Michael E. Silvestri
Mr. Silvestri, 50, of Red Bank, died April 9 at Riverview Medical Center, Red Bank. Born in Paterson, he had resided in Rumson before moving to Red Bank 20 years ago. Mr. Silvestri was the principal owner of R.E.M. Builders and Developers, Red Bank. He was predeceased by his mother, Patricia McGowan Silvestri. Mr. Silvestri is survived by his son, Streett P. Silvestri of Little Silver; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Rick J. and Laraine Silvestri, and Eric R. and Jennifer Silvestri, all of Middletown; a sister and brother-in-law, Kathryn and Patrick Lavelle of Middletown; his aunt, Sunny Silb; four nephews; and Streett Silvestri’s mother and sister, Blair and Sierra Richter. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, New Monmouth, followed by interment at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Middletown. Memorial donations may be made to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, 2 Princess Road, Suite D, Lawrenceville 08648. The John E. Day Funeral Home, Red Bank, is in charge of arrangements.
George C. Uchrin
Mr. Uchrin, 82, of the Lincroft section of Middletown, died March 27 at Princeton Care Center. Born in Edison, he resided there, and in Eatontown for 24 years prior to moving to Lincroft in 1974. He was a retired engineering draftsman at the Signal Corps Engineering Labs, Fort Monmouth, Eatontown, where he was employed 36 years. Prior to that, he was a project engineer; in 1954, he and an associate discovered the basic circuit for switching power transistors in power conversion circuitry for which a patent was obtained. He served with the U.S. Army during World War II. He was a member of the choirs at Our Lady of Peace Roman Catholic Church, Fords section of Woodbridge, and St. Dorothea’s Roman Catholic Church, Eatontown. He coached Little League baseball in Edison and Eatontown. He was an avid rail fan for more than 50 years, a member of the Train Collectors Association, and enjoyed model railroading and riding the rails. He also enjoyed gardening. He was predeceased by his wife of 50 years, Annette R. Skokan Uchrin in 1999. He is survived by two sons, Dr. Christopher G. Uchrin of Lebanon, and Gregory Uchrin of Alexandria, Va.; two brothers, John and William; two sisters, Anna and Margaret; and one grandson.
Doreene S. McCleane Aschettino
Ms. Aschettino, 61, of Eatontown, died March 27 at Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch. Born in Newark, she resided in Middletown and Shrewsbury before moving to Eatontown more than 30 years ago. Ms. Aschettino was employed at the Red Bank Regional School District for the past 40 years. She was a parishioner of St. Dorothea’s Roman Catholic Church, Eatontown, and was active in several clubs and organizations. She is survived by three sisters, Elizabeth M. Van Wagner of Neptune, Gloria G. Moro of Manalapan and Mary Morley of Netherton, England; four nephews; two nieces; and several grandnieces and grandnephews. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St. Dorothea’s Church, followed by interment at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Middletown. The Damiano Funeral Home, Long Branch, was in charge of arrangements.
Peter W. Potter
Mr. Potter, 51, of the West Keansburg section of Hazlet, died April 3. Born in Scotland, he resided in Middletown prior to moving to West Keansburg two years ago. He was a self-employed painter in the Middletown area. He enjoyed acting at The First Avenue Playhouse, Atlantic Highlands, as well as Hawaii. He was predeceased by his father, John Potter. He is survived by a son and daughter, Anthony Potter and Ashley Potter, both Middletown; his mother, Jean Potter of Fair Haven; a sister, Linda Bouchard of Wilmington, Del.; one nephew; and an aunt. Arrangements were by John E. Day Funeral Home, Red Bank.
John H. Ash
Mr. Ash, 71, of Hazlet, died April 7 at the Veterans Administration Hospital, East Orange. Born in Hoboken, he resided in Hazlet the past 49 years. He was a truck driver at Paul’s Trucking, Edison, and NU Car C Carriers for more than 50 years, retiring in 1996. He was a member of Teamsters Local 560, Union City, and Local 469, Edison. He served with the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict. He was predeceased by a brother, Brian Kelly. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Eleanor D’Ambrosio Ash; a son and daughter-in-law, John P. and Cindi Ash of Union Beach; fur sisters, Patricia Kelly, Theresa Mikaloushas, Irene Ponzo and Kathleen Yroa; two brothers, Thomas Kelly and Martin Kelly; and two grandchildren. A funeral service was at St. John’s United Methodist Church, Hazlet. Entombment was at Holmdel Mausoleum. Arrangements were by John F. Pfleger Funeral Home, Middletown.
Kenneth Geerlof
Mr. Geerlof, 61, of Keyport, died April 8 at home. Born in Hoboken, he lived in Hazlet for 25 years before moving to Keyport. Prior to retiring eight years ago, he had worked as a millwright for Colgate-Palmolive, Jersey City. A U.S. Army veteran, he served in the Vietnam War. He was a member of American Legion Post 107, Hoboken, and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4303, Hazlet, and Post 158, Hoboken. He was also a communicant of Holy Family Roman Catholic Church, Union Beach. Mr. Geerlof was predeceased by his wife, Marietta (Germinario) Geerlof; his parents, Evelyn (Constantine) and Andrew Geerlof; a sister, Dorothy Pickett; and a brother, Robert Geerlof. Surviving are two daughters and sons-in-law, Tracey and Jim Toth of Hazlet and Denise and Paul Rutledge of Albrightsville, Pa.; two brothers, Andrew Geerlof of Edgewater and Raymond Geerlof of Belford; two sisters, Arlene Campereale of Clifton and Patricia Zitani of Naples, Fla.; and three grandsons. A funeral service was held at Day Funeral Home, followed by interment at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, both of Keyport.
Patricia Ann Yurkonis
Mrs. Yurkonis, 65 of Quantico Md., died April 9 at Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury, Md. She was a retired teacher for St. Mary’s fourth grade for 10 years and also for the Bayshore Middle School Special Education for Middletown Township Board of Education, where she worked for 11 years until she retired in 1999. After her retirement she was a docent at the Salisbury Zoo, Maryland, and a mentor at the Salisbury Grammar School, Maryland. She was born October 28, 1939 in Jackson Heights, New York. She lived in Quantico, Md., for six years and was previously from Middletown where she lived for 25 years. She was a communicant of St. Francis De Sales Roman Catholic Church, Salisbury, Md., and a former communicant of St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in New Monmouth. Mrs. Yurkonis was predeceased by her father, John P. Delehanty. She is survived by her husband of 20 years, Henry Yurkonis, a son, Joseph J. Purce Jr., of Madison, two daughters, Maryellen Wright, of Mahwah, and Jean Marie Dinges, of Hollidaysburg, Pa.; her mother, Margaret Delehanty, of Salisburg, Md.; a brother, John. P. Delehanty, of Aurora, Ill,; a sister, Maryellen Spota, of Mt. Siani, N.Y.; and 10 grandchildren. Visitation will be held at John F. Pfeger Funeral Home, 115 Tindall Road, Middletown, April 13 from 7 to 9 p.m. A funeral gathering will be held April 14 at 9:45 a.m. at the funeral home followed by a funeral liturgy at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church. Burial will be in the St. Michael’s Cemetery in Hollidaysburg April 15. Letters of condolence may be e-mailed to [email protected].
Donald A. Flaherty
Mr. Flaherty, 74, of Aberdeen, died April 11 at Bayshore Community Hospital, Holmdel. Born in Kearny, he lived in Hazlet and Keyport before moving to Kearny, where he resided for 46 years. A graduate of Keyport High School, he was a groundskeeper for Aberdeen Township and had previously been employed by the American Smelting and Refinery Co. for 28 years as a factory worker. Mr. Flaherty was a lifetime member of the Aberdeen volunteer firemen and had also served as fire commissioner in Aberdeen Township. He served in the Marines during peacetime and was a communicant of St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, Keyport. He was predeceased by his parents, Florence (Patterson) and Robert Flaherty. Surviving are his wife, Claire (Segoskie) Flaherty; two daughters, Cynthia Flaherty-Lukesh of Jackson and Maryann Remolador of Springfield, Vt.; two sons, Donald Flaherty of Delanco and Robert Flaherty of Aberdeen; a sister, Dolores Pasquarelli of Somerset; three grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. A Mass was celebrated at St. Joseph’s Church, followed by interment at St. Joseph’s Mausoleum, also Keyport. Day Funeral Home, Keyport, was in charge of arrangements.