Greater Media Newspapers prints obituaries as a free community service, at no charge to the families of the deceased or to the funeral homes that provide the information.
DOROTHY A. DIGGINS, 70, of Hazlet died Jan. 13 at Arnold Walter Nursing Home, Holmdel. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., she lived there until moving to Hazlet 42 years ago. She was a secretary for St. Benedict’s Roman Catholic Church, Holmdel, for 14 years, retiring in 1992. She was a communicant of St. Benedict’s Roman Catholic Church. She was predeceased by her son, Paul Diggins in 1964; and her brother, George Wilder in 1943. She is survived by her husband, Patrick J. Diggins of Hazlet; three sons and two daughters-in-law, James and Gail Diggins of Hazlet, Pete Diggins of Keyport, and Thomas and Vicki Diggins of Middletown; and three grandchildren. Visitation will be Jan. 15 from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. at Day Funeral Home, Keyport. A funeral service will be offered Jan. 17 at 10 a.m. at St. Benedict’s Roman Catholic Church, Holmdel. Interment will follow at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Keyport. Memorial donations may be made to the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 2680, North Canton, OH 44720.
MANUEL MENDEZ, 63, of Middletown died Jan. 13 at Bayshore Community Hospital, Holmdel. Born in Barcelona, Spain, he moved to the United States in 1965 and resided in Middletown the past 30 years. He was the owner and operator of Reich Electric Motor, Newark, since 1969. He was a communicant of, and soccer coach for, St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, New Monmouth section of Middletown. He also coached the Monmouth Sting Soccer Club for several years. He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Ines L. Martinez Mendez of Middletown; his daughter and son-in-law, Sylvina and James Tucker of Middletown; two sons and one daughter-in-law, Robert and Kristina Mendez of Little Silver, and Adrian Mendez of Atlantic Highlands; his sister, Mercedes Chinaglia of Marlboro; and two grandchildren. Visitation will be Jan. 16 from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. at John F. Pfleger Funeral Home, Middletown. A funeral gathering will be Jan. 17 at 8:45 a.m. at the funeral home, followed by a funeral liturgy at 9:30 a.m. offered at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, New Monmouth. Burial will be at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Middletown.
DOROTHY M. MELVIN WALSH, 78, of Middletown died Jan. 7 at Meridian Nursing and Rehabilitation, Red Bank. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., she lived in New York prior to moving to Middletown 15 years ago. She was a retired bank teller for National Bank of North America, Port Washington, N.Y. She was a communicant of St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church, Red Bank. Her activities include playing bridge. She was predeceased by her husband, Robert S. Walsh in 1991. She is survived by four sons, Robert S. Walsh Jr. of Wales, Mass., Stephen C. Walsh of Long Branch, Joseph M. Walsh of Bradley Beach, and Daniel M. Walsh of Northport, N.Y.; her daughter, Barbara J. Blauvelt of Middletown; two sisters, Grace Ann Guarnera of Sacramento, Calif., and Jeannie Tonjes of Espanola, N.M.; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Mass was offered at St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church, Red Bank. Memorial donations may be made to Jason Dreams, 20 Monmouth St., Red Bank 07701.
LINDA MALZONE, 79, of Middletown died Jan. 11 at home. Born in Newark, she lived in Toms River and Irvington prior to moving to Middletown in 1985. She was a retired secretary for Underwood Mortgage & Insurance Co., Irvington, for eight years. Prior to that, she was a saleswoman at A & S Department Store, Eatontown, for five years. She was a communicant of St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, and a member of the Catholic Daughters, New Monmouth section of Middletown. She was predeceased by her husband, Domenick Malzone in 1978; and two sisters, Rita Martorana in 1971, and Julia Fegan in 2001. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Terry and Allen DeShong of Middletown; her brother, Murray Tamgredi of Toms River; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. A funeral liturgy was offered at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, New Monmouth. Burial was at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Toms River.
JOYCE C. CHRISTMAN, 57, died Jan. 5 at Bayshore Community Hospital, Holmdel. Born in N.Y., she resided in Holmdel the past 35 years. She was a homemaker who enjoyed her family and various community activities. She was a communicant of St. Catharine’s Roman Catholic Church, Holmdel, as well as a member of the Catholic Daughters. Her activities included membership in the Phalanx Chapter Family and Children’s Services of Monmouth County. She is survived by her husband of 37 years, Joseph A. Christman Jr. of Holmdel; her son, Joseph A. Christman III of East Rutherford; two daughters, Kimberly Anne Christman of Holmdel, and Heather Marie Sheehan of Randolph; one granddaughter; and several sisters and brothers-in-law, and nieces and nephews. A Mass of Christian Burial was offered at St. Catharine’s Roman Catholic Church, Holmdel, followed by interment at Fair View Cemetery, Middletown. Memorial donations may be made to The American Cancer Society, 801 Broad St., Shrewsbury 07702, or to Family and Children Services, 1900 Route 35, Oakhurst 07755.
WARREN E. "SANDY" HUTCHINSON, 75, of Matawan died Jan. 8 at Bayshore Community Hospital, Holmdel. Born in Matawan, he was a lifelong resident, and a winter resident of Palm Beach, Fla. He was owner and president of Hutchinson Inc., Matawan, since 1948. He served with the U.S. Navy during World War II. He served as a Matawan Borough councilman from 1961-65, and was in the Matawan Rotary and several plumbing associations. His hobbies included gardening and tennis. He was predeceased by his sister, Elizabeth Laird in 1997. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Florence Dougherty Hutchinson of Matawan; his son, Thomas Hutchinson of Freehold; three daughters, Patricia McAllister of Bethesda, Md., Ann D. Hutchinson of Red Bank, and Maureen Strang of Matawan; two sisters, Ann Fort of West Palm Beach; and Priscilla Bezanson of Tucson, Ariz.; and four grandchildren. A funeral service was offered at Old Tennent Presbyterian Church, Tennent.
