always have to watch out for Sam trying to get away with fake words for a triple word score. Sam also was a bit of a closet accordion player who would only play for himself and an occasional private duet with his granddaughter Megan who would join him on her flute. When it came to entertaining Sam, he always went for a good western – either in book form or watching a movie, especially if it was starring the ultimate cowboy…John Wayne. A man of abiding faith in his creator, Sam and June were longtime, faithful parishioners of St. Paul R.C. Church in Prospect Park.

Sam loved being an American. He expressed his patriotism in many ways and especially enjoyed traveling all over the country with June to attend his Army 71st Division, 66th Infantry reunions where he could reminisce with old comrades.

Always guick with a joke, he often seemed to have a song in his heart which found its way to his lips via a whistle or a hum.

Sam was predeceased by his beloved wife June (nee Ketch) in 2014 and his dear daughter Jo Ann Dale in 2012. He is survived by his dear daughter Diane and husband Albert Clark; three adored grandchildren: Kimberly Dale, Kelly Dale Gisonna and husband Nick, and Megan Clark; one cherished great-grandson James Gisonna; one dear sister: Anna Contini; his sister-in-law Rosemarie Occhipinti; his son-in-law John Dale; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was also predeceased by his brother Edward Occhipinti, his sister Carmela “Millie” Tafaro, and his brothers-in-law Angelo Contini and Vito Tafaro.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Sam’s name are asked to consider Wounded Warrior Project PO Box 758517 Topeka, KS 66675-8517, or at WoundedWarriorProject.org

Edward R. Halat age 83 of Wayne passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday September 26, 2017.

Ed was born in Dupont, PA to Frank and Elizabeth Halat and was one of fourteen children. He was raised in Dupont but followed his older siblings to NJ where he lived his entire adult life. When he arrived, he earned a position as a machinist. Eventually, in 1977 he bought the company that we was working for at the time Adco Liberty in West Orange, NJ. Following a very successful career Ed retired in 1999. When he was ever asked what he will be doing today, (in his retirement), he would answer, “Whatever I want!”

Ed was scheduled to meet his wife Joan at a Bingo game. Sadly, she stood him up! However, soon thereafter Ed learned that she didn’t stand him up on purpose, but had been asked to work late that night. Under the circumstances, and long before cell phones, there was no way she could contact him that night. Nevertheless, once they did have that first date, there was no way to separate them. They were married on May 19, 1956 in Clifton and enjoyed a honeymoon to Florida and Cuba. Ed and Joan cherished fifty-eight years of loving and loyal marriage until Joan’s passing in July of 2014. During their time together they traveled to Europe, Hawaii, and the Caribbean. Shortly after they were married, a little more than a year, Ed was called to serve his country in the United States Army. He was stationed in Germany during his service, where he served very honorably.

Ed enjoyed golfing, fishing, playing cards, telling jokes and especially spending time with his grandson Ajay. He was the light of his life. Throughout his life, Ed always owned boats. He loved boating and vacations at the Jersey shore where he and his wife owned a few homes over the years. Ed was always on the go, either building or fixing something. He had a wonderful sense of humor, always had a joke to tell, and you would be hard-pressed not to have a smile on your face while being in the same room with him. He was devoted to his Catholic faith. Above all of Ed’s interests and hobbies, he was devoted to his family, always there for his wife and children. He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. Ed touched the lives of many people and will be sincerely missed by all who knew him.

Edward is survived by his daughter Holly Halat of Wayne/Florida and her boyfriend Billy of PA, his son Randy and his girlfriend Lina of Wayne, his one grandson Ajay Halat, and one sister Mae Pawlowski of Totowa, he is also survived by two very dear friends Marianna Trofa/Nelson and John Anthony. He was predeceased by his wife Joan Halat in 2014. He was also pre-deceased by twelve of his siblings. Hank, Matt, Steve, Joe, Frank, Edmund, Stella, Cecilia, Casey, Agnes, Betty and Ann.

Helyn M. Johnston (nee Rossback), age 88 of Wayne, died on Monday, September 25, 2017. She had lived in the Packanack Lake section of Wayne since 1955.

Helyn was raised in Cleveland, Ohio. She attended Ohio University, in Athens, Ohio, and was a member of the cheerleading squad. It was there that she met fellow student, E. Ray Johnston, who was a standout on the OU Track and Field team. The two of them fell in love and were married on August 13, 1949. Ray’s employment eventually brought them to New Jersey where they found the newly-developing community of Packanack Lake in Wayne. They purchased a vacant lot and built their first home there.

Helyn loved the Packanack community so much that she brought countless friends and acquaintances to the lake and soon became the best salesperson that the local builder could have ever asked for! Helyn simply had a charisma that endeared her to many and she made friends everywhere. She was on a first-name basis with the likes of Arnold Palmer and Nancy Lopez, having met both during local golf tournaments. She collected autographs from many, including Joe DiMaggio and even chased former Vice President Dan Quayle on a golf course to get his autograph – which didn’t go over too well with the Secret Service detail that was protecting him. Helyn also earned herself a spot as a contestant on “The Price is Right” where she not only met Bob Barker, but went on to win the grand prize which included a much needed new washing machine and dryer! Helyn surely had many great stories to tell and and plenty of good fun during her eighty-eight years.

Helyn was the consummate wife and mother, taking her family responsibility quite seriously. She was devoted to her husband and did everything she could for her children. She was keenly active in her children’s lives and always stood up for them. Her children recall how she went to bat for them on one particular occasion during high school, and successfully caused the township to provide busing to school after it had initially been denied. She also actively engaged her family at the Packanack Community Church. Her Christian faith unquestionably provided the strong foundation of her moral compass. She held firm to her convictions, loved America and was perhaps the most ardent fan of Mickey Mouse and his kingdoms on both the east and west coasts – her happiest places on earth.

Helyn is survived by her two children; Scott R. Johnston (and his wife Elyse) of Wayne, New Jersey, Leslie Durgin (and her husband Paul) of Milton, Massachusetts, and her seven grandchildren: Kiersten, Scott, Spencer and Shaffer Johnston, all of Wayne, New Jersey, and Lindsay Rae Durgin of South Boston, Massachusetts, Harrison Durgin of New York, New York, and Coleman Durgin of Boston, Massachusetts, as well as many dear friends and extended family. She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Ray, in 1992.

Donations in Helyn’s memory would be greatly appreciated to the Packanack Community Church, 120 Lake Drive East, Wayne, NJ 07470.

George Robert Kelly, of Wayne, passed away peacefully at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, NJ on Monday, September 25, 2017 surrounded by his family.

George was born on a snowy day in the Bronx, New York on January 20, 1943. He was the 9th child of Ethel and Jack Kelly. He is preceded in death by his beloved wife Veronica as well as his brothers, John, Arthur, Owen and Jimmy and his sisters Patricia, Kay and Mary. He is survived by his sister, Barbara. He is also survived by his five children Andrew Kelly and partner Roseann, Anne Kelly and husband Harry Gopoyan, Christopher Kelly and wife Sharon, Jennifer Miller and husband Peter, and Shannon Jimenez and husband Camilo. George raised several of his grandchildren and his relationship with each one of them was more a father than a grandfather. Their world is shattered. They are Michael Kelly, Luke Kelly, Chelsea Parisi, Zachary Jordan, Chloe Kelly, Tony Kelly, Jessica Kelly, Shane Kelly, Samantha Kelly and Sadie Kelly. He delighted in his great-grandchildren Calyx, Mia, Cameron and Luna.

George proudly served in the U.S Navy during the Vietnam War and was on active duty during the Cuban Missile Crisis. After serving his country, George returned home and married his adoring wife Veronica on August 22, 1964. Veronica and George met and fell in love in the Bronx in April of 1959. According to George she was wearing a blue-green paisley blouse and a white pleated skirt but all he could see were her magnificent blue eyes. Ronnie and George were married for 49 years. Even after her death his love for her remained as steadfast as the day he fell in love with her.

George started with Western Electric in their Yonkers warehouse in 1965. During his 30 years of employment, there were many corporate changes and promotions. George was involved in many aspects of global subsea fiber optic telecommunications cable installations. These included being the Shore End Installation Senior Manager and ended with his retirement as the Senior Marine Personnel Manager where he was responsible for crewing and the logistical support of several large cable laying ships, including the world renowned CS Long Lines. He was the vessel Personnel Manager responsible for all employees. George retired in December of 2001 to take a full time role in caring for Veronica who suffered a traumatic brain injury in 1991.

George was the epitome of a Patriarch. He guided each member of his family through good times and bad and his absence will be something that will be felt for many years to come. He was a valued and beloved confidant to many friends. Acceptance and gratitude were the most important lessons George taught his family. His absence is palpable, but his legacy will carry them through for all the days of their lives.

For all who knew George he had a knack for always giving the best advice and wisdom but his greatest gift was teaching by example. For many who knew him, his word was everything and he could be counted on no matter what. “One Day at a Time”, “An attitude of gratitude” and “Most people are about as happy as they choose to be” were some of his favorite words of advice. He will be missed by many.

George often spoke of missing Veronica terribly and his family takes great comfort knowing they are together again.

Flowers are welcomed and can be sent to the funeral home.

