Paul Pincus
Mr. Pincus, 87, of Old Bridge, died Oct. 23 at Raritan Bay Medical Center, Old Bridge division. Born in Bayonne on Nov. 21, 1917, he lived in Brooklyn and Long Island, N.Y., before moving to Old Bridge nine years ago. Mr. Pincus was a clarinetist. He began playing the clarinet at age 9 and attended The Juilliard School, New York City, on a scholarship. He worked from 1943 to 1960 as a Broadway pit musician, playing in many shows and appearing on a number of original cast albums. He performed in a number of Ethel Merman shows, including “Call Me Madam,” and “Annie Get Your Gun,” and concluded his Broadway career with “Flower Drum Song.” In the 1950s, Mr. Pincus recorded an album of klezmer music titled “Music for Happy Occasions.” He became an internationally known klezmer clarinetist and toured with the Epstein Brothers Orchestra and other groups. He instructed younger musicians for a number of years at KlezKamp. In 2002, he toured American and European cities with the Yiddish Radio Project, re-creating Yiddish radio programs from the 1930s and ’40s. Mr. Pincus was predeceased by his wife, Roslyn, in 1977. He is survived by his sisters, Florence Dolber and Harriet Nemeth, both of Old Bridge; several nieces and nephews, including Ellen and Barry Glenn, Debbie and Mark Efron, and Amy and Russell Rosen, all of Manalapan; and several grandnephews, grandnieces, and friends. Services were held at the Bloomfield-Cooper Jewish Chapels, Manalapan.
Robert T. Jones
Mr. Jones, 78, of North Brunswick, died Oct. 14 at St. Peter’s University Hospital, New Brunswick. Born in Hackensack, he had resided in the Colonia section of Woodbridge before moving to North Brunswick 46 years ago. Mr. Jones taught driving at New Brunswick High School for 25 years, retiring in 1983. He served with the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He was a communicant of St. Augustine of Canterbury Roman Catholic Church, Kendall Park section of South Brunswick, and a member of the New Jersey Education Association. Mr. Jones is survived by his wife, Irene Tietz Jones; four sons, Douglas Jones of Bel Air, Md., Thomas Jones of Howell, Steven Jones of Hoboken, and Christopher Jones of Chesapeake, Va.; two sisters, Gladys Van Langen of Glen Rock and Betty Dates of Hasbrouck Heights; a brother, Walter H. Jones Jr. of Simsbury, Conn.; and four grandchildren. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St. Augustine’s Church, followed by interment at Holy Cross Burial Park, South Brunswick. Arrangements were by the Selover Funeral Home, North Brunswick. Memorial donations may be made to American Cancer Society, 846 Main St., Fords 08863.
Edwin Sierra
Mr. Sierra, 46, of Middletown, died Oct. 16 at home. Born in Florida, he had resided in New York City and Northvale, Bergen County, before moving to Middletown in 1980. Mr. Sierra was the owner/operator of Absolute Audio, Middletown, the past 10 years. He was a member of Calvary Chapel Church, Old Bridge. Mr. Sierra is survived by his wife of 25 yeas, Miriam Ortiz Sierra; his parents, John and Luz Sierra of Howell; a daughter, Angela Emanuele of Middletown; a son, Edwin Sierra Jr. of Middletown; two brothers, John Sierra and David Sierra, both of Middletown; and a sister, Elizabeth Lepard of Howell. A funeral service was held at First Assembly of God Church, Shrewsbury, followed by burial at Fair View Cemetery, Middletown. The John F. Pfleger Funeral Home, Middletown, was in charge of arrangements. Memorial donations may be made to Calvary Chapel-Old Bridge, P.O. Box 567, Old Bridge 08857.
David F. Van Brunt
Mr. Van Brunt, 70, of Union Beach, died Oct. 5 at St. Barnabas Hospice, Long Branch. Born in Newark, he resided in Belleville and Irvington prior to moving to Union Beach 50 years ago. He was employed in telephone sales at Gales Industrial, Keyport, for 17 years, retiring in 2003. Prior to that, he was employed at Conover Lumber for 24 years. He served with the U.S. Airforce during peacetime. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Carolyn Thomas Van Brunt; a daughter and son-in-law, Sherrie and Vincent Portera of Howell; two daughters and sons-in-law, Sharon and Brian Nesbihal of Middletown, and Stephanie and Patrick Laberdee of Union Beach; and seven grandchildren. Arrangements were by Day Funeral Home, Keyport. Memorial donations may be made to St. Barnabas Hospice & Palliative Care Center, 300 Second Ave., Long Branch 07740-6303; or American Lung Association, 1600 Route 22 east, Union 07083.