A memorial service for Caitlin Evans Jones will be held  Friday, June 9, 2017, beginning at 5:00 p.m. at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center’s Victoria Theater in Newark.

Caitlin’s family and friends are inviting the community to join in celebrating Caitlin’s life and achievements. NJPAC is where she pursued her passion for creating, promoting and providing scholastic arts education in New Jersey for more than 14 years.

A reception will follow at the Center for Arts Education with refreshments and cold buffet.

Discounted ​parking will be provided for attendees using the Military Park garage across from NJPAC. NJPAC is located at One Center Street, Newark, NJ.

Caitlin Evans-Jones, 48, passed away unexpectedly and peacefully on March 14, 2017. Born Fabiana Politi on June 28, 1968 to Rolando Politi and Elizabeth Evans in Queens, New York, Caitlin had two passions, her family and the theater.

She was a loving wife to husband Gywnton and supportive mother to her two children, Dylan Maxfield, a sophomore at Columbia High School; and Camryn Rose, a fourth-grade student at Tuscan Elementary School. Caitlin played an active role in supporting their many activities and sports. For the past 11 years she worked as the production stage manager directing technical and backstage crews for Tuscan’s annual stage show. She had been finalizing rehearsals for this year’s show, which will be presented March 24-26 and will include tributes to her life and dedication to arts education. Her daughter Camryn asked to work on the show’s crew because “she wants to follow in Mommy’s footsteps.”

Caitlin was an active supporter and volunteer at the South Mountain YMCA in Maplewood where her children participated in its youth development, arts, sports and summer day-camp programs throughout her children’s early years, and where she has been honored for her many contributions. She never missed Dylan’s basketball games, from the YMCA days years ago to his current position on the Columbia High School team. More recently she was assisting with leadership of her daughter’s Girl Scout troop. She will be remembered as one of the most supportive and vocal fans of every basketball, softball and baseball game both of her kids played. She was so proud of both of her children and loved to see them pursue their own paths.

Her life-long passion for the performing arts began with a fourth-grade musical play. She graduated from Chapel Hill High School in 1986 and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. During her senior year she interned at The Goodman Theatre in Chicago with acclaimed director Mike Nichols. While attending UNC she legally changed her name to Caitlin Evans. Upon graduation in 1990 she moved to New York City with the Theatre’s production of a Jules Feiffer play “Elliot Loves.” After the production closed, she attended the prestigious “The New Actors Workshop,” a two-year acting conservatory in NYC co-founded and taught by master teachers including Mike Nichols. She graduated in 1993.

Caitlin lived on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, for a while as a squatter on 13th St. in Alphabet City and, while pursuing a performing arts career, took an executive hostess job at Madison Square Garden. She and Gwynton met in 1994 when both were working the NHL All Star Game. Two years later, they were married in a ceremony at the Garden where the coming event was announced and the occasion celebrated in the lights of its iconic marquee fronting Seventh Avenue. They lived in Queens for a short time before moving to Maplewood, New Jersey in 1997 to be near where Caitlin had been hired by Arts Power, a national touring theatre company.

In 2003, Caitlin began work in the Center for Arts Education at the NJ Performing Arts Center in Newark where she rose to the position of Senior Director of Partnerships and Professional Development. She drove NJPAC’s programs for conducting in-school and community-based training in dance, theater and music throughout the state. According to a statement by NJPAC, “Thousands of students looked up to Caitlin throughout a 14-year career here, and their families, teachers and neighbors recognized her as a person willing and capable of changing their children’s lives in wonderful ways.” Her leadership and talent in promoting arts education has been recognized by numerous statewide organizations; she received the Governor’s Recognition Award for Arts Leadership in May, 2015 at a NJ State Council on the Arts celebratory annual gala.

Caitlin was very proud of her suburban Maplewood community, its people and artistic lifestyle. That community has reached their loving arms around her family during her brief hospital stay and after her sudden death. She was a remarkable woman known for her generosity, integrity and passion for the performing arts. To help fund her children’s higher education, community residents have established a GoFundMe website page (https://www.gofundme.com/assistance-for-the-jones-family?). In addition to her husband and children, she is survived by her parents, an uncle and cousins.

If you wish to honor Caitlin’s memory, please consider making a donation to NJPAC or the South Mountain YMCA.

Colleagues of Caitlin at NJPAC have set up an education fund for her children on GoFundMe. To contribute, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/dylan-camryn-jones-education-fund.

To contribute to a fund for general expenses for the Jones family, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/assistance-for-the-jones-family.

To join the Jones family meal train, visit: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0448a4ab23a02-meals.

David Levin, 68, passed away on May 13th, 2017. Born in 1948 in Newark, Levin grew up in South Orange, according to an obituary in The New York Times. While a student at Columbia High School, he took flying lessons, which began a long career of ballooning that led to him receiving the title of “Only Triple Crown Balloonist.”

