Obituaries

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.

VIRGINIA HAILEY, 93, of Middletown died April 12 at home. Born in Jersey City, she resided in Hawthorne most of her life before moving to Middletown. She was a secretary for Marshall Field & Co., New York City, retiring in 1946. She was a communicant of and Rosarian at St. Catharine’s Roman Catholic Church, Holmdel. She was a member of The Wright Aeronautical Social Club. She was predeceased by her husband, John Paul Hailey in 1989; a son, Paul Thomas Hailey; a brother, Leo McCormick; and her sister, Sister Jean. She is survived by her son, the Rev. John Barrett-Hailey; five grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter. A Mass of Christian Burial was offered at St. Catharine’s Roman Catholic Church, Holmdel.

FELICIA "BABE" ROMANELLI, 80, of the Belford section of Middletown died April 15 at Riverview Medical Center, Red Bank. Born in Jersey City, she lived there until moving to Belford 30 years ago. She was a homemaker. Early in her life, at age 4, she was a dancer, "Charleston Babe" in the Jersey City vaudeville circuit. She was a communicant of St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, New Monmouth section of Middletown, where she was a member of its Over 50 Club. She was also a member of Court Fulgens Corona Catholic Daughters of America at St. Mary’s. She was predeceased by her husband, Nicholas Romanelli in 1982; her sister, Gloria Iorio; and a brother, Louis Cirigliano. She is survived by three daughters and two sons-in-law, Justine Romanelli of Belford, Phyllis and Robert Stainagle of Belford, and Virginia and Rick Russell of Middletown; her son and daughter-in-law, Nicholas and Mary Romanelli of Middletown; her brother, Paul "Chic" Cirigliano of Brick Township; and seven grandchildren. A funeral liturgy was offered at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, New Monmouth. Burial was at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Middletown.

HENRIETTA E.C. KLAMI (née Carey), 94, of Cream Ridge, Upper Freehold, died April 19 at Moorestown Estates, Moorestown. She was born in Ozone Park N.Y., and had lived in Middletown, Westfield, Baltimore and Fanwood before moving to Cream Ridge three years ago. She was a member of the Audubon Society of Sandy Hook and the Middletown Garden Club. She was predeceased by her husband, Walter, who died in 1984; and a brother, Terry Carey, in 1995. She is survived by a daughter, Phyllis Juettner of Cream Ridge; a son, Rodney A. of Middletown; a brother, Paul Carey of Whiting; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Interment was at Fair View Cemetery, Middletown.

ALBERT CRESCI, 89, of Holmdel died April 19 at home. Born in New York City, he resided in Hazlet the past 23 years. He was the owner/operator of Cresci Brothers Farm, Hazlet. He was predeceased by a brother, Angelo J. Cresci. He is survived by his wife, Rosemarie Cresci of Holmdel; his son, Albert B. Cresci of Holmdel; his daughter, Rosemarie Sellick of Bradley Beach; his brother, Joseph Cresci of Hazlet; and three grandchildren. A funeral liturgy was offered at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, Keyport. Interment was at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Keyport.

VIRGINIA N. DeSIMONE, 81, of Matawan died April 16 at home. Born in the Bronx, N.Y., she lived there until moving to Matawan 44 years ago. She was a seamstress for 20 years for Atlas Safety, formerly Gemtor Safety Belts, Matawan, retiring in 1984. She was a communicant of Most Holy Redeemer Roman Catholic Church, Old Bridge. Her memberships included St. Clement’s Seniors, and Club 60, Matawan. She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Michael A. DeSimone of Matawan; her son and daughter-in-law, Michael and Susanne DeSimone of Matawan; her daughter and son-in-law, Diane and William Bouffard of Belford; and two grandchildren. A Mass of Christian Burial was at Most Holy Redeemer Roman Catholic Church, Old Bridge. Entombment was at St. Joseph’s Mausoleum, Keyport.

