Week of Oct. 27

Marilyn Coffee, Peter Rea Sr., John Mignella, Kuei-Chang Liang, William B. Mischke.

By:
Marilyn Coffee
   Marilyn H. Coffee, 75, died Sunday, Oct. 16, at Cranbury Care Center in Monroe.
   Born in Princeton, she grew up in Kingston, graduated from Princeton High School, and was an area resident all of her life.
   Ms. Coffee’s daughter, Susan Coffee, her father, Charles D. Harris, her mother and step-father, Frances H. and Samuel Copner and a brother, Charles Harris, are deceased. She is survived by her son and close friend, Richard J. Coffee Jr. and Mary Weber of West Trenton, her son and daughter-in-law, Michael and Francine Coffee of Cranbury, three daughters and one son-in-law, Nancy Coffee of East Windsor, Patricia Coffee of Hopewell and Barbara and Thomas Zeis of Newtown Pa.; a sister, Barbara Wooldridge of Conn.; her former spouse, Richard J. Coffee Sr. of Lawrenceville and seven grandchildren, Erika and Jessica Zeis, Christina and Christopher Maffei, Harrison, Connor and Brendon Coffee.
   A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Thursday, Oct. 20, at St. Paul’s R.C. Church, Princeton. Interment followed in Lawrenceville Cemetery.
   In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, 2550 Route 1, North Brunswick, NJ 08902 or to the American Cancer Society, 3076 Princeton Pike, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648.
Peter Rea Sr.
   Peter H. Rea Sr., 73, died Wednesday, Oct. 19, at St. Peter’s Hospital in New Brunswick.
   Mr. Rea was born in Garden City, N.Y., lived in Rockaway, Queens and Brooklyn and had resided in Kendall Park since 1961 and most recently resided in Somerset.
   He was a member of St. Augustine of Canterbury Church, an original member of the Kendall Park Volunteer Fire Company and a member of the VFW Post No. 911 of Kendall Park. A disabled veteran who had served in the Korean Conflict as a sergeant with the 2nd Infantry Division 8th Army, Mr. Rea was awarded two Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star, a Korean Service Medal, a Korean Occupational Medal, a Combat Infantry Badge, four Campaign Ribbons and four Battle Stars. Mr. Rea served in the Military Police in Germany before his discharge.
   He was a conductor for 37 years with the Pennsylvania Railroad and retired in 1992. He was also employed by the Kendall Park United States Postal Service for eight years.
   A son, John W. Rea, III, and brothers, John Rea, II and Stephen Rea, are deceased. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Mary J. Rea of Somerset; one son; Peter V. Rea of Kendall Park; a sister-in-law, Dolores Rea of Boynton Beach, Fla.; a sister and brother-in-law, Ann and William Allen of Rockaway, N.Y.; and two grandchildren, Kaitlyn and Ashley Rea, both of Kendall Park.
   The funeral was held on Monday, Oct. 24, at M.J. Murphy Funeral Home, Monmouth Junction. A Mass of Christian Burial followed at St. Augustine of Canterbury Church, Kendall Park.
   In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Association, 2550 Route 1, North Brunswick, NJ 08902.
John Mignella
   John S. Mignella, 62, a Vietnam veteran, died Saturday, Oct. 22, at home.
   Born in Bound Brook, Mr. Mignella was a United States Navy Vietnam veteran, serving two tours of duty. He was vice-president of operations with Dot Com Distribution, Edison. He was a member of the Kendall Park VFW 9111, past exalted ruler of the South Brunswick Elks, enjoyed fishing and playing baseball with his grandson, Ryan, and most of all loved vacationing with his entire family.
   His parents, Michael and June Webster Mignella, a brother, Michael Mignella, and a son-in-law, Scott Phillips, are deceased. He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Cindy B. Totka Mignella; a son and daughter-in-law, Craig and Kim Mignella of Piscataway; a daughter, Kim Phillips of Dayton; two sisters and a brother-in-law, Helen and Nick Cholewa of Matawan and Margie Ensana of Trenton; a sister-in-law, Teddi Mignella of Monmouth Junction; and four grandchildren, Ashley, Ryan, Cody and Madison.
   The funeral service was held Wednesday, Oct. 26, at M.J. Murphy Funeral Home, Monmouth Junction. Entombment followed in Resurrection Cemetery, Piscataway.
Kuei-Chang Liang
   Kuei-Chang (K.C.) Liang, 95, of Kendall Park died Thursday, Oct. 20, at the University Medical Center in Princeton.
   Born in Fu-Jou City, Fu-Jien province, China, he studied engineering at the Naval Academy in Fu-Jou. After graduation, he left home to serve in the Chinese Air Force during the Sino-Japanese War. He worked for the Central Aircraft Manufacturing Company in Hang-Jou, a Chinese-American cooperative during World War II. Near the end of the war, he was selected by the Chinese Air Force to further his study and train in management and industrial quality control in England, where he studied at the University of Bristol.
   Mr. Liang left China for Taiwan in 1949 before the communist takeover of China. He devoted his entire professional career to the advancement of civil aviation and teaching. In the first 40 years of his career he worked closely with the aircraft industry. In the last 10 years of his career he dedicated himself to industrial quality control, technology and management. After retirement he moved to the United States to be close to his children. Eventually, he had the opportunity to locate and visit his daughters in China after 50 years of separation.
   He is survived by daughters, Raw-Jang Liang and Iluai-Shuen Liang of China and Jo-Lin Liang of Princeton; a son, Jang-Chi Liang of Kendall Park; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
   A prayer service of Christian burial was celebrated Saturday, Oct. 29, at Kimble Funeral Home, Princeton. Interment followed in Princeton Cemetery.
   In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to a first aid and rescue squad of a community or a community-based organization serving the elderly.
William B. Mischke
   William B. Mischke, Sr., 77, of Pennington died Sunday, Oct. 23, at home.
   Born in Philadelphia, he had resided in Yardley, Pa., for 16 years before moving to Pennington 8 years ago.
   He was a graduate of Temple University. He was director of personnel for Sears Roebuck. He was a member of the Abiding Presence Lutheran Church in Ewing and was a Marine veteran.
   He is survived by his wife, Verna J.; son and daughter-in-law, Greg B. and Maria E. Mischke of Kendall Park; a son and daughter-in-law, William B. Jr., and Ellen Mischke of Pipersville, Pa.; and two granddaughters, Kristina and Allyson Mischke.
   Funeral services were held Thursday, Oct. 27, at the Abiding Presence Lutheran Church, Ewing, with the Rev. Dan Whitener, pastor, officiating. Burial was in the Ewing Church Cemetery.
   In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Abiding Presence Lutheran Church (notation endowment fund), 2220 Pennington Road, Ewing, N.J. 08638 or Vitas Hospice Care, 521 Fellowship Road, Suite 110, Mount Laurel, N.J. 08054.
   Arrangements were by the Wilson-Apple Funeral Home, Pennington.