Noreen E. Coutin, Helen C. Selby, Arthur Rittmaster, Josephine A. Rousseau, Robert L. Horst Jr., Joseph A. Piegari Jr., Maria V. Fernandez
Noreen E. Coutin
Foundation executive
Noreen E. Coutin of Princeton died of lung cancer Sunday at University Medical Center at Princeton.
She was a resident of Princeton for more than 40 years.
She retired in 2006 as an executive at a private foundation located in Princeton where she managed an array of foundation projects, oversaw numerous real estate properties and was responsible for the foundation’s extensive art collection.
She was a lifelong supporter of the arts. Earlier in her career, she owned an art gallery in Princeton named Europa Gallery and often conducted private art exhibits in her home.
A supporter of McCarter Theatre for more than 15 years, she served as member of the Associates Board where she chaired and co-chaired several committees. She was instrumental in the success of numerous special events.
She was an avid reader of great literature, an accomplished gardener and an exceptional gourmet cook.
She is survived by her partner, Dr. Mircea Popescu; children Pierre Coutin of London, Ann Coutin-Ortiz of Cherry Hill and Mark Coutin of San Diego and their spouses; and grandchildren Mark, Nicole, Pierre Luc, Danielle and Marielle.
A memorial service will be held 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Kimble Funeral Home, 1 Hamilton Ave., Princeton.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Noreen Coutin Fund to advance lung cancer research, a private non-tax-deductible fund administered by XEME Biopharma Inc. Contributions can be sent to The Noreen Coutin Fund, PNC Bank, 72 Nassau St., Princeton, NJ 08542.
Helen C. Selby
Former Princeton resident
RESTON, Va. Helen Collins Selby died Sunday at Reston Hospital. She was 73.
Born and raised in Princeton, she was a 1951 graduate of Princeton High School.
A nurse, she was admitting officer at University Medical Center at Princeton from 1957 to the early 1960s.
She was a 1954 graduate of the Roosevelt Hospital Nursing School in New York City.
Daughter of the late John Thomas Collins and Anna Carr Collins of Princeton, she is survived by her daughter, Suanna Crowley of Boston; son Douglas Selby of Falls Church, Va.; brother John J. Collins; and granddaughter Caroline Crowley.
A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated 11 a.m. on Friday at St. Thomas à Becket Catholic Church, 1421 Wiehle Ave., Reston, Va.
Interment will be at a later date.
Visiting hours are 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Adams-Green Funeral Home, 721 Elden St., Herndon, Va.
Memorial contributions may be made to Children’s National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Ave., Washington, D.C. 20010.
Arthur Rittmaster
Founded mental health group
BEAUFORT, N.C. Arthur Rittmaster died Sunday at home. He was 85.
A former Princeton resident, Mr. Rittmaster was the founder of the Princeton-based Association for Advancement of Mental Health.
After graduating high school he joined the Army for five years and served during World War II in Europe, resigning as a captain in 1946.
He was vice president of The New Jersey Shale and Brick Co. and spent much of his working life as a stock broker and investment banker in New York.
He later founded the Association for Advancement of Mental Health, motivated in part by the challenges that his eldest son, Glenn, faced.
After retirement he and his wife moved to North Carolina, eventually making Beaufort their home.
He is survived by his wife Margery, sons Dr. Roger S. Rittmaster of Durham, N.C. and Keith A. Rittmaster of Beaufort, N.C.; granddaughters Robyn Rittmaster of Ottawa, Dana Rittmaster of Montreal, Olivia R. Thayer and Lynzi R. Thayer of Beaufort, N.C.; and niece Dr. Nan Miller of Armonk, N.Y.
A memorial service will be scheduled in the near future.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Association for Advancement of Mental Health, 819 Alexander Road, Princeton, NJ, 08540, or Hospice of Carteret County (Carteret County Hospital Foundation), 302 Medical Park Court, Morehead City, NC 28557.
Josephine A. Rousseau
Retired from NJ Bell
Josephine A. Rousseau of Princeton died Friday at Princeton Care Center. She was 93.
Born in New York City, she was a lifelong resident of Princeton.
She was employed by New Jersey Bell Telephone Co. for 27 years.
She was a member of Pioneers of America and the Golden Agers of St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Church and was an avid gardener.
Daughter of the late Grace and Alfonso Robertiello, wife of the late Russell W. Rousseau, she is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Russell J. and Betty Rousseau of Murrells Inlet, S.C.; daughter Celeste Rousseau of Charlotte, N.C.; sisters Grace Robertiello of Princeton and Elizabeth Perna of Plainview; brothers Henry Robertiello of Princeton, Alfonso Robertiello of Kingston and Felix Robertiello of Issaquah, Wash.; grandchildren Barbara Rauscher, David Rousseau, Richard Rousseau, William Rousseau and Robert Rousseau; and 13 great-grandchildren.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 9:30 a.m. today at St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Church, 214 Nassau St., Princeton.
