Maria DiGiovanni
Maria DiGiovanni (nee Trubia) died on Dec. 14 in Clara Maass Medical Center. She was 72.
Born in Bompietro, Sicily, she lived in Newark before moving to Kearny 42 years ago. Arrangements were by the Armitage and Wiggins Funeral Home, Kearny. A funeral Mass was held in St. Stephen’s Church. Entombment was in Holy Cross Mausoleum.
Wife of the late Joseph, she is survived by her children and their spouses Diane and Gennaro Bifulco, Giusseppe and Lisa DiGiovanni and Gino and Laura DiGiovanni, her sister and her husband Josephine and Joseph Incognito. Also surviving are her grandchildren Francesco, Margherita, Nicole, Victoria, Gino, Joseph, and Gia Lynn.
In lieu of flowers kindly make a donation to the American Cancer Society. Condolences may be left for the family at www.armitagewiggins.com.
Bessie Dorney
Bessie Dorney died on Dec. 15 in The Chateau at Rochelle Park. She was 79. Born in Aberdeen, Scotland, she lived in both Clifton and Kearny.
Arrangements were by the Armitage and Wiggins Funeral Home, 596 Belgrove Dr., Kearny. A funeral service was held in the funeral home, with interment at Immaculate Conception Cemetery, Montclair.
Bessie was a member of the Daughters of Scotia and used to work at Electron Technology, Kearny. She retired from Trionics in Wharton where she was a glass blower.
She is the wife of the late Richard Dorney and was formally married to Olaf McLeish. She is survived by her children and their spouses June, Butch, Marshall, Ian, and Robin McLeish. She was the sister of Albert Nicol and Annie McComish, and is also survived by her grandchildren Carrie and Elizabeth Buchanan and Chelsea and Cody McLeish . In lieu of flowers, kindly make a donation to Bryan Manor c/o the funeral home. To leave an online condolence, please visit www.armitagewiggins.com.
John Soares
John Soares died Dec. 12 in Hackensack Medical Center. He was 82. Born in Portugal, he lived in Newark before moving to Kearny 55 years ago.
Arrangements were by the Armitage and Wiggins Funeral Home, 596 Belgrove Dr., Kearny. A funeral Mass was held in St. Stephen’s Church. Entombment was in Holy Cross Cemetery.
John was the owner and president of Kessler Associates Prosthetics in East Orange. As a member of the U.S. Army he proudly served at the Walter Reed Hospital during the Korean War. He received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association for his outstanding work in the development of prosthetics. He was a member of the Bergen County Water Fowlers and Ducks Unlimited. In addition to his passion for hunting he enjoyed his membership at Kings Court.
Husband of the late Teresa, he is survived by his children and their spouses Lu Ann and Joseph Silveri, Lisa and Richard Roman and Anthony Soares; also surviving are his grandchildren Lauren, Lindsay and Joey Silveri and Ricky, Alyssa and John Roman. In lieu of flowers, kindly make a donation to Little People of America, 250 El Camino Real, suite 201 Tustin, Calif. 92780. To leave an online condolence, please visit www.armitagewiggins.com.
David G. Tietjen
David G. Tietjen died on Dec. 16 in the V.A, Hospital in East Orange. He was 66. Born in Newark, he was a lifelong Kearny resident.
Arrangements are by Armitage and Wiggins Funeral Home, 596 Belgrove Dr., Kearny. A funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 21, at 9:30 a.m. in St. Stephen’s Church.
Dave was a Vietnam vet having served in the Army from 1965 until 1971. After the service, he joined in on running his families business, Tietjens Deli, which was family run for 70 years and was a Kearny landmark.
Dave is survived by his wife Bernadette, his children and their spouses Heather and John Crist and Jason and Sheetal Davitt; his grandchildren Alexis, Madison, Jonathan, Saheli and Aanya. Also surviving are his nephews and niece John R. III, Mark D., Joanne, Richard and Kris-Ann. He was predeceased by his brother and sister in law John R. and Joan Tietjen. Online condolences may be left at www.armitagewiggins.com.
Patricia Reagan Stahlin
Patricia Reagan Stahlin, 86, died on Dec. 13. Born in Kearny, she grew up in Harrison and attended Good Counsel High School in Newark, was a graduate of the College of Saint Elizabeth, Class of 1947 and later was recognized by the college with the Distinguished Alumna Award. She furthered her education and received her Master’s Degree at Kean University.
Mrs. Stahlin taught in Iselin, Manville and Harrison. She was active in the Laurel League of Plainfield, a past president of the Junior A’Kempis of Newark, an active member of the College of St. Elizabeth Alumnae Association and its Monmouth County Chapter and a longtime volunteer at Collier Services, Wickatunk.
Mrs. Stahlin was predeceased by her parents Thomas and Alyce Barry Reagan, her husband Frank in 1969 and her son Donald in 2006.
Surviving are her loving children: Frank and his wife Barbara; Clare Stahlin and Patrice (Dee) Allara and her husband Jack, all of South Plainfield; her daughter-in-law Kathy Stahlin of Orange, Calif.; a granddaughter Stephanie Dudley and her husband Derek, great-granddaughter Brooklyn of Corona, Calif. and her grandson Frank of South Plainfield; also surviving is her brother Thomas J. Reagan.
Mrs. Stahlin leaves behind her nieces, nephews, many cousins and special friends who were a very important part of her life.
Arrangements were by McCriskin-Gustafson Home for Funerals, South Plainfield, A funeral Mass at Sacred Heart Church in South Plainfield, followed by private cremation.
Memorial donations may be made to Collier Youth Services, P.O. Box 300 Wickatunk, N.J. 07765-0300 or College of St. Elizabeth Development Fund, 2 Convent Road, Convent Station, N.J .07961.
Carol Ann Melando
Carol Ann Melando (nee Riccio) died on Dec. 17 in Prospect Heights Care Center. She was 68. Born in Bayonne, she moved to Kearny 36 years ago.
Arrangements were by the Armitage and Wiggins Funeral Home, 596 Belgrove Dr., Kearny. Interment was in Holy Cross Cemetery.
Carol is the wife of the late Lenny and is survived by her children Michael Melando (Lauren) and Sheri Sasso (Vincent), her siblings Louis, Frank and Jimmy Riccio and Janet DoPazo, and her grandchildren Hannah, Vincent Jr., and Carlo. Also surviving are her stepchildren Francine Melando and Christine Jungblut (Robert) and their families.
Anne P. Plumley
Anne P. Plumley (nee Fay) died on Dec. 17 at home. She was 74. Born in Kearny, she moved to Lyndhurst 49 years ago.
Arrangements are by the Armitage and Wiggins Funeral Home, 596 Belgrove Dr., Kearny. A funeral Mass will be on Wednesday, Dec. 21, at 11 a.m. in St. Cecilia’s Church, Kearny. Interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery.
Mrs. Plumley is survived by her husband Ronald; children Karen (Ronald) Luepke, and Moira (Douglas) Clay; sister of Irene Eckert, Kathleen Donnelly, Frances McGovern and the late Patrick, Eamon and Michael Fay, and Marie Blair. Also surviving is her grandson William.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.armitagewiggins.com.
Cheryl A. Raefski
Cheryl A. (Third) Raefski, 43, died on Dec. 15 in the NYU Langone Medical Center, New York City.
Arrangements were by the Thiele-Reid Family Funeral Home. 585 Belgrove Drive, Kearny. A funeral liturgy was offered in St. Stephen’s Church, Kearny, followed by private cremation. Condolences and memories may shared at www.thiele-reid.
com.
Cheryl was born in Kearny and was a lifelong resident.
She was employed as a senior call center supervisor for Comcast in North Arlington and then Union. In 2001, after 11 years, she left to become the best full-time mom.
Cheryl thoroughly enjoyed coaching youth soccer and softball for the Kearny Recreation Department and being a cheerleading advisor with the Kearny Generals.
She is survived by her loving husband Darren; her three beloved children Madison,
Paige and Kyle; her mother Joan (Chadwick) Third; sister Barbara Dobrovics (Frank); brother Bobby Third. She was the daughter-in-law of Edward and Judi Raefski, sister-in-law of Jeff Raefski (Mary) and Jay Raefski (Kartina).
Cheryl was the aunt of Megan Dobrovics, Victoria, Jonathan, Nick and Alex Raefski and Madi and Luke Fahmy.
She leaves behind great friends like Margaret, Debbie, Rena and Bonnie to name a
few; many cousins, aunts and uncles and beloved cats.
She was predeceased by her father Robert C. Third Jr. on March 12, 2011.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to Kearny Recreation Dept., 402 Kearny Ave., Kearny, N.J. 07032 or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital P.O. Box 1000, Dept. 42 Memphis, Tenn. 38148 or at www.stjude.org.
