Maplewood resident Monica Zealand Hill, who passed away on April 16 from metastatic breast cancer at the age of 35, was honored by the Maplewood Township Committee with a proclamation on Tuesday, May 21 at Maplewood Town Hall.

Hill founded the #BeBoldandBehold platform and raised more than $350,000 for metastatic breast cancer (MBC) research during the 22 months she lived with this disease. “She was an inspiration to many, and a loving wife, mom and advocate,” wrote her friend Tami Eagle, who is also fighting MBC, in an email to Village Green. “I hope her three-year-old daughter felt her mother’s love from heaven this Mother’s Day and always.”

After Township Committee Member Nancy Adams read the proclamation (see the proclamation and video below), Eagle made a moving speech, invoking her own diagnosis, and asking all to engage in the fight to cure MBC as well as “live happy” as Hill would have wanted them to do.

More from Eagle:

May is National Cancer Research Month. Please help me educate the public that 115 women and men are dying every day of MBC; that’s like a plane falling out of the sky every day. That’s over 41,000 women a year. It is a fact that approximately 30% of women with early stage breast cancer will later develop to stage IV. That is why the current percentage of U.S. breast cancer research dollars for stage IV treatment needs to be increased from less than 5% to 30%.  I established a new Facebook group, METAvivors of NJ, a local chapter of METAvivor Research & Support, in memory of Maplewood resident Monica Zealand Hill and all the women who have been taken too soon from MBC. Please encourage your community of neighbors, family and friends who want to champion the cause to find us on FB so that we can collectively take action to make MBC a chronic illness instead of a deadly one.

From Monica Hill’s obituary:

Monica was born January of 1984, and grew up in Howell, New Jersey, the daughter of Terrence and Faye Zealand. She married her best friend and love, Aaron Hill, in May of 2013, and they have a beautiful daughter together, Olivia.

As a child, Monica emanated a loving light that drew people to her and left everyone feeling better for knowing her. She carried this special gift throughout her life, making life-long friends from across the globe and across the street. Her relentless care for the wellbeing of others made her a valued friend. Her powerful presence made her an undeniably effective advocate, leader, and community-builder.

Monica is survived by her husband, Aaron Hill and their daughter, Olivia; parents Terrence and Faye Zealand; sister Amber and her husband Warren Romine, with their children Rachael, Nathaniel, and Madeline; brother Kevin and his wife, Annie Chen, with their child Benjamin; parents-in-law, Len and Kelly Hill; sister-in-law, Candace Hill, with her daughter Chloe; and many loving and devoted aunts, uncles, cousins and a multitude of friends. She is preceded in death by her grandparents Henry and Margaret Zealand and Raymond and Matilda Waters; and one uncle, Raymond Waters, Jr.

Monica graduated from Freehold Township High School in 2002, was a graduate of Rutgers University, and received her MBA from Drexel University in Philadelphia. She started her career at Johnson & Johnson as a college intern in 2004, working in various roles until her diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer in 2017. She was most recently a Brand Marketing Manager for the Ethicon division.

Monica was diagnosed de novo stage 4 metastatic breast cancer (MBC) in July 2017 (Ductal Carcinoma In-Situ (DCIS) ER+, PR+, Her 2 Neu-, with metastases to the liver, bones and ovaries). She founded Be Bold and Behold, a successful platform to raise money for MBC research raising more than $350,000. Over 110 lives are cut short by the devastation of MBC every day. Monica wanted to ensure that everyone was aware much more needed to be done for the advancement of MBC research.

Read more here:

Maplewood Mom With Terminal Breast Cancer Raising Money for Research, December 4, 2019

Download (PDF, 59KB)

Proclamation begins at 18:00:

The post Maplewood’s Monica Hill Honored With Proclamation During Cancer Research Month appeared first on The Village Green.

