LouEtta Carroll Santucci, age 102, of Princeton NJ passed away peacefully on Monday, June 11, 2018. She was born and lived in Hopewell, NJ, until her marriage to Royal James Carroll. She and he resided in Princeton, NJ for more than 32 years until Royal’s passing in 1973.
Prior to her marriage, LouEtta was a conscientious employee of NJ Bell Telephone. During her time with the company she performed her operator’s duties during the infamous night of October 30, 1938. Orson Welles and his Mercury Theater production performed a radio adaption of H. G. Well’s, The War of the Worlds. Some listeners mistook the program to be real, (convinced that Martians were invading Grovers Mill, NJ). They made numerous calls to police, newspaper offices, and radio stations. The show caused nationwide hysteria. During that evening LouEtta worked through the entire night tirelessly reassuring callers that the show was not real.
In 1996, when LouEtta was 80 years old her son and daughter-in-law arranged for her to appear in the PBS American Experience production, the Battle of Citizen Kane, (a documentary about the battle between Orson Welles and William Randolph Hearst over Welles’ Citizen Kane and the Mercury Theater production of the radio show). LouEtta was fascinated by the filming process and enjoyed her role in the production.
Dedication to work and caring for others continued during LouEtta’s lifetime. She worked at the Princeton Medical Group for many years, managing the Records Department. She was a devoted wife, sister, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, great grandmother and friend sharing her cooking knowledge, gardening, crafting and sewing talents with all who asked for assistance and she regularly made original creations which she gifted to many friends and relatives.
LouEtta remarried after her husband, Royal passed. She resided in Palm Beach County, Florida for several years with her second husband, John Santucci. She returned to New Jersey after his death to be near her family.
LouEtta is survived by her son, Royal James Carroll II, his wife Bonnie Lee Carroll and a daughter, Hope Sudlow; her husband, Richard B. Sudlow, and grandsons, Royal James Carroll III and his wife, Janice Carroll; Brooke T. Sudlow; granddaughter Jean Simpson and her husband Bob Simpson; sister, Adele Larason and great grandchildren, Royal James Carroll IV, Johanna Lee Carroll, Caroline Simpson, Willard Simpson and Emma Simpson.
At LouEtta’s request there will be a private memorial. Arrangements are under the direction of The Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton.