From the March 28 edition of the Register-News
By:
Tomasz R. Siek
FLORENCE Tomasz R. "Wish-Wish" Siek, 31, died March 21 in Bucks County, Pa.
Born in Warszawa, Poland, Mr. Siek was an area resident since 1985.
He attended Lawrence High School, where he played varsity soccer.
He is survived by his parents, Ryszard and Krystyna Lipa Siek of Florence; his wife, Ellen McKinney Siek of Morrisville, Pa.; four children, Tomasz R., Jared C. and Natalia K. Siek and Ashley N. McKinney, all of Morrisville; a sister, Beata B. DiMatteo and her fiancé Craig Gromes of Hopewell Township; two nephews, Paul and Andrew DiMatteo of Hopewell Township; an uncle, Jurek Urbanski, and a cousin, Mariusz Urbanski, both of Irvington; and other relatives in Poland.
The funeral was held from Knott’s Colonial Funeral Home, Hamilton.
Funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Hedwig Roman Catholic Church, Trenton.
Burial was in St. Hedwig Cemetery, Ewing.
Charles W.
Mathews III
BORDENTOWN CITY Charles W. Mathews III, 52, died March 19 at home.
Born at Fort Dix, he lived in the Bordentown area most of his life.
He was a fiber optic technician with JDS Uniphase Co., Ewing.
Son of the late Charles W. Mathews Jr., he is survived by his wife, Teresa Moscatiello Mathews; a son, Charles of Bordentown; his mother, Mary Heisler Mathews of Bordentown; three brothers, Michael L. of Trenton, Timothy J. of Florence and William R. of Bordentown; a sister and brother-in-law, Anne Marie and Michael Lovering of Bordentown; an aunt, Jule Heisler of Bordentown; and nieces, nephews and a great-niece.
Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, Bordentown, with the Rev. Michael Burns, pastor, officiating.
Burial was in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Bordentown Township.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hope Hose Humane Co. 1, 150 W. Burlington St., P.O. Box 666, Bordentown, NJ 08505.
James D. Smith
BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP James D. "Pop Pop" Smith, 89, died March 20 at Water’s Edge Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, Trenton.
Born in Donalsonville, Ga., he lived in Bordentown for 79 years.
He graduated from Bordentown High School in 1933 and Manual Training School of Bordentown in 1937.
An Army veteran of World War II, he served in New Guinea, South Philippines and Luzon and received the Philippine Liberation Ribbon and the Good Conduct, Asiatic Pacific Campaign and World War II Victory medals.
He was honorably discharged in 1946.
Mr. Smith retired after 30 years as an insurance agent with Progressive Life Insurance.
He was a longtime member of Shiloh Baptist Church, Bordentown, and had been church treasurer, a Sunday school teacher and a member of the Trustee and Deacon boards.
He was a member of VFW Post 5045 and American Legion of Bordentown.
Son of the late John and Peggy Smith, he is survived by his wife of 65 years, Belle Waldron Smith; a son and daughter-in-law, Gordon E. and Joanne Smith; a granddaughter, Cheryl Smith; and a great-grandson, Aziz Smith-Hamilton, all of Willingboro; a sister, Joan Freeman of Trenton; and other relatives and friends.
The funeral was held at Shiloh Baptist Church with the Rev. George L. Coleman Jr., pastor, officiating.
Burial was in Bordentown Cemetery.
Arrangements were by Anderson Funeral Service, Trenton.
Jane Ridgway
FLORENCE Jane O’Neill Ridgway, 94, died March 24 at Marcella Nursing Center, Burlington Township.
Born in Paterson, she lived in Florence for the last 50 years.
She retired in 1986 after many years as a concessions manager with various area drive-in theaters.
She was a member of St. Clare’s Roman Catholic Church.
Mrs. Ridgway had a ham radio operator’s license and enjoyed flower arranging and ceramics.
Wife of the late Kenneth T. Ridgway Sr. and mother of the late Blanche Ridgway and Robert Sprague, she is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, Kenneth Jr. and Brenda Ridgway of Florence and Howard and Vicky Sprague of Arizona; a brother, Howard O’Neill of New York; 14 grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren.
The funeral was held from the Dennison Funeral Home, Florence.
Mass of Christian Burial was held at St. Clare’s Roman Catholic Church, with the Rev. Felix Venza, pastor, officiating.
Burial was in Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Arneytown.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to any branch of the American Heart Association or to St. Clare’s Roman Catholic Church Improvement Fund, 232 E. Front St., Florence, NJ 08518.
Raymond H. Price
CHESTERFIELD Raymond H. Price, 64, died March 22 at home.
Born in the Lakeside section of Hamilton, he was a lifelong area resident.
Mr. Price was head groundskeeper for Mid-State Correctional Facility and had retired after many years as a millwright journeyman with Stokes Molded Products, Trenton.
An avid sportsman and hunter, he was a member of Park Rod & Gun Club of Whiting and the National Rifle Association. He was an honorary member of VFW Post 491, Yardville.
Son of the late Raymond and Gertrude Price Sr., he is survived by his fiancee, Janice Hughes of Bordentown; a brother-in-law, Harry Gaston of Robbinsville; an aunt, Eve Bitmann of Plymouth, Mich.; nieces, Judy Ryba of Yardville, Joyce Kosztyu of Allentown and Louise Gerraci of North Carolina; nephews, Harry Gaston of New Egypt, and Bill and Joseph Newmann of Florida; cousins, Joyce Gainey of Florida, Cathy Sautter of Michigan, Morris Hodson of Chesterfield and Joseph Bitmann of Salt Lake City; and friends.
