Longtime Monroe Township Councilman Irwin Nalitt died Feb. 18 at home. He was 96.
Nalitt served six terms on the Township Council between 1988 and 2011, when he decided to not seek a seventh term. He served as council president several times during his 24 years on the governing body.
Born in Bayonne, Nalitt resided in Manhattan before moving to Monroe in 1982.
Prior to retiring in 1981, he worked for Simplicity Patterns in New York City.
Nalitt was very active during his retirement. In addition to his service on the council, he was involved with many boards and clubs in the township. He took leadership roles in several organizations, serving as president of the Monroe Township Democratic Club; treasurer of the Monroe Township Democratic Organization; and president of the Concordia Civic Association from the time of its inception in 1983. He also served on the Monroe Township Board of Education, the Planning Board and the Affordable Housing Board.
The New Jersey State League of Municipalities honored Nalitt in 2008 for two decades of service to the township.
Nalitt was widely recognized for his commitment to the Monroe Township Public Library, for which he was a trustee. The Libraries of Middlesex named him Public Official of the Year in 2011 for his longtime service. Nalitt was instrumental in establishing bookmobile service for the library in 2003 and helped with plans for a 24,000-square-foot library expansion that was completed in 2009.
A children’s playground at the library was dedicated in honor of Nalitt and his wife, Helen Vriesland Nalitt, who was also a longtime library volunteer. Helen died in 2008.
A room in the Monroe Township Senior Center, which opened in 2013, was named for Nalitt.
He was a member of Congregation Etz Chaim/Monroe Township Jewish Center, the Concordia chapters of B’nai Brith and the Concordia Bowling League and golf club, Monroe.
Nalitt is survived by his daughters Celia Domalewski of Rochester Hills, Mich., and Lois Kane of Monroe; grandchildren Adam and Hilary Goloda, and Jessica Marschall; and great-grandchildren Julian, Hannah Noel and Imani.
Funeral services will be held Feb. 20 at 10:15 a.m. in Mount Sinai Memorial Chapels, Cranbury Road at Evergreen Boulevard, East Brunswick.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Monroe Township Public Library, 4 Municipal Plaza, Monroe Township, N.J. 08831.