Charles Irvin Baus, Illona Dusserre, Petrina Mazza Kochol, Anna M. Bird, Joan Cecilia Williams, Marie Hough, William Harry Harris Jr.
Charles Irvin Baus
GROVEVILLE Charles Irvin Baus, 86, died Sunday in Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at Hamilton.
Born in Yardville, he had resided in Hamilton Township all of his life. He retired as a supervisor-foreman with American-Standard of Trenton with more than 35 years of service. He was a member of the first graduating class of Hamilton High School and was a member of Bordentown Lodge #2085, B.P.O.E. He was also an exempt fireman and member of the Groveville Fire Company. He was an avid golfer winning three championships at the Cream Ridge Golf Club. He was also a former semi-professional baseball player and was an original manager in the Hamilton Township Babe Ruth League.
He is survived by his wife, Erma "Becker" Baus; a son and daughter-in-law, Ronald and Dorothy Sexton of Groveville; a brother and sister-in-law, Carl and Arlene Baus of Yardville; two sisters and a brother-in-law, Betty Bird of East Windsor and Jeanne and Ken Lincoln of Washington Township; two grandchildren, Ronald, Jr. and Michael Sexton; and several nieces and nephews.
The funeral was held on Wednesday from the Huber-Moore Funeral Home, 517 Farnsworth Avenue, Bordentown, with burial following in the Groveville Methodist Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 1851 Cuthbert Road, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034 or the Elks Crippled Childrens Committee, Amboy Road, Bordentown, NJ 08505.
Illona Dusserre
MONROE Illona Dusserre, 71, died on Saturday at the Applegarth Care Center in Monroe Township. Born in Berlin, Germany, she lived in South Bound Brook before moving to East Windsor 10 years ago.
She is survived by her husband, Gaston Dusserre of East Windsor; a son, Charles Copeland of South Plainfield; a daughter, Daniele Russo of White Haven, Pa.; a sister, Eva Korber of Elizabeth; and a brother, Ernst Kober of Cherry Hill.
A memorial service was held on Wednesday at the Crabriel Memorial Funeral Home, 202 Stockton St., Hightstown. In lieu of flowers please make memorial donations in memory of Illona Dusserre to the Alzheimer’s Association, Greater NJ Chapter, 400 Morris Ave., Suite 251, Denville, NJ 07834.
Petrina Mazza
Kochol
SOMERSET Petrina Mazza Kochol, 90, of the Somerset section of Franklin Township, died Sunday in St. Peters University Hospital, New Brunswick.
Born in Anita, Pa., Mrs. Mazza-Kochol had been a resident of Somerset for many years.
Mrs. Mazza-Kochol had been employed as a dressmaker and a seamstress by the Bond Clothing Co., New Brunswick, for many years before retiring in 1978.
She enjoyed crocheting and sewing.
Mrs. Mazza-Kochol was a communicant of St. Mary of Mount Virgin Roman Catholic Church in New Brunswick.
Daughter of the late Joseph and Vita (Medile) Mazza, she was also predeceased by her husband John in 1991, her sister Carmella Fama in 2003, her grandnephew David Serge, as well as her other siblings.
Surviving are her brother-in-law, Samuel Fama, with whom she resided for over 55 years in Somerset; her nephew and his wife, Peter and Chris Fama of East Windsor; her niece and her husband, Petrina (Fama) and Anthony Serge of Lawrenceville; her niece and her husband, Vita Signore Schiemann and Peter of Somerset; and her numerous grandnieces and nephews, including Kiralie Fama and Kimberly Serge.
Funeral services were held Wednesday in the Gowen Funeral Home, LLC, 233 Somerset St., New Brunswick, followed by Mass at St. Mary of Mount Virgin Roman Catholic Church, New Brunswick.
Interment took place in St. Peters Cemetery, New Brunswick.
Anna M. Bird
HAMILTON Anna M. Bird, 84, died Feb. 11 after a brief illness at the Compassionate Care Hospice at St. Francis Medical Center, Trenton.
Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, she emigrated with her parents and brother to the United States in 1922 during a period of political turmoil and religious oppression following the partition of Ireland. Their ship, the Adriatic, was rocked by an explosion and fire that killed several crew members off the coast of New England.
Mrs. Bird grew up in Trenton before moving to Hamilton upon her marriage in 1949. She was a founding member of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Mercerville and regularly attended Mass and participated in church activities.
Mrs. Bird retired after 25 years with The McGraw-Hill Companies in Hightstown.
Throughout her long employment career, she worked at L.A. Young Spring & Wire Company, Sears Roebuck, Helene Fuld Medical Center, and Trenton Trust Bank (later National State Bank).
A 1937 graduate of Trenton High School, she had a wide range of talents and interests. She enjoyed trips to the Jersey Shore, watching baseball games, playing bingo, cooking and baking. She was an adept do-it-yourselfer. She attended many adult school classes to broaden her talents and enjoyed such pastimes as caning and rushing chair seats and making stained glass. She also enjoyed gardening.
A lifelong Democrat, she had a keen interest in civic and political events and worked as a volunteer in various Democratic political election campaigns. She was a strong supporter of Hamilton Township Mayor Glen Gilmore and U.S. Sen. Jon Corzine, (D-NJ). Her Democratic roots are deep and committed. Late one June night in 1968, she drove her six small children to New York City to stand in line for hours outside St. Patrick’s Cathedral until the early-morning hours to pay respects to the late U.S. Senator and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy.