Robert Charles Klein — or Bob Klein — has died at age 90. Klein was a 1948 graduate of Columbia High School where he was was captain of the gymnastics team and an awarded athlete in track and field. Klein served 20 years on the Maplewood Township Committee — including as Vice Mayor. He was also president of the Maplewood Chamber of Commerce, and served on the Maplewood Citizens Budget Advisory Committee,  the Maplewood 4th of July Committee and the Maplewood Pool Committee, as well as the board of the South Mountain YMCA. According to his obituary, “He was especially proud of his involvement in establishing the local After School Program.”

Bob was the second-generation president of The Chas. J. Klein Real Estate and Insurance Co. located in Maplewood Village.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Memorial Service at Morrow Memorial Church, 600 Ridgewood Rd., Maplewood, N.J., on Sunday, June 30, at 1 p.m.

Read Klein’s full obituary below from The Jacob A. Holle Funeral Home:

Robert Charles Klein

Realtor, Air Force veteran, committed to Maplewood community

Robert Charles Klein died May 24, 2019, at the age of 90, following complications after hip surgery. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Memorial Service at Morrow Memorial Church, 600 Ridgewood Rd., Maplewood, N.J., on Sunday, June 30, at 1 p.m.

Bob lived a full and productive life in which he gave of himself freely and brought joy to many.

Born in 1929, Bob’s family moved from Newark, N.J., to Maplewood when he was in sixth grade. He attended the local public schools and graduated Colombia High School in 1948. At Columbia, Bob was captain of the gymnastics team and an awarded athlete in track and field.

After leaving Springfield College in Massachusetts, Bob enlisted in the Air Force and was stationed at Craig Air Force Base in Selma, Ala., as a flight chief. It was here he met his wife Eileen. After the Air Force Bob and his bride returned to Maplewood, where he raised two children, Ginny and Greg. He went on to become the second-generation president of The Chas. J. Klein Real Estate and Insurance Co. located in Maplewood Village.

As a realtor Bob served on dozens of committees over the years, including the NJ Real Estate Commission and as president of the local Board of Realtors. Some of his awards included Realtor of the Year Award, Distinguished Service, Man of the Year and Volunteer of the Year Award.

Bob’s commitment to public affairs in his beloved town of Maplewood was long and extraordinary: 20 years on the Maplewood Township Committee, president of the Chamber of Commerce, Citizens Budget Advisory Committee, YMCA, 4th of July Committee, Pool Committee, and so on. He was especially proud of his involvement in establishing the local After School Program.

He leaves behind his wife, Eileen; son, Gregory; daughter, Virginia Spiegel; son-in-law, Paul Spiegel; and grandchildren, Leah and Hannah. Bob was truly a special person and will be remembered fondly by many.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Parenting Center of South Orange Maplewood, 525 Academy St., Maplewood, N.J. 07040 or Rent Party Pantry Inc., 69 Courter Ave., Maplewood, N.J. 07040 would be appreciated.

Arrangements by The Jacob A. Holle Funeral Home, Maplewood.

The post Former Maplewood Vice Mayor Robert Klein Dies at Age 90 appeared first on The Village Green.

From Menorah Chapels at Millburn:

Carol Buchanan, age 76 of Maplewood N.J. and Woodstock, NY passed away on Saturday, June 15, 2019 after a brief illness with Pancreatic Cancer. Carol leaves behind her devoted husband of 54 years, Jim Buchanan, their daughter, Rebekah Harris of Bethesda, MD, and grandchildren Benjamin Lev Harris, Maayan Shira Harris, and Shoshana Eve Harris.

Ms. Buchanan taught Mathematics, Library and Reading for 34 years in the public schools of Rutherford, East Orange and Bedminster, NJ. In retirement, Carol worked as Children’s Librarian at the Westfield Library and was President of the Hilton Neighborhood Association while being active with the Maplewood Library Board of Trustees and the Community Coalition on Race.

Carol’s leadership was recognized by Teacher of the Year Award in Bedminster, the 2005 Rotary Club of Maplewood’s Affair of the Heart Citizenship Award, the 2011 Maple Leaf Civic Award, and by the Community Coalition on Race in 2017.