Elizabeth (“Betty”) J. O’Brien (nee Guinane), age 88 of Wayne, passed away peacefully on September 25, 2017.

Betty was born in Gloucester, MA and grew up in White Plains, NY. After graduation from high school, she attended Georgian Court College in Lakewood, NJ and graduated with a major in Business and minor in Spanish. While at college she met and fell in love with her roommate’s brother, David O’Brien. They were married in 1953.

They moved to New Milford, NJ and then settled in the Packanack Lake section of Wayne, NJ in 1962 to raise their five children.

After the untimely death of her husband in 1969 at the age of 43, Betty was devoted to raising her family.

Betty returned to work and had a very successful career as an Executive Assistant to the Medical Director of American Cyanamid.

Betty was dedicated to her Catholic faith and most recently was a parishioner of Our Lady of The Valley Church. Through the Church she volunteered providing homebound people with rides to their healthcare appointments. She continued her volunteer work at the Foundation For The Handicapped of Wayne where she worked with the “kids” for over 20 years.

In more recent years, Betty enjoyed residing at Sunrise of Wayne. She was an active resident who quickly made new friends and participated in all activities including bingo and rummikub. When not socializing, she was a voracious reader and could be found with a book in hand.

Betty was a devoted mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. The family enjoyed many vacations visiting relatives in Old Say Brook, CT and the Jersey Shore. She will be remembered as a kind, strong woman who was sharp as a tack, and had a wonderful sense of humor. She will be sincerely missed by everyone that knew and loved her.

Betty is survived by her four children, David O’Brien and his wife Marci of Wayne, Betsy O’Brien of Coopersburg, PA, Joe O’Brien and his partner Thomas Barker of Guttenberg, NJ and Patty O’Brien of Parsippany, NJ; three grandchildren, Lisa and her husband Tommy Gyongyosi of Andover, Jacob O’Brien and Jesse O’Brien of Wayne; four great grandchildren, Alexis Alberti, Kyra Alberti, Carly Gyongyosi, Zach Gyongyosi and many nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her husband David O’Brien (1969), her daughter, Sharon Sasso (2002) and sister Mary Finch (1994).

In lieu of flowers, donations in Betty’s name may be made to the Foundation For The Handicapped, Inc., 30 Woodridge Terrace, Wayne, NJ 07470.

Richard “Dick” Urba, age 87 of Wayne, died on Sunday, September 24, 2017. He had been a Wayne resident for 57 years.

Dick grew up in Kearny and graduated from Kearny High School. He joined the U.S. Air Force and was stationed in England during his time in the Service. He was trained as a Weather Technician and made some lifelong friends while serving. Upon being discharged, he returned to the U.S and by this time he was already married and had two children. With all the responsibility, going to college full-time wasn’t an option so he worked during the day, and began taking night classes at Newark College of Engineering. His perseverance paid off and he eventually graduated as an Electrical Engineer. He had worked for ITT in Nutley, then EDI of Yonkers, and then did a short stint with General Instrument in Mexico, before returning to EDI. All told, he worked nearly thirty years with EDI before retiring in the early 1990’s. However, Dick wasn’t the type to ‘retire’ in the traditional sense, and he kept working as a consultant for Dean Technologies in Tinton Falls up until just a few months ago. Many in his field found themselves outpaced by the advances in technology, but not Dick. He was a very smart man and enjoyed working with and mentoring the younger engineers.

Dick will always be remembered with a pipe in his mouth. He really enjoyed smoking his pipe, and reading a good book. He had a love for fishing and would often go to the lake to cast a line in the water. Dick, for many years, had a passion for raising tropical fish, at one time having over 20 fish tanks in his home. He also enjoyed joining his family for football games at Rutgers University.

Dick and his wife Muriel were married for fifty nine years, having first met while square dancing in Bloomfield, NJ. They were just young kids at the time, but they fell in love and married on December 26, 1950 and slipped away for a honeymoon at Niagara Falls. Dick shipped out to England with the Air Force shortly thereafter, and Muriel joined him the next year. They started their family while living in England and came back in 1953, as soon as Dick was discharged. They moved into Dick’s childhood home before moving to Wayne in 1960. They were inseparable during their fifty nine years together. They were by each other’s side always, went everywhere together, and simply loved each other very much. Family was the foundation of their relationship, and all holiday celebrations involved large family gatherings. In the earlier years of their marriage, the two of them joined bowling leagues and had a lot of fun. Dick’s league was, perhaps, more of a “beer league” than anything else, but they did get extremely lucky one year, bringing home a championship trophy to everyone’s surprise! Dick described his marriage to Muriel as “perfect and loving,” and he missed her dearly in the years since she passed.

Dick is survived by his four children: Kathleen Lysyj and her husband Robert of Hillsborough, NJ, Valerie Ross and her husband Barry of W. Caldwell, Dr. Walter J. Urba and his wife Caryn of Portland, OR, and Richard C. Urba and his wife Susan of Budd Lake, NJ; twelve grandchildren: Tracy Kelly and her husband Jeremy, Brad Urba and his wife Masaya, Chris Urba and his wife Jeanine, Kim Johansen and her husband Jason, Emily Urba, Kyra Tighe and her husband Michael, Michael Lysyj, Laura Mascola and her husband Greg, and Matthew, Christopher, Justin and Kyle Ross; eight great-grandchildren: Ashlyn Urba, Ethan Kelly, Ariana Urba, Caleb Kelly, Kylee Ross, Aubree Tighe, Aaden Tighe, and Delilah Ross.

Dick was predeceased by his beloved wife Muriel E. Urba (nee Emmerich) in 2009; his grandson Steven Urba; and his two brothers: Charles Urba, and John Urba and his wife Gertrude.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Earle A. Chiles Research Institute would be appreciated. Please make donations payable to “Providence Portland Medical Foundation” and write “Earle A. Chiles” in the notes field of your check. Mail them to Providence Cancer Center, 4805 NE Glisan St., Suite 2N35, Portland, OR 97213. You can also visit the website and donate online at: www.oregon.providence.org.

Jozef Czekaj, age 84, of Lehighton, PA, formerly of North Arlington, passed after a tragic accident, on Friday, September 22, 2017.

He was born in Jaslany, Poland and came to the United States at the age of thirty. He settled on Duke Street in Kearny and found work as a butcher at the Kohler Meat Products Company in Newark. For many years Mary and Jozef lived at 58 2nd Street in North Arlington where they raised their family. Jozef worked at Kohler Meat Products for thirty-two years before retiring in 1995. He and Mary settled into retirement life in Lehighton, PA where they have lived for over twenty years.

While a young man growing up in Poland he served a compulsory two years in the military where he was a paratrooper. He always maintained deep Polish roots. Many will remember that he had a command of about three English words. With his limited English he wasn’t much for talking on the telephone as he couldn’t understand what you were saying. Instead of trying to figure out what was being said he would simply hang up on you. After hearing that you would thing Jozef was antisocial but the opposite was true. He loved having company over and would invite people to the house all the time. He also enjoyed many hours at the Polish National Home in Harrison, a decidedly Polish social club, where he commanded the pool table and tended bar. For several years he served on their Board of Directors. He will be lovingly remembered for his love of going out for a steak, as a hard worker, always willing to take a risk, strong will, German beer, soccer – not American football, watching Polka dancing on TV, having a shed full of wood he split, and his love of good shrimp scampi. He will also be remembered for having two lawn mowers. A pristine John Deere for the front yard as that had nicer blades, and an old ratty one for the back yard.

Jozef was the loving husband of Mary (Malecki) Czekaj; devoted father of Barbara Cipriano and her husband Charlie of Delray Beach, FL, and Christopher Czekaj and his wife Cheryl of Wayne; he was the cherished grandfather of Demi Cipriano and her fiancé Shannon Graves, and CJ Cipriano, Isabella, Faith, and Ava Czekaj; he is the loved brother of Helena Glaz and Jerzy Czekaj both of Jaslany, Poland.

George Vande Vrede, age 75, of Briarcliff Manor, NY, passed away peacefully on Friday, September 22, 2017.

George was born in Paterson and raised in the family home on Struyk Avenue in Prospect Park.

Immediately following graduation from Hawthorne High School with the Class of 1960, George began full-time work as an accountant with Rice and Verblaauw of Ridgewood. At night, he took classes at Pace University where he earned his B.S. degree in Accounting. In 1966 he had to take a pause from work as he was drafted into the U.S. Army where he served in the Vietnam War from 1966 to 1968. After the war George returned to his work as an accountant with employment through Pete Marwick and Mitchell Accountants in New York City. George’s career culminated as an auditor with the accounting firm of Price Waterhouse in New York City. He retired in 2007. In his spare time George enjoyed a round of tennis with friends in Briarcliff Manor and he was also a bit of a sports car enthusiast.

George was the beloved husband of Alma Vande Vrede (Strauss). They met through mutual friends and exchanged their wedding vows before God, family and friends in 1973 at the Ebenezer Netherland Reformed Church in Franklin Lakes. They were blessed with a loving marriage of thirty-seven years until Alma’s passing in 2010.

George is survived by his dear brother David and wife Gerda Vande Vrede of Lincoln Park; 7 dear nieces and nephews; and 16 dear great-nieces and great nephews.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in George’s name are asked to consider Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, 2965 Leonard St. NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525-5828, or online at prts.edu.

