Community mourning the
loss of a local volunteer
Trade center victim, 31, was nicknamed ‘mayor’ for his local involvement
Christopher More Dincuff
SOUTH RIVER –– In the days following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, thousands of families mourned the losses of friends and relatives.
Many communities, such as South River, also suffered the loss of valuable residents, and among them was 31-year-old Christopher More Dincuff, who was born in the borough and became well-known for his bond with the community. In fact, he was nicknamed "The Mayor."
"His involvement with South River was really just a love of South River," said his mother, Joan Dincuff, of New Street.
Dincuff will be missed by his family; he is survived by his fiancée, Angela Gutermuth, who he planned to marry in September. He is also survived by his father, Frank, and his wife, Eileen, both of Piscataway, and his siblings, Beth, Amy and Ian.
Dincuff graduated from South River High School as the class salutatorian, class president and member of the National Honor Society. While at the school in the late 1980s, he earned varsity letters in football, basketball and baseball. He was also named the Middlesex County Scholar Athlete in 1988 for South River.
After graduation, Dincuff attended Villanova University, Pa., where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business. Dincuff was a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity at Villanova, and was a big fan of the Wildcats basketball team.
After graduating from college, Dincuff began an internship with major league baseball for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes during their first season in 1993. He was a lifelong Yankees fan, so he thoroughly enjoyed his experience while interning, his mother said.
Dincuff’s friends and family called him "The Mayor" of South River because of his involvement and love for the town. According to his obituary, he was often seen cheering on the South River High School Rams football team at Denny Stadium. He was also a member of the South River Lions Club, and served on the borough’s Parks and Recreation Commission from 1995 to 1999.
At a meeting Tuesday, commission members unanimously approved naming a South River Junior Baseball League after Dincuff.
"Although one of the youngest members of the commission, everyone sought his advice, input and ideas," according to a statement from the commission.
"He lent an air of camaraderie and breathed fresh ideas into the commission," a member said.
In 1994, Dincuff began working as a commodities trader for Carr Futures, a global brokerage firm whose offices were located on the 92nd floor in the north tower of the World Trade Center. Carr Futures, whose headquarters are in Chicago, housed approximately 150 employees in the Manhattan office. Dincuff is among 69 employees who are missing from the firm.
Soon after the news arrived that Dincuff was among the missing on Sept. 11, an impromptu candlelight vigil was held with Dincuff’s family and friends, his mother said. Among those in attendance were many friends from Villanova and South River. Joan Dincuff said she was happy to see that because of her son, everyone knew each other.
"He was the hinge that kept them all together," she said.
Mayor Robert Szegeti remembered meeting Dincuff during his service on the Parks and Recreation Commission.
"He was a nice guy," Szegeti said. "He was always really energetic."
A memorial Mass was offered Saturday at St. Thomas the Apostle Roman Catholic Church, Old Bridge, and was followed by a ceremony of life at the St. Thomas Pastoral Center. The family has asked that, in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the Christopher M. Dincuff Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o 36 New St., South River, NJ 08882.
"He loved being a part of South River," his mother said.
While many residents of South River may not have been aware of the extent of Dincuff’s service to their town, they will experience his spirit in small ways each time they cheer the Rams on at Denny Stadium, or take advantage of any of the recreation commission’s services or facilities.
"Being a small town, any loss is great," commission members said. "However, with Chris, a part of the future of our town and our country was lost. It is a void in the world that can never be filled; it is a hole in all our hearts."