OBITUARIES, Sept. 26, 2006

L. Eugene Roan Jr., Edith L. Leverenz, Margaret H. Steele, Cynthia A. Hoebel, Baroness Olga von Wrangell, Jeffrey C. Vervuurt, Vincent N. Sassman, William N. Parris, Esther H. Highland, Dirk J. Muyskens, Bette E.F. Kohen Bloom, Joseph Sicignano

L. Eugene Roan Jr.
Retired professor at Westminister
   
Leonard Eugene Roan Jr. of Princeton died Thursday at the University Medical Center at Princeton from complications following open-heart surgery in 2005. He was 75.
   He was professor emeritus of organ and harpsichord and chair emeritus of the piano and organ department at Westminster Choir College, the school of music of Rider University.
   Born in Albany, Ga., he was educated as a scholarship student at The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia where he studied organ with Alexander McCurdy. Graduate studies were at Westminster Choir College and at the School of Sacred Music of the Union Theological Seminary, New York City, where he studied organ with Alec Wyton.
   Professor Roan served on the Westminster Choir College faculty for nearly 50 years, and was the devoted teacher of several generations of organists who now hold positions throughout the world. He retired in 2003.
   He served as organist of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Philadelphia and for nearly 40 years as organist and choirmaster at St. Thomas’s Episcopal Church, Whitemarsh, Fort Washington, Pa.
   He frequently appeared as organ recitalist, lecturer and clinician throughout the United States, and at regional and national conventions of The American Guild of Organists. He taught at the Royal School of Church Music, was active in the Organ Historical Society, and was heard in recital last summer at its Fiftieth Anniversary Convention in Cooperstown, N.Y.
   Professor Roan was an organ consultant nationwide. Local projects include the organs of the Princeton University Chapel and Christ Church, New Brunswick.
   Following retirement, he continued to pursue an active performing career as a member of The Practitioners of Musick, the duo he formed with his partner, recorder player John H. Burkhalter III. Specializing in historically authentic performances of Baroque music of Northern Europe as well as the music of Colonial and Federal America, the duo toured extensively in the eastern United States, appearing for local, regional and state historical societies; at major art museums in special programs coordinated with exhibitions; and in programs tailored to historical sites administered by the National Park Service.
   Son of the late Leonard E. Roan and Mable Vining, he is survived by his daughter, Melissa Naegelin of Weymouth, Mass.; sons Lt. Col. Christopher V. Roan, currently serving with the Army in Germany, and Timothy R. Roan of Brooklyn, N.Y.; and eight grandchildren. He is also survived by John H. Burkhalter III, his companion of 30 years.
   Funeral arrangements are private.
   A memorial concert will be scheduled later this season.
   In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Eugene Roan Fund for Organ Music and Literature, Talbot Library, Westminster Choir College, Princeton, NJ 08540.
Edith L. Leverenz
Former Princeton resident
   
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — Edith Langmuir "Teddy" Leverenz died Aug. 24 at the Hospice House in Williamsburg. She was 89.
   She grew up in Englewood and moved to Princeton in the early 1940s after graduating from Smith College in 1939 and marrying her husband. She was a Princeton resident into the 1970s.
   In Princeton, she was active in the Smith College Club, the Trinity Church Altar Guild, and the Parent-Teachers Association. As president of the PTA, she developed a pioneering program for drug awareness and education.
   After her husband’s retirement from RCA, the couple moved to Indies West in Naples, Fla. Following her husband’s death in 2003, she moved to Patriots Colony in Williamsburg.
   In the course of their 63-year marriage, she and her husband traveled throughout the United States, Europe, and around the world.
   Daughter of the late Edith Ruggles and Charles Herbert Langmuir, wife of the Humboldt Walter "Lefty" Leverenz, mother of the late Edith "Ditty" L. Stunkel, she is survived by son David Leverenz of Gainesville, Fla. and Eagles Mere, Pa.; daughters Julie Leverenz of Williamsburg, Va., and Ellen Leverenz of Los Gatos, Calif. and Chilmark, Mass.; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
   Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice House & Support Care of Williamsburg, 4445 Powhatan Parkway, Williamsburg VA 23188.
Margaret H. Steele
Son a former Princeton resident
   