Charles “Andy” Jantzen, age 62, of Wayne passed peacefully at home on Wednesday, September 20, 2017.

He was born in Jersey City to the late Charles and Marjorie Jantzen. He was raised in Clifton and when he was seven the family moved to Wayne. Andy attended Holy Cross School in Wayne and Don Bosco Technical High School in Paterson. He continued his education at Seton Hall University and later Farleigh Dickinson University, where he discontinued school needing only two classes to complete his degree. As a young boy, he worked at a candy store in the Mountain View section of Wayne and later worked at the AeroLift Company in Fairfield. As a young adult, Andy worked in customer relations and sales at both Schneider Lenses in Hackensack and later the Kinotone Projector Company in Paterson. Andy then joined the family owned business of Photographic Analysis Company in Wayne, where they used film-based high-speed imaging technology to solve complex motion analysis problems. As the digital photography age came to be, he co-founded the company of Vision Research. His company received an Emmy Award and he personally received an Oscar for his work in high-speed imaging. Their Phantom Cameras are used for super slow-motion imaging in military applications, sports broadcasting, medical applications, fluid dynamics, crash testing, advertising, and feature films. Andy worked at Vision Research as CEO and then Director of New Product Development until retiring in April of 2013. He considered all his employees family, and was extremely proud of how they changed the world.

Andy will be remembered as a creative, generous, and considerate man. He was always fixing something for someone and lived by the motto “if you want to do it bad enough, you can accomplish anything you want.” He found great satisfaction in woodworking having made two canoes, one Adirondack Guide Boat, and a kayak. He also loved to visit Yellowstone National Park and Cody, Wyoming, where he ran the first cellular company permitted in the park. If there was one thing in the world Andy considered a challenge, it was people telling him “it’s not possible, you can’t do that.” He would work twice as hard to find a means to an end.

Andy met his future wife, Linda Bonadies, while working at Schneider Lenses. Their first official date, after they figured out they didn’t dislike each other, was on Christmas Eve (his birthday) at Linda’s brother Artie’s home. Linda had even gotten a birthday cake for him. They fell in love, got engaged six months later, and were married a year after that on July 30, 1977 at Blessed Sacrament Church in Paterson. After a reception at the Brownstone House in Paterson, they honeymooned as they drove all along the California coastline.

Andy was the loving husband of forty years to Linda Jantzen; he was the devoted father of Phillip Jantzen (Meghan) of Boonton Township, Daniel Jantzen (Carrie) of Boonton Township, Stephanie Sigman (Stephen) of Lansdale, PA, Clare Edwards (TJ) of Greentown, PA, and considered a second father to others; he was the cherished grandfather of Elizabeth Jantzen, Charlie Jantzen, and Harper Edwards, his pride and joys; he was the loved brother of Art Jantzen (Ileana) of Wayne, Joseph Jantzen (Jeanne) of Trenton, ME, Connie Jantzen (Ray) Stuart, FL, Julie Sauciuc (Walt) of Monroe, NC, and the late Donald Jantzen.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial Processing, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959 www.stjude.org or Habitat for Humanity, 274 South Salem St., Randolph, NJ 07869 www.morrishabitat.org would be greatly appreciated

Roy De Petro, age 86, of Wayne passed peacefully at home surrounded by his family on Friday, September 15, 2017.

Roy was born in Paterson to Agostino and Edith (née Credaro) De Petro and was raised in the Riverside Section. When Roy was twelve, the family moved to Fairlawn, where he became a standout football player for Fairlawn High, graduating with the Class of 1948. He continued his education and football career at Upsala College in East Orange, NJ, graduating with a degree in Business Economics in 1953.

After college, he served in the US Air Force in Texas and California. After his military service, Roy obtained his real estate license and joined his Uncle Tony’s firm Krugman & DePetro Realty in Clifton. Roy eventually found his niche in in the commercial and industrial real estate market, where he forged a prestigious career, spanning over fifty years. While at Krugman and De Petro, Roy met the late Saul Weinberg. Together, they founded Weinberg & DePetro in a small office in Wayne. The business expanded and they built a new headquarters in Little Falls, where they continued to grow for many years, building successful sales teams and bringing on a third partner, the late Raymond Tumminello. Roy and Ray would eventually found DePetro-Tumminello Realty Group together, which eventually became RA DePetro Realty Group upon the passing of his longtime partner. Proud of his accomplishments, Roy enjoyed taking drives with his children and grandchildren to show them what he had built.

In honor of his long career in the industry, Roy was granted Realtor Emeritus status. Throughout his career, he belonged to several industry-related organizations, including the Passaic County Board of Realtors and the Industrial Office Real Estate Brokers Association (IOREBA), where he organized and played tennis in their annual tennis and golf outings for many years. He was a long-time and dedicated member of the Wayne Rotary Club, always living the mission of service above self and instilling a similar sense of social responsibility in his children. Roy also embraced Rotary’s mission to promote international exchanges, supporting his daughter and granddaughter’s European exchange years and hosting several exchange students in his home. Roy was also a member of the UNICO Club in Wayne, serving as President of the Wayne chapter and a term as the UNICO National District Governor.

A loving husband, father and grandfather, Roy met his wife Judy on a blind date. They were set up by Judy’s sister, and as the story goes, Roy had tickets to a baseball game and asked Judy if she wanted to go with him. Judy, who is now a baseball fan, was not amused at the time and suggested that they find another day. However, Roy must have seen something special in her, because he gave up those baseball tickets to take Judy out on a romantic date. (Some say that was the last time he gave up tickets to a sporting event.) As was the custom of the day, Roy went to Judy’s home to meet the family. Judy’s mom Mae said, “Watch out for him…he looks like a wise guy.” The stars aligned, and Roy proposed marriage to Judy, after only three months, on the front porch of her family’s home in Ridgewood. They were married on October 25, 1958 at Saint John’s Cathedral in Paterson by Fr. James Murray and honeymooned in Miami Beach, Florida. Fifty-nine years, five children and six grandchildren later, Roy never regretted giving up those tickets to the game, and Mae loved him as her own son.

Roy will be remembered as a vivacious, intelligent man who loved life and took advantage of all that life had to offer. A gourmet to the end, he loved fine food and wine! In fact, Roy was a connoisseur of the double-cut veal chop, and any waiter who brought him a veal chop that was not perfectly rare would never forget the wrath of Roy! With three other couples who all shared autumn anniversaries, Roy and Judy formed the Knife and Fork Society- where they would celebrate their mutual passion for travel, food and wine.

Roy was also a sports fanatic and loved tennis, coached basketball and baseball, and sideline coached all of his kids and grandchildren’s sporting events. An avid supporter of the NY Giants, NY Mets and NY Nets, he remained faithful to his teams both in good times and bad. Always resourceful, Roy enjoyed many trips to the US Open and even negotiated a deal to sit front and center with the center court cameraman for the whole tournament over many years. Many will remember Roy’s passion for tennis, tennis, tennis. Always demanding the best and using his business savvy to find a good work-life balance, Roy built an indoor tennis club, the Willowbrook Racquet Club, in Wayne when, at the time, nothing met his standards. He eventually became an early bird tennis player for many years at both the Clifton Racquet Club and Tiger Racquet Club in Fairfield, where his children would often join him and the gang in the early morning hours.

His children will tell you that he was always home for dinner and that he never missed their sporting events. Roy could always be heard sharing stories of all his children’s successes throughout the years. He was especially proud of his son Steven’s stellar wrestling career, which included matches all across the United States up to his recognition as a US Olympic team prospect. His children remember him making great breakfasts, and Judy remembers the fact that he never cleaned up after himself. Roy and Judy loved to travel, as long as it was to where Roy wanted to go, which meant some place with tennis courts and good restaurants. Aside from numerous trips within the US, they travelled extensively throughout the Caribbean and to many countries in Europe.

A true Renaissance man, Roy loved and appreciated music and the arts. He took voice lessons for over fifty years, always filled the house with his wonderful piano playing and singing before dinner, and loved going to the opera and Broadway musicals. His children also remember wonderful family holidays, especially Christmas, where Roy would film them coming out on Christmas morning in matching PJs to see the abundance of gifts under the tree. Much to his children’s dismay, Roy and Judy continued this tradition well into their young adulthoods. He also loved to garden to the very end, planting his last flowers in his yard in May of this year.

Roy was the loving husband of Judy (née D’Annunzio) De Petro; devoted father of Cindy Saypol and her husband Bob of Wayne, Lori Dhuyvetter and her husband Rick of Wayne, Steven De Petro and his wife Mona of Carlsbad, CA, Barbara Bricoli and her husband Stefano of Cedar Grove, and Kristen Livshin and her husband Michael “Nem” of Geneva, Switzerland; he was the cherished grandfather of Alex Bricoli, Cristina Bricoli, Gabrielle De Petro, Christopher De Petro, Madison Saypol, and Maximilian Livshin and step grandchildren Scott Saypol and Ariel Saypol; much loved brother to JoAnn De Petro of Oakland, CA, the late Gregory De Petro and the late Sondra Campana; and adored uncle to many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Roy’s memory to the Foundation for the Handicapped or St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

Florence Ricciardi, age 91 of Wayne passed away peacefully on Friday September 15th, 2017 while receiving the loving care of her family.

