Obituaries for the week of Dec. 9

Dr. James A. Miller, Elizabeth Johnson, Seymour D. Selzer, Asa T. Davison Jr., Patricia M. Matruski

Dr. James A. Miller
   COLUMBUS — Dr. James Anthony Miller, 82, a former mayor of Mount Holly, died Dec. 2 after a battle with Alzheimer’s and Addison’s diseases.
   Born in Paterson, he served in World War II as a bombardier/navigator with the 91st Bombardment Group of the 8th Air Corps. He completed undergraduate studies at Rutgers University in 1947 and graduated in 1950 from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dentistry. He re-entered the Army, completing his internship at Walter Reed Army Hospital and continuing his service as an oral surgeon at Fort Dix.
   Dr. Miller married Martha Lorraine Allmuth, also of Paterson, in 1950. Following honorable discharge in 1954 at the rank of captain, they settled in Mount Holly, where Dr. Miller established a dental practice.
   He was appointed to the Mount Holly Parks Commission in 1955; elected to the Mount Holly school board in 1958; and elected to the Mount Holly town council in 1962. He served as mayor in 1965 and 1967, and led urban renewal efforts. He was elected in 1967 and re-elected in 1970 to the Burlington County Board of Freeholders.
   Dr. Miller served as the first chief of oral surgery and founder of the Dental Practices Unit of Burlington County Memorial Hospital. He remained in dental practice until 1992 and provided dental services to the Burlington County Prison and Masonic Home of Burlington until 1997.
   Dr. Miller was a 50-year member and past king of the Lion’s Club and a member of the Loyal Order of Masons and St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, to which he served as a 43-year vestryman and senior warden.
   Following the 1970 death of his wife, Lorraine, he married Claire Rose Poinsett, also of Mount Holly, in 1976.
   Dr. Miller is survived by his second wife and his sons and their wives, David and Ann Marie Miller of Hightstown, Robert and Patti Miller of Medford, Buddy (James A. Jr.) and Mary Miller of Lumberton and Gary and Wen Miller of Medford Lakes; six grandchildren; and his brother and sister-in-law, David E. and Lorraine Miller of Milwaukee, Wisc.
   Viewings were held at Perinchief’s Funeral Chapel, Mount Holly. A service of Christian burial was conducted at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Mount Holly.
   Donations may be made to the St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church Preservation Fund, c/o 121 High St., Mount Holly 08060 or the University of Pennsylvania Memory Disorders Clinic, 3615 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19104.
Elizabeth Johnson
   HIGHTSTOWN — Elizabeth (Betty) Johnson, 84, died Sunday at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at Hamilton.
   Born in Trenton, Ms. Johnson was a lifelong Hightstown resident. She worked until her death and was the former owner of Mom’s Peppermill Restaurant and the Olde York Inn in Hightstown. Recently, she had been working at Molly Pitcher’s Rest Stop on the New Jersey Turnpike for Sunoco.
   Daughter of the late Marie and Anthony Diboise, wife of the late Lawrenson (Whitie) Johnson and sister of the late James Diboise and Elsie Mongiello, she is survived by a daughter, Cynthia Murray of Cranbury; three grandsons, Larry Murray of Cranbury, Michael Murray and his wife, Kim, of Bordentown and Jared Murray of San Diego, Calif; and two great-grandsons, James Michael and Ethan Thomas of Bordentown. Also surviving are her sister, Mary Jensen of Mount Penn, Pa., and her brother, Albert Diboise, of New Port Richey, Fla.; and many nieces and nephews.
   Funeral services will be held at 9 a.m. today, Friday, at Glackin/Saul Funeral Home, 136 Morrison Ave., Hightstown. A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church, 251 Franklin St., Hightstown. Interment will follow in St. Rose of Lima Cemetery, Freehold.
   Contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, 2550 Route 1, North Brunswick 08902.
Seymour D. Selzer
   LAWRENCEVILLE — Seymour D. Selzer, 82, died Tuesday in the University Medical Center at Princeton.
   Born in Jersey City, Mr. Selzer was a resident of the Trenton area the past 45 years.
   A graduate of Newark College of Engineering and New York University, Mr. Selzer earned degrees in civil and water resources engineering. During employment with consulting engineering firms, he was project engineer for various water-supply and waste-disposal facilities, including Trenton’s central pumping station. While employed by the state Division of Water Policy and Supply, he supervised the design of the state’s Round Valley-Spruce Run Reservoir Project. Mr. Selzer was employed by the Delaware River Basin Commission from 1963 to 1985 and headed the planning branch until his retirement in 1985. He had a key role in the pollution-abatement program for the Delaware River and the development of the comprehensive plan for the basin’s water resources.
   Mr. Selzer was a fellow and life member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. He was a licensed professional engineer and a public interest member of the American National Standards Institute Pipeline Code Committee. He was a member of Har Sinai Temple, Jewish War Veterans, B’nai Brith, American Technion Society and the Nature Conservancy.
   Mr. Selzer was an Army veteran of World War II, serving in the 75th Division. He was awarded the Combat Infantrymans Badge, three Battle Stars and the Bronze Star Medal.
   Son of the late Joseph and Rae Selzer and husband of the late Rosamond Garfunkel Selzer, he is survived by two sons and a daughter-in-law, Hal Selzer of East Windsor and Gary Selzer and wife Margaret Targove of Basking Ridge; a daughter and son-in-law, Wilma and Jonathan Nachsin of Evanston, IL; three grandchildren, Daniel Selzer and Jacob and Aaron Nachsin; two sisters, Mildred Kaplowe and Estelle Levine; and mother-in-law Daisy Garfunkel of Ewing Township.
   Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. today, Friday, at Orland’s Ewing Memorial Chapel, 1534 Pennington Road, Ewing Township. Burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery, Saddle Brook.
   The period of mourning will be observed Saturday and Sunday at the Selzer residence in Lawrenceville.
   The family respectfully requests memorial contributions be offered to the Jewish National Fund, 42 E. 69th St., New York, NY 10021 or a charity of the donor’s choice.
Asa T. Davison Jr.
   CRANBURY — Asa T. Davison Jr., 89, died Dec. 2 at the Elms of Cranbury.
   Born in 1916 at the Ancil M. Davison Homestead in Cranbury, he married Margaret L. Stults (deceased 1993) in 1937. They lived their 56 years of married life in Cranbury.
   Mr. Davison attended Cranbury Grammar School and New Brunswick High School. He was a lifetime Cranbury farmer and enjoyed hunting and fishing. He served as a lifelong member and former office holder for the First Presbyterian Church of Cranbury, Hightstown Grange No. 96, N. J. Pomona Grange and N. J. State Grange. He served many years as a member and an officer for the N. J. Farm Credit and the N. J. Farm Land Bank Association of Freehold. He was also a member of the Hightstown Apollo Lodge No. 41 in Hightstown.
   Son of the late Asa T. Davison Sr. and Verna Davis Davison and brother of the late Charles M. Davison of Dryden, N.Y., and Warren H. Davison of Lithonia, Ga., he is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Doris D. and Hugh Parry of Milton, Vt.; his son and daughter-in-law, Harold and Eileen Davison of Naples, Fla.; his siblings, Meribah D. Busby of Whiting and Lois D. Robbins of Princeton; his sisters-in-law, Marian Davison of Dryden, N.Y., Lilian Davison of Lithonia, Ga. and Florence Van Treuren of Edgewater, Fla.; five granddaughters; 11 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.
   Funeral services were held at the First Presbyterian Church of Cranbury. Interment followed in Brainerd Cemetery, Cranbury.
   Memorial contributions may be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Cranbury, 22 South Main St., Cranbury 08512 or to the Cranbury First Aid Squad, 68 Maplewood Ave., Cranbury 08512.
Patricia M. Matruski
   ROBBINSVILLE — Patricia M. Matruski, 68, died Nov. 30 at The Medical Center at Princeton.
   Born in Binghamton, N.Y., she was a resident of the Allentown area for 30 years.
   Ms. Matruski retired from Meadow Lakes in Hightstown, where she was director of food services. She enjoyed gardening and spending time with her family.
   Wife of the late Edwin Matruski, she is survived by three daughters and two sons-in-law, Terryl and Carl Tindall of Hamilton Square, Lorisa Matruski of Pennsylvania and KimAnn and Patrick Maxwell of Hamilton Square; and five grandchildren, James Tindall, Nathaen, Matthew and Lindsey Sierra and Kayla Maxwell.
   Services will be private at the convenience of the family. Interment will be held at Princeton Memorial Park, Robbinsville. Services are under the direction of the Peppler Funeral Home, Allentown.