OBITUARIES

Greater Media Newspapers prints obituaries as a free community service, at no charge to the families of the deceased or to the funeral homes that provide the information.

VIRGINIA R. BACKLE, 75, of Brick died Nov. 1 in Meridian Nursing Home, Brick. Born in North Bergen, she lived in West New York before moving to Brick 24 years ago. She was a bookkeeper at the DiFeo Buick dealership, West New York, for 40 years, retiring in 1997. Afterward, she worked as a clerk at Macy’s in the Ocean County Mall, Toms River. She was a communicant of St. Dominic’s Roman Catholic Church, Brick. Surviving are her husband, Frank J.; a son, Frank. J. Jr. of Bear, Del.; a sister, Lillian Rosenberg of Brick; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Colonial Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. A Mass was offered at St. Dominic’s Roman Catholic Church, Brick. Interment was in Mount Calvary Cemetery, Englewood.

DOROTHY MERKEL BLUHM, 90, of Spotswood, formerly of Brick, died Nov. 10 at St. Peter’s University Hospital, New Brunswick. Born in North Bergen, Mrs. Bluhm resided in Brick Township for 25 years before moving to Spotswood two years ago. She was a volunteer at Medical Center of Ocean County, Brick Hospital, in the hospital’s thrift store. Mrs. Bluhm was predeceased by her husband, Albert, in 1972; and two daughters, Margaret and Lorraine. Surviving are a son and daughter-in-law, Richard and Karol Bluhm of Spotswood; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Services were held in the Brunswick Memorial Home, East Brunswick. A Mass was offered at Immaculate Conception Church, Spotswood. Interment was in Holy Name Cemetery, Jersey City.

JOHN TIMOTHY "TIM" CRONIN of Point Pleasant Beach died Nov. 10 in Meridian Hospice, Brick. Born in Camden, he grew up in Oaklyn and Audubon, later settling in Point Pleasant Beach. Mr. Cronin was the program development specialist for the New Jersey Deaf Project and Independent Living Programs for the state of New Jersey. Prior to assuming this position, he was a vocational rehabilitation specialist for the New Jersey Department of Labor and had taught at the Archway School in Atco. Mr. Cronin was awarded his bachelor’s degree from Gallaudet University, Washington, D.C., in 1972 and a master’s degree in deaf education from Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College), Westminster. He served on various advisory committees for deaf advocacy as part of his professional responsibilities to the deaf and hearing impaired in New Jersey. He also was involved in the mentoring of young deaf adults. He was an active participant and officer of New Jersey Deaf Awareness Week Inc., serving as its vice president and trustee; was president of the Monmouth-Ocean Deaf Community Association Inc.; and was a member of the Monmouth-Ocean Deaf Bowling Leagues. Mr. Cronin is survived by his wife of 28 years, Virginia (Jean) McNerney Cronin; his children, Drew, 18, and twin daughters, Meghan and Caitlin, 11; a brother, R. Neil Cronin of Pipersville, Pa.; two sisters, Patricia Van Gilder of Perrinton, Mich., and Marie Hull of Brick, and several aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. A Mass was offered at St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church, Point Pleasant Beach. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to New Jersey Deaf Awareness Week Inc., 32 Fairway Ave., West Orange 07052. The O’Brien Funeral Home, Brick, was in charge of arrangements.

PETER M. HOGAN, 51, of Brick died Nov. 18 in the Medical Center of Ocean County, Brick. Born in Staten Island, N.Y., he lived in South Amboy before moving to Brick nine years ago. He was employed as an electronics technician for N.J. Semiconductor Products, Springfield, for the past 18 years. He was previously employed at E.I. DuPont, Parlin, in the F&F Division. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran, serving during the Vietnam era. He was a member of St. Denis Church, Manasquan. He was predeceased by his father, James J. Hogan, in 1995, and a brother, James, in 1967. Surviving are his wife, Jeannine Gundrum Hogan; two sons, James R. and Patrick M., both at home; his mother, Marie Gallagher Hogan of Whiting; a brother and sister-in-law, Joseph and Denice Hogan of Sayreville; and 13 nieces and nephews. A Mass was offered at St. Mary’s Church, South Amboy. Interment was in Old Tennent Cemetery, Tennent. Arrangements were provided by Gundrum Service Home for Funerals, South Amboy.

