For the Feb. 25 issue

Albert R. Diefert, Edward G. Hutchinson, Fred Longcoy, Eleanor Caponi Mastripolo, Bettie Claire Schroeder, Jeanne Sobine, Robert Joseph Sutton.

Albert R. Diefert

   EAST WINDSOR — Albert R. Diefert died Feb. 15 at his residence.
   Born in Scranton, Pa., Mr. Diefert lived in Springfield and Ramsey before moving to East Windsor in 2000.
   Mr. Diefert retired in 2000 from Charles H. Greenthal in New York City after many years in housing management. He was honorably discharged as a private after serving in the U.S. Army.
   He had a great love for his family and enjoyed spending much of his time with them. His outside interest was standardbred horse racing.
   Albert was predeceased by his mother, Anna Diefert, in 2004. Surviving are his beloved wife of 50 years, Marge L. Grant Diefert; two sons and daughters-in-law, Randy Diefert and Peggy of Seattle, Wash., and Al Diefert Jr. and Deborah of Freehold; a daughter and son-in-law, Debra and Edward Keramas of Spotswood; a grandson, Andrew Keramas; a brother and sister-in-law, Ronald and Paula Diefert of Kill Devil Hills, N.C.; and several cousins.
   A Memorial Service was held Monday at the Glackin/Saul Funeral Home, 136 Morrison Ave., Hightstown.
   A gathering preceded the service.
   Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, 2550 Route 1, North Brunswick, NJ 08902.
Edward G. Hutchinson



   GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Edward G. Hutchinson, 47, of Grand Rapids, Mich., formerly of Sarasota, Mich., died Feb. 18 at the University of Michigan Hospital.
   He was born and raised in Hightstown.
   He is survived by his wife, Debra Gladstone Hutchinson; son, Zachary Hutchinson; mother, Hazel Hutchinson; brother, Clark Hutchinson; father-in-law, David Gladstone Sr.; mother-in-law, Marilou Gladstone; brothers-in-law, David Gladstone Jr. and Scott Gladstone; sister-in-law, Hollis Anne Gladstone; also several nieces and nephews.
   Funeral services were held Wednesday at the Reyers North Valley Chapel, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Fred Longcoy



   LITTLE SILVER — Fred Longcoy, 88, died Sunday morning at Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank. Mr. Longcoy was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., and raised in the New Brunswick area. For the last 65 years he had been a resident of Little Silver.
   He was a 50-year member of the Sheet Metal Workers Local 20 in New Brunswick and then Local 27 in South Jersey. Mr. Longcoy’s primary avocation was fluke fishing from the Long Branch Pier, and for many years served as the pro fisherman for the pier. On the pier, everyone knew him as "Buddy," the man who could catch fluke when no one else could.
   He was a member of the Surf & Sand RV Travel club and the Monmouth Organ Society. Mr. Longcoy was an avid bowler for many years in the local Red Bank area bowling leagues.
   He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Ann Longcoy; as well as his son and daughter-in-law, Dennis and Elaine Longcoy of East Windsor; a daughter, Patricia Modderno of Staten Island, N.Y.; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
   Funeral services were held Thursday from A.S. Cole Funeral Home, 22 N. Main St., Cranbury.
   Interment followed in Forest Green Park Cemetery, Marlboro.
   In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations in Mr. Longcoy’s memory be made to the National Cancer Society, 1599 Clifton Road, N.E., Atlanta, GA 30329.
Eleanor Caponi Mastripolo



   HIGHTSTOWN — Eleanor Caponi Mastripolo, 71, died Monday in St. Francis Medical Center in Trenton.
   Born in Bluefield, W.Va., she resided most of her life in the Trenton/Hamilton area before moving to Hightstown.
   Predeceased by her parents, Fiore and Lena Emili Caponi, she is survived by her husband of 52 years, Frank Mastripolo; a daughter, Deborah Innocenzi and her companion, Kit Wilson; three sisters and two brothers-in-law, Shirley and George Willever, Ramona Shaw, and Rena and Al Soltes; a brother and sister-in-law, Louis and Angela Caponi; a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Anthony and Fran Mastripolo; two grandchildren, Paul Innocenzi IV and his wife, Kristy, and Kristin Innocenzi; and several nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.
   The funeral was held Thursday from Chambers D’Errico and Correnti Funeral Home, 825 Chambers St., Trenton.
   Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Thursday in Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Hamilton.
   Entombment followed in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Hamilton.
Bettie Claire Schroeder



