OBITUARIES, Dec. 28, 2004

Herbert W. Kale, Joseph Pirone, Richard A. Charlton, Yolanda Grob, Ann G. Geherty, Rose Margerum, Hsueh Tseng Chang, Wilhelma Korch.

Herbert W. Kale
Founded local nursery
   
BENSALEM, Pa. — Herbert William Kale died Thursday at Wood River Village. He was 94.
   Born on a farm in Burlington, he was a former Lawrence resident.
   In 1956 he founded Kale’s Nursery and Landscape Service, located on Carter Road in Lawrence.
   He was a past president of the New Jersey Nurserymen’s Association and served on the board of managers at Cook College, Rutgers University.
   An Army lieutenant colonel during World War II, he was the battalion commander of the 695th Armored Field Artillery and saw action in the European theater including the Battle of the Bulge. He was awarded several commendations.
   He was a skilled horseman and polo player.
   A longtime member of the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville, Mr. Kale served in many leadership capacities including deacon, elder and clerk of session.
   He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Elizabeth MacNaughton Kale; daughters and son-in-law Mary E. and Edison Morris of Stockton and Barrie J. Kale of Hopewell; son and daughter-in-law Douglas W. and Wendy Kale of Solebury, Pa.; sister and brother-in-law Neva and Louis Bainbridge; seven grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
   A memorial service will be held 10 a.m. Jan. 6 at the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville, 2688 Main St. (Route 206), Lawrence.
   In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Rutgers Gardens, Cook College, c/o Douglas W. Kale, PO Box 185, Solebury, PA 18963.
   Arrangements are by the Wilson-Apple Funeral Home, Pennington.
   Condolences can be conveyed at www.wilsonapple.com.
Joseph Pirone
Owned County Line Inn
   
MONTGOMERY — Joseph Pirone died Saturday at University Medical Center at Princeton. He was 82.
   Born in Pettoranello, Italy, Mr. Pirone immigrated to the United States at age 18, and later served in the Army during World War II.
   He was the head chef at the Princeton Inn for many years before owning and operating his first establishment, the Melwood Restaurant.
   A few years later, he opened the County Line Inn, which he and his wife successfully ran for over 20 years.
   He was a member of St. Charles Borromeo Church in Montgomery.
   Son of the late Vincenzo and Lucy Perna Pirone, brother of the late Tony Pirone, he is survived by his wife of 54 years, Mary Valentino Pirone of Montgomery; daughters and sons-in-law Lucy and Michael Tindall of Plainsboro and Josephine and Kevin Lubas of Montgomery; brother Mario Pirone of Pettoranello, Italy; sister and brother-in-law Vincenza and Rocky Procaccini of West Windsor; grandchildren Michael and Trevor Tindall and Nicole and Ashley Lubas; and several nieces, nephews and other family members.
   The funeral will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vandeventer Ave., Princeton.
   Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Charles Borromeo Church, Montgomery.
   Burial will be in Rocky Hill Cemetery.
   Calling hours will be 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
   Memorial contributions may be made to St. Charles Borromeo Church, 376 Burnt Hill Road, Skillman, NJ 08558.
Richard A. Charlton
Relative in Montgomery
   
NESHANIC STATION — Richard A. Charlton died Thursday at Somerset Medical Center. He was 72.
   Born in Staten Island, N.Y., he resided in Scotch Plains before moving to Neshanic Station 32 years ago.
   He was first vice president of investments and assistant branch manager for Wachovia Securities and was an investment counselor for 44 years.
   He taught adult classes in investments in the Somerville school system.
   He was a member of Raritan Valley Country Club.
   He was an Army veteran of the Korean conflict.
   He is survived by his wife of 30 months, Marjorie Deas Charlton; daughter and son-in-law Lucy Tayane and Moula of Denver; sons and daughters-in-law Mark and Bettina of Maryland, Danny and Angelique of Indonesia, John Charlton and Grace Martinez of Denver, and Steve of High Bridge; sister Roberta Smith of Scotch Plains; brother and sister-in-law William J. and Barbara of New York City; daughter-in-law Marie Charlton of Montgomery; grandchildren Richard III, Matthew, Alexandra, Zacharia, Johnny and Elizabeth; and several stepchildren, nieces and nephews.
   The funeral will be 10 a.m. today at Branchburg Funeral Home, 910 Highway 202 South, Branchburg.
   Committal will follow in St. Bernard’s Cemetery, Bridgewater.
   Visitation will be 9:30 a.m. until time of service today.
   In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made for medical research.
   Condolences may be sent to www.branchburgfuneralhome.com.
Yolanda Grob
Owned shore marina
   
MONTGOMERY — Yolanda Grob died Sunday at home. She was 79.
   Born and raised in Bristol, Pa., she lived in Princeton and South Seaside Park before moving to the Belle Mead section of Montgomery 16 years ago.
   She retired after owning and operating the Wheel House Marina in South Seaside Park for many years.
   She was a member of St. Charles Borromeo Church in Montgomery and Montgomery Senior Citizens.
   She enjoyed travel, reading and cooking and especially spending time with her grandchildren.
   Wife of the late Kenneth E. Grob Sr., mother of the late Kenneth E. Grob Jr., she is survived by son and daughter-in-law Gary J. and Heidi Grob of West Palm, Fla.; daughters and sons-in-law Karen C. and Gary Milchanoski of Belle Mead, Lori Ellen and Donald Matthews of Montgomery; brother and sister-in-law Albert and Jackie Sozio of Langhorne, Pa.; sister and brother-in-law Pat and Dominick DiNunzio of Bristol, Pa.; grandchildren Devin, Jayme, Gary, Shea, Kenneth and Thomas Grob, Gary, Lora and Lynn Milchanoski; and Sarah and Amy Matthews; and great-grandchildren Cole and Justin Grob.
   The funeral will be 9 a.m. Thursday at Hillsborough Funeral Home, 796 Route 206, Hillsborough.
   A Mass will be celebrated 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Charles Borromeo Church, Montgomery.
   Burial will be in Rocky Hill Cemetery.
   Visiting hours are 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
   Memorial contributions may be made to the Hospice Program at University Medical Center at Princeton, 208 Bunn Drive, Princeton, NJ 08540.
Ann G. Geherty
Worked at Acme
   
KINGSTON — Ann Gessner Geherty died Tuesday at home. She was 55.
   Born in Hoefield, Germany, she retired from the Acme supermarket of West Windsor.
   She was a parishioner of St. Magdalen Church of Flemington and a member of Good Sam Club of New Jersey.
   She enjoyed camping.
   Daughter of the late George and Barbara Grandtner Gessner Sr., she is survived by her husband, Tom Geherty of Kingston; son Ron Geherty of Kingston; daughter Kimberly Geherty of Kingston; and brothers Martin Gessner of West Windsor and George Gessner of Florida.
   Services will be held 1 p.m. Wednesday at Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vandeventer Ave., Princeton. Clergy from St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Church will officiate.
   Burial will be in Princeton Cemetery.
Rose Margerum
Princeton resident
   
Rose Margerum of Princeton died Wednesday at Princeton Care Center. She was 94.
   Wife of the late Stephen C. Margerum, she is survived by her daughter, Laura Del Cioppo of Pomona; sons George Zuber of Miami and Donal Zuber of Luguna Hills, Calif.; five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.
   Private burial was held in St. Paul’s Cemetery, Princeton.
   Arrangements were by Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton.
Hsueh Tseng Chang
Son lives in Princeton
   
NOVATO, Calif. — Hsueh Tseng Chang, the sole surviving son of Marshal Chang Tso-lin (Zhang Zuolin) of Manchuria, died on Dec. 5. He was 93.
   Born in Liaoning, China, he was a former East Windsor resident.
   Mr. Chang was the third of eight sons of Marshal Chang, and attended Catholic University of Peking, Yenching University, Balliol College at Oxford University, and Princeton University, graduating in 1942 with a master’s degree in political science.
   He served as a second lieutenant with the Chinese military mission in Washington during World War II. After the war, he joined the U.N. Secretariat, then located at Lake Success, N.Y., as one of the original members of a team of Chinese-English simultaneous interpreters. Mr. Chang retired in 1971 after 25 years service.
   Mr. Chang’s father, known as the "Old Marshal" or "The Tiger of Manchuria," was a prominent warlord who ruled Manchuria in 1916 to 1928. At the height of his power Marshal Chang’s control extended southward to Beijing and Shanghai. The Old Marshal was assassinated in 1928 by Japanese militarists, who bombed the train in which he was riding. Mr. Chang was with his father on that trip, but escaped injury as he was occupying a separate car at the moment of the blast.
   Mr. Chang’s eldest brother, Chang Hsueh-liang (Zhang Xueliang), known as the "Young Marshal," succeeded Marshal Chang Tso-lin, and is best remembered for his key role in the "Xian Incident" in 1936. This was an episode in which Chiang Kai-shek was kidnapped and persuaded to end his ongoing civil war against the Communists and to form a united front with them against the Japanese, who had begun their invasion of China. Chang Hsueh-liang died in 2001.
   Husband of the late Lucy Chang, Mr. Chang is survived by sons and daughter-in-law Clarence and Elizabeth Chang of Princeton and Kuan Chang of Novato, Calif.; daughter and son-in-law Leona and J. Alton Crozier Jr. of Novato, Calif.; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Wilhelma Korch
Retired librarian
   
Wilhelma Korch of Princeton died Sunday at University Medical Center at Princeton.
   Born in Bayonne, she lived there many years before moving to Princeton in 1988.
   A librarian, she retired from the Bayonne Public Library in 1979 after 35 years of service.
   She enjoyed painting.
   Predeceased by her husband, George, and four brothers and sisters, she is survived by daughter and son-in-law Georgette and Harry Boeselager of Princeton; sister Irene Sokolowski of Florida; and many nieces, nephews and godchildren.
   The funeral will be 10:15 a.m. Thursday at Kimble Funeral Home, 1 Hamilton Ave., Princeton.
   Interment will follow in Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington.
   Calling hours are 3 to 6 p.m. Wednesday and 9:30 a.m. until time of service Thursday at the funeral home.
   In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the animal shelter SAVE, 900 Herrontown Road, Princeton NJ 08540.