John Warianka, Kenneth Smida, Paul Sabo, James Paul Sloan, Palmo A. Tozzo, Stephen R. Gildersleeve, Michael Bussiere, Filomena M. Castaldi.
By:
John Warianka
John Warianka of Rossmoor died Sunday, Oct. 30, at his home. He was 89.
Mr. Warianka was born in Jersey City and lived in Linden for 55 years before moving to Rossmoor in 2001.
He served in the U.S. Army during WWII and received the Bronze Star and Purple Heart in recognition of his wartime service. He was a country music entertainer, performing as "Smokey Warren, the Eastern King of Western Swing." Prior to his retirement in 1980, he appeared on television several times, performed at the Grand Ole Opry and hosted a radio show on WJDM in Elizabeth for 12 years.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Geraldine Ciuffreda Warianka; a daughter, Carol Petralia and her husband Sal of Monroe; and a brother, Andrew Warianka of Arizona.
Funeral services were held Thursday Nov. 3, under the direction of the M. David DeMarco Funeral Home in Monroe.
Memorial contributions can be made in lieu of flowers to VNA of Central New Jersey, 141 Bodman Place, Red Bank, NJ 07701.
Kenneth Smida
Kenneth V. Smida of Rossmoor died Thursday, Oct. 27, at University Medical Center at Princeton.
Mr. Smida was a Latin teacher, high school principal and school superintendent in New Jersey public schools for 28 years. At the time of his retirement in 1978, he was superintendent of the Metuchen school system. A graduate of Montclair State College, Mr. Smida also earned a master’s degree in school administration from Montclair. He did post-graduate study toward his doctorate at Rutgers School of Education.
A World War II Marine Corps veteran, Mr. Smida participated in the Palau and Okinawa invasions and the occupation of Nagasaki at the close of the war.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Lois Auld Smida; two sons, Alexander K. of Jackson and Theodore J. of Readington Beach, Fla.; and three grandchildren.
A private graveside service was held on Friday, Oct. 28, at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church Cemetery, Spotswood. A memorial service will be held at Rossmoor Community Church, Monroe, at the convenience of the family.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to American Diabetes Association.
Arrangements were by Lester Memorial Home, 16 W. Church St., Jamesburg.
Paul Sabo
Paul A. Sabo, 64, died Friday, Oct. 28, at his home in Monroe.
Born in New Brunswick, he resided in Somerset for most of his life before moving to Monroe four years ago.
Mr. Sabo was a graduate of St. Peter’s elementary and high schools. He was a supervisor for DuPont, retiring in 1997. After his retirement, Mr. Sabo was employed as a member of Rutgers University football and basketball security staff. He was also involved as a referee for Middlesex County high school sports.
He was a member of Moose Lodge 263 of New Brunswick and Franklin Township Eagles. He loved to play golf and was a member of the Rossmoor Golf Club.
He is survived by his children, Kimberly Ehresman and her husband, Kevin, of Milltown and Scott Sabo of Somerset; his mother Jennie Sabo of Somerset; a brother, Ronald Sabo of Southhampton; and two grandchildren, Kevin Jr. and Michael Ehresman.
Services were held Wednesday, Nov. 2, at Gleason Funeral Home, Somerset, followed by a funeral Mass at St. Joseph R.C. Church, New Brunswick. Cremation followed at Franklin Memorial Park, North Brunswick.
James Paul Sloan
James Paul Jones, 88, died Friday, Oct. 28, at Cranbury Center in Monroe.
Born in Philadelphia, he lived in Cranbury for 28 years in the home he built. He then lived in Hightstown from 1986 until 2001 when he moved to Monroe.
Mr. Sloan was a retired Navy Chief Petty Officer, serving in the U.S. Navy from 1935 until 1955. He received the American Defense Medal, American Area Medal, European-African Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Medal, WWII Victory Medal, Navy Occupation Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Philippine Liberation Ribbon and the Presidential Unit Citation. He also served on the following ships: USS Wyoming, USS Abel Pupshor, USS Bernadou, USS Alcor, USS Oregon City, USS Washington, USS Shenandoah and the USS Randolph. He retired from RCA in West Windsor as head of the Maintenance Department in 1983. He was a member of the VFW in Hightstown.
His wife, Josephine Palumbo Sloan, died in 1986. Two brothers, John and Robert A. Sloan and two sisters, Anna Sloan and Josephine Sloan Recke, also are deceased. He is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Nancylynn and Jack Houvig of Hightstown and Sandra and Russell Bowen with whom he lived; four grandchildren, Nicole and Ricardo Diaz of Monroe and Jamie and Kristy Houvig of Hightstown; a great-granddaughter, Genesis Diaz Hall; a sister, Clare Sloan Best of Scranton, Pa.; a sister-in-law, Angie Palumbo Linke of Jamesburg; and several special nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, grand-nephews and cousins.
Services were held Wednesday, Nov. 2, at A.S. Cole Son & Co. Funeral Home, Cranbury, followed by a funeral Mass at St. Anthony Padua R.C. Church, Hightstown. Entombment was in Princeton Memorial Park, Washington Township.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the American Liver Foundation, 75 Maiden Lane, Suite 603, New York, NY 10038-4810.
Palmo A. Tozzo
Palmo A. Tozzo, Lt. Col., USAR Ret., 89, died Sunday, Oct. 30, at Buckingham Assisted Living Residence, South Brunswick.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., he lived there before moving to Clearbrook in 1997.
Mr. Tozzo was a towerman for the NYC Transit Authority for 25 years, retiring in 1968. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and achieved the rank of captain at his discharge from active duty. He later served in the Army Reserves with the Civil Affairs Army Unit No. 356, retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 1967.
He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Helen S. (Petraglia); two daughters, Elaine Gregoli and her husband, Stephen, of Staten Island, N.Y., and Lorraine M. Tozzo at Princeton; two Grandchildren; and two great-grandsons.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, Nov. 2, from the M. David DeMarco Funeral Home, 205 Rhode Hall Road, Monroe. A funeral Mass was celebrated at Nativity of Our Lord R.C. Church, Monroe. Interment followed in Holy Cross Burial Park, South Brunswick.
Stephen R. Gildersleeve
Stephen R. Gildersleeve , 78, died Monday, Oct. 31, at the Raritan Bay Medical Center, Old Bridge.
Born in New York City, he lived in Queens before moving to Monroe in 1969.
He was a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service serving the Rockefeller Center area for over 38 years, retiring in 1982. He then became the supervisor of mail operations at Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick for 11 years, retiring in 1993. He served in the U.S. Army from 1945 to 1946. He was a member of Immaculate Conception R.C. Church, Spotswood.
He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Grace Nardo Gildersleeve; two sons, Joseph and his wife, Cindy, of Wellington, Fla., and Stephen of San Francisco; eight nieces and nephews, Mr. and Mrs. Donald Torgersen, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Gildersleeve, Mr. and Mrs. Donald Conry, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Zanko, Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Lipovsky, Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Gildersleeve, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dullea, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Boles; and many grand nieces and grand nephews.
Funeral service were held Thursday, Nov. 3, at the M. David DeMarco Funeral Home, Monroe. Entombment was at Holy Cross Mausoleum, South Brunswick.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart and Stroke Association.
Michael Bussiere
Michael Bussiere, 35, died Sunday, Oct. 30, at Raritan Bay Medical Center, Old Bridge Division.
Born in Edison, he had lived there and in South Brunswick before moving to Monroe less than a year ago. He was a graduate of Edison High School where he had played lacrosse and football. He was also involved in Edison Little League Baseball in his youth. He had attended Middlesex County College.
Mr. Bussiere was the owner-operator of Buzzy’s Restaurant in Piscataway for over 15 years. He was also the owner of Piscataway Liquors, Park Avenue Caterers of Piscataway and Park Avenue Caterers of Linden. He was involved in coaching in the Girls Soccer League in Monroe.
His father, Robert Bussiere, died in 2002. He is survived by his wife, Danielle Dellafave Bussiere; three daughters, Jordan, Brooke and Brigitte; a son, Benjamin; his mother, Rita Cassidy Bussiere; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Salvatore and Linda Dellafave of Edison; three brothers, Robert J. Bussiere of Edison, Joseph Bussiere and his wife, Patricia, of South Brunswick and David Bussiere and his wife, Lynn, of Salem, N.H.; a sister, Sherrie Lynn and her husband, Rob Brownlie, of Edison; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Denise and Nick Casillo and Salvatore and Tara Dellavave, all of Edison; and 18 nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held Friday, Nov. 4, at Selover Funeral Home, North Brunswick, followed by a Mass at Guardian Angels R.C. Church in Edison. Burial followed in Resurrection Burial Park in Piscataway.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the American Heart Association, 2550 Route 1, North Brunswick or to the American foundation for the Blind, 11 Penn Plaza, Suite 300, New York, NY 10001.
Filomena M. Castaldi
Filomena M. (Cortellini) Castaldi, 81, died Sunday, Oct. 30, at Princeton Care Center, Princeton.
Born in the Bronx, N.Y., she lived in New York City and later in Greenlawn, N.Y., before moving to Clearbrook.
After graduating from Evander Childs High School in the Bronx, she worked as a civil servant for the federal government in Manhattan where she met her husband, Ralph J. She created and developed a nursery school for Kingsview Cooperative Homes in Brooklyn where she also worked as a teacher’s assistant. At the flagship Abraham and Strauss Department Store in Brooklyn, she introduced an Italian cooking and culture program. After moving to Greenlawn, she worked for many years as the administrative assistant to the chief of nurses at the Northport V.A. Hospital. Upon moving to Monroe, she worked for the chief of nurses at Princeton Medical Center’s Nursing School until the school closed. She was employed as the administrative assistant to the head of Forrestal Campus at Princeton University until her retirement in 1999.
Ms. Castaldi, as a fluent speaker, reader and writer of Italian, started several different Italian cultural clubs in New York and New Jersey. She worked as a volunteer to different charitable organizations and was an active member of various Catholic churches. She also sang in several church choirs. She was a communicant of Nativity of Our Lord R.C. Church.
Her husband, Ralph J., died in 1986. Her son-in-law, George Morton, and her brother, Joseph L. Cortellini, also are deceased. She is survived by her daughter, Teresa M. Castaldi Morton, of Princeton; a son, Andrew R. Castaldi and his wife, Elizabeth, of Wilton, Conn.; a grandson, Andrew Emil Castaldi; one niece, two nephews and grandnieces and grandnephews.
Funeral services were held Saturday, Nov. 5, from the M. David DeMarco Funeral Home, Monroe. A funeral liturgy was held at Nativity of Our Lord R.C. Church, Monroe, followed by interment in Holy Cross Burial Park, South Brunswick.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Make-a-Wish Foundation or the Rescue Mission of Trenton.