   BRICK — Bettie Claire Schroeder, 82, died Saturday after a brief illness.
   Born in Milltown, Mrs. Schroeder resided in the Hightstown area for 30 years and then moved to Brick from 1980 to the present. She also spent winters in Sarasota, Fla., since 1990.
   She was a loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who devoted her life to her family. She was active in the community, a member of the Hightstown Women’s Club, a charter member and president of the Rocky Brook Garden Club, a member of the Hightstown Lion’s Club Auxiliary, member and financial secretary of the Hightstown First Baptist Church, a member of the Brielle Women’s Club, and member of the Church in Brielle.
   Daughter of the late George W. and Clara E. Kuhlthau, she was predeceased by her husband, Arthur Schroeder, friend John Weislo, sister Jane Schickner and great-grandson Jefferson Heagele. She is survived by her sisters Gloria Salamone, Phyllis Pall, Nancy Huff and brother Carlton "Bud" Kuhlthau; daughters Claire Heagele of New Egypt, Ellen S. and son-in-law James Reynolds of Decatur, Ala., and son Richard H. and daughter-in-law Claire Christiansen Schroeder of Cranbury; nine grandchildren, Christopher Heagele and wife Donna, Michael Heagele and wife Marli, Jeffrey Heagele and wife Kelly, Scott, Craig and Mark Schroeder, Jennifer, Jill and Jodi Reynolds; great-grandchildren Jayden, Madison and Gavin Heagele.
   A memorial service will be held March 4 at 7 p.m. at the Church of Brielle in Brielle following a private interment at the Fernwood Cemetery in Jamesburg.
   In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Church of Brielle, Brielle, the Faith Presbyterian Church in Sarasota, Fla. or the American Cancer Society.
   Arrangements are under the direction of the Neary-Quinn Funeral Home, 39 South St., Manasquan.
Jeanne Sobine



   FREEHOLD — Jeanne Sobine, 49, of Manalapan, died Feb. 20 at Centra State Medical Center in Freehold.
   Born in Newark, she was raised in West Orange. She live din North Brunswick for 4 years, and in East Windsor for 9 years, before moving to Manalapan 17 years ago.
   She was a graduate of West Orange Mountain High School. She received her bachelor’s degree from Douglass College, Rutgers University in New Brunswick, and her master’s degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University, Madison Campus.
   She was a teacher at Manalapan and Marlboro High School for 20 year, and the vice principal of Mercer County Vocational High School in Pennington for two years before becoming principal of the high school last year. She was the co-owner of Personally Yours Invitation business in Manalapan.
   She was a past member and served as an officer for the Centra State Medical Center Volunteer Auxiliary in Freehold.
   She is survived by her husband of 30 years, Richard; her two daughters, Shari Sobine of Hoboken and Rachel Sobine of Manhattan, N.Y.; her father and mother, Harold and Barbara Fine of Monroe; her brother and sister-in-law, Dr. Rick and Debi Fine of West Windsor; four nephews, as well as one great-niece and two great-nephews.
   Services were held on Tuesday at Bloomfield-Cooper Jewish Chapels in Manalapan. Interment followed at Mt. Lebanon Cemetery in Iselin.
   Memorial donations may be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.
Robert Joseph Sutton



   BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. — Robert Joseph Sutton, 81, died Feb. 16.
   Born May 4, 1923, in Burlington, the son of the late Ernest and Elizabeth Sutton, he was a resident of Hightstown until 1990, when he and his late wife of 53 years, Muriel Locke Sutton, moved to Bonita Springs, Fla.
   He will be remembered by his three sons, Robert L. Sutton and his wife, Karen Sutton, of Mission Viejo, Calif.; Peter C. Sutton and his wife, Debbie Sutton, of Canton, Ga.; and son Todd W. Sutton and his wife, Anne Sutton, of Charleston, W.Va.
   Mr. Sutton grew up on his parents’ fruit and vegetable farm along the Delaware River with brother Ernest Sutton of West Grove, Pa., and sister Norma Kramer of Burlington. He is also survived by grandchildren Heather, Andrew, Nathan, Kathleen, and Joe; and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends.
   Upon graduation from Burlington High School in 1941, he remained to help his father farm until called to service with the U.S. Navy in WWII. Instilled with his practical farming knowledge and admiration of agriculture, he gained a bachelor’s degree in plant science at Rutgers University in 1949.
   On Sept. 15, 1951, he married Muriel Sutton of Hightstown. He raised three sons, was a member of the First Baptist Church of Hightstown, worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Stauffer Chemical Company, and the NJ Farm Bureau. He was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church of Bonita Springs, Fla.
   His family and friends may attend an internment and memorial service at the First Presbyterian Church of Bonita Springs, Fla., on March 7 at 11 a.m. Memorials may be given to First Presbyterian Church, 9751 Bonita Beach Road, Bonita Springs, FL 34135.