JOSEPH "13" BYRNES, 37, of Brick died Nov. 2 in Brick. He was a communicant of the Church of the Visitation, Brick. Born in Newark, he lived in Brick most of his life. Surviving are his mother, Eileen McVeigh of Brick; two brothers, James Byrnes of Pennsylvania, and Robert Byrnes of Brick; three sisters, Donna Mann and Denise Arendt, both of Brick, and Carolea Kuckelsberg of Toms River; and several nieces and nephews. Services were held at Weatherhead Young Funeral Home, Brick. Interment was in Ocean County Memorial Park, Toms River.

DOUGLAS E. ULBRICHT, 43, of Bayville died Nov. 4 at home. Born in Elizabeth, he lived in Toms River before moving to Bayville 23 years ago. He was the owner of Advanced Irrigation Systems Co. in Bayville for the past three years. Surviving are his wife, Joni McIndoe; his father and mother, Edwin Ulbricht of Brick, and Frances Young of Plant City, Fla.; a son and daughter, Kevin and Tracey, both at home; and a sister, Suzanne Dietrich of Succasunna, Roxbury Township, Morris County. A private cremation was held. Arrangements were provided by Anderson & Campbell Funeral Home, Toms River.

ANGELINA "LENA" CROCE, 85, of Brick, died Oct. 31 at Laurelton Village Nursing Home, Brick. Born in Hoboken, she lived in Secaucus before moving to Brick a year ago. Mrs. Croce was a homemaker. She was predeceased by her husband, Pasquale "Pat" in July; a brother, Martin Pepe; and a sister, Ann Tambone. Surviving are a daughter and her companion, Pat Croce and Shawn Jarvis of Brick; and a sister, Catherine Aufiero of Lakewood. Services were held at Weatherhead Young Funeral Home, Brick. Interment was in Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington.

MARY PERRY KONVIT VENTURA, 89, of Brick died Oct. 30 in Laurelton Village Nursing Home, Brick. Born in Portugal, she lived in Newark before moving to Brick in 1977. She was the owner/operator of Mayrose Sportswear Co., Newark, for 20 years, retiring 35 years ago. She was a communicant of Visitation Roman Catholic Church, Brick. She was predeceased by her first husband, John Konvit; her second husband, Antonio Ventura; and a daughter, Carole Ann Gosztyla. Surviving are a daughter, Mary Gallagher of Newark; a brother, Gene Perry of Brick; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Arrangements were under the direction of Colonial Funeral Home, Brick. Services were private.

THERESA GALENKO, 79, of Brick, died Oct. 29 at home. Born in Germany, she came to the United States in 1950 and lived in Jersey City and Bayonne before moving to Brick in 1982. Mrs. Galenko was an office clerk for Discount Brokerage Corp., New York City, for many years. Surviving are her husband, Trofim; two sons, Erick of Orange Park, Fla., and Frederick of Riverside, Calif.; two daughters, Elizabeth Arnone and Wilma Galenko, both of Brick; a sister, Kathe Egger of Germany; and four grandchildren. Weatherhead Young Funeral Home, Brick, was in charge of arrangements. Interment was private.

HARVEY H. SHATTO, 94, of Port St. Lucie, Fla., formerly of West Long Branch and Brick, died Oct. 28 at the Medical Center of Port St. Lucie. He was born in West Fairview, Pa. He retired from the post engineers, Fort Monmouth, where he worked for more than 30 years. He was chairman of the West Long Branch Board of Health for 17 years, a charter member of the Northeast Monmouth County Regional Sewerage Authority, and served with the West Long Branch Police Reserve for 15 years. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Long Branch Elks, the Savannah Club of Port St. Lucie, the Savannah Club Golf League, and was a lifetime member of the Savannah Club Men’s Club. He was an avid hunter and fisherman and had been a member of the West Long Branch Rod and Gun Club. Mr. Shatto is survived by his wife of 68 years, Rosalie; two sons and daughters-in-law, Ronald J. and Karen of West Long Branch, and Alan and Kathy of Okeechobee, Fla.; a daughter and son-in-law, Jane and Bart Rice of Centennial, Colo.; 13 grandchildren; and 22 great-grandchildren. A memorial service was held at Holy Name Catholic Church, Port St. Lucie, Fla. Memorial contributions may be made to the Holy Family Catholic Church Building Fund, 2330 S.E. Mariposa Ave., Port St. Lucie, FL 34952.