While studying law at Boston University, Levin experienced his first hot-air ballon ride, according to The Times. In 2000, winning the National Gas Balloon Championship with his brother, Levin travelled 1,998 miles by hot air balloon. Balloons also carried him to Poland, Belarus, Austria, and Germany, finally bringing him to the San Luis Valley in southern Colorado where he opened The Balloon Ranch.

Levin is survived by his wife, Roberta Siegal, children, Matthew and Rebecca Levin, and sister, Susan Levin.

Read more about David Levin and his balloons in The New York Times.

John Bernard Kellenyi, a Maplewood resident, philanthropist and marathon runner, passed away on July 2 at the age of 69, according to an obituary in the Star-Ledger.

The Funeral Mass will be held at Our Lady of Sorrows Church, 217 Prospect St., South Orange, N.J., on Friday, July 7, at 10:30 a.m. Visitation will be held at Preston Funeral Home, 153 South Orange Ave., South Orange, on Thursday, July 6, from 6 to 8:30 p.m., followed by a Words of Remembrance service from 8:30 to 9 p.m.

A Villanova graduate in mathematics who earned an MBA from Rutgers University, Kellenyi grew up in Red Bank, NJ. He was a highly regarded financial analyst and investor who served as CEO and portfolio manager at his own hedge fund, JK Utility Advisory / TM Capital from 1993 to 2002, according to the obituary.

A lifelong philanthropist and volunteer, Kellenyi was deeply involved with fundraising for  The Leukemia And Lymphoma Society and was the highest-ever individual fund raiser for the organization’s Team in Training. He was a lifelong competitive runner and completed 40 marathons. He is survived by wife Teresita Blake Kellenyi, three children and two grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations to The Leukemia And Lymphoma Society‘s Beat AML Master Trial would be appreciated, lls.org/johnkellenyi or attn: Joyce Warner, Leukemia And Lymphoma Society, 14 Commerce Dr., No. 301, Cranford, N.J. 07016 For more information or to send condolences, please visit prestonfuneralhome.net

Read the full obituary here.

Longtime Maplewood resident Arthur Cohen passed away peacefully yesterday, August 10. Arthur was diagnosed with ALS, the progressive neurodegenerative disease, in 2013. In the months following his diagnosis, he and his wife Janet Coviello created Pickals, a jarred pickle business that raises funds to combat ALS and which was recently picked up by Kings for its 24 retail locations.

Cohen was a photographer, husband and father of two. His humility despite success was remarkable. His sense of humor in the face of adversity was astonishing.

Tributes have been pouring in on Facebook:

“Arthur touched our lives in so many positive ways. There has been no one in our lives more positive and kind to all that surrounded him.” — Mitch Taube

“The world lost a giant yesterday. RIP Arthur Cohen.” — Jane Hanstein Cunniffe

“He overflowed with joy and life. I know it’s just a phrase, but he didn’t ‘lose his battle’ with ALS in my book — he beat this damned disease with loving, kindness and humor. WE lost the opportunity to make more memories with him, but his life lessons, legacy, and memories made are very much alive in all of us.” — Andrea Lytle Peet

“Arthur Cohen was so much more than just a great photographer. He was a kind and funny person who made you feel good. I learned only recently that he had been diagnosed with ALS. But in typical Arthur fashion, he took that diagnosis and used it to help people by starting Pickals making and selling pickles to raise money for ALS research. I wish they were available on the west coast, but since they aren’t, l’ll urge everyone out here to make a donation to find a cure for this terrible disease. Arthur, you were one of a kind and will be missed by all who knew you.” — Bethany Staelens

Village Green will post an obituary and information on services when they become available.

Support the PickALS cause here: pickals.org.

Related coverage of Arthur:

Maplewood Resident Creates ‘Pickals’ Offering a Cuke for a Cure

Pickals Foundation Sells Out SOPAC Fundraiser, Keeps Pushing Pickals

Joan Louise Lee, a longtime South Orange resident and community leader and volunteer, passed away from brain cancer on September 27 at the age of 69 , according to an obituary in the Star-Ledger.

Lee was a cardiac intensive care nurse, past president of the PTA and the South Orange-Maplewood Adult School Board, and chaired the Columbia High School scholarship fund for more than 10 years. She was named a South Orange “Villager of the Month” in 2014, and in 2015 was honored by the South Orange-Maplewood Community Coalition on Race as a “Celebrating Integration” awardee.

According to the obituary, “Joan lived the core principles of celebrating diversity and promoting inclusion in her daily life and was a tremendous role model for her loved ones.”

Read the full obituary here.

She is survived by husband, James, four children and nine grandchildren. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Funeral Mass at Our Lady Of Sorrows Church, 217 Prospect St., South Orange, on Monday, Oct. 2 at 10:30 a.m. Interment is at Resurrection Cemetery, Staten Island, N.Y. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Joan’s honor to the Columbia High School Scholarship Fund, www.chssf.org.

It is fitting that Maplewood resident Mark Mooney has informed us of his own passing.

