OBITUARIES, June 1, 2007

John T. Toscano, Khana Korkina, Dr. Karl Gossner, Gary W. Kreger

John J. Toscano


Former Princeton High teacher
CRANBURY — John James Toscano died Saturday at home.
   Mr. Toscano, known as "Mr. T" was a teacher at Princeton High School for 27 years, retiring in 1990.
   Born in Hackensack, he attended Hackensack Elementary, Lodi High School and went to National Agricultural College (Delaware Valley) in Doylestown, Pa.
   An interest in dairy farming brought him to Cranbury in 1960, where he bought a 110-year-old dairy farm which he developed into a plant nursery.
   He received a master’s degree from Rutgers University.
   He then taught earth science and developed the horticulture program at Princeton High, which is still being taught.
   He was a member of the New Jersey Association of Nurserymen and enjoyed being part of the New Jersey Flower Show for years.
   He was an active member of St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church and an honorable member of Knights of Columbus in Hightstown for 32 years.
   Predeceased by John and Clara Toscano, brother Joseph Anthony and his first wife, Rita Marie Gargiulo, he is survived by his second wife, Elaine; daughters and sons-in-law Nancie and William Saraceni, Judith and Darryl Bobletz and Sallie Toscano; dear friend Jackie Bleasdale; grandchildren Daniel, Victoria and Justin; and stepsons Eric, Scott, and Todd Marshall.
   The funeral will be 9:30 a.m. today at A.S. Cole Funeral Home, 22 North Main St., Cranbury.
   A funeral Mass will be celebrated 10:30 a.m. today at St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church, 251 Franklin St., Hightstown.
   Interment will follow in Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington.
   In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the ‘Mr. T’ Horticulture Scholarship Fund in memory of John Toscano, Princeton High School, 151 Moore St., Princeton, NJ 08540. Checks may made payable to Princeton Regional School Scholarship Fund (Mr. T).
Khana Korkina


Retired pediatrician
   
Khana Korkina of Princeton died Monday in Princeton. She was 86.
   Born in Russia in 1920, she lived in Russia and Germany prior to becoming a Princeton resident in 1995.
   At the age of 21, Mrs. Korkina escaped the Nazis thanks to her fluent German language skills, stunning blonde hair and blue eyes and her engaging personality, according to her survivors.
   She went on to graduate from medical school in Moscow in 1945 and work as a doctor in Germany until returning to Russia in 1947 to marry and pursue her life’s passion, practicing as a pediatrician.
   Mrs. Korkina was a pediatrician for more than 30 years until her retirement.
   She enjoyed music and culture and especially loved socializing with and staying in touch with friends and family all over the world.
   Daughter of the late Lazar Grunt and Tatiana Lotwin, wife of the late Genady Korkin, she is survived by daughters Rita of West Windsor and Larissa of Princeton; brother Isaac of Belarus; and granddaughter Tatyana of New York.
   The funeral was Wednesday.
   Memorial contributions may be made to Westminster Conservatory of Music, 101 Walnut Lane, Princeton NJ 08540.
Dr. Karl Gossner


Psychiatrist
   
LAWRENCE — Karl J. F. Gossner died Tuesday of a severe stroke. He was 84.
   Dr. Gossner was a psychiatrist who practiced locally and continued his practice until the time of his death.
   After earning his undergraduate degree in Europe, where his studies were interrupted by World War II, he received his medical degree from the University of Innsbruck in 1951.
   Dr. Gossner immediately began working as a civilian physician for the U.S. Army in Europe and immigrated to the United States in 1959.
   After receiving his U.S. medical license in 1961, Dr. Gossner worked for six years at Trenton Psychiatric Hospital and then for 18 years at the Carrier Clinic in Montgomery.
   Since 1984 he was engaged in private practice and as a consulting psychiatrist throughout the New Jersey and Pennsylvania area, most recently for Catholic Charities. From 1966 to 1978 Dr. Gossner was an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and held the same position at Hahnemann University in Philadelphia from 1978 to 1993. He was elected a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association in 1971 and became a distinguished life fellow in 2003.
   Born and raised in Romania, Dr. Gossner later became a German citizen and took up residence in Yugoslavia. Both before and after his arrival in the United States he was a connoisseur of classical music and enjoyed world travel, often capturing his trips on home movies that he later edited and added soundtracks to. He was an accomplished cook, gardener and water color artist. After taking up painting as a teenager, he continued both to paint and to study painting until his death.
   He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Nancy Hodges; daughter Gabrielle Gossner of New York City; stepdaughter and son-in-law Abby Briggs and Brian Palys of Brighton, Mich.; stepson and daughter-in-law Geoffrey Briggs and Teri Soper of Port Townsend, Wash.; and sister Wilmi Wurst of Ober-Kocken, Germany.
   A memorial service celebrating his life will be held 11 a.m. Saturday at Nassau Presbyterian Church, 61 Nassau St., Princeton. There will be no viewing or calling hours.
   Memorial contributions may be made to the Crisis Ministry of Princeton and Trenton, 123 E. Hanover St., Trenton, NJ 08608.
   Arrangements are by Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton.
Gary W. Kreger


Art director
   
Gary W. Kreger, 58, of Princeton died May 28 at University Medical Center at Princeton.
   Mr. Kreger was born in Plainfield and grew up in Scotch Plains. He lived in New Brunswick and Hopewell before settling in Princeton two years ago.
   He graduated from the University of Virginia’s School of Architecture. He worked as a self-employed art director.
   Mr. Kreger was a member of the Art Directors Club of New Jersey and was president of the Central Jersey Dance Society. He was an Eagle Scout.
   He also enjoyed mountain biking, ballroom dancing, photography and cooking.
   He is survived by his parents, William and Mildred Kreger; his wife, Patricia; his daughter, Alessa; brothers and sisters-in-law Bruce W. and Denise Kreger and Brian and Debora Kreger; his neice, Nicole Neitzey; his nephew, Bradley Kreger; and his great nephew, Logan Kreger.
   A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. in the Hillsborough Funeral Home, 796 Route 206, Hillsborough. Visiting hours will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the funeral home.
   Cremation will be private.
   In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 19 School House Road, Somerset, NJ 08873.