Florence was born and raised in Jersey City. She graduated from Lincoln High School in Jersey City with the class of 1944. Shortly after she graduated high school she met a young man by the name of Angelo Ricciardi. They dated for a couple of years and as fate would have it they fell in love and were married on August 25th 1948. They were married at Our Lady of Victory Roman Catholic Church in Jersey City and honeymooned at Culver's Lake in Frankford Township, NJ.

Almost immediately after being married, Florence took on the daunting but very rewarding job of a homemaker. She dedicated her life to taking care of her husband and raising their four children.

First Florence and Angelo lived in Jersey City with Florence's mother in a two-family house. This is where their first two children Robert and Richard were born. Then in 1956 they moved to New Milford where the next two children Judy and Ray were born. They stayed in New Milford for some time and then moved to Hackensack for a short period and eventually moved to Wayne eighteen years ago.

Florence was an extremely strong person who always fought and overcame adversity. At the early age of forty-six, Florence suffered a cerebral hemorrhage. She spent the rest of her life fighting and overcoming the disabilities and complications related to this event. This led her to become a member of the post-stroke club for several years in Hackensack.

Florence was also dedicated to her Catholic faith. She was a Eucharistic minister in the Ascension Church in New Milford during the time she was living there. And later a parishioner of Our Lady of the Valley Roman Catholic Church in Wayne.

Florence loved to cook and always had her house sparkling clean for dinner with her family every night.

Aside from any and all interests and talents that Florence had, her greatest love was for her family. Florence was a loving wife and cherished nearly sixty years of marriage to her husband Angelo until his passing in 2007. She was a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Florence was an extraordinarily strong person and generous to a fault. She touched the lives of countless people and will be sincerely missed by everyone who knew her.

Florence is survived by her three sons; Robert and his wife Deborah of Wayne, Richard of Ortley Beach, and Raymond of NYC, NY, one daughter; Judith O'Connor and her husband Gregory of Wyckoff, six grandchildren; Paul Ricciardi, Gina Aiello, Lisa Priestner, Tara Agelis, Sean O'Connor, and Melanie O'Connor, and seven great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband Angelo Ricciardi in 2007.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Florence’s name to: Foundation for the Handicapped, Inc., 30 Woodridge Terrace, Wayne, NJ 07470. www.foundationforhandicapped.org

Sylvia M Baker, (nee Kriefski) age 71 passed away peacefully on Wednesday September 13, 2017 while receiving the loving care of her family.

Sylvia was born and raised in Passaic, NJ. She graduated from Passaic High School with the class of 1962. During her time at Passaic High School she received the “Daughters of American Revolutionary Award”. Following her graduation from High School, Sylvia earned a position as a legal secretary at a Law Firm named Professional Adjustment Bureau working with Jewels V. Stark. She worked there for approximately five years, then changed careers and became a flight attendant. She worked as a flight attendant for Eastern Airlines for eighteen years until her retirement in 1985.

While Sylvia was in High School, she started dating a young man by the name of Bill Baker. They were high school sweethearts and dated for a number of years. In August of 1971, Sylvia and Bill eloped on Sylvia’s birthday to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Bill and Sylvia lived in Hackensack for a couple of years after they were first married and then moved to Wayne in 1974. They would call Packanack Lake in Wayne their home for the rest of their lives together.  With Bill being involved in General Aviation at Teterboro Airport and Sylvia being an flight attendant, they travel extensively together and there were not many placing on this earth they haven’t been to.

Sylvia enjoyed reading, listening to music and volunteered her time at Chilton Memorial Hospital in Pequannock. Bill and Sylvia cherished 46 years of loving and loyal marriage together. Sylvia remained a devoted wife even though struggling with her diabetes and the complication associated with it. She had fought a long and courageous battle with her illness since she was diagnosed in 1972. Sylvia was an extraordinary person who touched the lives of many people and will be sincerely missed by all who knew her.

Sylvia is survived by her husband Bill Baker of Wayne, and her sister Kathleen Weber of Hampstead, NC. She was predeceased by her brother Michael Kriefski.

Those who wish to make a donation in Sylvia’s name may consider American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 11454, Alexandria, VA 22312, www.diabetes.org/donate

Antonios “Tony” Toulios, age 70 of Pompton Lakes, passed on Wednesday, September 13, 2017 after a brief, but valiant battle with cancer. Tony was a resident of Pompton Lakes for nearly fifty years, and had been a successful owner/operator of the Pompton Lakes Diner as well as a talented carpenter.

Tony was born and raised on the island of Kefalonia, Greece. At very early age, he worked in agriculture and construction. By the age of fifteen, he joined the Merchant Marines and found himself sailing around the world, visiting places like Russia, China, Japan, Panama and all points in between. During a stop in Long Beach, CA, he ‘jumped ship’ to start a life in the United States. That didn’t last long, as the young boy was caught and deported back to Greece! This caused him to be ‘black listed’ among the Merchant Marine community, but with his charm, he managed to get back onboard another ship and began sailing again. Not long after that, he landed in Philadelphia, PA and ‘jumped ship’ once again – but this time he managed not to get caught! He established himself well in the United States and within a few years of hard work, he had saved up enough money to purchase the Pompton Lakes Diner in 1972. He ran the diner for twelve years and established himself as a wonderful cook, despite having no formal training of the sort! He was truly an example of having lived the “American Dream” and along with the help of his family, they built a successful business and a great reputation. He sold the diner in 1984 and started his own carpentry business up until he had a golden opportunity to go back to the diner in 1997. He sold the diner once again and retired in 2003. Since then, he and his wife have enjoyed dividing their time between Pompton Lakes and visits back to Kefalonia, Greece.

Tony met his wife Anna (nee Lourdas) at her home in the Bronx, after being introduced by a mutual friend. Coincidentally, they had both been raised on the island of Kefalonia and their childhood homes were less than an hour apart. They were married on January 30, 1972 and enjoyed a honeymoon at a resort in the Poconos. They settled to a home in Old Tappan, NJ before moving to Pompton Lakes that same year. Their marriage was an example of two complimentary personalities; Tony was always joking around and laughing, being funny and looking for his next prank. Although Anna might say he was a bit headstrong and a procrastinator, she kept him well grounded and they loved each other. Tony was a very hospitable man and he treated everyone like they were family. He was a loving, caring, genuine, honest man, and everyone around him knew it, everyone around him felt it, especially Anna and his two children. He will be dearly missed.

Tony is survived by his devoted wife of forty-five years; Anna, by his two children; daughter Sofia Toulios and her husband Georges Saleh, and his son; Panos Toulios and Nicole Patlias with granddaughter; Demitra Toulios, all of Pompton Lakes, NJ. Tony was one of six children in his family and he is survived by four siblings; Spiros Toulios and his wife Eleni of California, Joanna Matiatos and her husband Athanasios of Kefalonia, Kostas Toulios and his wife Janet of Marlboro, NJ, and Dennis Toulios and his wife Shirley of Upstate, New York. He was predeceased by his loving big brother; Gerasimos Toulios of Middletown, NY in 2015.

George Markley Morris, Jr., age 78 of Wayne passed away peacefully on September 11, 2017 while receiving the loving care of his family.

George was born one of two boys to George and Adele Morris in Orange, NJ. He grew up in Orange and after his high school graduation he attended Ursinus College in Collegeville, PA where he earned a Bachelor Degree in Computer Science. Shortly after his graduation from college, George heard the call to serve his country. George served very proudly and honorably in the United States Air Force from 1961-1965, where he was a computer operator on B-52 Bombers.

During his service in the USAF and while attending a church meeting he met a young beautiful young women by the name of Gloria “June” Chatham. June and George dated for a couple of years and as fate would have it they fell in love and were married on a Sunday on July 12, 1964, at Kessler Air Force Base Chapel in Biloxi, Mississippi. They had to move once as a result of George being transferred to Great Falls, Montana but, after his honorable discharge from the service in 1965, they moved to Nutley, NJ. Eventually George and June moved to Wayne and would call that their home for the rest of their lives and would raise their son George M. Morris, III. George worked at a few different companies, like Western Electric, before earning a position as a Computer Analyst at Schering Plough in Kenilworth, NJ. He worked there for the next twenty eight years until his retirement several years ago. When George retired, he and June joined the Wayne Adult Community Center where they took computer classes and volunteered to mail out the center’s newsletter. They also took occasional trips to Mississippi to visit June’s brothers and they loved taking special vacations for several years in beautiful Boothbay Harbor, Maine at the Linekin Bay Resort. George and June cherished 52 years of loving and loyal marriage, but were also heartbroken in 2012 when their only son George Markley Morris, III passed away suddenly and unexpectedly.

George also belonged to several different local computer clubs in his area. George enjoyed collecting old radios and had an extensive collection of model trains. His family remembers his as being very smart, kind and considerate and frugal to a fault, always looking for a great deal to save his family some extra money. George was a devoted father and husband. He dedicated all of his time to caring for his wife June when she became ill and was at her side until her passing in September 2016. George was an extraordinary person who made long lasting friendships with many people and will be missed by all who knew him.