Mooney was consummate reporter (a term that he preferred over “journalist” — see his last blog here). He was married to another reporter, the talented and generous Barbara Goldberg.

Local readers have been laughing and crying their way through Mooney’s chronicle of his final battle with prostate cancer,  Closing in on -30-. On the blog today, one last entry was posted; it was crafted at an earlier date by Mooney.

In his self-penned obituary, Mooney writes of his love for his calling:

[I]f I were still here I would tell you that I wish I had done more work as a news reporter. Written better stories. Made more and better contacts. Skipped some of the easier pieces and done more in-depth stories. Spent more time on foreign stories. Been a better editor.

I loved being a reporter. (Journalist is kind of a lace curtain word for the job.) It’s where I met most of my best friends. It’s where I met my wife Barbara, also a reporter. It’s where I had my biggest audiences.

He also writes of his love for his wife and family and gives us a few last chuckles:

My wife Barbara Goldberg survives me and l leave greatly in her debt. I got so many more laughs than I gave. And I regret I won’t be there to comfort her as she did me in those final foggy hours.

My daughter Maura and son Paul are better looking and smarter than me, a fact which they often reminded me. I was still working on a retort at the time of this writing.

The three of them were my holy trinity.

In lieu of flowers, donate to a favorite cause. Mine was Doctors Without Borders. Or just buy a round.

Read Mooney’s parting entry here.

As Short Hills, NJ and neighboring towns have been shaken by the suicide of 14-year-old Lauren Liu, Lauren’s family has created the Hope for Lauren Foundation.

The Foundation page reads: “In light of Lauren’s battle with depression and the sadness left in its wake, the Liu family has created the Hope for Lauren Foundation, dedicated to supporting children who are suffering from depression and mental illness, funding clinical and biomedical research for depression, raising awareness for suicide prevention, and supporting families who are suicide survivors.”

Friends of Lauren and the family can leave messages of condolences and memories of Lauren here.

Lauren’s family spoke frankly of her struggles and the loss of their beloved daughter in her obituary, posted on the Ippolito Funeral Homes page:

It is with great sadness that we announce the unexpected passing of our beloved daughter, Lauren Grace Liu. She was 14 years old and was a freshman at Kent Place School. She earned straight A’s in her first trimester and was on the starting line-up on the Varsity tennis team helping them win the school’s first state championship.

Lauren brought so much love and joy in our lives and to those who were around her. She was an incredible skier and loved our annual trips to Snowbird, Utah. Last year, she was doing off trail double black diamonds with chutes. This year, our plan was to ski the Cirque together.

She was a beautiful and passionate dancer exhibiting movements that could move your soul to tears. We can still vividly see her dancing to John Legend’s “All of Me.”

Lauren will always be remembered for her gentleness, grace, and kindness toward others. She always seemed to look out after others and would put others before herself. Since she was an infant, one of our greatest joys was to make her laugh because it truly came from her soul (her “belly laugh” as we called it). Despite her God given gift of bringing love to people, deep inside she was suffering in the darkness, privately battling a deep inexplicable pain. She succumbed to the silent illness of depression and took her own life in our home this past Monday. We know that she is without pain and is now at rest in God’s arms.

Lauren’s complete obituary can be found here.

Donate to the Hope for Lauren Foundation here.

Those of us who worked closely with Joan Lee knew all about her magic phone. Located in her kitchen, this phone would ring, she’d say, and out of the blue would come donations, unexpected and often attached to sums significant enough to support a large number of scholarships for Columbia High School graduates on their higher education journey. Joan would delight in telling us about these calls and as was her way, she directed our attention, and any credit due, away from herself, and to the special powers of the telephone in her kitchen.

Joan Lee was President of the Columbia High School Scholarship Fund for more than ten years and worked with the organization for more than twenty. Her commitment to the fund and the students it serves was beyond compare. When she passed away on September 27, 2017, CHSSF was having its most successful year ever, having just awarded 115 scholarships in the amount of $165,000. Joan’s dedication, passion, and leadership were integral to this growth. Few understood Joan’s dedication to CHSSF better than trustee Carol Barry-Austin (the two worked closely together for decades): “It was a privilege for me to have been a part of Joan’s life. She was an extraordinary woman whose legacy will continue with each and every young person that she advocated for over her many years of service. She believed strongly in the power of education and determined to give as many students as possible the opportunity to pursue their academic goals. Energy, commitment, integrity are all words that begin to capture my image of Joan.”

Joan and her husband James Lee moved to South Orange in 1974 and raised their four children in our two towns. Generous in spirit and masterful at planning, Joan Lee committed whatever time she had to serving others, to identifying needs and meeting them. Whether professionally as a cardiac intensive care nurse, or as a community volunteer and leader, Joan devoted her time and energy to a number of causes and organizations on which she has left an indelible and loving imprint. Assemblywoman Mila M. Jasey realized Joan’s strong pull in this direction when they met as parents at Marshall School: “We both recognized that not every parent knew how to get what they needed for their children, they needed a voice, they needed to learn how to advocate for their kids. We became friends and for years worked to make our schools and recreational offerings more responsive to a changing community. Joan was all about solving problems and finding solutions. Joan was the heart of her family, her neighborhood, her community, the essence of goodness and love.”

