Bill Hillier, Assunta M. Gaudioso, Margaret Haldeman, David R. Hullfish, Gertrude I. Ruopp, Catherine R. Bush.
Bill Hillier
Television producer
ENCINO, Calif. Bill Hillier died March 18 of cancer. He was 61.
He grew up and was educated in Princeton.
Mr. Hillier was president of Hillier & Company and was an Emmy Award-winning television producer.
A graduate of Harvard University, he did post-graduate work in drama at Carnegie Mellon and Yale universities.
He began his television career at KING-TV in Seattle in 1966, where he was a director and producer, assembling local, live TV shows.
He joined Westinghouse Broadcasting’s Group W Productions in 1968, where he worked in programming and management. He worked at stations in Boston, Baltimore and San Francisco. In 1976 he created "PM Magazine," the first-ever daily magazine show.
He left Westinghouse to start his own production company, producing "The World of People," "Epcot Magazine," "Soap World," "Memories Then and Now" and the NBC movie, "Untold Stories: The Search For Amelia Earhart," among others.
He received Emmy awards from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for his productions of "Beggar at the Gates" (1968-69) and "The Savage Root" (1969-70) while at WBZ-TV in Boston, a Westinghouse station.
He was inducted into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 1985.
His recent shows have included "The Richard Simmons Slim Cooking Show," "What’s Hot! What’s Not!," "Great Escapes" and "True Colors."
In 1992 he formed a partnership with television host Wink Martindale, producing "Trivial Pursuit," "Boggle," "Mother Goose," "Jumble" and "Why Didn’t I Think of That?"
Son of the late Florence Bell Hillier, he is survived by his father, James Hillier of Princeton; his wife of 16 years, Meri; sons Sean, Wyn and Shawn; and brother J. Robert Hillier of Princeton.
A memorial service will be held noon April 8 in the Encino Glenn room of the Encino/Balboa Golf Club, 16821 Burbank Blvd., Encino.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the R A Block Cancer Foundation, 4400 Main St., Kansas City, MO 64111.
Assunta M. Gaudioso
Longtime Princeton resident
Assunta Mazzella Gaudioso of Princeton Township died Thursday at home. She was 89.
Born and raised in Ischia, Italy, she was a Princeton resident since 1958.
A homemaker, she was an avid gardener and cook.
Daughter of the late Maddalena and Filippo Mazzella, wife of the late Giocchino Gaudioso, she is survived by sons and daughters-in-law Joseph and Maria R. of Montgomery, Philip and Maria of Princeton, Nick and Dorothy of Pittsburgh and John and Adair of Rockville, Md.; daughters and son-in-law Mary Gaudioso Mennella and Antonio Mennella of Montgomery and Madeline Gaudioso of Los Angeles; sisters Maria Gaudioso and Lucia Amalifano, both of Ischia, Italy; eight grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Services were held Monday.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society of New Jersey, Mercer County Chapter, 3076 Princeton Pike, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648.
Margaret Haldeman
Longtime Montgomery resident
MONTGOMERY Margaret "Peggy" Haldeman died March 13 at The Medical Center at Princeton. She was 68.
Born in Cornwells Heights, Pa., she moved to New Jersey in 1948. She lived for a few years in Kingston and lived the remainder of her life in Montgomery.
She graduated as a member of the National Honor Society from Pennington Central High School in 1951.
A secretary, administrator and bookkeeper, she worked at Truesdell Co.; Jasna Polana, the Johnson estate in Princeton Township; landscaper Herman Panacek; and until her final days at RTCW Landscaping Contractors in Hopewell.
She was active with the Eastern Service Workers of Trenton as well as regularly giving to war veterans and many other charitable groups.
She was an accomplished seamstress and stuffed-animal maker. She was devoted to gardening, nature, art and her family.
A private memorial was observed by close relatives.
Memorial contributions can be made to the Hindu Orphanage Endowment Fund, (808) 822-3012 ext. 228 or http://www.hheonline.org and Save the Children, (800)-728-3843 or http://www.savethechildren.com.
David R. Hullfish
Former carpenter, deli owner
HIGHTSTOWN David R. Hullfish died Sunday at home. He was 58.
Born in Trenton, he was a resident of Plainsboro most of his life before moving to Hightstown five years ago.
Mr. Hullfish had been employed with Princeton Carpenters Local Union No. 781. He also had been the owner and operator of the Plainsboro Deli.
Mr. Hullfish served with the New Jersey National Guard.
He was an avid auto racing fan.
Son of the late Clarence and Marie Hullfish, he is survived by daughters Krista and Kelly Hullfish, both of Princeton; son David R. Hullfish II of Hightstown; his former wife and good friend Maria Hullfish of Trenton; sister Lucille Bugglin of Bethlehem, Pa.; brothers Clarence of Pompano Beach, Fla., Ronald of East Windsor and Raymond of Yardley, Pa.; mother-in-law Concettina Manganelli of Trenton; granddaughters Kimberly and Alisa Hullfish of Ohio; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
The funeral will be 11 a.m. Thursday at Kimble Funeral Home, 1 Hamilton Ave., Princeton.
Burial will follow in Princeton Cemetery.
Calling hours will be 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to The Germino Foundation at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Development Department, 195 Little Albany St., New Brunswick, NJ 08903.
Gertrude I. Ruopp
Office manager in Princeton
DURHAM, N.C. Gertrude I. "Trudie" Ruopp died Friday at the Homeplace of Durham Nursing Home, Durham. She was 88.
Born in Trenton, she was a Princeton Township resident before moving to Durham in 1997.
She was a graduate of Trenton Central High School.
Mrs. Ruopp worked many years as an office manager for Dr. Bruce J. Berger and Dr. Dolton of Princeton.
Daughter of the late Harry and Florence Johnson, wife of the late Carl H. Ruopp and sister of the late Elizabeth Jaggers and Dorothy Burbank, she is survived by daughter and son-in-law Christina and David Hill of Creedmoor, N.C.; son and daughter-in-law Carl H. Jr. and Susan Ruopp of Mount Holly; sister Mary Laedline of Trenton; grandchildren Lisa Manuele, Dave Hill, Carl W. Ruopp and Kathryn C. Ruopp; three great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.
The funeral will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Saul Memorial Home, 1740 Greenwood Ave., Trenton.
Burial will be in Riverview Cemetery, Trenton.
Calling hours will be 7 to 9 p.m. today at Saul Memorial Home. In lieu of flowers, the family will accept donations for the Trust Fund for Education of Prodigy. Donations may be made to Carl H. K. Ruopp, 57 Kensington Drive, Mount Holly, NJ 08060.
Catherine R. Bush
Former area resident
McEWEN, Tenn. Catherine Rebecca Bush died Wednesday. She was 48.
Born in Somerset County, she attended Princeton High School and worked in the Princeton area.
Daughter of the late Garrett Durling Bush, she is survived by her mother, Helen Kukish Bush of Ewing; son and daughter-in-law Edward D. and Patricia Bush of Nashville, Tenn.; daughter Shelby Bush of McEwen, Tenn.; brothers and sisters-in-law Walter and Helen Wasilewski of Virginia and Edward C. and Denise Bush of New Jersey; sisters and brothers-in-law Garry-Jean Warren and Rick Bolton of McEwen, Robert Jane and Ernie Henderdson of New Jersey, Barbara and Al Hale of New Jersey and Myrtle M. and Pat Christian of McEwen; companion Tommy Wells of McEwen; one granddaughter and several nieces and nephews.
The funeral was Friday.
Arrangements were by Humphreys County Funeral Home, Waverly, Tenn.