EAST WINDSOR — Margaret H. Steele died Sept. 19 at the Health Care Center at Meadow Lakes. She was 94.
   Born in Canton, China, she lived in Lumberville, Pa., before moving to Meadow Lakes in 1990.
   Wife of the late Geoffrey Steele, she is survived by sons Rex Jackson of Sacramento, Calif., a former resident of Princeton, and Anthony Jackson of Brunswick, Maine; sister Martha Johnson of Cambridge, Mass.; and four grandchildren.
   A celebration of her life will be held 1:30 p.m. today at Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vandeventer Ave., Princeton.
   Interment will be in Carversville Cemetery, Carversville, Pa.
Cynthia A. Hoebel
Church organist, choir director
   
Cynthia A. Eney Hoebel of Princeton died peacefully at home Sept. 19 from liver failure following two and a half years with cancer.
   A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, she was the choir director and organist at the Abbington Presbyterian Church and Christmas concert organist with the Philadelphia Orchestra.
   She was also a music therapist at a Philadelphia mental hospital, which she said changed her life. She became the pianist for the Unitarian Fellowship of Devon, Pa., where she met her future husband on a Youth Hostel bicycle trip to Cape May.
   Following her marriage, she moved to Hopewell and then to Princeton.
   She was the pianist and choir director for the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton in the 1970s.
   She enjoyed gardening, camping, swimming and playing the steam calliope.
   Family members described her as a warm, kind and courageous woman who, after 11 major surgeries, including nine on one hip, settled for a wheelchair, but did not allow it to slow her down.
   She is survived by her husband, Bart Hoebel; daughters and son-in-law Carolyn F. and Ken Lane of Deming, Wash., and Valerie J. Hoebel of Princeton; son Brett G.A. Hoebel of New York City; and grandchildren Fanter and Fin Lane.
   A service celebrating her life will be held 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8 at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton, 50 Cherry Hill Road, Princeton.
   Memorial contributions may be made to the YWCA Princeton Aquatics Program, 59 Paul Robeson Place, Princeton NJ 08540; the Ocean Conservancy, www.oceanconservancy.org; The Curtis Institute of Music, www.curtis.edu/html/60100; or the Delaware River Steamboat Floating Classroom, www.steamboatClassroom.org.
Baroness Olga von Wrangell
Longtime Princeton resident
   
Baroness Olga Aleksanderovna von Wrangell, a Princeton resident for more than 55 years, died Thursday. She was 99.
   Born in Harbin, China, she lived within the large Russian community that developed there along with the Trans-Siberian Railroad. Her father, Aleksander, was a chief administrator for the railway.
   In 1930, she left China with her first husband, Edward Kiln, and traveled to London, where she attended Kings College. In 1939, they left England for the United States. First settling in Pittsburgh, they traveled throughout the United States.
   During World War II, she was one of many Russians commissioned by the military to teach the Russian language to American soldiers.
   Shortly after moving to California, where her husband worked as a chemical engineer, he died, and she moved to New York City.
   She then met and married Baron Leonid von Wrangell, nephew to Baron Peter von Wrangell, commander of the "White" forces in the Russian Civil War. He also served as young officer in the Royal Horse Guard.
   The von Wrangells moved to Princeton in 1950 and lived on Palmer Square.
   Both took employment with the state of New Jersey. They continued to be active in the Russian community in Princeton, New York and California. Baron von Wrangell died in 1981.
   She is survived by many Wrangell family members of the Russian, Swedish and German branches.
   The funeral was Sunday.
   Memorial contributions may be made to Chapel of the Transfiguration, Murray-Dodge Hall, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544.
   Arrangements were by Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton.
Jeffrey C. Vervuurt
Former West Windsor resident
   