Carol was the daughter of Louis and Mildred Stool of Bayonne, NJ. She leaves her dear siblings Brenda Valentino, Debra Vogel (Elfin), and Matt Stool (Erica) and many nieces, nephews, friends and neighbors.

She was predeceased by her bother Peter Stool.

Carol touched and inspired everyone she met, leaving a legacy of love, compassion and kindness.

A celebration of her life will be lead by Rabbi Greg Harris on Tuesday, June 18, 2019 11:30 a.m. at Menorah Chapels at Millburn, 2950 Vauxhall Rd., Vauxhall [Union], NJ.

The post Carol Buchanan, 76 — Teacher, Hilton Neighborhood Leader, Mother, Wife, Friend to All appeared first on The Village Green.

Members of the South Orange-Maplewood community have created a gofundme page to help raise funds to bring Cecilia Cranko’s mother to South Orange for her funeral and to cover funeral expenses. Donations are needed by Tuesday, July 9.

The gofundme reads as follows:

Our community has suddenly lost a vibrant member: Cecilia Cranko. Her mother will be flying in from South Africa and we are raising funds for her flight. In addition, we are seeking funds for her funeral. Thank you. If you can please donate by Tuesday, July 9, 2019. Thank you.

Those interested in donating can do so by clicking here.

Cranko was killed early Friday morning in a fire in her home on Ward Place in South Orange. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Cranko, an architect and parent of two children, was a beloved activist in the South Orange-Maplewood community and beyond, appearing at a number of events and rallies on behalf of LGBTQ+ rights.

The post South Orange-Maplewood Community Raises Funds to Fly Cecilia Cranko’s Mother to Funeral appeared first on The Village Green.

In the wake of the tragic death of David Kimowitz, friends and neighbors have organized to help his family. Kimowitz leaves behind a widow and two young children.

Kimowitz and his family’s au pair, Karen L. Bermudez-Rodriguez, were murdered early Saturday morning; a suspect, Joseph D. Porter, has been arrested and charged with their murders.

Village Green will post information on efforts to aid Bermudez-Rodriguez’ family when that information becomes available.

The following information was provided to Village Green by Rabbi Jesse Olitzky of Congregation Beth El in South Orange:

For those wishing to support the Kimowitz Family, The David Kimowitz Memorial Fund has been established. Checks can be mailed to 10 Prospect Rd. Livingston NJ 07039. Venmo is @thedavidkimowitzmemorialfund. Zelle is thedavidkimowitzmemorialfund@gmail.com. People can also use that e-mail (thedavidkimowitzmemorialfund@gmail.com) to send stories, pictures and memories of David to be shared with his family.

The post Here’s How to Help David Kimowitz’s Family appeared first on The Village Green.

In the aftermath of the tragic death of Karen L. Bermudez-Rodriguez on August 3, the au pair community of Maplewood and South Orange has organized a fundraiser via Facebook. As of 3:30 p.m.on August 5, more than $6,000 toward the goal of $10,000 had been raised.

The funds will be used to help transport Bermudez-Rodriguez home to Colombia “to be laid to rest.”

Donate here. 

The following was posted on the Karen’s Family Support Facebook fundraiser page:

The Au Pair Community of Maplewood/South Orange is seeking donations in memory of Karen L. Bermudez-Rodriguez. The funds donated will help Karen’s family offset any unforeseen expenses incurred in connection with bringing their beloved back home to Colombia to be laid to rest.

Karen will be remembered as a very loving person with a big heart. She was always very humble and kind, and always willing to help those in need. She enjoyed being an au pair and was grateful to have such a lovely host family. She especially cherished her time with her host family’s daughters and loved them very much. Karen had pursued the au pair program to advance her English skills and to travel, which she loved.

Sadly, Karen was taken from us much too early in a senseless act of partner violence. Her bright and beautiful life will live on in the hearts of everyone she touched, especially her friends and family.

Please consider supporting her family during this very tragic and difficult time.

The post Here’s How to Help the Karen Bermudez-Rodriguez Family appeared first on The Village Green.

Yasmeen Weems — a Maplewood resident, South Orange Middle School parent and beloved mother of Zamir — passed away on August 5, 2019.

“Yasmeen was an amazing single mom who raised one of the best kids I know,” Yasmeen’s friend Eileen Campos wrote on the SOMS families Facebook page. Others commented in the post: “such a lovely woman,” “always warm and kind, and the best mother.”

Yasmeen moved to Maplewood from Newark, NJ in 2015. She worked for Newark Public Schools and Paterson Public Schools as a School Psychologist. She held a BA from Virginia Union in Special Education and two Masters Degrees — one in school Psychology and the other in Clinical Psychology — from Lehigh University. “She loved Maplewood,” said Campos. “She contributed to this community as much as her busy schedule would allow, and she really loved it here.”

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, August 13, 2019, from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM at the St. Joseph’s Church (767 Prospect St, Maplewood, NJ). A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, August 13th 2019 at 11:00 AM at the same location. A burial will be held on Tuesday, August 13th 2019 at 1:00 PM at the Glendale Cemetery (28 Hoover Ave, Bloomfield, NJ).

Family and friends can send flowers and condolences in her memory via her Everhere obituary post, or leave a sympathy message to the family on her memorial page. Those wishing to aid the family, can visit here.

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Columbia High School students were grappling this week with the loss of a friend and former South Orange-Maplewood district student Caleb Shammeh Fant,  age 18, who was killed in a road accident on October 14 when he and his brother Emmanuel were stalled by the side of the road in Spartanburg, S.C. Caleb attended South Orange Middle School before moving to South Carolina with his family,

Emmanuel remains hospitalized with his injuries. The driver of the car that struck Caleb and Emmanuel has been arrested and charged with felony DUI with death, felony DUI with great bodily injury and reckless homicide.

As counselors helped students deal with this loss at Spartanburg High School, Columbia High School has also been providing support to local students.

In a letter sent via email CHS families on October 18, Interim Principal Dr. Kalisha Morgan wrote, “We are shocked and saddened by this tragic event. It has come to my attention that this tragic event has directly impacted some of our CHS students. The purpose of this communication is to ensure that you are informed, so that you can discuss this with your child in a manner that you and your family are comfortable with. Caleb Fant was tragically killed in a three vehicle collision on October 14, 2019. Caleb was a student at SOMS until June, 2015. He was a senior at Spartanburg High School (South Carolina). We have made our student assistance counselors and our guidance counselors available to any student at CHS if they need support. In addition, please also be aware of the attached resources that you and your family may find helpful. Thank you for your ongoing support. Our thoughts are with the Fant family during this time of loss and grief.”

Download (PDF, 73KB)

Download (PDF, 157KB)

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 From The Jacob A. Holle and Preston Funeral Homes:

Tara O’Leary, an artist who resided in Maplewood, NJ with her husband Ernie Osle and son Aidan, passed away at home surrounded by family and friends on Thursday, October 24, 2019.

A native of New Jersey, Tara grew up in Maywood and later lived in South Orange, before moving to Maplewood in 2013. From an early age, Tara had a talent for and love of art, studying first at Hackensack High School and later at the School of Design in New York City.

Tara traveled widely as an artist, painting and leading classes in Ireland and Italy, among other places. She also displayed her work at her studio in Maplewood Village and in Cape May, where she and her family had a home, and in galleries throughout the country. Her landscape paintings, for which she won many juried prizes, and which appeared in the New York Times and other publications, are also in many institutional and private collections, including the homes of friends throughout the South Orange/Maplewood community.  As she confronted her cancer over the last four years, Tara explored her illness through her art, creating a series of paintings that captured the emotional intensity of the experience.

Among her favorite memories of this last summer, which she included in a note shared with friends, was her gratitude for “skies full of color – pinks, purples, and blue greys.”

Tara cherished her friends, much as she did the sunsets, beaches and forests that filled her paintings. She loved introducing friends from one part of her life to another, bringing them together at her home, on trips and more recently to Cape May. She was the first to assist a girlfriend in need of special makeup up or a question regarding colors that most suited her.

In addition to her painting, Tara had studied karate, and traveled to Hong Kong for competitions. She loved fashion, compiling clothing and jewelry that reflected her eclectic style.  Her natural poise and beauty could transform an old t-shirt into high fashion, and a simple necklace into a desired charm.

Mostly, Tara cherished her home and family, creating a space that combined her love of color and art, with the warmth of summer nights relaxing on her front porch. She and Ernie were blessed with their son Aidan upon whose birth Tara decided to dedicate her time to being a full-time mom and devoting more time to her art.

Aidan has provided them with unparalleled joy and love. Tara relished watching him grow into a young man, following his interest in music and martial arts, and the deep, life-long friendships he has created with Chance and Joe whom she loved dearly. Tara’s sister Suellen was her second mother, and dearest friend. They talked every day and relied on each other for any need. Suellen’s daughters – Jessica and Siobhan – were her joy too and she watched them with pride and admiration mature into smart, strong women. Suellen’s husband Archie knew and loved Tara since she was 5-years-old, celebrating her many accomplishments over the years as any doting brother would. Tara was predeceased by her parents, Edward and Joan O’Leary, as well as her brother Kevin. Her sister, Mary Beth, and her two children, Michael and Marissa, will also feel her loss.

A celebration of Tara’s life will be held on Tuesday, October 29 from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Preston Funeral Home, 153 South Orange Ave, South Orange. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to Metavivor (metavivor.org) or to The Creative Center (thecreativecenter.org). As Tara’s world was filled with colors, we’d love to honor that by requesting that friends and family wear joyful colors to the celebration of her life.

The post Tara J. O’Leary — Beloved Wife, Mother, Friend, World Traveler & Artist appeared first on The Village Green.

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Columbia High graduates are mourning the loss of Sabor Al Malik Townes, Class of 2015, after he was shot and killed in Newark on November 19.

According to Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II, and Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose, Townes, age 22 and a South Orange resident, was shot at 80 Clinton Place around 8:40 p.m. on Tuesday, November 19. Two other men were also shot but survived. An Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Spokeswoman told NJ.com that she was not sure if the shooting happened inside or outside of the Cut Creators barber shop at that address.

The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force, which includes detectives from the Newark Police Department, is investigating the fatal shooting.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force tips line at 1-877 TIPS- 4EC or 1-877-847-7432. 

A memorial service was held for Townes at the National Islamic Association on Roseville Avenue in Newark on November 25.

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Funeral services for a New Jersey man who was killed in a Colorado ski lift accident will be held in Maplewood on Sunday.

Jason Varnish, a 46-year-old Short Hills father of three, died of positional asphyxia on February 13 when he apparently slipped through an opening in a ski lift chair at a resort in Vail, CO, according to reports.

Varnish is survived by wife, Jo, his sons Cameron and Luko, and daughter Grace. A Memorial Service will be held on on Sunday, February 23 at 2pm at Prospect Church, 646 Prospect St, Maplewood; all are welcome. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Varnish’s name to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN, 38105.

Read the full obituary here. 

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Mark Blum, who graduated from Columbia High School in 1968 and was inducted into the the CHS Hall of Fame in 2012, died today as a result of complications of coronavirus, as reported on NJ.com.

Blum was most well known for playing Rosanna Arquette’s husband in the Madonna headliner, “Desperately Seeking Susan,” in 1985. More recently, he spent four years playing Uncle Bob in the acclaimed Amazon series “Mozart in the Jungle.”

