LAMBERTVILLE Olive Howell Shepherd of Lambertville died Friday, Jan. 14, at the Senior Center at the Fountains in Pennsauken, N.J.
Born in Wilmington, Del., Mrs. Shepherd was a Lambertville resident for more than 60 years.
She worked with her husband of 58 years, the late Harry J. Shepherd Jr., a former mayor of Lambertville, on many civic and community activities and committees.
She was the past Noble Grand Lady May of the Rebekah Lodge in Cranberry, N.J.
She was a member of the Centenary United Methodist Church in Lambertville.
She was the daughter of the late Charles E. and Jenny Shakespeare Howell.
Surviving are two sons and a daughter-in-law, William Van Sant of Cornwell Heights, Pa., and Harry J. and Patricia Shepherd III of Pipersville, Pa; a daughter, Janice Harris of Lambertville; nine grandchildren, Harry J. "Toggle" Shepherd IV of Inman, S.C., Amanda Armitage of Doylestown, Pa., Robin Barends of Lambertville, Tracy Buchanan of West Amwell, James Jacob Harris of Washington, D.C., Janice Rauschert of Rosemont, William Van Sant Jr. of Cornwell Heights, Susan Klech of Florida and April Van Sant of Atlantic City; 11 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Memorial services were held at the church Tuesday. Burial followed at Holcombe-Riverview Cemetery, Delaware Township.
Memorial donations may be made to the church at 108 N. Union St., Lambertville, 08530.
Arrangements were under the direction of the Van Horn-McDonough Funeral Home, Lambertville.
BUCKINGHAM, Pa. Charles G. Hemberger, 85, died Monday, Jan. 10, at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia.
Born in Brooklyn, Mr. Hemberger had lived in Mineola, Long Island, most of his life and in Buckingham for the past 20 years.
He retired as a vice president with Anchor Savings and Loan in Brooklyn in 1982.
He served in the Army during World War II and the Korean Conflict and was presented with the Bronze Star for his service in Siapan.
He was a member of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Roman Catholic Church in Doylestown.
He was a member of the Knights of Columbus while living in Mineola.
Son of the late Charles J. and Katherine Tanhauser Hemberger, he is survived by his wife of 60 years, Frances O’Dea Hemberger; a son, Charles G. Hemberger Jr. of Yardley, Pa.; five daughters, Susan O’Brien of West Nyack, N.Y., Judith Holloway and Amy Luccaro, both of New Hope, Laura Henshaw of Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y. and Lisa Stout of Perkasie, Pa.; 12 grandchildren; and one great-grandson.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held Jan. 13 at St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church in Lambertville. Burial followed in the Indiantown Gap Veteran’s National Cemetery.
Arrangements were under the direction of the Garefino Funeral Home, Lambertville.
Memorial donations may be made to the Doylestown Hospital Rehabilitation Center, 595 W. State St., Doylestown, Pa., 18901.
RINGOES Gertrude F. Halloran, 80, died Monday, Jan. 10, at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick.
Born in Manhattan, Mrs. Halloran had resided most of her life in Ringoes.
Throughout her career, she was an executive assistant to the treasurer of the State of New Jersey and later was employed by Bristol-Myers Squibb.
She was the widow of William J. Halloran Jr., her husband of 44 years.
Surviving are a son, William J. Halloran III of Ringoes; a daughter, Christine A. Halloran of Lambertville; and a sister, Anna A. Fenton of Somerville.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held Friday at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, Hopewell, with Father Dennis Apoldite officiating. Burial followed in Highland Cemetery.
Arrangements were under the direction of the Cromwell-Immordino Memorial Home, Hopewell.
Memorial donations may be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Donor Services, P.O. Box 4261, Pitsfield, Mass., 01202, or through www.leukenia-lymphoma.org.
DELAWARE Ruth O. Pearson, 92, died Tuesday, Jan. 11, at home.
Born in Scranton, Pa., she was the daughter of the late Roy and Mary Harrison Ostrander.