George is survived by his two brother-in-laws Dennis Chatham of Rose Hill, MS, and Gene Chatham and his wife Susan of Vicksburg, MS, and numerous nieces and nephews. George was predeceased by his wife, Gloria June Morris in 2016, and by his son George Markley Morris, III in 2012.

Alma Mary Polowichak of Wayne, age 92, passed away peacefully on Monday, September 11, 2017.

Alma was born and raised in the borough of Manhattan in New York City.

On the heels of her graduation from high school, the United States was attacked at Pearl Harbor and soon after the country was fully engaged in World War II. So many men enlisting in the war effort left large shortfalls in the U.S. industrial labor force. Consequently, the government put out a campaign aimed at recruiting female workers to support the war effort from home. The symbol of this campaign was a fictitious character named “Rosie the Riveter”. Wanting to do her part to serve, Alma told her mother that she wanted to be a Rosie the Riveter at Pearl Harbor. Since she wasn’t eighteen yet, unfortunately she could not go. Soon after though she got to realize her dream, becoming a “Rosie” at the Air Force Base in Rome, NY. Her job was to lead a team of other women in the reparation of B-12 Bombers that were brought back to the United Sates after being wrecked while in battle overseas. As head mechanic, she knew every part number that made up that aircraft. She was also proud of the distinction of being one of the first persons to see the initial jet engines that the military was developing.

Alma grew up with a handsome young man named Nicholas Polowichak. Along with two other couples – Rene and Eileen, and Alice and George, this group of six were faithful friends since youth. For Alma and Nick youthful friendship grew to a loving marriage ceremony on Tuesday, August 9, 1949 in Manhattan at St. Stephen’s Church on 28th Street between 3rd and Lexington Avenues. They enjoyed 41 years together as man and wife until Nick’s passing in 1990.

After getting married, Alma and Nick continued to live in New York City until 1966 when they moved to Glen Cove, Long Island. There they raised their two daughters, Susan and Nancy, and two sons, Steven and Mark. Alma remained there for 50 years before moving to Wayne near her daughter Nancy in 2016.

Alma was a dedicated mother and homemaker who poured herself into her children’s activities as they grew up. While her daughters were in Masquers Theater in high school, Alma thought nothing of showing up at the school theater with a home cooked meal of spaghetti and meatballs and bread and salad for her daughters and all their friends. She also made it her business to faithfully attend all of her son Mark’s sporting events. She loved exposing the kids to learning experiences and consequently, they basically got to have any pet they wanted. While there were the standard pets like cats and dogs, the family was also graced with frogs, toads, turtles, a duck named Daffy and a rooster named Sgt Eggbert, which turned out to be a bit of a noisy mistake. The family also raised schnauzers, having six of their own. For one brief time, they had upwards of twenty-one schnauzers in the house. Alma loved all creatures, even lady bugs and praying mantis. To many, her nickname was “Lady Bug” and she found the praying mantis to be a wonderful advocate in her garden for warding off other plant-destroying bugs. She believed this so much, she would even buy praying mantis egg sacks and give them to friends to release in their yards for bug control.

Alma loved working on crossword puzzles. While watching two of her favorite shows – Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy - she would become noticeably upset if a female contestant was beaten by a male contestant, feeling that that women needed to prove they were just as smart as men. Lately, she enjoyed watching Judge Judy at 4:00 PM and would do her best to avoid having her caregivers attend to her while the show was on.

Alma was a dearly-loved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who will be missed by all who knew her.

Alma is survived by her three dear children: Susan Polowichak of New York, NY, Nancy and husband William Azzolini of Wayne, and Mark Polowichak of Greensburg, PA; her five cherished grandchildren: Daniel and life partner Sarah, Christopher and wife Ashley, Patrick, Ashley, and Amy; four adored great-grandchildren: Jessica, Olivia, Damien, and Makenzie; and dear sisters: Dorothy Masters and Enid Valora, both of Utah. She was predeceased by her beloved husband Nicholas in 1990, her first born son Steven and her dear brother Al Rick.

Stephen A. Scoppettuolo, age 83, of Wayne, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, September 6, 2017.

Born and raised in Newark, Stephen attended Westside High School where he excelled so much in sports, especially baseball, that he played on the varsity team his freshman year and was even offered a tryout with the New York Yankees.

After graduating high school, Stephen continued for a time doing what he had done since he was eleven years old, namely working for his father Michael in his lemon ice store.

Stephen proudly served in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1955 during the Korean Conflict, attaining the rank of corporal.

While in high school, Stephen met his beloved wife Rose. It was during his time in the Army that he and Rose were united in marriage. Upon his return home to civilian life, he started working for the Hoover Vacuum Cleaner Company and eventually opened his own business – South Orange Vacuum where he successfully sold and serviced vacuum cleaners for over forty years. He ran his business in Newark for many years before relocating it to South Orange.

Stephen and Rose enjoyed a happy and loving marriage in which they were blessed with six children. Unfortunately, sadness came into his life with Rose’s untimely passing in 1990. Eventually Stephen found love again when he met Lois Esposito. The two remained true companions for the past twenty-six years.

Stephen always loved rooting for his favorite sport teams – the New York Yankees and New York Giants, spending weekends in Atlantic City where he really enjoyed taking his chances with “lady luck”, and for many years spending warm, sunny days in Aruba. Of course, being at home in Wayne where he could be with his whole family was always his most favorite pastime. He loved big family birthday parties, being surrounded by those who loved him. He loved the companionship of Abby his cockapoo, and he was the ultimate grandfather and great grandfather to his many grandchildren and great grandchildren. Stephen especially was called upon when they were babies because no one could help them to stop crying and fussing better than him. He was so good at calming them down that his family started calling him “The Baby Whisperer.”

Stephen was predeceased by his beloved wife Rose Scoppettuolo in 1990. He is survived by his three daughters and three sons: Susan McHale, Steven Scoppettuolo and wife Joanne, Anthony Scoppettuolo and wife Lauren, Cindy Foster and husband Drew, Janet Scoppettuolo and companion Tony Dragotti, and Johnny Scoppettuolo and wife Lorraine; his beloved companion Lois Esposito and her three dear children: Randy Esposito and wife Jessica, Suzanne Esposito and Danny Esposito and fiancé Diane; his numerous adored grandchildren and great grandchildren; and dear brother Carmen Scoppettuolo and wife Maryann, and many loving nieces, nephews, and dear friends. Stephen was also predeceased by his three dear sisters: Minnie Scoppettuolo, Maryann Gambrino, and Genevieve Salerno, and his son-in-law Charlie McHale.

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

June G Schumm (nee Murray) age 90 of Fort Myers Beach, FL passed away peacefully on September 6, 2017 while receiving the loving care of her family.

June was born to and raised in Jersey City, NJ. After graduating from Dickinson High School with the class of 1944 she earned a position as a secretary in Jersey City with a large construction company. June worked there for more than twenty years. During her time working in the construction industry she met a man by the name of Richard Schumm. As fate would have it, they fell in love and Richard and June were married in August of 1963.

June and Richard settled in Wayne, NJ immediately after they were married, and would call Wayne their home for the next forty five years and would raise their two children there. June went to work with Richard as a secretary of his construction company. In 1986 they bought a home in Fort Myers Beach, FL and would spend their winters there and their summers in New Jersey. June and Richard lived in Wayne until 2007, then moved to Mount Arlington. June and Richard cherished 51 years of a loving and loyal marriage until Richard’s passing in June of 2014.

During their time together, they savored life, traveling to Hawaii, California, Florida and many trips to all parts of Europe. They also enjoyed dancing, motor boating, sailing and socializing with the countless friends they made throughout their lives. June took a particular interest, and lessons, in Tap Dancing. She liked to play cards, read, water aerobics, and enjoyed bowling and volunteered her time at St Joseph’s Hospital in Wayne, NJ. She was extremely dedicated to her faith. June and Richard were members of Incarnation Lutheran Church in Pompton Lakes, where they were also very active and volunteered their time. June was a dedicated wife, a devoted mother and a wonderful grandmother. She touched the lives of many people and will be sincerely missed by all who knew her.

June is Survived by her daughter June Bonnett and her husband Robert of Woodcliff Lake, her son David Schumm and his wife Dawn of Scottsdale, AZ four grandchildren; Danielle Bonnett of Penn State (graduate 2017), Nicholas Bonnett attending NYU, Laura Schumm attending Northeastern University, and Kevin Schumm attending Scottsdale Prep.

Those wishing to make a donation in June’s name may consider St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Incarnation, 220 Hamburg Tpk, Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442.

Margot Maiella (nee Binder), age 90 of Wayne, and formerly of N. Haledon, died peacefully after a brief illness on Monday, September 4, 2017.

Born in Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany, in 1927, Margot was raised in Germany during the hardships of World War II. She always remained very proud of her Bavarian culture. She met her husband, Joseph, who was serving in the U.S. Army, in the early months after the war’s end. Joe just happened to see two cute German girls at the movies at one evening, and he tried to make their acquaintance, but they avoided him and ran off. Joe just had to meet Margot, so he went door to door around the village until he found their home! Their romance blossomed, but fate interceded and Joe received orders to transfer back to the United States. They continued to write letters for the next two years before Margot came to join him in Paterson, NJ. Joe wasted no time proposing and they were married in 1948. A honeymoon followed to the Bronx Zoo before they settled on Warren St. in Paterson. Shortly after that, they moved to N. Haledon and then settled in Wayne. Over the years, Margot and Joe made many trips back to Germany to visit family.