As one of those actors whose faces you immediately recognize but whose name you may not know, Blum was continuously employed on top series and in Broadway shows. He played  Bill on HBO’s “Succession,” Mr. Mooney on the Lifetime/Netflix series “You,” Randal Curtin in “The Sopranos” (1999) and other roles in “Billions,” “NYPD Blue,” “Frasier” and the perennially popular “Law & Order.”  Blum also appeared in the films “Crocodile Dundee” (1986), “The Presidio” (1988), and “Shattered Glass” (2003).

On Broadway, he starred in shows like “The Graduate,” “Lost in Yonkers,” “The Best Man,” “Twelve Angry Men” and “The Merchant.”

In 2012, Blum was inducted into the CHS Hall of Fame, where he was recognized as an “Obie Award-Winning Actor, Producer, and Screenwriter.”

According to former Maplewood Township Committeeman Noel Siegel, Mark grew up in Maplewood and was the son of former Maplewood Planning Board Chair Mort Blum and his wife Loraine.

Visit Blum’s CHS Hall of Fame page here.

Read the full NJ.com story here. 

The post Mark Blum, CHS Class of ’68, Lead in ‘Desperately Seeking Susan,’ ‘Mozart in the Jungle,’ Dies of Coronavirus appeared first on The Village Green.

Isaiah Ingram, an Account Manager for Propark at Third and Valley, has died from complications of COVID-19. A GoFundMe has been created to aid his wife and two children.

Ingram is remembered fondly by many in the South Orange-Maplewood community.

From GoFundMe:

Isaiah Ingram Memorial Fund organized by Dennis Safford

It is with a heavy heart that we inform our Propark family that on March 31, 2020 we lost one of our valued team members, Isaiah Ingram, due to complications from COVID-19.

Isaiah was an Account Manager at our Third and Valley location in New Jersey since 2016.  Prior to that, Isaiah was an Assistant Account Manager and Bookkeeper for Propark.  He was a valued member of our family who was well-liked and respected by his fellow Propark team members.

In addition to his work with Propark, Isaiah was also a pastor for Outreach Miracle Revival Ministries. He was married and a father to two children.

During this difficult time, we are asking our Propark Family to come together to provide Isaiah’s family with assistance during this difficult time. It is appreciated if you are able to make a donation.  All money will go toward funeral and related expenses.

DONATE HERE. 

A friend posted this video to Facebook:

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David Hogenauer, 86, died on April 2 of complications of COVID-19.

Hogenauer was remembered on the South Mountain Conservancy Facebook page in a post by Conservancy President Dennis Percher:

It is with great sadness that I have to report the passing of Dave Hogenauer on April 2nd, who seems to have succumbed to COVID-19 while convalescing at the Crane’s Mill nursing facility from a fall a couple of months ago. He was 86. I learned of this from his wife, Claire, yesterday. She had not been able to see him (though the results of a test for the coronavirus has yet to be received).

I know that all who knew Dave must keenly feel this loss as I do for he was a remarkable person, dedicated to all the pursuits to which he applied himself. For 17 years, he was a driving force at the SMC in his work coordinating and leading hikes, the Trailkeepers and Chain Saw Gang, and the development of SMR maps, His History of the SMR will come out this spring.

Percher also posted additional information on an In Memoriam page on www. somocon.org:

It is with great sadness that the Conservancy reports the passing of Dave Hogenauer of Crane’s Mill, West Caldwell, on April 2nd. Previously of Maplewood, where he was a beloved high school history teacher and active member of the Prospect Presbyterian Church, Dave was a tireless champion of the Conservancy and the South Mountain Reservation. … Recovering from a fall a few months ago, he was recovering at the Crane’s Mill nursing facility, where it is believed he succumbed to the COVID-19 coronavirus, (though the results of a test have not yet been received). He is survived by his wife, Claire, and three children. Our condolences go out to his family and all who knew him.

