From the March 22 edition of the Register-News
By:
Annabelle Anne
Leptien
BORDENTOWN CITY –
Annabelle Anne Leptien, 73, died
March 18 at Ewing Center-
Genesis Elder Care.
Born in Uniontown, Pa., she
lived in the Bordentown area for
39 years.
She was a waitress at Land
wehr’s and Town & Country res
taurants.
As a young girl, she sang coun
try-and-western songs on the radio
in Wheeling, W. Va.
Daughter of the late George
and Amy Woodward Washabaugh
and wife of the late George Erni
Leptien, she is survived by a son
and daughter-in-law, James and
Patricia Pinto of Trenton; two
daughters and a son-in-law, Judith
E. Swales of Trenton and Linda C.
and Terry Iwaniw of Berlin; two
brothers, James Washabaugh of
Dayton, Ohio, and George Washa
baugh of Richmond, Ky.; four
grandchildren; and six great-grand
children.
Burial Office was held at
Christ Episcopal Church, Borden
town.
Burial was in the churchyard.
Memorial contributions may be
made to Christ Episcopal Church,
130 Prince Street, Bordentown,
N.J. 08505.
Arrangements were by Hart
mann Funeral Home of Borden
town.
Catherine Reuter
CHESTERFIELD – Cather
ine G. Reuter, 88, died March 19
at St. Francis Medical Center,
Trenton.
Born in South Orange, she was
an area resident for 51 years.
She taught Christian doctrine
at St. Vincent de Paul CCD.
She was a member of the Altar
Rosary Society of St. Vincent de
Paul, and a member of the Catholic
Golden Age Organization.
She received a bachelor’s de
gree from Douglass College.
Daughter of the late George W.
Sr. and Jessie Bishop Grimm, she
is survived by her husband, John J.
Reuter; two sons and daughter-in-
law, Lawrence Reuter of Allen
town and John and Rebecca Reuter
of Roosevelt; four daughters and a
son-in-law, Mary Ann Reuter of
Tempe, Ariz., Joan Reed of Tren
ton, Catherine Manning of Law
renceville, and Therese and Roger
Groome of Yardley, Pa.; 15 grand
children; and eight great-grand
children.
Concelebrated Mass will be 11
a.m. on March 23 at St. Vincent de
Paul Roman Catholic Church,
Yardville.
Burial will be in St. Mary’s
Cemetery, Bordentown Township.
Calling hours will be 8:30 a.m.
on March 23 at Hartmann Funeral
Home of Bordentown, 40 Cross
wicks St.
Memorial contributions may be
made to St. Vincent de Paul Con
ference, c/o St. Vincent de Paul
Society, 555 Yardville-Allentown
Road, Yardville, N.J. 08620.
Mary E.
Myers Austin
FLORENCE – Mary E. My
ers Austin, 76, died Tuesday at
Rancocas Hospital, Willingboro.
Born in Bordentown, she lived
in Burlington before moving to
Roebling and then Florence more
than 50 years ago.
She retired in 1986 after 30
years as a power press operator
with J. Chein Co., Burlington, and
previously worked at General Mo
tors Corp., Ewing.
She was a member of Florence
American Legion Ladies Auxiliary
Unit 194 and the Gad-a-bout Club.
She had been a member and
Sunday school teacher at Trinity
United Methodist Church, Roe
bling.
Mrs. Austin enjoyed crochet
ing, ceramics and gardening.
Daughter of the late Cecil and
Estelle Lawrence Myers and sister
of the late Margaret McDermott
and John Myers, she is survived by
her husband of 59 years, Lawrence
"Bob" Austin; a son and his friend,
Lawrence C. Austin and Barbara
Horner of Florence; three daugh
ters and two sons-in-law and a fi
nance, Barbara Ann and William
Munn of Burlington City, Kathy
and Jerry Roache Sr. of Florence,
and Sandy Austin and her fiancee
Ken Shaw of Burlington Town
ship; three sisters and two broth
ers-in-law, Bessie and John James
of Burlington City, Sandy and
Chet Podolak of Burlington City,
and Joan DeMore of Florida; two
brothers and two sisters-in-law,
William and Roberett Myers of
Burlington City, and Edward and
Nancy Myers of Mount Holly;
eight grandchildren; nine great
grandchildren; and other relatives.
The funeral was held at Denni
son Funeral Home, Florence, with
the Rev. Ron Owens, pastor of
Calvary Bible Baptist Church of
Willingboro, officiating.
