OBITUARIES, Jan. 4, 2005

Robert C. Hosford, Harold S. Switzgable, James R. Leuper, Roger H. Miles, George Morton, Parvin R. Stryker, Ruth Schatzman.

Robert C. Hosford
Journalist and editor
   
Robert C. Hosford of Princeton died Thursday at University Medical Center at Princeton. He was 85.
   A civic and environmental activist, he lived in Princeton 32 years.
   Born in Butler, Pa., he graduated in 1938 from Western High School in Washington, D.C. where he was a member of the debating team. He studied liberal arts at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Virginia and earned a diploma at Babson Institute, Wellesley, Mass.
   He began his career as a journalist, first working as a news clerk for The New York Times and later as a daily reporter for the Jersey Journal in Jersey City and the United Press in New York City.
   He then traveled extensively in Western Europe, living in Rome, Zurich, Switzerland and Paris.
   Upon returning to United States, he served as an editor of magazines of McGraw-Hill and Bill Brothers in New York. Subsequently, he worked as a freelance technical writer for domestic and foreign organizations in New York and New Jersey.
   He was a member of the Newspaper Guild of America and the Dramatists Guild.
   An avid reader, his interests ranged from music and foreign languages to world politics and ancient civilizations. In more recent years, he thoroughly enjoyed his daily visits to Small World Coffee and the Princeton Public Library.
   Son of the late Charles F. Hosford Jr. and Jean Christy Hosford, brother of the late Charles F. Hosford III and Jean Hosford Keeley, Mr. Hosford is survived by his wife, Julia; four children by his first marriage, Lisa Suydam of Stockton, Hope Gorman of Hillsborough, Christopher Hosford of Madison, Miss., and Jon Hosford of Ashburn, Va.; eight grandchildren; a great-grandson; and his wife’s two children, Christine Kent of Princeton and Matthew Kent of Kingston.
   Burial in Princeton Cemetery will be private.
   Arrangements are by Alloway Funeral Home, Merchantville.
Harold S. Switzgable
Taught at The Lewis School
   
Harold S. Switzgable of Princeton died Dec. 27. He was 42.
   He was a lifelong Princeton resident.
   He taught history at The Lewis School of Princeton and consulted in real estate and computers.
   He graduated from Perkiomen Preparatory School, Pennsburg, Pa., and received a political science degree from Occidental College.
   He is survived by his mother, Yota Switzgable of Princeton; father Harold E. Switzgable Jr. of Plainsboro and Quebec City, Quebec; and sisters Kimberly of Robbinsville and Meg of Brooklyn, N.Y.
   Arrangements were by Kimble Funeral Home, Princeton.
James R. Leuper
Longtime area resident
   
MONTGOMERY — James R. Leuper died Monday at home. He was 51.
   Born in Jersey City, he lived in the Princeton area most of his life.
   He graduated from St. Paul’s School in Princeton and Notre Dame High School in Lawrence.
   An avid outdoorsman, he loved nature and was a big sports fan.
   He practiced as a shamanic healer and mentor.
   Son of the late Mary E. Leuper, he is survived by his wife of 23 years, Patricia A. Pagano of Montgomery; father Fred Leuper Sr. of Rocky Hill; siblings Fred Leuper Jr. of the Poconos in Pennsylvania, Beth Gray of Toronto, Chris Leuper of Freehold, and Justin Leuper of Rocky Hill; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
   A memorial Mass will be celebrated 11:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Charles Borromeo Church, 376 Burnt Hill Road, Montgomery.
   Visiting hours will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Kimble Funeral Home, 1 Hamilton Ave., Princeton.
Roger H. Miles
Headed organ company
   