Joan served our community in many capacities over the years. In addition to her time with CHSSF, she was a trustee and President of the South Orange Maplewood Adult School Board, and over the years, Joan served as PTA President of Marshall School, South Orange Middle School and Columbia High School, and was also a member of the executive board of the PTA Presidents’ Council. A true leader, Joan made those working with her feel appreciated, motivated, and inspired. She listened, she exercised sound and strategic judgement, and her generosity toward those she was serving, as well as those who worked with her, was boundless. Trustee Brigid Casey, who worked with Joan on the CHSSF Board for seventeen years calls her “the consummate volunteer.” Brigid says that Joan was “hardworking, focused, collegial, and generous with her time, talent and largesse. She always wanted to go the extra mile to help applicants, whether it was finding money when there was little or none, or lending an understanding ear to another story of a family’s hardships. She will always be at the table with us as we review applications and make decisions……our very own muse. ”

CHSSF Trustee George Robinson remembers Joan as “loving, giving and committed to the causes and organizations she deemed important.” He added that Joan treated everyone involved like they were part of her family.

In 2014 Joan was named a South Orange “Villager of the Month” and in 2015 she was honored by the South Orange Maplewood Community Coalition on Race as a “Celebrating Integration” awardee.  Both in her personal life and in the work she did, Joan celebrated and promoted inclusion and diversity. She was a tremendous role model for everyone who knew her. Madeline Tugentman, incoming President of CHSSF, is exceptionally grateful for Joan’s mentorship. “She was an amazing president and a loving friend. Her compassion and generosity knew no limits. She seemed to never tire because she loved and believed in the work that she was doing as the leader of CHSSF. I will always be grateful for her encouragement, guidance, wisdom, and friendship.”

Joan Lee’s legacy lives on in her family, who she treasured (her husband, four children, and nine grandchildren), and in all of us who had the honor of being touched by her warmth, compassion, and goodness over the years. It also lives on in the countless numbers of young people who have been able to achieve their higher education goals thanks to the scholarships that Joan worked so hard to make possible through CHSSF.  Nothing made Joan happier than the sound of her magic phone ringing and the smiles on the faces of the scholarship recipients that would result. We know that the magic was Joan, but she taught us well and her passion for this work was contagious. It is up to us to be sure that the phone keeps ringing.

–Cecelia A. Cancellaro
Trustee, Columbia High School Scholarship Fund

The following has been edited from a post on legacy.com:

Kristen Ackley Zeleny (35) of Maplewood NJ, passed away on November 9, 2017 after a four-year battle with cancer. It is hard to contain Kristen’s life in words, but the impact she had on everyone she met was incredible, deep and significant.

For the celebration of her life and her funeral Mass, both held on November 12, family asked that all wear bright colors to represent her joyful and colorful personality.

Kristen was a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) with BA in Behavioral Science from Drew University in Madison NJ and a Masters Degree in Social Work from Columbia University in New York City. She had a Private Practice in Maplewood NJ and was a professor at Seton Hall University’s Psychology department. She used her gifts and talents to help countless families and children to enjoy a better life showing her caring and selfless nature.

Kristen loved to learn, loved to teach, she was an avid reader, loved going for walks, hiking, eating out and traveling all over the world. She absolutely loved children in all capacities best exemplified by her focus in children and families for her career as a therapist. She also loved her calico cat Mattie.

She was a loving and devoted wife to her surviving husband Charles T Zeleny who have been together for 17 years and were married for 7 years. She is also survived by her parents Joan M. Ackley of Maplewood NJ and Michael Ackley of Thomaston CT, her sister Joanna Ackley of Wallingford CT and Grandparents Lawrence and Joan O. Ackley of Portland CT and many other loving relatives and friends. Donations made in lieu of flowers in her memory to Family Intervention Services of NJ and American Cancer Society by way of www.inmemoryof-memorial.org.

It is with deep sadness that the family of Ted Cole announces that Ted passed away in the Palliative Care Unit of Mount Sinai Hospital on November 22, 2017 after an acute battle with advanced heart failure and chronic restrictive cardiomyopathy.

Ted was a master classical clarinetist, graduating from the Peabody Institute (Johns Hopkins) in 1976 and then studying at The Cleveland Institute in 1977.  In high school he began studying with renowned clarinet teacher Leon Russionoff of NYC. For many years, he studied with Franklin Cohen principal clarinetist of the Cleveland Orchestra.  He was the Principal Clarinetist in the Orquestra Sinfonica del Estado de Mexico from 1977-1983. He returned to the U.S. and freelanced for orchestras in the tri-state area for many years.

