Mrs. Odiotti, 84, of West Long Branch died Feb. 24 at Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch. She was a parishioner of St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church, West End, Long Branch, where she was a member of the Rosary Altar Society and assisted in the new parishioner and baptismal dinners. She was also a member of the Monmouth Symphony League. She was predeceased by her husband, Edward J. Odiotti who was the proprietor of 5 & 10 of West End, Long Branch and the West End Paint Company, and a nephew, Massie E. Odiotti. Surviving are a son, Massie A. Odiotti of New York City; a brother, Thomas Leone of West Long Branch; three sisters, Ann Tenore of Long Branch, Geraldine Mirablie of Middletown and Estherina Leone of Long Branch; nieces and nephews, Frank Odiotti of West Long Branch, Eleanor Onacilla of Ocean, Connie Odiotti of West Long Branch, Rosemary Sherman of Sea Bright, Michael Towers of Eatontown and Gerald Mirablie of Middletown; several great- and great-great-nieces and nephews. A mass was offered at St. Michael’s R.C. Church, West End, Long Branch. Interment was at Mt. Carmel Cemetery, West Long Branch. Donations are requested to St. Vincent DePaul Society, 800 Ocean Avenue, Long Branch, NJ 07740. Letters of condolence may be sent via the funeral home’s web address at www.damianofuneralhome.com.
Pietro Russo
Mr. Russo, 85, of Holmdel died March 6 at Riverview Medical Center, Red Bank. Born in Bagnoli Irpino, Italy, he had resided in Jersey City before moving to Holmdel seven years ago. He was a butcher for Tuscany Co., Union City, where he had worked for 25 years before retiring. Mr. Russo was predeceased by a daughter, Grace Chieffo. Surviving are his wife, Gelsomina Chieffo Russo; two daughters and sons-in-law, Catherine and Charles Stean of Red Bank, and Pierina and John Gazonas of Florida; nine grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. A funeral liturgy was celebrated at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, New Monmouth section of Middletown, followed by entombment at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Middletown. The John F. Pfleger Funeral Home, Middletown, was in charge of arrangements.
Joseph T. Vanni
Mr. Vanni, 84, of South Amboy died March 1 in Raritan Bay Medical Center, Perth Amboy division. Prior to his retirement in 1979, he was employed for 33 years as supervisor and inventory management specialist at Fort Monmouth. Surviving are his wife, Marie Penta Vanni; a son, Thomas Vanni of South Amboy; a daughter, Lorraine Easton of Bridgewater; a brother, Francis Vanni, and two sisters, Mary Vanni and Anna Vanni, all of South Amboy; a granddaughter; two step-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. A Mass was offered at St. Mary’s Church, South Amboy. Entombment was in the church cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Mary’s Church.
Hartwell "Hart" Keene Webber
Mr. Webber, 91, of Red Bank died March 5. He was born in Pittsfield, Mass. He taught music in 14 different schools throughout Vermont and New Hampshire, prior to working as a disc jockey for a country-western radio station in Burlington, Vt. He was a sergeant in the Army Signal Corps from 1942 to 1946, which brought him to Fort Monmouth, where he worked as a civilian environmental engineer after World War II. He served on the Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS) for more than 40 years, relaying messages overseas from military personnel to their families. Mr. Webber served on the Red Bank Zoning Board of Adjustments and was active in civic affairs. He was predeceased by his wife, Clarina "Sherry" Petraglia. He is survived by a brother, Donald, of Pittsfield, Mass.; three daughters, Claire Heil of Ridge, N.Y., Jane Webber of Bernardsville, and Carol Williams of Warren, Ohio; nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. A Mass of Christian Burial was offered at St. James Church, Red Bank, after visitation at John E. Day Funeral Home, also Red Bank. Interment followed at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Middletown. Memorial donations may be made to the Hart and Sherry Webber Scholarship Fund at Red Bank Catholic High School.
Margaret Hagel Widmeier
Mrs. Widmeier, 62, of W. Allenhurst died March 1 at Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch. She was a French teacher at Holmdel High School for 36 years where she received many "favorite teacher" awards from her students. She retired in 2002. She was a communicant of St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church, Long Branch where she was a member of St. Vincent DePaul Society, Stephen’s Ministries and the Welcoming Committee. Born in Kansas City, Mo., she was a life resident of the shore area. She was predeceased by her husband of 31 years, James Widmeier in January of this year. She is survived by her brother, Fred Hagel of Kansas City, Mo., and several nieces and nephews. A Mass was offered at St. Michael’s R.C. Church, West End, Long Branch. Entombment was at Woodbine Mausoleum, Oceanport. Memorial donations may be made to St. Vincent DePaul Society, St. Michael’s R.C. Church, 800 Ocean Ave., Long Branch, NJ 07740.
Dennis T. Spencer
Mr. Spencer, 47, of Hamilton, died March 2 at Capitol Healthcare System, Trenton. He was a former resident of Red Bank and attended the Church of the Nativity, Fair Haven. Mr. Spencer was a truck driver with Eastern Armored Car Service of Trenton and had previously worked for the United Parcel Service, Tinton Falls, for 15 years. He was a U.S. Army veteran. He was an avid sportsman. Mr. Spencer was predeceased by his parents, Thomas and Mary Corbett Spencer. He is survived by his former wife, Deborah Hawke Spencer, a son, Tyler H., and a daughter, Courtney W., all of Wayne, Pa.; three brothers, John P. and his wife, Kelly, of Toms River, Kevin M. of Red Bank, and Timothy E. and his wife, Colleen, of Little Silver; two sisters, Maureen A. Butler and her husband, Allen, of Phoenix, and Bonnie J. Morris and her husband, Chad, of Brielle; and eight nieces and nephews. A Mass of Christian Burial was offered at the Church of the Nativity. Cremation was private. Memorial donations may be sent to the Courtney and Tyler Spencer Scholarship Fund, c/o Shrewsbury State Bank, 140 Markham Place, Little Silver 07739.
Clifford Whiteside
Mr. Whiteside, 70, of Tinton Falls died March 3 at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune. Prior to moving to Tinton Falls, he lived in Sterling Heights, Mich., and Shrewsbury. Mr. Whiteside was an electrician for General Motors in Detroit, Mich., for 40 years. He was predeceased by a son-in-law, Sal E. Tieri Jr., who died on Sept. 11, 2001. He is survived by his wife, Lilian (née Hamilton); a son and daughter-in-law, Clifford T. and Cheryl Whiteside of Sterling Heights, Mich.; three daughters and two sons-in-law, Catherine E. and William Licht of Cortland, Ohio, Patricia E. and Craig of South Lake, Texas, and Maureen A. Tieri of Shrewsbury; four sisters; two brothers; and 11 grandchildren. A memorial gathering was held at the John E. Day Funeral Home, Red Bank. Interment was private. Memorial donations may be made to the National Kidney & Urology Foundation of America Inc., 1250 Broadway, Suite 2001, New York, NY 10001.