LAWRENCE — Jeffrey C. Vervuurt died Tuesday. He was 40.
   Born in Queens, N.Y., he was a resident of West Windsor before moving to Lawrence.
   He was employed by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection in Trenton.
   A 1984 graduate of West Windsor-Plainsboro High School, he received his bachelor’s degree from West Chester University of Pennsylvania.
   Son of the late Marcia Vervuurt, he is survived by his father, Hugo Vervuurt; sister Audrey Vervuurt; aunt Ninon Lapidus of New York; and several cousins.
   Private graveside services will be held at Beth Abraham Cemetery, East Brunswick.
   In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 3076 Princeton Pike, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648.
   Arrangements are by A.S. Cole Funeral Home, Cranbury.
Vincent N. Sassman
Worked at Nassau Interiors
   
Vincent Newton Sassman of Princeton died Saturday at home. He was 83.
   Born in Princeton, he was a lifelong area resident.
   Mr. Sassman was employed for many years at Nassau Interiors and also Tenacre Foundation.
   He was a member of the Princeton Hook & Ladder Co. for over 50 years, a member of the Princeton Masonic Lodge No. 38 Free and Accepted Masons for over 55 years, and a member of Six Mile Run Reformed Church, Franklin Park.
   He was an Army Air Corp veteran of World War II.
   Son of the late Clarence and Ellen Patterson Sassman, husband of the late May Simonsen Sassman, he is survived by daughters and son-in-law Susan and Tom Paris and Joan Geehan; and grandchildren Sarah, Kristin and Christine.
   The funeral will be 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vandeventer Ave., Princeton.
   Burial will be private and at the convenience of the family.
   Calling hour will be 1 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
   Memorial contributions may be made to Princeton First Aid & Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 529, Princeton, NJ 08542.
William N. Parris
Lifelong West Windsor resident
   
WEST WINDSOR — William Nathaniel Parris died peacefully at home Friday. He was 25.
   Born in Princeton, he lived with his family in the Penns Neck section of West Windsor.
   Overcoming the challenges of autism, he began attending the Princeton Child Development Institute in Lawrence at age 3 and received his high school diploma from the West-Windsor Plainsboro School District.
   He was employed by the Westin Hotel in Plainsboro through the Adult Life Skills Program of Princeton Child Development Institute.
   He was a member of the Trenton Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends.
   Grandson of the late William Connolly and Wayne Parris, he is survived by his parents, Susan and David Parris, brothers Daniel and Timothy and maternal grandmother Louise Connolly, all of Penns Neck; and paternal grandmother Melba Parris of Sandy Spring, Md.
   The funeral will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Princeton Baptist Church of Penns Neck, 261 Washington Road.
   Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
   Calling hours will be 9:30 a.m. Wednesday until time of service.
   Memorial contributions may be made to the Princeton Child Development Institute, 300 Cold Soil Road, Princeton, NJ 08540.
   Arrangements are under the directions of the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton.
Esther H. Highland
Retired CUNY professor
   
PLAINSBORO — Esther Harris Highland died Saturday at University Medical Center at Princeton. She was 90.
   Born in New York City, she lived for 46 years in Elmont, Long Island, N.Y.
   She retired as a professor at City University of New York, Queensboro Community College, Queens.
   Since 1998, she lived at The Residence at the Pavilions at Forrestal.
   Mrs. Highland was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, author and co-author of a number of college textbooks in business mathematics, co-author with her husband of several "How and Why Wonder Books" for children, and editor of a variety of journals and encyclopedias.
   Daughter of the late David and Pauline Singer Harris, wife of the late Harold J. Highland, she is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Joseph and Dorothy Highland of Montgomery; sister Sylvia Kleinberger of Jerusalem; and grandchildren Rebecca, Michael and Vladi.
   A private graveside service will be held 11 a.m. today at Princeton Cemetery.
   Memorial contributions may be made to Childreach, 155 Plan Way, Warwick, RI 02886-1099 or to a charity of the donor’s choice.
   Arrangements are by Star of David Memorial Chapel of Princeton.
Dirk J. Muyskens
Former area resident
   