Margot was a very strong willed, determined woman. She was a hard working homemaker who absolutely loved tending to her gardens, lawn, and flowers. She wore out more leaf blowers than her family can count, but nothing made her more happy than keeping the yard tidy. Her children recall what a fun mom she was, and especially her role as the “taxi mom” for all the local kids. She’d pile the whole basketball team into her station wagon and shuttle them all home, with far more kids in the car then there were seatbelts. Margot was a small lady, so she would stack pillows on the seat and behind her back, just so she could reach the pedals. It was common to see her driving with her poodle stretched out across her shoulders, and the dog’s snout out the window! Margot often said that she loved animals more than she did people, and if you knew her, that wasn’t necessarily a joke. She rescued more animals than her family can remember, and they always had dogs and cats as a part of their family. In keeping with Margot’s passion for animals, donations in her memory to the Friends of Wayne Animals would be appreciated and more information is below.

Margot is survived by her beloved children; Margot Williams of Wayne, and Jerry Maiella and his wife Virginia of N. Haledon, two grandchildren; Gary Maiella and his wife Lisa of N. Haledon, and Jason Maiella of N. Haledon, and three great-grandchildren; Joseph, Emily, and Michael Maiella, all of N. Haledon. She was predeceased by her devoted husband Joseph in 2013, by her parents; Hienrich and Carolena Binder, and by one brother and two sisters.

Friends wishing to make a donation in Margot’s memory are asked to consider the Friends of Wayne Animals (FOWA), PO Box 3701, Wayne, NJ 07474, or visit www.fowarescue.com, or Oakland Animal Food Bank, 86 Ramapo Valley Rd, Oakland, NJ 07436.

Kenneth Arnold Virula, age 38, of Wayne, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, September 3, 2017.

Kenny was born in North Bergen and raised in Paterson until moving to Wayne with his parents and two sisters in 1994. As a young boy, he always enjoyed athletics. Consequently, for much of his childhood, he actively participated in a traveling baseball league. He attended DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne where he starred as a point guard for the DePaul Spartans basketball team.

Following high school graduation in 1997, Kenny attended college before going to work full-time. In 2004 he was working for a heating, ventilating, and air conditioner contractor. Kenny was doing an installation for a customer who had an employee named Jennifer Mass. While he was working there Jen was immediately struck by Kenny’s good looks, describing him as “hotty po-totty”. He liked her too and later called the customer so he could ask for Jen’s phone number. Their first date together was to a Halloween party at Jen’s sister Jaime’s house.

For the past ten years Ken was employed by Lehmann Pools and Spas in Mahwah. He loved his job as a service manager and, because of his dedicated work ethic, he enjoyed the respect of his customers and colleagues.

When he wasn’t at work, Kenny enjoyed watching his favorite sport teams – the New York Yankees and Giants, or taking in eighteen holes of golf at the Preakness Valley County Golf Course in Wayne. Above all, his all-time favorite thing to do was to spend time with his four children – Isabella, Sophia, KJ and Mia. While it really didn’t matter what they did, he especially liked to take them for rides on his quad and play with them in the swimming pool at home and at the Crystal Springs Resort in Vernon. He truly adored his children and loved calling them by affectionate names often referring to Isabella as “Jelly Belly”, Sophia as “So-So-Delicious”, Mia as “Mia Mia”, and his son K.J. as “Mr. JJ Man.”

Kenny, or “Ken Dog” as he was known to many, will be remembered for his magnetic personality and larger-than-life presence. To many of his family and friends, he was often described as one of the funniest people they knew. Already as a kid, he was always pulling pranks like playing hide-and-seek with his sister Melissa. He’d show her where to hide then just leave her there while she patiently waited for him to “find her.” He used to set up ramps for his bike to jump over and have Melissa lay between the ramps. Kenny: everyone is going to miss your big smile! You are loved!

Surviving are Kenny’s four cherished children: Isabella, Sophia, and Kenneth “KJ” Mass Virula, and Mia Virula; his loving parents: Arnoldo and Aura Virula of Wayne; and his two dear sisters: Sylvia Virula of Wayne and Melissa Virula of Pompton Lakes.

Those planning an expression of sympathy in Ken’s name are asked to consider a gift to help with future college expenses for his four children. Thank you for giving online at gofundme.com/bella-sophia-kj-mia.

Robert M. Coss age 75 of Wayne passed away peacefully on Saturday September 2, 2017 while receiving the loving care of his family.

Bob was born in Paterson and was raised in Haskell. After graduating with the class of 1960 from Lakeland High School, Bob worked for a few years and then got the call to serve his country. From the years 1964 till 1970, Bob served honorably in the United States Army and was stationed in Germany. During his service in the US Army, Bob proposed to his high School sweetheart, Nancy Nesbihal. Nancy and Bob were married while he was still in the Army in 1966. They were married in St Frances Church in Haskell and honeymooned at Niagara Falls.

Bob and Nancy settled in an apartment in Wayne shortly after Bob was honorably discharged from the service. They soon purchased a house and stayed in Wayne and would call it their home for the rest of their lives, raising their two children Brian and Tricia.

Following his marriage and service to our country, Bob earned a position as a Clerk at PSE&G. He worked there for the next thirty-five years until his retirement several years ago. His children remember him holding down two jobs to try to give his family all that he could. He pampered his wife and his children every chance he got. Bob and Nancy were parishioners of Our Lady of the Valley RC Church in Wayne and then St Mary’s RC Church in Pompton Lakes for many years as well. They were both very active parishioners in both churches. Bob and Nancy cherished forty-nine years of loving and loyal marriage until Nancy’s passing in September of 2015.

Bob greatly enjoyed gardening. His gardening efforts once earned him a nomination for best garden in Wayne by the Wayne Today Newspaper. He spent countless hours fixing up his house and beautifying it with flowers, decorations, etc. He was an “Old School Neighbor”, never turning down anyone that needed help with anything. He would give the shirt off his back for the people in his community. Because of his good hearted nature and his love for his community, Bob created many life-long friendships.

Although Bob was not into sports as a young man, he found an interest in baseball and the New York Yankees later in his life. He was an animal lover to say the least and volunteered at the Wayne Animal Shelter, where he also fostered and adopted dogs. He and his wife Nancy enjoyed traveling together on cruises to the Caribbean and vacations to Europe. Wherever they went they always had friends by their sides.

But whether it was working two jobs or his meticulous work in his garden, Bob always made time for his children and grandchildren. He was always there for them and never let them down. Above all of Bob’s talents and interests, his family was his greatest passion. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. Bob was a very special person who devoted his life to his friends and his family, he touched the lives of countless people and will be sincerely missed by all who knew him.

Bob is survived by his daughter Tricia Winkler and her husband Ronald of Haskell, his son Brian and his wife Francesca of Wayne, three grandchildren; Kaitlyn, Aidan, and Jillian, one great-grandchild Skylar, one brother Richard of Vermont, and his three dogs; Cindy, Radar, and Cali. He was predeceased by his wife of forty-nine years Nancy (nee Nesbihal) in 2015.

Ney Tapia Mateo (“Rafelo”), 51, of Passaic, N.J., native of Pedro Santana, Dominican Republic, died at 3:51 a.m., Wednesday, August 30, 2017 at Temple University Hospital in North Philadelphia.

Rafelo was born on May 26, 1966, in Pedro Santana, D.R., and came to the United States as a young teen. His father migrated to Passaic, NJ in 1969 where he established a restaurant and eventually was able to bring his whole family from the Dominican Republic to join him here in 1981. Rafelo quickly made many friends in his new hometown of Passaic. Known as a very happy, friendly and charismatic person, Rafelo could make friends in any crowd. Rafelo was generous to a fault and would gladly give you the shirt off his back if he thought it would help you. Rafelo was a great dancer and he loved to eat! As a young boy, Rafelo was a bit of a rascal, always looking to have fun and very protective of his younger brother, Cristian.

Rafelo lived in Northern New Jersey for many years, and after his parent’s retired to the Dominican Republic; he would also spend time there. During one of his trips to the Dominican Republic, Rafelo’s only daughter, Luky Tapia (“Maria Elena”), was conceived. A few years ago, Rafelo moved to North Philadelphia with his longtime partner, Katherine Colon, and he lived there ever since.

Rafelo is survived by his loving daughter; Luky Tapia; his parents, Inocencio and Luz Maria Tapia; his brothers, Cristian Tapia and his wife Griselda Tapia, and Carlos David Tapia Florentino; his sisters, Julieta Tapia and her husband Jacobo Morillo, Yocasta Tapia-Lugo and her husband Pedro Lugo, Luz Mercedes Tapia, and Frances Tapia Mateo and her husband Englebert Santana; numerous nephews and nieces, as well as very large and loving extended family.

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Ney Tapia Mateo ("Rafelo"), 51, de Passaic, N.J., oriundo de Pedro Santana, República Dominicana, murió a las 3:51 a.m., el miércoles 30 de Agosto de 2017 en Temple University Hospital, Norte Filadelfia.