Ted developed a second career as a computer software developer, analyst, IT Director and Data Architect and worked for non profits such as Parlimentarians Global Action, Planned Parenthood of NYC (1988-2000) and in the last 17 years at Young Adult Institute (YAI) in New York.

Ted and his wife Lorraine moved to Maplewood, New Jersey with their then 18-month-old daughter Sonya in 1997. While in Maplewood, Ted was actively involved in community organizations. Most notably he served on the Grants Committee and later as president of the Achieve Foundation, an organization that provides funds to support innovative programs for teachers and students in the public school district of South Orange and Maplewood, NJ.

During the same time, he continued to play clarinet with a variety of chamber groups and orchestras including the New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra in NY. He also found a musical home at St. George’s Church in Maplewood where he performed with other classical musicians playing for chorales, musicals and a concert series. He is described by other musicians in this community as having had “a unique sound which was pure and ‘effortlessly beautiful.’  Another hallmark was his beautiful phrasing — “every phrase sounded so organic and natural, surely the ONLY way it could be played! That’s a superlative musician. I remember hearing him play just a simple ritard at the end of a piece and being amazed at its finesse — perfectly executed and so satisfying. He had an incredible encyclopedic musical knowledge, evidence of a deep passion and commitment to his art. And, of course, he was very modest about it all.”

Ted was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey to parents Archer and Jeanette Cole in 1953 and grew up in Roselle, New Jersey making lifelong friends and developing his commitment to community, the arts and education and integration in the schools.

Ted is survived by his wife of 30 years, Lorraine, and his beloved daughter Sonya Cole; his brothers and their wives: Hank Cole (Claudia Raskin) of Croom, Maryland, Fred Cole (Ellen Levine) of Highland Park, New Jersey, and Steve Cole (Pat Stahl) of Chicago, Illinois; his beloved nieces and nephews Rachael Cole, Matthew Cole, Sam Cole, Shanna Cole, Genya Cole and Lou Cole; and his grand nephews and grand nieces Alex Van Grunsven, Jackson, June and Claire Cole, and Arrie Cole.

Elizabeth J. Marzano — longtime Maplewood resident Elizabeth J. “Betty” Marzano, 87, of Maplewood, N.J., passed away on Nov. 8, 2017. A memorial Mass was held at Our Lady of Sorrows, 217 Prospect St., South Orange, N.J., on Tuesday, Nov. 14, at 10:30 a.m. Mrs. Marzano was born in Newark, N.J., and resided in Maplewood for over 50 years. She was predeceased by her son, John Marzano. Elizabeth is survived by her husband, Rudolph, and children, Barbara, James, Mary, Ann Bauer, Elizabeth Trowbridge, Ruth, Jane and Ellen Marzano. She is also survived by five grandchildren. Arrangements are by The Jacob A. Holle Funeral Home, Maplewood.

Sharon Duberman Geraghty of Maplewood passed away last week. The following is from her husband Michael:

Despite her illness, Sharon thought she was the luckiest person alive because of the friends she had and the community she lived in. She could not believe the continuous arrival of gifts, cards and letters, showing love and support which made her feel really special.

She had intended to arrange a picture of all the gifts and post a thank you message to all of you but something always got in the way.

She could not believe that you had orchestrated a flash mob outside the house — this made her clap her hands and cry with joy.

She raised two beautiful boys and I was lucky enough to have a front row seat to watch. For her, the children, and not just her own, were everything, and she could not stand to see a child in distress.

Sharon made a difference in kids’ lives by getting school supplies and computers to them, doing their makeup for the school play, fundraising at the book fair or simply telling them how smart or pretty or funny they were.

Kids of all ages seemed to instinctively trust and believe her.

There are few people that can express themselves as clearly and precisely and humorously as Sharon – she was a straight shooter and a terrific communicator with people of all ages and thankfully those qualities have passed on to the tall one and the slightly shorter one.

The boys and I, Sharon’s sister Jen and her mother Judith have our memories and the stories you have shared to keep her alive in our hearts.

Thank you all for supporting us through this insane time.

Thinking of kids suffering with cancer made Sharon break down. For anyone who is interested in making a donation in her memory, please support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

At the moment Sharon’s family is planning a small, private memorial service.

Greg Snell passed away on December 6. A graduate of Columbia High School, he was the first African American Maplewood firefighter and he made headlines with his friend and “brother” Joe Callaghan when Callaghan donated a kidney six years ago to save Snell’s life.

Snell was looking hale and hearty when I last saw him in 2016 at the dedication of the new September 11 memorial outside the Hilton Library in Maplewood.

Several years before, Snell, once a powerful firefighter and former defensive end for the Columbia High School football team, had been forced to retire because of failing kidneys after more than 18 years of service on the Maplewood Fire Department. Callaghan, watching his friend deteriorate, stepped in and offered one of his kidneys — despite the fact that he was still on the job and a father to four children.