HOUSTON — Dirk John Muyskens died Thursday in Galveston, Texas. He was 78.
   Born in Mandepalle, India, he was a former resident of the Princeton area, moving to Houston in 1978.
   He worked in the chemical industry as an engineer and consultant.
   He was a member of the West Windsor Lions Club and enjoyed tennis.
   Mr. Muyskens graduated from Rutgers University in 1955 with a master’s degree in chemistry.
   He was a member of Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Houston.
   Son of the late John D. and Dora Johnson Muyskens, brother of the late Donald Muyskens, he is survived by his wife, May Ann Muyskens of Houston, to whom he was married 47 years; children Wendy and Kenny Burch of Galveston and Garrit Muyskens of West Virginia; brother and sister-in-law David and Ann Muyskens of Sparta; sister and brother-in-law Bernie and Pat Lettermier of Federal Way, Wash.; sister-in-law Dee Muyskens of Houston; grandchildren Josh Hill, Danielle Mickan, Patrick Hill, Sharon and Christopher; and great-grandson Andrew T. Hill.
   Arrangements were by Oak Park Funeral Home, Alvin, Texas.
Bette E.F. Kohen Bloom
Retired from Merrill Lynch
   
MONROE — Bette E. Fisher Kohen Bloom died Thursday at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick. She was 72.
   Born in Queens, N.Y., she lived in West Windsor before moving to Monroe 15 years ago.
   She worked 16 years as an executive secretary at Merrill Lynch in Plainsboro, retiring in 2000.
   She served on the National Council of Jewish Women, did volunteer work for Recording for the Blind and was an avid knitter.
   Wife of the late Herbert Kohen, who died in 1979, and Alvin Bloom, who died in 1997, she is survived by son Harris Kohen of Trenton; daughter Sheila Kohen of Philadelphia; and brother and sister-in-law Martin and Estelle Fisher of Henderson, Nev.
   The funeral will be noon today at Mount Sinai Memorial Chapels, Cranbury Road at Evergreen Boulevard, East Brunswick.
   Interment will follow at Floral Park Cemetery, South Brunswick.
   Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, 2550 Route 1, North Brunswick, NJ 08902-4302 or National Kidney Foundation, 1250 Broadway, Suite 2001, New York, NY 10001.
Joseph Sicignano
Former Princeton letter carrier
   
HOPEWELL BOROUGH — Joseph Sicignano died Sunday at University Medical Center at Princeton. He was 77.
   Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., he was a lifelong Hopewell resident.
   He retired after 31 years as a letter carrier at the Princeton Post Office. He also worked seven years at Princeton University.
   He was a member of St. Alphonsus Church in Hopewell, a charter member of Colonial Sportsmen Club in Amwell Township, the Princeton Elks, the Tri-County Pigeon Racing Club of Somerset County, Montgomery Seniors, and the Hopewell Leisure Club.
   He was an avid pigeon enthusiast. He started racing pigeons in his early teens and continued for most of his life. He was well known as a breeder and for his knowledge of racing pigeons.
   He attended Hopewell Grammar School and Princeton High School.
   He served four years as a corporal in the Army and was stationed in Germany. While in the military, he traveled to Paris and Copenhagen many times.
   Son of the late Gennaro and Carmela Sicignano, he is survived by his wife of 49 years, Eileen Wild Sicignano; sons and daughter-in-law Joe and Karen Sicignano of Key West, Fla., Chris Sicignano of Hopewell and Marc Sicignano of Lawrence; daughter and son-in-law Sharon and Peter Daley of Hopewell; and grandsons Peter, Christopher, Max and Gilford Daley.
   Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, East Prospect Street and Princeton Avenue, Hopewell.
   Cremation will be private.
   Calling hours will be 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Cromwell-Immordino Memorial Home, 71 East Prospect St., Hopewell.