SOLEBURY, Pa. — Roger H. Miles died suddenly Dec. 27 at Hunterdon Medical Center. He was 76.
   Born in Watertown, Mass., he was a former resident of New York City, Yonkers, N.Y., and Washington, N.J., moving to Solebury in 1960.
   He and a partner, G. Edgar Gress, founded Gress-Miles Organ Co. in 1959 in Washington. The company moved to Princeton in 1966.
   Mr. Miles was president of the company, which designed, built and installed pipe organs throughout the United States, including Vassar College Chapel, the University of Alaska at Fairbanks, Proctor Hall at the Princeton University Graduate School and, most notably, St. John’s Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C.
   He was also a consultant with the late Dr. Gerard K. O’Neill of the Princeton University physics department on such projects as the mass driver and the space colonization program.
   Prior to going into the organ business, he was a research chemist at NYU-Belleview Medical Center and later a chemist and safety officer at the Nuclear Development Corporation of America.
   He was a member of the NRA and Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.
   Son of the late Mildred I. Walsh Miles and George C. Miles, he is survived by his wife of 50 years, Ruth W. Cocks Miles.
   Memorial contributions may be made to New Hope-Lambertville Rescue Squad, Box 237, Lambertville, NJ 08530.
   Arrangements are by Leaver-Cable Funeral Home, Buckingham, Pa.
George Morton
Medical transcription expert
   
George Morton of Princeton died Thursday at home after a six-month battle with cancer. He was 55.
   Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, he immigrated to California in1976 where he worked for Kaiser Permanente.
   In 1999, he moved to Princeton and was the quality control manager for All Type Medical Transcription of North Brunswick.
   Mr. Morton was a nationally known expert, consultant, author and speaker on medical transcription. In addition to founding his own company, Medical Language Development, he wrote a popular career guide, "How to Become a Medical Transcriptionist: A Career for the 21st Century."
   Mr. Morton is survived by his wife, Teresa Castaldi of Princeton; daughter Fiona Morton of San Diego; parents Baroness Elisabeth vonKirchbach Morton and George Russell Morton of Bournemouth, England; sister Jacki Morton of Dunbar, Scotland; two nephews; and a niece.
   A memorial service will be held noon today at Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vandeventer Ave., Princeton
   Interment will follow at Holy Cross Burial Park, South Brunswick.
   Calling hours will be 10 a.m. today until time of service at the funeral home.
Parvin R. Stryker
Former Montgomery resident
   
WELLSBORO, Pa. — Parvin R. "Pud" Stryker died Friday at the Green Home. He was 84.
   Born in Montgomery, he was a longtime Montgomery resident before moving to Wellsboro 30 years ago.
   He was a New Jersey state trooper retiring after 22½ years of service. He was a member of the 46th graduating class of the New Jersey State Police Academy.
   A veteran of World War II, he served with the 4th Marine Division in the Mariana Islands including Iwo Jima.
   He was a former member and later became assistant scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 46 of Blawenburg.
   Following his retirement as a state trooper, he and his wife moved to the Wellsboro area.
   Mr. Stryker was a member of the Middle Ridge United Methodist Church, member and former secretary of Ossea Lodge No. 317 Free and Accepted Masons of Wellsboro and was a member of the Coudersport Consistory.
   He enjoyed hunting and fishing and had volunteered many hours at Leonard Harrison State Park. He was also an avid coin collector.
   Son of the late Parvin R. Stryker Sr. and Elizabeth Bellis Stryker, he is survived by his wife of 59 years, Elizabeth "Tootie" Adams Stryker; sons Ray A. Welkin of Olympia, Wash., and Rodney B. Stryker Sr. of Florence, Ore.; daughter Nina L. Stryker of Princeton; and four grandsons.
   The funeral was Monday.
   Memorial contribution may be made to the Middle Ridge United Methodist Church, 97 Ingerich Road, Wellsboro, PA 16901, Salvation Army or to Ossea Lodge No. 317 F.&A.M., Wellsboro, PA 16901.
   Arrangements were by Tussey-Mosher Funeral Home, Wellsboro.
Ruth Schatzman
Son lives in area
   
GREAT FALLS, Va. — Ruth Schatzman died Dec. 25 at home. She was 93.
   Born in Bayonne, she was a longtime resident of Highland Park before moving to Fairfax County, Va., in 2001.
   A Jersey City public school social science teacher, she later worked for the federal government helping immigrants adjust to their new country.
   She graduated from the New Jersey College for Women, now Douglass College, in 1933.
   Wife of the late Frank Schatzman, she is survived by sons Frederick A. Schatzman of Great Falls, Va., and Richard Schatzman of Delaware Township, a senior partner at the Princeton law firm McCarthy and Schatzman; two grandchildren; and a great-grandson.
   Memorial contributions may be made to Capital Hospice, 9300 Lee Highway, Suite 500, Fairfax, VA 22031.
   Local arrangements were by Crabiel Parkwest Funeral Chapel, 239 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick.