Mary C. Coffee
Mary C. Coffee died at her residence Friday, surrounded by her family. She was 83.
She had been a resident of Lawrence all of her life.
Mr. Coffee was the violations court clerk in Lawrence for 30 years before her retirement in 1984.
In the 1930s, she was active in the 112th Field Artillery Mounted Troop, and she dedicated much of her life to volunteer work with various organizations. She was a member and officer of the American Legion Posts 414 and 458.
She enjoyed planning trips for the Lawrence Senior Citizens Club #1. She volunteered for the March of Dimes, the Deborah Heart Hospital and drove cancer patients to their appointments for the American Cancer Society.
Daughter of the late Raymond and Laura Durling Fisher and sister of the late Thomas C. Fisher and Marion C. Mooney, she is survived by her son, Peter Coffee of Lawrence; her two daughters, Karen Mellor of Mendham and Kathleen Coffee of Albuquerque, N.M.; four grandchildren, Timothy and Michael Mellor and Cheryl and Max Coffee; and her sister-in-law, Anne Fisher of Los Altos, Calif.
A memorial service was held Wednesday at the American Legion Post 414, 100 Berwyn Place.
Arrangements are under the direction of Poulson & Van Hise Funeral Directors, Lawrence.
Roberta Ruliffson
PRINCETON Roberta Ruliffson died Nov. 29 at the University Medical Center at Princeton after a brief illness. She was 73.
She was a longtime resident of Princeton and Lawrence.
She was a clinical social worker in private practice.
Originally from Massachusetts, she moved to New Jersey to attend Drew University. She obtained a master’s degree from the Smith College School of Social Work in 1962 and then worked in a variety of capacities for the New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services and later for the Guidance Clinic of the Catholic Welfare Bureau, where she became clinical director in 1973.
She completed advanced training at the Institute for Psychoanalytic Training and Research in New York City and took advanced courses at Columbia University and Smith College schools of social work.
At the time of her death, Ms. Ruliffson was semi-retired but continued to maintain a private practice.
In addition to being a psychotherapist and mentor of women, she was an enthusiastic world traveler and an advocate for animals. She left the bulk of her estate to the Matthew J. Ryan Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania to fund a scholarship for veterinary students and also to benefit small animals and the new shelter medicine program.
She is survived by her sister, Marjorie Sheldon of Gainesville, Fla.; a niece; and two nephews.
A memorial service will be held 2 p.m. Saturday at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton, 50 Cherry Hill Road, Princeton. A reception will follow.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Just Cats Sanctuary, P.O. Box 85, North Branch, NY 12766.
George D. Burnett
George D. Burnett died Saturday at his residence. He was 80.
Born in Trenton, he lived in Lawrence since 1969.
He was formerly employed by Westinghouse Electric of Trenton as a boilerman and fireman. He retired after 35 years of service.
Mr. Burnett was an Army veteran of World War II.
Son of the late George and Lilly Fenner Burnett and husband of the late Helen Saunders Burnett, he is survived by a son Keith Burnett, two sisters Marietta Burnett and Dorothy Payne and a sister-in-law Kathleen Saunders. Also surviving are three cousins Marie Beatty, Betty Godepski and Linda Savadge.
The funeral will be today at 11 a.m. from Poulson & Van Hise Funeral Directors, 650 Lawrence Road, with the Rev. Richard White, chaplain at the University Medical Center at Princeton, officiating.
Burial will be in the Greenwood Cemetery in Hamilton.
David N. Penrose
David N. Penrose of Lawrence died Saturday at the University Medical Center at Princeton. He was 89.
Born in Trenton, he was a lifelong area resident.
He was a retired self employed insurance broker for the Signa Insurance Company. He was a graduate of Trenton High School, Class of 1934, and attended Rutgers University.
He served in the United States Coast Guard during World War II. He was a member of the Lawrenceville Presbyterian Church where he was a former deacon, trustee and elder of the church. He was a former treasurer for the New Brunswick Presbytery with over 20 years of service.
Son of the late Frank B. and Florence Nelson Penrose; brother of the late Harry B. Penrose; he is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Eastham Penrose; a son, David N. Penrose Jr.; two daughters Virginia Staiano of Lebanon, N.J., and Mary Louise Penrose of Clarksburg, Md.; and two granddaughters Mary Elizabeth Glibowski and Erin Rippin.
A memorial service will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Lawrenceville Presbyterian Church, 2688 Main St., with the Rev. Jeffrey Vamos officiating, and Joan Semenuk associate for pastoral ministry. There will be no calling hours. Burial will be private in the Lawrenceville Cemetery.
Contributions may be made to the Memorial Fund of the Lawrenceville Presbyterian Church, 2688 Main St., Lawrenceville, NJ 08648.
Arrangements are by the Wilson-Apple Funeral Home, Hopewell. For more information, or to send condolences, go to www.wilsonapple.com.
Robert E. Clark Sr.
Robert E. Clark Sr. of Hamilton died April 13 surrounded by his family. He was 76.
Mr. Clark was born on a farm in Lawrence, and was a longtime resident of the Trenton and Hamilton areas. He was a member of St. Mark United Methodist Church in Hamilton.
Mr. Clark was a graduate of Trenton Central High School, Class of 1949 and served in the United States Army during the Korean War. He graduated from the Fort Holabird Intelligence Training School in Maryland and served in Okinawa, Japan.
He worked for Bell Telephone for 37 years, beginning as a lineman and retiring as an account executive.
He was a member of the Rotary Club of Hamilton, the Hamilton Elks Lodge #2262, and the VFW. He was also involved with the Hamilton Indian Guides, the Hamilton Little Lads and the Boy Scouts of America, where he served for a time as district commissioner.
Son of the late Robert M. and Florence Evans Clark, husband of the late Doris Sommerville Clark, and brother of the late Alice Clark Hart and Maude Clark Harter, he is survived by his wife of 20 years, Delores Thorpe Clark; his children, Robert E. Clark Jr. and his wife, Carol of Whitehouse Station, Joan Clark of Lawrence and Thomas Clark and his wife, Beth of Hamilton; a brother Theodore Clark and his wife, Brenda of Hamilton; his stepchildren, Brian D. Thorpe and his wife, Melissa of Havana, Fla., Diane Thorpe Kopena and her husband, George, and Jeffery S. Thorpe and his wife, Katherine; nine grandchildren, Casandra, Robert and Kevin Clark, John Jr. and Robert Voorhees, Thomas and Amanda Clark, Jason and Kelly Ann Thorpe, and numerous other relatives, nieces and nephews.
The funeral was Wednesday at the Saul Colonial Home, 3795 Nottingham Way, Hamilton.
Burial was in Newtown Cemetery, Newtown, Pa.
Margaret E. Livingstone
Margaret E. Livingstone died Sunday at her residence. She was 58.
Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, she had resided in Lawrence for 22 years.
She was a registered nurse at the Johannesburg General Hospital and subsequently became a pediatric specialty nurse at the Johannesburg Children’s Hospital.
She was employed as a charge nurse at the Carrier Clinic Adolescent Unit in Hillsborough. She was had many interests, including gardening and playing tennis.
Daughter of the late Charles and Phyllis Holder, she is survived by her four children, Victoria, Katherine, Peter and Elizabeth Livingstone. Also surviving are a sister Elizabeth Fawbert and a brother John Holder.
A memorial service will be held Saturday at 9:30 a.m. at the Lawrenceville Presbyterian Church, 2688 Main St. with the Rev. Jeffrey Vamos officiating.
Arrangements are under the direction of Poulson & Van Hise Funeral Directors, Lawrence.

