By: Ken Weingartner
ALLENTOWN – Joseph Truncer was a quiet man, an individual drawn to nature and history.
Those avocations served him well in his vocation. For 43 years he worked for the state, retiring in 1975 as director of the Division of Parks and Forestry.
Mr. Truncer died Oct. 11 at Virtua Memorial Hospital in Mount Holly. A 47-year resident of Upper Freehold, he moved to Medford two years ago. He was 93.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Nov. 12 in the Allentown Methodist Church, 23 Church St., with the Rev. Merton A. Steelman officiating.
Mr. Truncer was the first chairman of the Upper Freehold Planning Board and an active member of the Allentown-Upper Freehold Historical Society. He also assisted with environmental issues in the Upper Freehold area.
"He was a sweetheart," said Betsy Poinsett, an Allentown resident who worked with Mr. Truncer on both historical and environmental projects. "He’s left a void that cannot be filled. He was a very quiet, soft-spoken, gentle individual who dearly loved his family and thoroughly enjoyed his community and his church.
"He was so highly respected by all who knew him. In our lifetime, if we are lucky, we will meet one person like him."
On the local level, Mr. Truncer assisted with an historic site survey of Allentown in the late 1970s. Through the efforts of the historical society, 226 sites were placed on the state and national registry.
When Ms. Poinsett was chairwoman of the Environmental Commission, he helped get the Allentown Mill Pond dredged under the Clean Water Act.
"He credits me with it, but my retort was that he was so highly regarded that he opened doors that might not have been open," Ms. Poinsett said. "Even after he retired, years later, he was dearly loved by those people."
Ms. Poinsett said Mr. Truncer never tried to dazzle those around him.
"He was very peaceful," she said. "But because he was quiet, when he spoke, people listened. He knew what he was talking about. He never tried to impress people with his knowledge, but he did."
Born in Williamstown, Mr. Truncer graduated from the Syracuse University College of Forestry in 1929. In the early 1930s, he worked as a surveyor for the state, surveying land New Jersey was acquiring for Stokes and Bass River state forests.
In 1932, he took a job as state park superintendent. At that time, the state was acquiring the land for Parvin State Park in Salem County.
He supervised the Wharton State Forest survey from 1953 to 1955, and was instrumental in the creation of historic Batsto Village. Wharton State Forest is the largest state property.
"He enjoyed studying New Jersey history," said Mr. Truncer’s son, James, an Allentown resident and secretary-director of the Monmouth County Parks System. "He was very knowledgeable in that area. From the time of the state’s settlement right on through today. He really was well-read in that area."
Mr. Truncer donated books and research papers to various county historical societies.
"He was a collector of histories, and he passed those on to where he felt they belonged," his son said.
His son said Mr. Truncer would never boast about any projects or accomplishments.
"I think he enjoyed seeing the state park system grow, from the 1930s on through," he said. "I think he enjoyed his career. He had a very analytical mind. He could have been anything he wanted to be and be successful. But he enjoyed the path that he chose."
After he retired, Mr. Truncer planted orchards on his Ellisdale Road property and grew apples and pears.
"He was always working," his son said. "He enjoyed being physically active. I think that contributed to his longevity."
In addition to his son, Mr. Truncer is survived by his wife of 69 years, Ruth Carlson Truncer; a daughter and son-in-law, Judy and Tom Watson of New York City; two sisters, Helen Atkinson of Pitman and Betty Sanders of Hendersonville, N.C.; two grandchildren, James J. Truncer and Rebecca Watkins and two great-grandchildren.
"He was a great guy, a great father," his son said. "I guess the thing that impressed me the most was his philosophy, which was not to worry about the things you don’t have control over and to concentrate on those things you do have control over. I think that guided him, and he instilled that in me.
"He believed in hard work and doing a good job. Whatever you do, do the best you can do. I think that spoke well of him."