The funeral was held at Kingston & Kemp Funeral Home, Hamilton, with Deacon Neil Prozzi of St. Gregory the Great Roman Catholic Church officiating.
Burial was in Riverview Cemetery, Trenton.
Robert M. Valentini
PELICAN ISLAND Robert M. Valentini, 58, died March 14 in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Born in Trenton, he attended Bordentown and Toms River schools, graduating from Toms River High School in 1961.
He graduated summa cum laude from Rider College, Lawrence, in 1965 and served as an Army first lieutenant at the Pentagon during the Vietnam War.
Mr. Valentini retired in 1995 as president and chief executive officer of Bell of Pennsylvania.
He began with the operator services department of New Jersey Bell Telephone Co. and held many management positions during his 30-year career.
He served as director on the boards of Bell Telephone Co. of Pennsylvania, Diamond State Telephone Co., Northwest Airlines, Rider University, Pennsylvania Business Roundtable, Pennsylvania Economic Development Partnership, Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, Greater Philadelphia First, World Affairs Council, United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, Pennsylvanians for Effective Government, The Franklin Institute, Foundation for a Drug Free Pennsylvania, Leadership Pennsylvania, INROADS/Philadelphia Inc. and Allegheny Conference for Community Development.
He is survived by his wife, Marguerite Deutz Valentini; a daughter, Tracy Valentini Conforti of Chatham; a son, Mark D. of Pelican Island; a son-in-law, Michael J. Conforti, and a granddaughter, Alexandra K. Conforti of Chatham; a brother, Michael D. of Pelican Island; and two great-aunts, Elsie and Sola Valentini of Bordentown.
Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, Bordentown, with the Rev. Martin Padovani officiating.
Burial was in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Bordentown.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
Margaret G. Haras
EWING Margaret G. Haras, 81, died March 22 at St. Mary Medical Center, Middletown, Pa.
Born in Bordentown, she was a lifelong area resident.
She retired after several years with the registrar’s office of Trenton State College.
She was a member and officer of Woodmen of the World and a member of Ewing Township Senior Citizens Club, Ewing Patriotic Committee and the League of Women Voters.
Daughter of the late Joseph and May Girton, sister of the late Joseph Girton and wife of the late Robert A. Haras, she is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Roberta and Thomas Meserole of Arlington Heights, Ill.; and nieces and nephews.
The funeral was held from Orland’s Ewing Memorial Chapel.
Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at Church of St. Ann, Lawrence.
Burial was in Ewing Church Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Church of St. Ann, 1253 Lawrence Road, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648.
Gladys Reed
Bartlett
MIDWEST CITY, Okla. Gladys Reed Bartlett, 79, died March 17 at home.
Born in Burlington, she lived in Florence and Ogden, Utah, before moving to her daughter’s home in Midwest City.
She was a member of Defense Depot Officer’s Wives’ Club in Ogden, Utah, and served as president 1975-1976.
She was a member of St. Philip Neri Catholic Church, Midwest City.
She enjoyed the shore, playing golf, cards and silk needlework.
Wife of the late Lt. Col. Woodrow Bartlett, sister of the late Margaret Mitchell of Burlington, Dorothy Wilson of Roebling and Edward C. Reed of Florence, she is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Patricia and Dale Smith of Midwest City; in-laws Keith and Melba Adams of Blackfoot, Ind.; and nieces and nephews including Leatrice Wilkie of Florence, Edward Wilson of Florida and Kenneth, Gary, Keith, David and Craig Wilkie.
The funeral was held at Dennison Funeral Home, Florence, with the Rev. Francis Hanudel, pastor of Holy Assumption Roman Catholic Church of Roebling, officiating.
Burial was in Calvary Cemetery, Florence.
Maud Pagano
TRENTON Maud Pagano, 75, of the Villa Park section of Trenton, died March 15 at St. Francis Medical Center.
She is survived by her husband, Anthony Pagano of Trenton; a daughter, Maria Pagano of Trenton; and two sons and daughters-in-law, Frank and Nancy Pagano of Bordentown and Anthony and Vicki Pagano of California.
Memorial Mass was celebrated at St. Anthony’s Roman Catholic Church.
Arrangements were by Chambers, D’Errico & Correnti Funeral Home.
Dean R. Fuccello
HAMILTON Dean R. Fuccello, 47, died March 18.
Born in Trenton, he lived in Hamilton for 41 years and graduated from Steinert High School.
He served in the Coast Guard Reserve 1972 to 1978.
Son of the late Mark C. and Inez R. Warner Fuccello, nephew of the late Thomas Fuccello and uncle of the late Joseph Zazzo, he is survived by a daughter, Chelsea Fuccello of Georgia; a brother, Mark A. of Hamilton; a sister, Gloria Jean and husband Joseph Zazzo of Bordentown; two aunts, Lucy Kelly of Hamilton and Mae Fuccello of Trenton; three nieces, Cindy, Michelle and Kim Zazzo; and cousins.
The funeral was held at Gruerio Funeral Home, Trenton.
Burial was in Greenwood Cemetery.