For his actions, Callaghan was recognized as the Firefighter of the Year by the Maplewood Township Committee but the attention made Callaghan uncomfortable as he thought Snell should be the story and the hero. Callaghan called Snell “a big teddy bear” and “the best guy you’d ever want to meet. Seeing him that ill, it was the easiest decision I ever made.”

Last year, when I finally met Snell, he offered a big smile and ready handshake. He told me  that he was able to lead “a full and productive life” because of the “generosity” of Callaghan. “Joe and I remain friends and see each other periodically at social events. I am forever grateful to him,” said Snell.

Snell detailed his recovery: “Two years ago I walked in my first 5k walk/run event. I did not finish at the top, but I did finish the race course which happened to be 3.11 miles. Prior to the kidney transplant, walking a block would tire me. The transplant has improved my quality of life, for I can now exercise, jump rope with children in the neighborhood and enjoy the beauty of nature.”

Snell also noted that “the transplant has brought me closer to God. I am in awe every day that God gave me the gift of life. For that, I am truly humbled and blessed.”

At the December 18 Board of Education meeting, Board of Education President Elizabeth Baker recognized Snell, CHS Class of 1983, for contributing “greatly to the fabric of our lives and the well-being of our children and our schools.” Snell was recognized along with Ted Cole and Sharon Duberman Geraghty. All three were remembered with a moment of silence.

From Whigham Funeral Home in Newark, NJ:

A preliminary investigation indicates that the man who was pronounced dead outside his Hixon Place home in South Orange on Thursday was an apparent suicide as a result of a self-inflicted gun shot wound.

South Orange Police Chief Kyle Kroll reported the results of the preliminary investigation but noted that authorities were still awaiting a final determination from the medical examiner.

The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office (ECPO) and the South Orange Police investigated the death.

The South Orange Police received a 911 call from a passerby on Thursday afternoon, and police discovered Schilling at approximately 2:50 p.m.

Related coverage:

UPDATE: Authorities Investigating Suspicious Death on Hixon Pl. in South Orange

From Catherine Racette via SOMA Lounge:

Local friends – please take note and share with others in the SOMA Community.

A memorial gathering to celebrate the life of Sharon Geraghty will be held on Sunday, February 25 from 2 p.m.-4 p.m. at Clinton Elementary School.

Clinton is located at 27 Berkshire Road in Maplewood.

Attendees are encouraged to contribute (printed) photos or written stories/memories that remember Sharon to add to a “remembrance basket.” These will be taken home by her family to cherish for years to come.

Last May, Sharon announced via Facebook — because Facebook “unfortunately is the easiest way for me to communicate it” — that she had been diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal and liver cancer and was beginning treatment. Members of the community sought to lift Sharon’s spirits and show their love with a flash mob dance outside her home in October. Sharon passed away in December at which time Village Green published this letter of remembrance written by Sharon’s husband Michael in December:

A Letter for Sharon Duberman Geraghty: She Made a Difference

Maplewood lost one of its oldest and more prominent residents last April with the passing of Charles Eben Crandall, M.D.

For decades, Crandall lived with his wife Elizabeth, also a doctor, at the corner of Prospect and Plymouth. He even ran his practice from the house back in the day when the homes on Prospect where lined with doctors and other professionals offering home/office service.

Charlie Crandall was my neighbor but I didn’t meet him until I was covering the annual Maplewood Veterans Day celebration in 2009 where Crandall spoke of his experience fighting in the Pacific in World War II — particularly the battle at Iwo Jima — and delivered a strong anti-war message. He made quite an impression.

“War is to be avoided at all costs, unless everything else has failed,” said Crandall that day. He spoke of how real battle differed from Hollywood versions of the time: “You get blown to pieces or burned terribly or mangled and you die slowly.” It was a revelation that came as a shock to many of his fellow Navy sailors and officers. During the war, Crandall said he would pray that, if he were to die, “I would be killed instantly.” He also told the story of a gunner’s mate who was literally blown in half. “‘Salty (Crandall’s nickname),’ he said, ‘you think I’m gonna make it? I said, ‘Sure, Morrissey.’ I gave him a cigarette, he took one puff, went into convulsions and died.”

Read the full report on Patch here.

Unfortunately, I didn’t stay in close touch with Dr. Crandall — kids, work and all that got in the way. Driving past his house almost daily, I’d wonder how he was doing. Changes to the property lately made me think something had shifted. Indeed, it had. At the Township Reorganization meeting on January 1, I heard Dr. Crandall’s name called in the memorial of prominent citizens and employees who had been lost in 2017.

Searching online, I came across Crandall’s obituary in the Shelter Island Reporter. What a life!

Here’s the full report:

Charles Eben Crandall, M.D., of Maplewood, New Jersey, and Shelter Island died on April 15, 2017, after a brief illness.

Mr. Crandall was born March 8, 1921, in Jersey City, New Jersey, the son of Charles Eben Crandall and Edith Harriet Squire. He grew up in Kearny, New Jersey, and graduated from Kearny High School and Princeton University with a degree in chemistry.

He enlisted in the Navy, and went to officer candidate school and volunteered for the “Rocket Gunboat Groups,”  which manned converted landing craft equipped with barrage rockets.

On LCI(G) 471, part of Rocket Gunboat Group 8 in the Central Pacific theater, Lt. Crandall participated in the landings at Kwajalein, Eniwetok, Peleliu, Saipan, Tinian, and Guam before the invasion of Iwo Jima, where the 471 lost half of her crew when the Japanese mistakenly concluded that the demolition teams and Rocket Gunboats were the actual invasion force.

Rocket Gunboat Group 8 was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation for Kwajalein and the Presidential Unit Citation for Iwo Jima. Lt. Crandall was awarded the Navy and Marine Corp medal for rescuing two marine pilots under enemy fire at Guam, and the Bronze Star with Combat V for bravery under fire at Iwo Jima. He received a battlefield promotion at Iwo Jima to skipper of the flagship LCI(G) 457. Following World War II, Mr. Crandall served in the reserves on the USS Gato (submarine service).

After returning from the Central Pacific, Mr. Crandall attended medical school, he said, so no one ever would die on his watch for his lack of knowledge. At Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, he met the woman who would be his partner for almost 70 years, Elizabeth Jones. The two interned at Bellevue Hospital in New York and completed residency at the Hospital Center at Orange, New Jersey. He then spent two years as chief resident in Orange before moving on to Francis Delafield Hospital doing cancer research.

Dr. Crandall subsequently established a private practice in the South Orange-Maplewood area and was on the medical staffs of the Hospital Center at Orange, East Orange General Hospital and St. Barnabas Medical Center, serving all three institutions in multiple capacities. At East Orange General, Dr. Crandall was instrumental in establishing the first intensive care unit in New Jersey. He finished his professional career as medical director and chief underwriter at Prudential Life Insurance Company and then at Guardian Life in New York.

An ardent conservationist, Dr. Crandall believed deeply in community involvement, his family said. He was instrumental in saving from development Camp Glen Gray in the Ramapo Mountains, Sunfish Pond in Worthington State Forest, and the Hilltop Reservation on Second Watchung Mountain. A lifelong Boy Scout and former Eagle Scout, he served as scoutmaster of Troop 3 in Maplewood, and led a backpacking trek to Philmont Scout Ranch in northern New Mexico, as well as a wilderness canoe trip into Quebec. He received the Silver Beaver Award for distinguished service.

Dr. Crandall served for nearly 20 years as the football team physician at Columbia High School and was inducted into the CHS Athletic Hall of Fame. He was a long-term member and former president of the Kiwanis Club of Maplewood, as well as the New Jersey Medical Club, the oldest medical club in the state. For many years he was a member of the Shelter Island Yacht Club, serving for a time as its Fleet surgeon, as well as a trustee of Union Chapel in the Heights.

In addition to his wife, Dr. Crandall is survived by his daughter, Marilyn Crandall Jones, M.D., of San Diego; his son, the Honorable Charles Stevens Crandall of San Luis Obispo; granddaughters Abigail Elizabeth Jones of Washington D.C. and Joanne Elizabeth Crandall of San Luis Obispo; and grandson, Warren Stevens Crandall of Boston. He was predeceased by his sons Richard Squire Crandall and David Jones Crandall.

The family has lost a beloved father, the community an engaged citizen, and America an honored son, his family said.

Arrangements for a memorial service are pending. Donations in lieu of flowers may be sent to the Friends of Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (Basking Ridge, New Jersey), the Kennebec Land Trust (Winthrop, Maine), or the Civil War Trust (Hagerstown, Maryland).

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From the family of Regina Dotson:

It is with great sadness that the family of Regina Elizabethe Dotson announces her sudden passing at Forest Hills hospital. She entered into eternal rest on April 4, 2018 at the age of 52.

Regina was born in Patterson, NJ and spent most of her youth in Orange and South Orange, NJ.  She attended high school at the esteemed Marylawn of the Oranges. Regina is survived by her father Ronald Dotson (Rosita); her mother Roslyn Smith Dotson (Steve); stepmother, Wertley Dotson; sister Kimberly Dotson-Joseph, and brothers Julian Dotson (Rana) and Ronald S. Dotson (Deborah). She also leaves behind her nieces and nephews Jaina, Caleb, Aiden, Isaiah, and Ava.

Regina will be missed by a host of cousins, aunts, uncles and friends. Her smile and laugh will be remembered forever.

A memorial service will be held on May 5, 2018 at 11am at Elmwood United Presbyterian Church. 135 Elmwood Ave, East Orange, NJ 07018. In Lieu of flowers, Donations can be made to The Chest Foundation. https://foundation.chestnet.org/

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South Orange Elks Ron Housley, Annemarie Conte and Michael G. Leonard present Troy Balog and members of the South Orange Rescue Squad a check for $1,000 in honor of their members Weyman Watson and Rudy Reynolds.