JENNIE T. STRATHERN KELLY, 84, of Middletown died April 17 at Beachview Extended Care Facility, Keansburg. Born in New York City, she lived in Long Island, N.Y., prior to moving to Middletown in 1984. She was a retired insurance clerk for Metropolitan Life Insurance, New York City, where she worked for several years. She attended St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church, Red Bank. She was predeceased by her husband, Walter Kelly in 1980. She is survived by her son, Raymond Kelly of Long Island; her daughter, Marilyn Barriero of Middletown; eight grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. A funeral liturgy was offered at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, New Monmouth section of Middletown. Burial was at Calvary Cemetery, Queens, N.Y.

FLORENCE C. BARONE, 63, of Hazlet died April 19 at Bayshore Community Hospital, Holmdel. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., she resided in Hazlet, the past 26 years. She was a retired office worker. She was a communicant of and CCD teacher at Holy Family Roman Catholic Church, Union Beach. She is survived by her husband of 44 years, Leonard Barone of Hazlet; two sons and one daughter-in-law, Francesco and Nancy Barone, and Leonard Barone Jr., all of Union Beach; her daughter, Catherine Barone of Hazlet; two sisters, Sophie Eppensteiner and Claire Young, both of the Cliffwood Beach section of Aberdeen; two brothers, John McKnight and Fred Jensen, both of Florion, Mo.; and four grandchildren. A funeral liturgy was offered at Holy Family Roman Catholic Church, Union Beach. Burial was at Fair View Cemetery, Middletown.

DONALD T. SMOLTINO, 62, of Middletown died April 14 at home. Born in New York City, he resided in Middletown the past 34 years. He was a truck driver and dispatcher for Intra Ocean, Newark, the past 10 years. Prior to that, he worked for Coca Cola, Texaco Oil, and Comango Trucking. He served with the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict. His hobbies included horseback riding, and membership in the Middletown Pigeon Club. He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Theresa Anselm Smoltino of Middletown; two daughters, Laura Smoltino and Lisa Smoltino, both of Middletown; his sister, Marie Mongardo of San Diego, Calif.; his brother-in-law and his wife Carl and Ann Anselm of Middletown; his sister-in-law, Priscilla Agee of North Carolina; and several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and grand-nieces and -nephews. Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, 801 Broad St., Shrewsbury 07702.

OLIVE MARIE COSTELLO PIERCE, 75, of the Belford section of Middletown died April 18 at Providence Hospital, Rhode Island. Born in Elizabeth, she lived in Wall, prior to moving to Belford three years ago. She was a registered nurse and supervisor at Medi Center, Lakewood, for 17 years, retiring five years ago. A graduate of Jersey City Medical College Nursing School, she was also a member of its Alumni Association. She is survived by her husband, Edward Pierce of Belford; two sons and one daughter-in-law, Edward and Lori Pierce of Kerensville, N.C., and Stephen Pierce of Brick; two daughters and one son-in-law, Elizabeth and Kevin Scott of Belford, and Maria Pierce De Ossie of Bristol, R.I.; and four grandchildren. A funeral liturgy was offered at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, New Monmouth section of Middletown. Entombment was at St. Gertrude’s Roman Catholic Cemetery, Colonia section of Woodbridge.

MICHAEL T. "MICK" FURLONG, 72, of Melbourne, Fla., and formerly of Hazlet died April 14 in Melbourne. Born in Offaly, Ireland he resided in Hazlet prior to moving to Brevard County 13 years ago. He was a retired bus driver for New York City Transit Authority. His hobbies included playing Irish football, and hurling. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Mary Furlong of Melbourne; three sons, Thomas Furlong and John Furlong, both of New Jersey, and Michael Furlong of California; four daughters, Michelle Erb of Florida, Mary Goldblatt of Melbourne, Margaret Corcione of Tennessee, and Eileen Furlong of Georgia; two brothers, Thomas Furlong and Martin Furlong, both of New York; and 15 grandchildren. Interment was at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Palm Bay, Fla.