Marie A. Amato
Marie A. Amato, 96, of Sandusky, Ohio, passed away unexpectedly, Sunday, September 25, 2011, after a long illness. She was a resident of the Erie County Care Facility in Huron, Ohio, since October, 2001.
Marie was born in Newark, Dec. 16, 1914, the daughter of John and Olga (Venturi) Amato. She was a 1932 graduate of Central High School, Newark. After high school, she worked in the payroll accounting department for nine years in Bamberger’s department store. During the war years and after, she worked as a secretary to the general manger of Eclipse Aviation, Teterboro, and later with Pyramid Manufacturing Company in Union City. From 1947 to 1968, she was the office manager at Agitair Products Corporation in Union City, and from 1968 to 1991, she was employed as the accountant for Universal Stationery in Newark. Also, from the 30’s through the 70’s, she was a co-owner with her brothers of A&J Canvas Products in Newark, and maintained all their accounting records. After 60 years of service with all of these companies, Marie retired from active employment in 1991.
In her private life, Marie was very active in many church and social activities. She was a member and officer of the Sodality of Mary, the Rosarians of St. Rocco’s Catholic Church in Newark, and also served the church as a volunteer bookkeeper for over 40 years.
After moving to North Arlington, in 1954, Marie became very active in many church activities at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church in North Arlington. She served in many capacities in the Queen of Peace Holy Rosary Society, chairlady of many fundraising drives, served as a lector and commentator at Sunday Masses, was honored in 1976 for her four years of service on the Queen of Peace Church Parish Council, and also assisted the Queen of Peace High School Alumni Fund Drives.
Marie was also active in the Marconi Fraternal Association Women’s Auxiliary, Kearny, serving in many capacities and recognized many times for her dedicated service to the various organizations.
In between all her work, church, and social activities, Marie was an avid traveler to many countries including Italy, Spain, Portugal, Great Britain, France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Russia, Mexico, Canada, Argentina, Aruba, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, St. Maarten, Dominican Republic, Australia, Japan, China, and Hawaii.
She was very dedicated to her family, always being present at every major event in the lives of her brothers and sister, nephews and nieces, grand nephews and nieces, and great grand nephews and nieces. No matter the time or distance, she was always present in happy and sad occasions. She was “Aunt Marie” to one and all.
Survivors include her loving sister Johanna (James) Cundari, Sandusky, Ohio; nephews and nieces Anthony (Anita) Cundari, Norwalk, Ohio; Joseph (Giorgia) Cundari, Sandusky, Ohio; Johanna (James) Powers, Sandusky, Ohio; Maria (John) Horvath, Oxford, Mich.; John (Lee) Amato, Lake Worth, Fla.; Michael (Carol) Amato, Waretown; Dorothy (John) Gural, Waretown; Robert (Linda) Amato, Flemington; Allyn Amato, Alexandria, Va.; JoAnne Varneckas, Colonia; John (Donna) Amato, Rahway; Judy (Robert) Heck, Middletown; and many grandnephews and nieces, great-grandnephews and nieces and cousins.
Marie was preceded in death by her parents, John and Olga (Venturi) Amato, brothers Alfonso and Joseph, and sister Carolina.
Visitation was on Thursday, Sept. 29, at the Parow Funeral Home, 185 Ridge Road, North Arlington. Funeral services were conducted at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church in North Arlington, at 11 a.m. on Sept. 30. Interment was in Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery in East Orange.
Memorial contributions in memory of Marie Amato may be given to the Catholic Parish of the Transfiguration (formerly St. Rocco’s Church) in Newark, Our Lady Queen of Peace Holy Rosary Society of Our Lady Queen of Peace Church in North Arlington or to one’s favorite charity.
The family would like to express their thanks and gratitude to the caregivers at the Erie County Care Facility for the help and companionship that they gave to Marie during the past 10 years.
Mildred A. Hacela
Mildred A. Hacela (nee Almond) died Sept. 27 in Waymart, Pa.