Hogenauer was a familiar presence to anyone who frequented the South Mountain Reservation, where one could run into him leading projects or tours. Hogenauer was featured in a 2012 article in The New York Times titled “A Forest Amid the Suburbs,” where he took reporter Julia Lawlor on a 2-1/2-hour hiking tour of the reservation, revealing its history, diversity and wonders. The story concludes:

On our way back up Ball’s Bluff Road toward civilization, we encountered a felled tulip tree, its root system ripped out of the earth, and its heavy trunk blocking our path. Dead, I presumed, just waiting for its date with a chain saw.

But Mr. Hogenauer knew better. Something near the top of the tree caught his eye. As we drew closer, another universe revealed itself in a branch poking out of the trunk: a few new shoots of tiny green leaves, reaching skyward.

The post OBITUARY: David Hogenauer, 86, South Mountain Reservation Trailkeeper, Unofficial Historian appeared first on The Village Green.

Maplewood Mayor Frank McGehee has shared the name of the first, and thus far only, Maplewood resident to succumb to complications related to COVID-19. Athalante Debrosse died on March 29. Her family now wishes to share this information — and more about Athalante’s life — with the community, as reported by McGehee below.

Remembering our departed community member. Please see below the public release of the obituary that was approved by the family.

In Loving Memory of Athalante Debrosse
Sunrise May 26, 1975
Sunset March 29, 2020

Athalante Debrosse came into the world with a bang, umbilical cord wrapped around her neck; we couldn’t wait for our new baby sister to come home. She lived a life of LOVE; She loved “FAMILY TIME!” She loved celebrating! She Loved the Lord and Loved to worship! She had a beautiful voice and loved to sing to the glory of God! She meant so much to so many. She was an AMAZING Mom! Our greatest cheerleader, a serious disciplinarian, the best party/vacation planner, a loyal, ever present best friend! Her dimples and her smile lit up every room. Athalante has worked for Horizon BlueCrossBlueShield for the past 18 years, managing Operations teams around the world. As such, she has literally spread her love world-wide.

She leaves behind, her one and only, Frenchesca Gerard aka “Munch!” In addition to her daughter, she leaves her partner, James Felton; her best friend, Letitia Walker; her siblings: Ennelle Debrosse, Phaimy Bassette and Jean Debrosse; her brother-in-law, John Richard Bassette; her nieces and nephew, Nastacia, Elijah aka “Nephew-Son,” Ja’nelle, Devyn and JaMya, and a host of extended family and friends, who have become family.

Athalante, you made every gathering so special. Our hearts are in a million pieces. We love you, But God wanted you back… You will forever be missed. Your smile, your love and your tenacity for life will forever be imprinted in our souls.

The Lord picks His brightest stars! Our baby sister…
We will always love and honor you.

The family is committed and dedicated to Athalante’s beloved, Frenchesca Ariana Gerard. In lieu of any other memorials, tributes, flowers or gifts, an educational fund has been established specifically for Munch. Please make any donations to Fidelity Investments at https://go.fidelity.com/u846p.

A special celebration in honor of our angel will be planned for later, when travel and social restrictions have been lifted.

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The following was sent on April 8, 2020 from South Orange Village President Sheena Collum; read more about Mr. Empestan and his family here.

April 8, 2020

Neighbors,

It is with a heavy heart and profound sadness that I inform you we have lost a member of our South Orange community to COVID-19. With permission from the family, I share with you his name: Roehl Cosio Empestan.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, please join us in prayers for his family – his amazing wife Jessi and their two beautiful children.

This tragic loss to our community brings home not only the gravity of this deadly virus, but the responsibility we residents have for the well-being of our neighbors as well as our families and ourselves. The individual choices we make—to stay at home, to wear protective gear, including cloth masks, when we absolutely must go out—these actions are needed to save lives. This is a shared responsibility and a promise we must make to one another.

As of 4:00 p.m. today, April 8, we can report that of those South Orange residents who have gained access to available testing, 46 test results have been positive and 40 have been negative. We now have one tragic loss of life.

Sheena Collum
Village President

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