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.
JOHN P. ROSSEEL, 60, of Freehold died March 9 at CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township. Born in Jersey City, he moved to Freehold 30 years ago. He was the owner of Central Jersey Home Remodelers, Freehold, for the past 16 years, and previously had been director of information services at CitiBank, New York City. He was a communicant of St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church, and a member of Knights of Columbus Council 1672, American Legion Post 54, and the Republican Club, all of Freehold. He was also a former two-term councilman for the borough of Freehold. He is survived by his wife, Connie A.; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Stephen and Susan of Atlanta, and Michael, at home. The funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Rose of Lima Church, followed by burial at Holy Name Cemetery, Jersey City.
MARGARET GREINER, 53, of Jackson, died Feb. 26 in CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township. Mrs. Greiner was born in Long Branch and had lived in Marlboro for more than 20 years before moving to Jackson last year. Surviving are her husband, Thomas A.; three sons, William of Holmdel, Jason of Asbury Park, and Nathan of Freehold; three daughters, Melanie of Manalapan, Monica of Long Branch, and Meghan of Jackson; her mother, Eva Conomos of Manalapan; three brothers, Peter Conomos of Manalapan, Chris Conomos of Matawan, and George Conomos of California; and one granddaughter. Services were held at the Brigadier Gen. William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Arnytown.
FRANCIS G. BLACKER, 90, of Howell, died March 1 in CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township. Mr. Blacker was born in Pottsville, Pa., and had lived in Neptune and Fort Meyers, Fla., until moving to The Villages, Howell, in 1998. He was an engineer for the U.S. Government serving in the Signal Corp. at Fort Monmouth and Camp Evans for 30 years before retiring in 1971. Mr. Blacker was a member of the Church of Christ, Howell. He was a U.S. Army veteran, serving from 1934-37. He was predeceased by his first wife, Ursula, in 1971 and by his step-daughter Judith Wobser in February 2002. Surviving are his wife, Mabel Blacker of Howell; a son, Donald of Plymouth, Minn.; a daughter, Sheryl Sylvester of Florida; two step-sons, Richard Selleck of StockBridge, Ga., and James Farley of Sebring, Ohio; a stepdaughter and her husband, Jeanne and Robert Baumgartner of Wall Township; a stepson-in-law, Max Wobser of Wall Township; 14 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Interment was private.
DEBBIE P. KIEFFER-GRATTON, of Howell, died March 1 in Jersey Shore Medical Center, Neptune. Mrs. Kieffer-Gratton was born in Asheboro, N.C., and lived in Neptune before moving to Howell 12 years ago. She was a professional bartender in the Monmouth and Ocean county areas until 10 years ago. She attended St. William the Abbott Church in Howell. Mrs. Kieffer-Gratton was predeceased by her father, Henry Price, and by a brother, Jerry Price. Surviving are her husband, William of Howell; a daughter, Olga Kieffer of Howell; her mother, Olga Price; a brother, Henry D. Price; and a sister, Jane Turner, all of Asheboro, N.C. Interment was in St. Ann’s Cemetery, Glendola section of Wall Township.
GERALD H. FRANKLIN, 64, of the Monmouth Junction section of South Brunswick died March 3 at home. Born in Rockaway, N.Y., he lived in Brooklyn, N.Y., prior to moving to Monmouth Junction nine years ago. He was a special education bus driver in Brooklyn for 30 years, retiring in 1988. He is survived by his wife, Carole Morrow Franklin of Monmouth Junction; two sons, Kerry Franklin of Monmouth Junction and David Franklin of Manalapan; his daughter, Jennifer Kroll of Putnam Valley, N.Y.; and four grandchildren. Interment was at Beth Israel Cemetery, Woodbridge. Memorial donations may be made to St. Peter’s Foundation, 254 Easton Ave., New Brunswick, 08901.
MATILDA T. PFEIFER, 83, of Freehold died March 5 at home. Born in Passaic, she lived in Farmingdale before moving to Freehold in 1936. She was a sewing machine operator for Fred Polchak Atlantic Frocks, Freehold, for 25 years, retiring 43 years ago. She was a communicant of St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church, Freehold, and a 50-year member of Court No. 737 St. Rose of Lima Catholic Daughters of the Americas. She was a volunteer at CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township, for more than 20 years, and at the John L. Montgomery Medical Home, also in Freehold Township, for 15 years. She was predeceased by her first husband, George Pavlovic, in 1944. She is survived by her husband, Bernard H.; three daughters, Kathleen Morton of Spring Lake Heights, Barbara Mitchell of Cream Ridge and Christine Falcone of Hamilton Square; two sons, Dr. Bernard Pfeifer of Carlisle, Mass., and Andrew Pfeifer of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; two brothers, John Grega of Freehold Township and Steve Graga of Howell; two sisters, Anna Marazita of Freehold and Mary Vasseur of Florence, Ky.; 13 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. The funeral liturgy was celebrated at St. Rose of Lima Church, followed by interment at the parish cemetery, Freehold Township.