Entombment will follow in St. Mary’s Mausoleum, Hamilton.
Memorial contributions may be made to Healthcare Ministry of Princeton, P.O. Box 1517, Princeton, NJ 08542.
Arrangements are by Kimble Funeral Home, Princeton.
Robert L. Horst Jr.
Environmental economist
PLAINSBORO Robert Lee Horst Jr. died Sunday at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick after a 40 year battle with kidney disease. He was 57.
Born in Spokane, Wash., he spent most of his life in Stuttgart, Germany, before moving to San Bernardino, Calif., in 1965. He resided in the Plainsboro area since 1978.
He was an environmental economist at Mathtech Inc. and retired as a vice president in 2002.
He was also a consultant with the Environmental Protection Agency in Washington.
In 1978, he worked as a research assistant at Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, N.M.
He was a member of the International Society of Ecological Economists, a member of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, a member of the Plainsboro Township Environmental Advisory Committee and a member of the American Economic Association.
He was a member of the board of trustees for Trans-Atlantic Renal Network and its Medical Review Board, was on the Patient Advisory Committee for Trans-Atlantic Renal Network which in the 1980s helped develop the Patient’s Bill of Rights for Dialysis Patients.
In 2006, he won the Ahmet Ahmet Award for contributions to the local dialysis community sponsored by the Trans-Atlantic Renal Network and was a guest speaker for the new dialysis patients for DCI of North Brunswick.
Mr. Horst earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of California Riverside and his doctorate in economics from the University of Wyoming.
Son of the late Robert Lee and Josephine Geibel Horst, he is survived by his wife, Suzette Herndon Horst of Plainsboro; sister and brother-in-law Mary and Michael Trent and niece Lisa Wisniewski, all of San Bernardino, Calif.
The funeral will be 8:30 a.m. Friday at Mather-Hodge Funeral Home 40 Vandeventer Ave. Princeton.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 9:30 a.m. Friday at St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Church 214 Nassau St., Princeton.
Calling hours will be 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to National Kidney Foundation, 6110 Executive Blvd., Suite 1010, Rockville, MD 20852 or American Cancer Society of NJ – Mercer County Chapter, 3076 Princeton Pike, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648 or the Trans-Atlantic Renal Network, 109 S. Main St., Cranbury, NJ 08512.
Joseph A. Piegari Jr.
Licensing agent
PLAINSBORO Joseph A. Piegari Jr. died Thursday at home. He was 36.
He was a licensing agent for Interpool Inc. in Princeton.
Born in Summit, he is survived by his father and stepmother, Joe and Deirdra Piegari of Wellington Fla.; mother and stepfather Christine and Jack King of Hillside; grandparents Joe and Ann Piegari of Newark; brother Jonathan of Florida; special aunts Kathleen and Bobbi; special friend Debbie; uncles Pat, George and James; aunts Patricia, Melou and Donna; and cousins Denise, Dawn, Carmine, Patrick, Lee Ann, Glen and Jeffrey.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Animal Placement Agency of the Windsors, P.O. Box 162, Princeton Junction, NJ 08550.
Arrangements were by Wilson-Apple Funeral Home, Pennington.
Maria V. Fernandez
Active volunteer
WEST WINDSOR Maria Victoria Fernandez died Friday at Park Place Center, South Brunswick. She was 79.
Born in Cienfuegos, Las Villas, Cuba, she was a former resident of West New York before moving to West Windsor.
She volunteered and helped the elderly and children throughout her lifetime. Mrs. Fernandez enjoyed photography and traveling.
Sister of the late Jesus and Felipe Martinez, she is survived by sons Pedro and Gimbert Fernandez; daughter Maria R. Alvarez; sisters Consuelo Gallardo, Caridad Martinez, Maggie Lazuakas and Esparanza Muniz; brother Francisco Martinez; grandchildren Eliseo, Luis and Caridad Sierra, and Daniel, Michelle, Adrian and Julian Fernandez; and great-grandchildren Anastasia Freyre and Cinthia, Eliseo and Savanah Sierra.
The funeral will be 8:30 a.m. today at A.S. Cole Funeral Home, 22 North Main St., Cranbury.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 9:30 a.m. at St. David the King Roman Catholic Church, New Village Road, West Windsor.
Cremation will follow at Ewing Crematory, Ewing.