Rafelo nació el 26 de Mayo de 1966 en Pedro Santana, República Dominicana, y llegó a los Estados Unidos como un joven adolescente. Su padre migró a Passaic, Nueva Jersey en 1969, donde estableció un restaurante y finalmente pudo traer a toda su familia de la República Dominicana para unirse a él aquí en 1981. Rafelo rápidamente hizo muchas amistades en su nueva ciudad de Passaic. Conocido como una persona muy feliz, amable y carismático, Rafelo podía hacer amigos en cualquier multitud. Rafelo fue generoso, atento y le daría la camisa de su espalda a quien la necesitase. Rafelo era un gran bailarín y le encantaba comer! Cuando joven, Rafelo era un piscaro, juguetón y muy protector de su hermano menor, Cristian.

Rafelo vivió en el norte de Nueva Jersey por muchos años, y después de que su padre se retiró a la República Dominicana; el también paso tiempo allá. La única hija de Rafelo, Luky Tapia ("María Elena"), fue concebida durante uno de sus viajes a la República Dominicana. Hace unos años, Rafelo se mudó a Filadelfia del Norte con su pareja de mucho tiempo, Katherine Colón, y vivió allí desde entonces.

Rafelo es sobrevivido por su hija amorosa; Luky Tapia; sus padres, Inocencio y Luz María Tapia; sus hermanos, Cristian Tapia y su esposa Griselda Tapia y Carlos David Tapia Florentino; sus hermanas, Julieta Tapia y su esposo Jacobo Morillo, Yocasta Tapia Lugo y su esposo Pedro Lugo, Luz Mercedes Tapia y Frances Tapia Mateo y su esposo Englebert Santana; numerosos sobrinos y sobrinas, así como una familia extensa y amorosa.

Grace Klie (nee Wilson) age 89, of Wayne passed peacefully at home on Tuesday, August 29, 2017.

She was born in Boston, Massachusetts and raised in the town of Dover, Massachusetts. Grace graduated as Valedictorian from Dover High School and went on to Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. She was only sixteen years old when she started college. Grace graduated from Cornell with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Home Economics. While at Cornell she met Frederick Klie. Fred and Grace married on June 24, 1950 in Madison, NJ. They enjoyed fifteen years together before his untimely passing in 1965.

Grace was a stay at home mom raising two children Fred and Gretchen. When the children were young she supplemented her income working two nights a week at the Wayne Adult School. She later worked for the Packanack Co-Operative Nursery School in Wayne, the Theunis Dey School on Parish Drive in Wayne and finally for Chase Bank’s administrative offices on Valley Road in Wayne.

Grace was a long time member of the Packanack Community Church in Wayne. Over the years, Grace enjoyed the company of her numerous beloved dogs. They were a constant source of companionship and she often got a great kick out of their loving antics.

She was the loving wife of the late Frederick Klie (1965); devoted mother of Fred Klie of Wayne, and the late Gretchen E. Lape (1999); she was the adored grandmother of Stevie and Rick Klie.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to the Alzheimer’s New Jersey, 400 Morris Ave., Suite 251, Denville, NJ 07834 (ALZNJ.org) would be appreciated.

Joseph W. Carlucci, age 84 of Pompton Plains, formerly of Wayne, passed peacefully on Monday, August 28, 2017.

He was born to William and Julia Carlucci in Port Chester, New York. He was raised at 15 Wesley Avenue in Port Chester having graduated from Port Chester High School with the Class of 1950 where he held the several school record for pole vault. For a short time he also held the New York State record for pole vault. He lived in Wayne before moving to Pompton Plains.

Joe served in the US Army Signal Corps during the Korean War. Upon being Honorably Discharged in 1954 he received the Korean Service Medal with one Bronze Star, the Presidential Unit Citation, the United Nations Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.

He had a lifelong career in logistics having worked for the Exxon Corporation in Florham Park and more recently the Ricoh Corporation in Fairfield before retiring in 1988.

Joe will be remembered for his quiet, reserved way. His easygoing demeanor endeared him to just about everyone he met. He was an avid golfer, could tell you the best restaurants in just about any town, and loved a good red wine.

He was the loving husband of Marilyn (Scott) Carlucci of Pompton Plains; he was the devoted father of Paul Carlucci and his wife Linda of Wayne, and William Carlucci and his wife Sylvie of Verbier, Switzerland; loved step-father of Shannon Gibson and her husband Scott of Montclair, and Bryan Flynn and his wife Jane of Cedar Grove; he was the cherished grandfather of Madison, Joseph, Jonathan, and Jessica Carlucci and Hollen, Norah, and Leland Gibson; he was the dear brother of Marie Sileo and Doris Lancia both of Rye, New York, and the late Joan Forte.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to the Alzheimer’s New Jersey, 400 Morris Ave., Suite 251, Denville, NJ 07834 (ALZNJ.org) would be appreciated.

Adeline "Dolly" Scaglione (Pasqua) age 96, of Pompton Plains passed peacefully at home on Saturday, August 26, 2017. She was born in Hoboken to Giovina and Davide Pasqua and was raised in Fairview. As a young woman, Dolly worked as a seamstress and was a member of the International Ladies' Garment Workers Union. Dolly has sewn almost every type of garment including her own dresses, her children's special Sunday clothes and all their Halloween costumes.

Dolly married Cirino "Red" Scaglione when he returned from WWII in 1946. They resided in Cliffside Park where they raised their three children, Carol, Elaine and Bill. Dolly was a stay-at-home mom who dedicated herself to raising her family. Later, when the children were older, she enjoyed working as a Cafeteria Lady at Cliffside Park High School.

Dolly moved to Palisades Park where she was a very active member of the Ridgefield Senior Citizens. She especially enjoyed line dancing where most participants followed her moves. She took countless day trips to AC, theatre shows, holiday luncheons, trips to Hawaii and San Francisco. Dolly was the lady who cut the cake at bingo and card day (because she cut them the best). She loved card games and everyone always played by "Dolly's Rules". She had a regular weekly canasta group that always instilled lots of laughs and yelling when someone went out unexpectedly. The night always ended with a shot of Drambuie for all.

Dolly was a fabulous cook and baker. We will always remember her roasted red peppers with lots of fresh garlic and olive oil, her from scratch pasta for her lasagna, manicotti, gnocchi and noodles to name a few. As for sweets, anise biscuits, walnut tarts (a/k/a Dolly Tarts), fluffy cheesecake and her famous Birthday Cake. She made The Birthday Cake for everyone's birthday. It was through her cooking that Dolly showed her love for family and friends. She was independent and outgoing, and at times, a feisty and no-nonsense woman. But you could always count on her to lend a helping hand to those around her.

Dolly was the loving wife of 34 years to the late Red Scaglione who predeceased her in 1980. She was the devoted mother of Carol Calvi, husband Louis of Hasbrouck Heights, Elaine Baccarella, husband Pasquale of Pequannock, and Bill Scaglione, wife Janet of Albany, CA. She was the cherished grandmother of Peter Teubner, Matthew Calvi, Sherry Manning, Damian Baccarella, Stephanie Koerella, Gabriel Scaglione and Laura Scaglione. She had six great grandchildren. She was predeceased by her three brothers Angelo, John and Anthony.

In her later years she lived at Cedar Crest Village, Pompton Plains. There she was a master of crocheting and over the years made and gave away hundreds of doilies to the employees and friends. Everyone knew her as the "Doily Lady". During the Belmont Friday Happy Hour she was probably best known as the lady who danced while the pianist, Wanda, played "Hello Dolly" with everyone singing along. Dolly could not sit still while any good music was playing. Even dancing to the music in the middle of the Willowbrook Mall with her walker. There are probably a few cell phone videos of her dancing as people stopped and enjoyed watching her boogie.

The family is very grateful to Adelaide Manu, mom's live in aide, for her devoted and loving care of Dolly for the past five years.

Adeline "Dolly" Scaglione (Pasqua) age 96, of Pompton Plains passed peacefully at home on Saturday, August 26, 2017. She was born in Hoboken to Giovina and Davide Pasqua and was raised in Fairview. As a young woman, Dolly worked as a seamstress and was a member of the International Ladies' Garment Workers Union. Dolly has sewn almost every type of garment including her own dresses, her children's special Sunday clothes and all their Halloween costumes.

Dolly married Cirino "Red" Scaglione when he returned from WWII in 1946. They resided in Cliffside Park where they raised their three children, Carol, Elaine and Bill. Dolly was a stay-at-home mom who dedicated herself to raising her family. Later, when the children were older, she enjoyed working as a Cafeteria Lady at Cliffside Park High School.

Dolly moved to Palisades Park where she was a very active member of the Ridgefield Senior Citizens. She especially enjoyed line dancing where most participants followed her moves. She took countless day trips to AC, theatre shows, holiday luncheons, trips to Hawaii and San Francisco. Dolly was the lady who cut the cake at bingo and card day (because she cut them the best). She loved card games and everyone always played by "Dolly's Rules". She had a regular weekly canasta group that always instilled lots of laughs and yelling when someone went out unexpectedly. The night always ended with a shot of Drambuie for all.