Like her late husband, she was a "news junkie," leading three of her six children to become journalists. Political and civic issues were frequently the topic at the dinner table.
She had a deep interest in her home country of Ireland and was thrilled when Mayor Gilmore invited her to a fund-raising dinner with Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams in the fall of 2002.
Most recently, she had been actively involved in a neighborhood-based group opposing a proposed sprawl development on a 30-acre wooded field near her home. She had a decades-long special fondness for Martin House, a Trenton-based housing and community services organization associated with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton. She also enjoyed her association with the Hamilton Township Senior Citizens.
The former Anna Marie McLernon, she was known as Nan or Ann. She was predeceased by her parents, Ellen Jane Lavery McLernon and Henry J. McLernon; her husband, Walter T. Bird Sr., who died in 1989; her brother, James McLernon; and two sons, Joseph Paul Bird and Walter Thomas "Wally" Bird Jr.
She is survived by four children, Maryann E. Bird of London, England, Dennis J. Bird of Dorchester, Mass., Kathleen Bird of Hopewell and David C. Bird of Millington; two daughters-in-law, Sheila Joyce Bird of Dorchester, Mass., and Nancy Fleming Bird of Millington; two former daughters-in-law, Kate Meredith Esposito of Trenton and Maria Bird Schmidt of Howell; nine grandchildren, Christopher M., Carolyn E., Angela J. and Gregory J. Bird of Dorchester, Mass., Matthew E. and Brendan A. Maurice of Hopewell, Alexander J. and Natasha W. Bird of Millington and Michael P. Bird of Howell; her former sister-in-law, Charlotte McLernon-Maher and her husband Tom Maher of Sunset Beach, N.C.; four nieces and nephews, Kevin J. McLernon of Burlington Township, Sean M. McLernon of Morris Plains, Brian C. McLernon of Portland, Ore., and Charlotte E. McLernon Kielbasa of Hamilton.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Monday at Our Lady of Sorrows Church, 3816 E. State St., Mercerville. Burial will follow at St. Paul’s Cemetery, Princeton.
Arrangements are under the M. William Murphy Funeral Home, 1863 Hamilton Ave., Hamilton.
The family asks that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to the Martin House Community for Justice Foundation, 794 E. State St., Trenton, NJ 08609.
Joan Cecilia
Williams
HIGHTSTOWN Joan Cecilia Williams, 64, of Hightstown, died following a long illness on Feb. 10 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at Hamilton.
Born Jan. 3, 1940 in Hazleton, Pa., Ms. Williams lived in Linden as a child, later relocating to Monroe, Jamesburg and finally, to Hightstown.
A long-time nurse for the Middlesex County Department of Corrections, North Brunswick with positions also held at Prudential Insurance, Princeton House and Aetna Insurance Company, Joan was an artistic soul with a deep appreciation for life’s beauty both obvious and hidden. She loved pinochle, painting, music, holidays, nature, the Jersey shore, her many friends, and her family.
Predeceased by her father Joseph Bear, Joan is survived by her mother, Margaret; her loving husband, John; sons, Alfred and Kurt Muzer; daughters, Joan Bonain and Peggy Vingara; brothers, Joseph and Florian Bera; seven grandchildren; a great-grandchild; plus many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Services were held Feb. 13 at MJ Murphy Funeral Home, 616 Ridge Road at New Road, Monmouth Junction.
Interment was private.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to American Diabetes Association, 1701 N. Beauregard St., Alexandria, VA 22311.
Marie Hough
OCEANSIDE, Calif. Marie Hough, 63, died Jan. 15.
Born Oct. 15, 1940, in Trenton, she lived in Oceanside for three years.
She was a secretary, teacher and a realtor. She served as a missionary and teacher in Papua New Guinea for 10 years where she helped to organize the Papua New Bible Institute. She graduated from Hightstown High School, Rider Business College, Los Angeles City College and God’s Bible College.
She received a master’s degree in education from Azusa Pacific University and a teaching credential from California State at Long Beach. She is listed in "Who’s Who in American Education" and "Who’s Who in American Women."
She was a member of the Family Fellowship Church in Oceanside and was a vice president of the singles club at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove.
Mrs. Hough is survived by her husband of 14 years, Gary T.M. Hough of Oceanside, Calif.; parents Evelyn and Michael Mazur of Hightstown; brother Michael Mazur II of Hightstown; and sisters and brothers-in-law Ruth Ann and Greg Cooper of Beachwood and Gloria and Paul Rowley of Harrisville, N.Y.
A memorial service was held Jan. 24 at the Family Fellowship Church, with the Revs. Mike Robertson, Jim McGill and Paul Rowley officiating.
Burial was Jan. 26 at Westminster Memorial Park in Westminster, Calif.
William Harry
Harris Jr.
FT. MYERS, Fla. William Harry Harris Jr. died in January at his home in Ft. Myers, Fla.
Mr. Harris was born in Trenton Nov. 20, 1949, and graduated from Trenton High School in 1959. He served in the U.S. Navy for 10 years, then moved to Ft. Myers and was a resident there for the rest of his life, where he acquired many friends.
He was an employee of the Hightstown and Ft. Myers, Fla. post offices, and the Weiser Security Service of Ft. Myers, Fla. He was an avid bowler and attended the Ft. Myers Christian Church.
He was the son of the late William Harry Harris Sr., and is survived by his mother, Harriet Harris of Shippensburg, Pa.; a brother, George Harris and his wife, Kathleen; nephew Craig; and niece Nicole.