Burial was in Odd Fellows
Cemetery, Burlington.
Calling hours were Friday and
Saturday at the funeral home.
Catherine N. Huether
FIELDSBORO – Catherine
N. Huether, 96, died March 13 at
St. Francis Medical Center, Tren
ton.
Born in Bordentown, she was a
longtime Fieldsboro resident.
She was a graduate of Borden
town High School and Trenton
State Teachers College.
She was a teacher with Flor
ence schools, mostly at Roebling
Elementary School.
She was a member of the Altar
Rosary Society of St. Mary’s
Church, Bordentown.
Daughter of the late Ward J.
and Sarah Martin Newell, sister of
the late Lawrence Newell and wife
of the late Francis A. Huether, she
is survived by her godson, the Rev.
Frank Walfran of Stoney Point,
N.Y.; and cousins.
Mass of Christian Burial will
be celebrated 11 a.m. on March 22
at St. Mary’s Church, 45 Cross
wicks St., Bordentown.
Burial will be in St. Mary’s
Cemetery, Bordentown Township.
Arrangements are by Hartmann
Funeral Home of Bordentown, 40
Crosswicks Street.
Memorial contributions may be
made to Monastery of St. Clare,
327 S. Broad St., Trenton, N.J.
08611.
The Rev.
Stephen M. Szmutko
BORDENTOWN CITY –
The Rev. Stephen M. Szmutko, 83,
a Divine Word missionary and re
tired Catholic priest, died March
15 at Robert Wood Johnson Uni
versity Hospital at Hamilton.
A Trenton native, he attended
St. Stephen’s Catholic School in
Trenton and Sacred Heart Semi
nary in Girard, Pa., where he com
pleted high school and two years
of college before entering the novi
tiate in 1937.
He made his first profession of
vows in 1939 and completed his
philosophical and theological stud
ies in Techny, Ill., where he was
ordained August 15, 1944. He also
held master’s degrees in education
and guidance and counseling.
He applied for missionary
work in Ghana, Africa, but World
War II prevented the assignment.
In 1947, he went as a missionary
to the Philippines, where he was
principal of the Boys High School
associated with San Carlos Univer
sity, Cebu City; dean of student af
fairs at Holy Name College, Bo
hol; and president of St. William’s
Divine Word College, Laoag.
In 1966, the Laoag City Coun
cil adopted him as "a truly beloved
son of Laoag City" for his work in
the community and commitment to
education.
The Rev. Szmutko returned to
the United States in 1967 and
served as a rector of Divine Word
Community, Bordentown, for one
year. He then worked in several
California cities and in El Paso,
Texas, as a parish priest and mis
sionary.
He spent 1977 to 1985 in the
Caribbean, pastoring in St. Kitts
and Dominica.
He returned to the area in
1985, when he joined St. Gregory
the Great Roman Catholic Church
in Hamilton Square as associate
pastor. He retired in 1999, but con
tinued to conduct morning Masses
and weekend ministry at various
parishes.
Son of the late Stephen and
Rose Szmutko, he is survived by a
brother, Frank of Trenton, a former
battalion chief with the Trenton
Fire Department; a sister, Rosema
rie Astore of Trenton; and nieces
and nephews.
Concelebrated Mass of the
Resurrection was held at St. Gre
gory the Great Roman Catholic
Church, Hamilton Square, with
Bishop John M. Smith presiding.
Burial was in St. Stephen
Church Cemetery, Trenton.
Memorial contributions may be
made to Divine Word Missionar
ies, 101 Park St., Bordentown, N.J.
08505.
Arrangements were by Huber-
Moore Funeral Home of Borden
town.
Dorothy L. Schneider
BORDENTOWN CITY –
Dorothy L. Schneider, 88, died
March 14 at Robert Wood Johnson
University Hospital at Hamilton.
A Bordentown native, she was
a lifelong city resident.
She was a member of St.
Mary’s Roman Catholic Church,
American Association of Retired
Persons, League of Women Voters
and Hope Hose Humane Co. La
dies Auxiliary.
Daughter of the late George D.
and Lucretia Roberts Schuyler, sis
ter of the late Louise D. Kenny and
Mahlon W. Schuyler and wife of
the late Herbert A. Schneider, she
is survived by a son, Herbert A.
W. Schneider of Bordentown; a
niece, Adelma D. Holzbaur; a
nephew, Gardner F. Kenny; six
great-nieces and great-nephews;
and seven great-great-nieces and
great-great-nephews.