Weyman W. Watson, 61, a former Navy airman and South Orange Elk, died earlier this year as a result of a fire in his home on Warwick Avenue in South Orange. He was a beloved community member who worked hard to perpetuate the memory of his father, Spann Watson, a Tuskegee airman. Per Newsday, “As a family historian, public speaker, member of the nonprofit heritage group The Tuskegee Airmen Inc. and a race car owner, the younger Watson has helped preserve and promote the legacy of his father and the approximately 1,000 other African-American men who took to the skies against Nazi Germany.”

Rudy Reynolds was a life member of the Elks (42 years).  He had retired to Fort Pierce, Fl where he passed away in May 2017. His obituary states in part: “He was always available to volunteer his help with any organization when requested and is fondly remembered by many for his kind and gentle spirit. He was adored by his family; the countless happy memories are a blessing but cannot fill the void left by his passing.”

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James (Jim) Michael Pickett, entrepreneur, beverage industry pioneer and beloved husband of Heidi Hovland, and father to Lena (15) and Riordan (12), died Saturday, July 1, at St. Barnabas Medical Center, after suffering a massive stroke. He was 53.

Jim was born in Cleveland, OH, on November 7, 1964 to Marie (Elaine) and James William Pickett. He was raised in a loving family with four siblings he precedes in death: Karen Walsh Pickett, Suzanne Pickett, Robert (Bob) Pickett and Matthew (Matt) Pickett.

Jim was creative and passionate, an adventure-seeker and free spirit who loved life and where it took him. After graduating from St. Edwards High School in Cleveland, Jim set off for Penn State University, where he served as social chairman of his fraternity, SAE, and earned a business degree. When he graduated in 1988, Jim moved to New York, took a job with Bozell advertising and bartended in various bars around the city. One of his gigs was aboard the Forbes corporate yacht, The Highlander, and he soon joined the crew full time, charting a life adventure that included sailings to Alaska, the Panama Canal and a key itinerary up the West coast of America, where the micro-brewery trend was just taking hold. When he left The Highlander, Jim followed his newfound passion for craft beer to Brooklyn Brewery, where he joined the sales team and found his calling. The same skills that made Jim an exceptional bartender made him an exemplary salesman: genuineness, integrity, passion and humor.

Jim was an entrepreneur with a gift for understanding beverage industry and consumer trends and where they were going. He loved small brands with stories to tell, and he specialized in selling, distributing and creating those kinds of brands. Pipeline Brands was the first company he created to serve the small spirits brands he loved that were getting lost in the consolidations happening among the major distributorships. Gotham Artisanal was developed so cocktail-loving consumers could elevate their mixers, syrups and bitters to the level of the premium and super-premium spirits they were mixing them with. USA Beverage Company was the import and distribution arm meant to support his and his partner’s own passion projects, including Bravewood Bourbon and Calligraphy Wines. Nearest and dearest to his heart was Pickett Brothers Beverage, and Pickett’s Ginger Beer, a company he created with his two brothers, and ran with his youngest brother, Matt.

From the modestly named “Magnificent Seven” in high school to his beverage industry friends, baseball and softball teams, golf buddies, and a tight-knit Maplewood crew, a friend of Jim’s was a friend for life. Continuing the maritime theme set early in his career, Jim met his wife Heidi in 1992 at the Fall Ball aboard the U.S.S. Intrepid, the aircraft carrier turned Sea, Air & Space Museum. Jim and Heidi married in 2000. He loved his family deeply, fiercely and with great pride. Heidi and their two children, Lena and Riordan, were the center of his universe and every beat of his heart. Their golden doodle, Clementine, continues to wait for her best friend, Jim, to come home.

Shortly before his death, Jim and two partners set to buy and reinvent an established bar in Maplewood, NJ known as O’Reilly’s. Jim died a very happy man, content with his family and many friends, and excited to add “Bar Owner” to his list of accomplishments. Heidi and his partners plan to make sure his dream becomes a legacy.

Those wishing to assist Jim’s family at this time may visit the following sites: Meal Train: https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/n7q5le, and GoFundMe College Fund: https://www.gofundme.com/lena-amp-riordan-pickett-college-fund.

Heidi, Lena and Riordan will host a casual gathering of remembrance for Jim on Thursday, July 5, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Fellowship Hall at Prospect Presbyterian Church, 646 Prospect Street, Maplewood, NJ. Cards or notes with stories or other remembrances of Jim that Heidi, Lena and Riordan can read at a later date would be welcome. At approximately 5 p.m., the family will invite those who wish to share memories to do so. (Note: There’s no A/C in Fellowship Hall; please dress for maximum comfort.) A larger celebration of Jim’s life will be held at a later date to allow for friends and family to travel from near or far. Jim’s family is proud to share that his spirit, strength and smarts live on through organ donation. Learn more at https://www.njsharingnetwork.org.

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