She had previously resided in Cherry Hill, moving to Delaware Township in 1961.
Mrs. Pearson was a secretary for an insurance company in Scranton for many years, a poet who authored a book of poems and a painter.
She was a member of the New Jersey Poetry Society and the Sergeantsville United Methodist Church.
She was the widow of Robert Pearson, who died in 1998, and the mother of the late Mary Beth Gnagey, who died in 1995.
She is survived by two daughters, R. Virginia Horner of Southampton and Deborah Meece of Franklin, Tenn.; a sister, Bette Haggerty of Temecula, Calif.; seven grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Friday at the church. Burial was in Abington Hills Cemetery, Clark Summit, Pa.
Memorial donations may be made to the church at P.O. Box 151, Sergeantsville, 08557.
Arrangements were under the direction of the Holcombe-Fisher Funeral Home, Flemington. Visit www.holcombefisher.com for further information or to send condolences.
PENNINGTON Robert J. Liana Sr., 79, died Tuesday, Jan. 12, in Princeton.
Born in Plainfield, he had been a resident of Pennington for 40 years.
His parents emigrated from Poland and moved to Scotch Plains where he later graduated from high school in 1944.
He was a World War II veteran, a member of the last active U.S. Cavalry. He single-handedly captured many German POWs, and his regiment liberated Birkenau Concentration Camp.
He fought at the Battle of the Bulge and drove the first gasoline truck across the pontoon bridge at Remagen.
He was a member of the American Legion Post 209. He was a volunteer fireman in Scotch Plains for 10 years.
He later attended Union College in Cranford.
He was the co-founder and president of Custom Country Builders, Pennington.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Betty Loeffler Liana; a daughter, Gail Marie Thompson of Pennington; a son and daughter-in-law, Robert J. Jr. and Petra Liana of Stockton; four grandchildren, Courtney and Victoria Thompson and Dennis and Kevin Liana; and many nieces and nephews.
Private services were held.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Diabetes Association, Memorial and Honor Program, P.O. Box 1132 Fairfax, Va., 22038-1132.
Arrangements were under the direction of the Blackwell Memorial Home, Pennington.
HOLLAND, Pa. Evelyn Mermet, 95, died Saturday, Jan. 15, at Twining Village.
Born in New York City, she moved to Italy when she was 3 years old, returning to New York at 18.
She was the daughter of the late Luigi and Maria Quanieri Gardella and widow of Andre Mermet.
Surviving are two sons and daughters-in-law, James and Linda Mermet of California and Dr. Robert and Daisy Mermet of Lambertville; a sister, Ada Gardella of Italy; and four grandchildren, Nicole, Angelique, Robert Jr. and Paul.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held Wednesday at St. James Roman Catholic Church, Pennington. Burial was in Ewing Cemetery.
Arrangements were under the direction of the Wilson-Apple Funeral Home, Pennington.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association, 2550 Route 1, North Brunswick, N.J., 08902-4301.
For further information or to send condolences, visit www.wilsonapple.com.
TRENTON Marvin D. Slack, 65, died Thursday, Jan. 13, at Compassionate Care Hospice in St. Francis Medical Center, Trenton.
Born in Trenton, Mr. Slack had been a resident of Trenton for more than five years, moving here from East Brunswick.
Mr. Slack was employed for the last 15 years with the State of New Jersey, Department of Taxation. He formerly was employed with A&P Corporation for more than 25 years.
Son of the late William and Edith McGowan Slack, he is survived by one son, James D. Slack of Robbinsville; one sister and brother-in-law, Nancy A. and Mike J. Cappiello of New Hope; one granddaughter, Jenna Slack; one niece, Susan Formicola; and one nephew, John Cappiello.
Funeral services and interment were private and under the direction of the J. Allen Hooper Funeral Home, Morrisville, Pa.
Memorial donations may be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, 2 International Plaza, Suite 245, Philadelphia, 19113.