GRACE E. MAURER, 91, of Keansburg died Jan. 8 at Arnold Walter Nursing Home, Holmdel. Born in Walpole, Mass., she resided there 41 years, and in Kearny prior to moving to Keansburg 3 and a half years ago. She was a homemaker. She was predeceased by her husband, Larry Maurer, in 1998; and her brother, Patrick Patterson, in 1955. She is survived by two sisters-in-law, Gertrude Pierce of Union and Nancy Tronolone of Hazlet; two nieces, Candace Schaubman of Parsippany, and Darlene Pontecorvo of Hazlet; and one nephew, Darrell Tronolone of Wall. Interment was at Graceland Cemetery, Kenilworth.
LOUISA G. DALOIA, of Matawan died Jan. 9 at Bayshore Community Hospital, Holmdel. Born in Keyport, she lived most of her life in Matawan. She was a homemaker. Prior to that, she was a pharmacy assistant at Bay Drugs, Keyport, for 11 years until 1961. She was predeceased by her husband, Angelo Daloia, in 1992; two brothers, Peter Siano and Joseph Siano; and two sisters, Molly McKeown, and Gloria Weigand. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Diana Lynn and Mark Vidal of Matawan; her sister, Florence Bodziak of Hazlet; two brothers, Ben Siano of Matawan, and James Siano of Virginia; and two grandsons. A funeral service was offered at St. Clement’s Roman Catholic Church, Matawan. Interment was at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Keyport.
HAROLD V. PRYOR, 88, of Bricktown died Jan. 9 at Monmouth Medical Center Hospice, Long Branch. Born in Newark, he lived in Fair Haven 32 years, and Bradley Beach prior to moving to Bricktown 19 years ago. He was a self-employed jewelry salesman in New York City, retiring in 1990. He was a communicant of St. Dominick’s Roman Catholic Church, Bricktown; and a former communicant of St. James Roman Catholic Church, Red Bank, and Church of the Nativity, Fair Haven. He served with the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was a member of the Brotherhood of Traveling Jewelers. He was predeceased by his wife, Eileen Mary Burt Pryor. He is survived by three daughters and sons-in-law, Eileen N. and Harry Cotugno of the Lincroft section of Middletown, Suzanne M. and Michael Woods of Harleysville, Pa., and Judith and Tom Calderone of Sea Bright; his niece, Peggy Pryor; eight grandchildren; and one great-grandson. A Mass of Christian Burial was offered at St. James Roman Catholic Church, Red Bank. Memorial donations may be made to The Center for Hospice Care, 300 Second Ave., Long Branch 07740.
LINDA RICCARDO-SCOTT, 57, of Holmdel died Jan. 11 at Riverview Medical Center, Red Bank. Born in Plainfield, she lived in several locations worldwide before moving to Holmdel 20 years ago. She was a French and Spanish teacher at Manalapan-Englishtown Middle School. She was a parishioner at St. Catharine’s Church, Holmdel. Her memberships included of the Holmdel Board of Education as past president; and the Holmdel Historical Society. She is survived by her former husband, Dr. George Scott; her son, Capt. Gregory Scott; four daughters, Dr. Allison Scott-Walenjus, Andrea Scott O’Sullivan, Cara Lynn Scott, and Jaime Lynn Scott; her sister, Ann Holzberger; and her mother, Garentina Riccardo. A funeral Mass was offered at St. Catharine’s Roman Catholic Church, Holmdel. Interment was at Holmdel Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made in honor of her mother to the American Cancer Society, 801 Broad St., Shrewsbury 07702.
ROBERT ZIEGLER, 76, of Matawan died Jan. 9 at Riverview Medical Center, Red Bank. He was a lifelong resident. He was a postal worker for the U.S. Postal Service for 22 years, retiring in 1987. He served with the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was a member of both the Washington Engine Company, and American Legion Post No. 176, Matawan. He is survived by his wife, Mary Ziegler of Matawan; his daughter, Maryann Merry of Renovo, Pa.; his son, Robert L. Ziegler of Matawan; his brother, Arthur Ziegler of Georgia; four sisters, Ruth Eovino and Dorothy Pennetti, both of Matawan; Ethel Pennetti of Jackson; and Evelyn Gray of Keyport; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. A funeral service was offered at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, Keyport. Interment was at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Middletown.
WILLIAM C. RYDER of Matawan died Dec. 15 at Virtua Memorial Hospital, Mount Holly. Born in Plainfield, he lived in Perth Amboy prior to moving to Matawan 51 years ago. He was a courier for Century 21, Cliffwood. Prior to that, he was a machinist for Mack Motors, Plainfield for 17 years. He also owned and operated Town Tavern and Ann’s Party Supplies, Matawan. He was a communicant of First Baptist Church, Matawan. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was past president of Washington Engine Fire Co. No. 1, Matawan. He was predeceased by his wife, Anna Behr Wiggins in 2001. He is survived by two sons, Barry Wiggins of Aberdeen, and William Ryder of Matawan; four daughters, Maureen McGuire of Tinton Falls, Lisa Guarino of Red Bank, Ann Marie Schellor of Hazlet, and Jane Ryder of Matawan; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Memorial donations may made to First Baptist Church, Matawan, 232 Main St. Matawan 07747.