Dolly was a fabulous cook and baker. We will always remember her roasted red peppers with lots of fresh garlic and olive oil, her from scratch pasta for her lasagna, manicotti, gnocchi and noodles to name a few. As for sweets, anise biscuits, walnut tarts (a/k/a Dolly Tarts), fluffy cheesecake and her famous Birthday Cake. She made The Birthday Cake for everyone's birthday. It was through her cooking that Dolly showed her love for family and friends. She was independent and outgoing, and at times, a feisty and no-nonsense woman. But you could always count on her to lend a helping hand to those around her.

Dolly was the loving wife of 34 years to the late Red Scaglione who predeceased her in 1980. She was the devoted mother of Carol Calvi, husband Louis of Hasbrouck Heights, Elaine Baccarella, husband Pasquale of Pequannock, and Bill Scaglione, wife Janet of Albany, CA. She was the cherished grandmother of Peter Teubner, Matthew Calvi, Sherry Manning, Damian Baccarella, Stephanie Koerella, Gabriel Scaglione and Laura Scaglione. She had six great grandchildren. She was predeceased by her three brothers Angelo, John and Anthony.

In her later years she lived at Cedar Crest Village, Pompton Plains. There she was a master of crocheting and over the years made and gave away hundreds of doilies to the employees and friends. Everyone knew her as the "Doily Lady". During the Belmont Friday Happy Hour she was probably best known as the lady who danced while the pianist, Wanda, played "Hello Dolly" with everyone singing along. Dolly could not sit still while any good music was playing. Even dancing to the music in the middle of the Willowbrook Mall with her walker. There are probably a few cell phone videos of her dancing as people stopped and enjoyed watching her boogie.

The family is very grateful to Adelaide Manu, mom's live in aide, for her devoted and loving care of Dolly for the past five years.

Al Kasperowicz, age 54, of Pompton Plains, passed away on Friday, August 25, 2017.

Al was born in Luban, Poland. Seeking more opportunity and a better life, he emigrated with his parents to the United States when he was thirteen years old. His family initially settled in a railroad apartment on Pavonia Avenue in Jersey City and there he remained until joining the US Navy. He served his country from 1983 to 1987.

Upon Al’s return to civilian life he rejoined his family in Jersey City and after marriage in 1991, he moved to Fair Lawn, and then Bloomfield, where his first and second sons were born. He then moved to Wayne in 1998 where his third son was born. He then moved to Pompton Plains after his divorce in 2007.

Since 1993, Al was employed by UBS in New York City, Hoboken, and most recently in Weehawken as a wealth manager. His position was very unique in that he was responsible for processing the conversion of foreign currencies to complete a corporate action. He always tried his best to explain what he did to his family and friends but everyone had a hard time wrapping their heads around it. He clearly was a maverick and very valued by his company.

Al had a very creative side which he expressed in many different ways. One way was through his photography. He loved taking pictures of his three sons, and nature. This love of taking pictures worked hand-in-hand with his love of travel. Traveling gave him many subjects to photograph, such as the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and Arches National Park in Utah.

Al loved to see different parts of the US and so he and his three sons took many trips including the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Chicago, Illinois. Out west he and the boys visited Wyoming and South Dakota where they got to see Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse monument. They also went south to the Four Corners which marks the quadripoint where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah meet. Al’s camera was always out.

He liked taking his three sons to tour different baseball stadiums. They saw the Cubs play at Wrigley Field, the Rockies play at Coors Field, the Phillies play at Citizens Bank Park, the Pirates play at PNC Park, the Orioles play at Camden Yards, the Nationals play at Nationals Park, the Mets play at Shea Stadium and Citi Field, and the Yankees play at Old and New Yankee Stadium. Regardless of all the baseball, Al and the boys bonded most over their mutual love for the New Jersey Devils.

Al kept in touch with a group of great friends that he made just after arriving in the US. They welcomed him into their neighborhood in Jersey City and played a major part in his learning of a new language. A great memory shared often by his friends was the one that gave Al his nickname, “Woosh.” One day while playing basketball, he kicked the ball straight into the hoop. Al’s accent still ripe, he said “woosh” instead of “swish.” It has stuck ever since.

Late last year, Al suffered a stroke. After several weeks in the hospital, and months of rehab, Al made his way back to work. His sudden passing comes as a shock to many but he will always be loved and remembered by those who were blessed to have known him.

Al is survived by his first son Christopher and his fiancé Amanda Squicciarini, as well as his middle and youngest sons, Alexander, and Zachary Kasperowicz of Wayne; his former wife Lenore Kasperowicz of Wayne, his loving mother: Marianna Kasperowicz of Jersey City; his dear sister Henryka and husband Zdzislaw Wojtowicz of Boynton Beach, FL; nieces Elizabeth Wojtowicz of Boynton Beach, FL, and Marta and husband James Jurewicz of Jersey City. Al was predeceased by his loving father Henryk in 1978.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Al’s name are asked to consider the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 11454 Alexandria, VA 22312 or at www.diabetes.org

Robert E. Kueppers, age 91 of Wayne, passed peacefully at home on Friday, August 25, 2017.

He was born in Passaic and raised at 146 Dundee Avenue in Paterson. He had been a Wayne resident for over sixty years.

Bob was a proud WWII Veteran having served with the 329th Infantry of the 83rd Division. He was a Technician Fifth Grade and Light Tank Crewman with campaigns in Ardennes Central Europe. For his service he received the Combat Infantry Badge, African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, and the WWII Victory Medal. He was Honorably Discharged on June 2, 1946. As a young boy he served in the Oakland Military Academy in Oakland NJ.

While driving in Paterson with the roof down in a convertible Bob spotted a classmate from high school named Edith Warren. They waved to each other and as fate would have it they fell in love. Bob and Edith married on May 8, 1948 at Saint Brendan’s RC Church in Clifton and honeymooned in Florida. They have enjoyed sixty-nine years of a loving and caring marriage.

Robert was the loving husband of Edith Kueppers; devoted father of Lorraine Kueppers of Beachwood, and the late Robert Kueppers; beloved grandfather of Jeffrey and Jennifer Kueppers; cherished great-grandfather of Adrianna Kueppers.

Al Kasperowicz, age 54, of Pompton Plains, passed away on Friday, August 25, 2017.

Al was born in Luban, Poland. Seeking more opportunity and a better life, he emigrated with his parents to the United States when he was thirteen years old. His family initially settled in a railroad apartment on Pavonia Avenue in Jersey City and there he remained until joining the US Navy. He served his country from 1983 to 1987.

Upon Al’s return to civilian life he rejoined his family in Jersey City and after marriage in 1991, he moved to Fair Lawn, and then Bloomfield, where his first and second sons were born. He then moved to Wayne in 1998 where his third son was born. He then moved to Pompton Plains after his divorce in 2007.

Since 1993, Al was employed by UBS in New York City, Hoboken, and most recently in Weehawken as a wealth manager. His position was very unique in that he was responsible for processing the conversion of foreign currencies to complete a corporate action. He always tried his best to explain what he did to his family and friends but everyone had a hard time wrapping their heads around it. He clearly was a maverick and very valued by his company.

Al had a very creative side which he expressed in many different ways. One way was through his photography. He loved taking pictures of his three sons, and nature. This love of taking pictures worked hand-in-hand with his love of travel. Traveling gave him many subjects to photograph, such as the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and Arches National Park in Utah.

Al loved to see different parts of the US and so he and his three sons took many trips including the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Chicago, Illinois. Out west he and the boys visited Wyoming and South Dakota where they got to see Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse monument. They also went south to the Four Corners which marks the quadripoint where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah meet. Al’s camera was always out.

He liked taking his three sons to tour different baseball stadiums. They saw the Cubs play at Wrigley Field, the Rockies play at Coors Field, the Phillies play at Citizens Bank Park, the Pirates play at PNC Park, the Orioles play at Camden Yards, the Nationals play at Nationals Park, the Mets play at Shea Stadium and Citi Field, and the Yankees play at Old and New Yankee Stadium. Regardless of all the baseball, Al and the boys bonded most over their mutual love for the New Jersey Devils.

Al kept in touch with a group of great friends that he made just after arriving in the US. They welcomed him into their neighborhood in Jersey City and played a major part in his learning of a new language. A great memory shared often by his friends was the one that gave Al his nickname, “Woosh.” One day while playing basketball, he kicked the ball straight into the hoop. Al’s accent still ripe, he said “woosh” instead of “swish.” It has stuck ever since.

Late last year, Al suffered a stroke. After several weeks in the hospital, and months of rehab, Al made his way back to work. His sudden passing comes as a shock to many but he will always be loved and remembered by those who were blessed to have known him.

Al is survived by his first son Christopher and his fiancé Amanda Squicciarini, as well as his middle and youngest sons, Alexander, and Zachary Kasperowicz of Wayne; his former wife Lenore Kasperowicz of Wayne, his loving mother: Marianna Kasperowicz of Jersey City; his dear sister Henryka and husband Zdzislaw Wojtowicz of Boynton Beach, FL; nieces Elizabeth Wojtowicz of Boynton Beach, FL, and Marta and husband James Jurewicz of Jersey City. Al was predeceased by his loving father Henryk in 1978.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Al’s name are asked to consider the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 11454 Alexandria, VA 22312 or at www.diabetes.org