Born in Millburn, she lived many years in Newark and the past three years in Pennsylvania.
Wife of the late Paul Hacela, she is survived by her daughter Katherine and her favorite son-in-law Robert Grusenski. She was the sister of the late Dorothy Sutton, Grace Treible, Dr. Harold Almond and Ralph and Richard Almond. She is also survived by her three grandchildren Ryan and his wife Elizabeth, Kathleen and Suzanne Grusenski; also surviving is her great-granddaughter Sophia. Besides caring for her family, Mildred also enjoyed the Ironbound Senior Citizens Club.
Private funeral arrangements are being handled through Armitage and Wiggins Funeral Home, 596 Belgrove Drive, Kearny. If you care to make a memorial donation, the family has requested that you consider St. Peter’s Preparatory School c/o the funeral home.
Gretchen Hildinger
Gretchen Hildinger, (nee Albrecht) 94, of San Diego, Calif., formerly of Harrison, passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 28.
Arrangements were by the Mulligan Funeral Home, 331 Cleveland Ave., Harrison. Interment was in Arlington Cemetery, Kearny. For information or to send condolences please visit mulliganfuneralhome.org.
Gretchen was born on a Nebraska farm Dec. 13, 1916 – Dorothy Gretchen Albrecht. Her early years were little work and much play. She rode her pony, Flossie, three and a half miles to school; and in the evening, went for cows in the pasture. It was a happy childhood provided by loving parents.
After high school, she moved to Montana with her parents, where she graduated from Eastern Montana State College in Billings. That was a happy time, too.
In 1942 she came east, and the following year was married to William Hildinger, former executive director of the Harrison Housing Authority. Veterans of World War II remember Bill as editor of Goodman’s Scratch Sheet, a mimeographed newsletter mailed to armed forces from Harrison all over the world. Their marriage continued 41 years. It was a very, very happy marriage.
Her teaching career was mainly in Newark. After a number of years at Dayton Street School, she transferred to Hawkins Street, where she became vice principal. It was a most satisfying career.
Bill died in 1984, and two years later Gretchen moved to California. At the time of her death she was living at Silverado Hospice in Encinitas, Calif. It was a rewarding life from beginning to end.
She is survived by her nephew Henry W. Hildinger and his wife Patricia A. of Chester, a grandniece Lisa Hildinger, her husband Michael of Andover, and their daughter Morgan, and a grandnephew Jeffrey H. Hildinger of Wilmington, N.C. She is also survived by her cousins Barbara Lyons of Danbury, Neb.; Verna Estergard of Orange, Calif., Pauline Dodson and Shirley Wolfe from Lexington, Neb.; Diane Nichols, Chandleir, Ariz.; Joyce Carson, New Barunsfels, Texas; Bruce Estergard, Garden Grove, Calif.; Carole Diebolt, Littleton, Colo.; and Janet Countryman, St. Louis, Mo., their families and her dear friends Mary Boylan and Peg McGuigan.
For those desiring, donations can be made to The Alzheimer’s Association in care of the funeral home in memory of Gretchen.
Maria Grazia Lombardo
Maria Grazia Lombardo (nee Vatrella) died on Oct. 3 in the Spring Brook Nursing Home. She was 82.
Born in Gasperina, Italy, she lived in Kearny since 1969.
She is survived by her husband Francesco and her children and their spouses Giuseppe and Elisabeth Lombardo and Rosemarie Lombardo Pacifico and Lawrence Pacifico; also surviving are her grandchildren Alessandero and Matteo.
Arrangements were by Armitage and Wiggins Funeral Home, 596 Belgrove Drive, Kearny. A funeral Mass was held in St. Stephen’s Church. Entombment was in Holy Cross Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, kindly make donations to Alzheimer’s Research or St. Stephen’s Food Pantry.
Walter James Alexander Sr.
Walter James Alexander Sr., of Jacksonville, Fla., passed away Oct. 4.
Survivors include his wife Betty of 63 years; daughters, Carol (Charlie) Jaworski and Debbie (Robert) Allen; sons Walter Jr. (Kathy), Wayne (Lori), 10 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; brothers, Harvey (Dorothy) and James (Maryanne); and sisters, Lois (Dave) McWilliam and Jean Heslen Dolce.
The funeral service was held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 11, in the chapel of Quinn-Shalz Funeral Home. Inurnment is in Jacksonville National Cemetery at 11 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 12, with military honors.
Please visit the online tribute at www.quinn-shalz.com. Services under the direction and care of Quinn-Shalz, A Family Funeral Home, Jacksonville Beach, Fla.
Robert Morton
Robert Morton, 83, died on Oct. 6 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Passaic.
Born in Philadelphia, Pa., he was a lifelong resident of Kearny. Before retiring he was an electrician for 55 years with Local 164. He loved his job and worked at it until the age of 78. He was a member of Our Lady of Sorrows Church. He served in the United States Navy from 1946-1950. Robert’s favorite past time was playing the slots in Pennsylvania.
He is survived by his wife Gloria Jean Morton; his children Colleen Burgess (Tom), Elizabeth Cobane, Brandy Shamrock (Nick), Andrew Colamedici (Carol), Susan McLaren (Frank Shrimp), and Joseph Colamedici (Jennifer); also survived by 11 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
Arrangements were by Armitage and Wiggins Funeral Home, 596 Belgrove Drive, Kearny. A funeral Mass was held at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Kearny. Interment was in Holy Cross Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, kindly make donations to the Jimmy C. Scholarship Fund sent to Valley National Bank Attn: Julie Smith, 100 Central Ave., S. Kearny, N.J.
Mary Josephine (Jo) Weber
Mary Josephine (Jo) Weber (nee Hart), of Lady Lake, Fla., formerly of Kearny, passed away on Sept. 11. She was 79.
Born in Kearny, she moved to Florida in 1994. She was a bookkeeper for the A&P supermarket for many years.
Mrs. Weber is predeceased by her husband of 46 years, Edward A. Weber Jr. in 2000. Surviving are her children, Edward A. Weber III, Joanne Weber, Barbara Hall, Joseph Weber and Susan Nowak; grandchildren Kimberly Schmidt, Michael Weber, Daniel Weber, Jessica Nowak, Alexandra Nowak, David Nowak, Alicia Weber, Joseph Weber Jr. and Lindsey Weber; great-grandchildren Michael Schmidt, Justin White, Anthony White, Khloé Weber and Audrina Schechter; her brother Thomas Hart and many brothers and sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at St. Cecilia’s Church, Kearny, on Friday, Oct. 14, at 6 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation at http://www.themmrf.org in memory of Edward A. Weber Jr.
Georgie Pena
Georgie Pena, 21, of Kearny, passed away on Tuesday, Oct. 4.
He is survived by his father Georgie Vega, his mother Daisy Pena, his stepfather Efrain Cruz, his stepmother Jamie Noak, his grandparents Ana Sepulveda, Migdalia Maldonado and John Gerena and the late Jose Morales Vega. He is also survived by his siblings Crystaline and Samantha Vega, Efrain Cruz, Matthew Vega, DaMarcus Noack, Jayden and Brandon Vega and his stepbrother and sisters, Kayla and Alona Ortiz and Xavier Thigpen. He is also survived by his uncles Jose and Angel Rodriguez, Reynaldo Maldonado, Johny and Anthony Rivera and Jonathan Gerena, his aunts Sandra Rodriguez and Glenda Ivette Maldonado; Georgie was also an uncle to Isaiah Jeremyah Araujo.
Arrangements were under the direction of Mulligan Funeral Home, Harrison. A funeral Mass was held at Our Lady of Good Council Church, Newark. Interment was at Arlington Cemetery, Kearny. For information or to send condolences please visit mulliganfuneralhome.org.