ANNA CICALESE KOWALSKI, 78, of Freehold Township died March 6 at CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township. Born in Newark, she lived in Colts Neck before moving to Freehold 60 years ago. She was a packer at the Brockway Glass Co., Freehold, where she was employed for more than 10 years. Prior to that, she was employed in sewing factories and in the former A&M Karagheusian Rug Mill, Freehold. She was a communicant of St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church, Freehold. She was a member of the Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics and Allied Workers Union. She was predeceased by her husband, Alexander J., in 1979; a son, Alexander J. Jr., in 1992; and eight brothers and two sisters. She is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Margaret A. and Michael E. Gruen, and a grandson, Michael J. Gruen, all of Oakhurst; and several nieces and nephews. The funeral liturgy was celebrated at St. Rose of Lima Church, followed by interment at the parish cemetery, Freehold Township.
RITA CANCELLIERI, 76, of Oceanport died March 7 at Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch. Born in New York City, she lived in Astoria, Queens, N.Y., and in Sea Bright before moving to Oceanport 15 years ago. She was a former communicant of St. Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church, Queens. Surviving are her husband, Anthony J.; a son, Dr. Francis L. Cancellieri of Oceanport; two daughters, Jean Pomanowski of Colts Neck and Ellen McCarthy of Oceanport; a sister, Tina Palladino of Oceanport; and two grandchildren. The funeral liturgy was celebrated at St. Leo the Great Roman Catholic Church, Lincroft, followed by interment at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Hawthorne, N.Y.
HYMAN DAVIS, 97, of Manalapan died March 7 at home. Born in Manhattan, N.Y., he lived in Brooklyn, N.Y., before moving to Manalapan 13 years ago. Prior to his retirement, he was president of D.A.W. Baking in Coney Island, N.Y. He was predeceased by his wife, Anne; and a son, Kenneth. He is survived by two sons, Jerry of East Brunswick and Monroe of State Island, N.Y.; a daughter, Michelle Stipleman of Manalapan; seven grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Interment was at Mount Lebanon Cemetery, Iselin.
FRANCES GROVER, 80, of Freehold Township died March 7 at home. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., she was a resident of Tinton Falls before moving to Freehold in 2001. She owned Grover’s Supermarket in Tinton Falls from 1954 to 1987. She was a lifetime member of Deborah Hospital Association and a former president of Hadassah. She is survived by her husband, Solomon; three daughters, Louise Lippe, Roz Janowski and Nancy Sopin; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Interment was at Beth Israel Cemetery, Woodbridge. Memorial donations may be made to Deborah Hospital Association, P.O. Box 820, Browns Mills, 08015-0820.
ANNA SARVIS, 87, of Freehold died March 7 at CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township. Born in Elizabeth, she moved to Freehold more than 15 years ago. She was predeceased by her husband, Andrew, in 1946. She is survived by a daughter, Dolores Halm of Freehold Township; and a granddaughter, Roberta Tompko of Edison. Interment was at St. Rose of Lima Cemetery, Freehold Township.
ROBERT L. WILSON, 37, of Union Beach died March 7 at home. Born in Red Bank, he was a lifelong resident of Union Beach. He was a licensed exterminator for E&G Exterminating, South Amboy, for eight years. He was a communicant of Holy Family Roman Catholic Church, Union Beach. He was predeceased by his father, William Wilson in 2000, his brother William Wilson Jr. in 1968, and his sister, Barbara Ross in 1995. He is survived by his mother, Eleanor Cullen-Wilson of Union Beach; his wife Sandra Sooknanan-Wilson of Union Beach; his son, Jason Wilson at home; four sisters, Sally Maire of Raleigh, N.C.; Patricia Oxley of Aberdeen; Mary Jane Kudriek of Edison; and Carol Disbrow of Union Beach; and three brothers, James Wilson of Howell; Michael Wilson of West Palm Beach, Fla.; and Ronald Wilson of Middletown. A Mass of Christian Burial was offered at Holy Family Roman Catholic Church, Union Beach. Interment was at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Keyport.
JANE KONOPACKI LAYESKI, 83, of South River died March 12 in Raritan Bay Medical Center, Old Bridge division. Her husband, Peter E. Layeski, died in 1995. Surviving are a son, Richard Layeski of Freehold; three daughters, Charlotte Bird of South Brunswick, Phyllis Cudworth of Lake Forest, Calif., and Marlene Anderson of Flemington; two brothers, Benjamin Konopacki of South River and Chester Konopacki of Edison; two sisters, Blanche Seminara of East Brunswick and Estelle Zavotsky of South River; four grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter. A Mass was offered at St. Mary’s Church, South River. Interment was in St. Mary’s Cemetery, East Brunswick.
ROBERT LINN WALSH, 55, of Howell died March 12 at CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township. Born in New York City, he had lived in Lodi before moving to Howell 24 years ago. He was a mail handler for the U.S. Postal Service, Trenton, for 15 years before retiring in 1993. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, Brick; the Holy Name Society of St. Veronica’s Church, Howell; the Masonic Lodge, Wall; and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 1943, Point Pleasant. He is survived by his wife, Martha Goldfine Walsh; two sons, Patrick H. of Howell and Peter J. of Toms River; three daughters, Kelly J., Katherine E. and Kerry L., all of Toms River; his parents, Paul E. and Edith Howells Walsh of Hawley, Pa.; two sisters, Ruth Anne Savich of Lake Ariel, Pa., and Margaret Connelly of Hawley; and five grandchildren. Interment was at Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle Veterans Cemetery, Arnytown.