The funeral was held at Huber-
Moore Funeral Home, Borden
town, with the Rev. Richard A.D.
Benedict officiating.
Burial was in Bordentown
Cemetery, following cremation.
Margaret Nimmo
MANSFIELD – Margaret
"Peggie" Nimmo, 60, died March
17 at her home.
Born in Doylestown, Pa., she
had resided in the area for over 35
years.
She was a registered nurse
whose specialty was in medical
consulting.
A graduate of the Abington
School of Nursing Class of 1961,
she was a member of the Hedding
United Methodist Church and was
a past president of the Mansfield
Chapter of Deborah.
She is survived by her hus
band, William M. Nimmo, Jr., a
son, Todd M. Nimmo at home, a
daughter and son-in-law, Amy and
Paul Beam of Mount Laurel; a sis
ter, Betty J. Seyler of Vero Beach,
Fla.; and several nieces and neph
ews.
The funeral will be held 11
a.m. on March 22 at the Hedding
United Methodist Church, Old
York and Kinkora Roads, Hed
ding.
Burial will follow in the Co
lumbus Cemetery.
Arrangements are by Huber-
Moore Funeral Home, 517 Far
nsworth Ave., Bordentown.
Memorials may be made to ei
ther the Hedding United Methodist
Church or Samaritan Hospice, 5
Eves Drive, Suite 300, Marlton,
N.J. 08053-9841.
Anna M. Smolinski
TRENTON – Anna M. Smo
linski, 57, died March 14 at Capi
tal Health System at Fuld Hospital.
Born in Trenton, she was a
lifelong area resident.
She had worked with the state
Department of Labor and Industry.
She was a member of Holy
Angels Roman Catholic Church,
its Parent Teacher Association and
after-school program.
She was involved with fund-
raising for the Polycystic Kidney
Disease Foundation.
Daughter of the late Marion
Sherman and John Spisak, she is
survived by her husband of 29
years, Edward J. Smolinski Sr.; a
son, Ben Smolinski of Borden
town; a sister and brother-in-law,
Jean and Ed Strauss of Titusville; a
brother, John J. Spisak Jr. of Yard
ville; and nieces and nephews.
The funeral was held at Saul
Memorial Home.
Funeral Mass was celebrated at
Holy Angels Roman Catholic
Church, Hamilton.
Burial was in St. Hedwigs
Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be
made to Polycystic Kidney Foun
dation, 4901 Main St., Suite 320,
Kansas City, Mo. 654112.
Louise Soren
MANCHESTER – Louise
Erick Soren, 83, died March 16 at
Alterra Sterling House, Florence.
Born in Hamilton Square, she
lived in the Prospect Heights sec
tion of Trenton most of her life be
fore moving to Whiting in 1974.
Mrs. Soren was a homemaker.
She was affiliated with Robin
Dee Nursery School and was an
aide with Farmingdale Elementary
School, Hamilton. She also had
worked with Luscomb’s Manufac
turing Company.
Mrs. Soren was a former mem
ber of St. Luke’s Episcopal
Church, Ewing, and a member of
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church,
Whiting, and its Episcopal Church
Women, Manchester Senior Citi
zens, Ladies Day Senior Citizens
Group and Cedar Glenn Lakes
Garden Club and Bocci League.
She enjoyed sewing and cook
ing.
Wife of the late Edward F.
Soren, whom she was married for
43 years, and sister of the late
Henry "Harry" Crutchley Jr. and
Mary Maahsen, she is survived by
two daughters and a son-in-law,
Marilyn L. Sailey and Herbert
Schmidt of Crosswicks and Gail J.
Schuman of Burlington; three
grandchildren, Karen Wira of Mill
stone, Janet McSloy of Borden
town and R. Todd Shuman of Chi
cago; four great-grandchildren,
Lynne Wiley and Elizabeth Bashiti
of Bordentown and Christopher
and Sean Wira of Millstone; and
nieces, nephews, great-nieces and
great-nephews.
The funeral was held at Saul
Memorial Home, Trenton. Burial
was in Greenwood Cemetery,
Hamilton.
Memorial contributions may be
made to St. James Episcopal
Church, 1040 Yardville-Allentown
Road, Yardville, N.J. 08520.
Algero Smith
TRENTON – Algero "Smit
ty" Smith, 73, died March 15 at
Capital Health System at Mercer
Hospital.
Born in Trenton, he was a life
long area resident.
He retired after 47 years as a
pressman with the Trenton Folding
Box Company.
Son of the late Algero Smith
Sr. and Lillian Demby Byrd, he is
survived by his wife of 52 years,
Vernice Oliver Smith; a son and
daughter-in-law, Robert and Sha
ron Smith of Westampton; a
daughter, Vonita Smith of Flor
ence; two granddaughters, Janelle
and Shannon Smith of Westamp
ton; four sisters, Agnes Jackson of
Trenton, Evelyn Burnett of Fort
Washington, Md., Gloria Clark of
Los Angeles and Francis Moody of
Trenton; his stepmother, Fannie
Smith of Trenton; nine sisters-in-
law; six brothers-in-law; and many
nieces, nephews, cousins and
friends.
The funeral was held at Grace
Cathedral Fellowship Ministries,
1217 Calhoun St., Trenton, with
Bishop Jerome S. Wilcox officiat
ing.
Burial was in Ewing Cemetery.
Arrangements were by Camp
bell Funeral Chapel, Trenton.
Ralph Ferrante
HAMILTON – Ralph F. Fer
rante, 77, died March 17 at Royal
Healthgate Nursing and Rehabili
tation Center, Trenton.
Born in Trenton, he was a life
long area resident.
He retired as a self-employed
master plumber.
He was an Army veteran of
World War II.
Son of the late Mick and Mary
Femiano Ferrante and brother of
the late Jean Janaitis, he is sur
vived by his wife of 35 years, Jan
et Bell Ferrante; two sons and
daughters-in-law, Nick and Cat
hanne Ferrante of Bordentown
Township and Ralph and Barbara
Ferrante of Maryland; a daughter
Maria Ferrante of Hamilton; a
nephew, Mario Janaitis; three step-
children, Robert, Wayne and Deb
bie Cassidy; eight grandchildren;
seven great-grandchildren; six
step-grandchildren; three step-
great-grandchildren; and many
cousins.
The funeral was held at Kings
ton & Kemp Funeral Home, Ham
ilton.
Arlene E. Aigner
EWING – Arlene E. Aigner,
56, died March 19 at St. Francis
Medical Center, Trenton.
Born in Crosswicks, she was a
lifelong area resident.
She worked with Argus
International/Sumatec Corp., Ring
oes.
Daughter of the late Leon and
Louise M. Grover Beatty, she is
survived by her husband, Robert L.
Aigner; a son and daughter-in-law,
Robert L. and Molly L. Aigner Jr.
of Woodbury; three sisters and
brothers-in-law, Janet and Edward
Marlkham of Mansfield, Ohio;
Joyce and James Simmons of Ba
teville, Ark., and Gaile and Martin
Yakelewicz of Crosswicks; two
granddaughters, Kerry L. and Kris
ta L. Aigner; and nieces and neph
ews.
Private cremation will be under
the direction of Rogers Funeral
Home, Trenton.
Patricia Smith
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Pat
ricia J. "Patti Jo" Smith, 43, died
March 17 at St. Francis Medical
Center, Trenton.
Born in Phoenixville, Pa., she
lived in the Bordentown area be
fore moving to the northern Vir
ginia area 23 years ago.
She was an analyst with the
U.S. Department of the Interior,
Bureau of Land Management,
Washington, D.C.
She was a 1975 graduate of
Northern Burlington Regional
High School.
She was a member of her of
fice softball team, playing in area
leagues and competitions.
She enjoyed reading.
Daughter of the late James S.
Smith Sr. and sister of the late Jef
frey S. Smith, she is survived by
her mother, Joanne Thomas Smith
of Alexandria; two sisters and a
brother-in-law, Barbara A. and
Stephen Scherer of Bordentown
Township and Joanne E. Smith
and her fiancee Matthew Eich
mann of Bordentown City; four
brothers and two sisters-in-law,
James S. Jr. and Karen Smith of
Philadelphia, Joseph F. and Tam
my Smith of Omaha, Neb., Dennis
R. E. Smith of Bordentown City
and John S. Smith of Trenton; and
other relatives.
The funeral will be held 10
a.m. on March 22 at Winowicz Fu
neral Home, Adeline and Beatty
streets, Trenton, with Monsignor
Edward J. Arnister, pastor of
Church of the Holy Cross, officiat
ing.
Burial will be in Bordentown
Cemetery, Bordentown Township.
Memorial contributions may be
made to the American Cancer So
ciety, Mercer Unit, 3076 Princeton
Pike, Lawrenceville, N.J.
08648-2304.