Obituaries

George McNeany

Mr. McNeany, 87, of South Amboy, died Jan. 8 at home. Born in South Amboy, he resided in Sayreville prior to moving to South Amboy. He was employed at Hercules Power Company, Parlin, for 35 years, retiring in 1974. He served with the U.S. Army in support of Gen. George Patton during World War II. He was a communicant of Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, South Amboy. He was also a member of its Holy Name Society, Catholic War Veterans, and senior citizens group. His memberships included American Legion Post No. 211, Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial Post. No. 4699, and Knights of Columbus Council No. 2061, all Sayreville. He was also an exempt member of the South Amboy Independent Fire Company. He enjoyed rooting for the Sayreville Bomber football team. He was predeceased by his wife, Mae in 1996. He is survived by his companion, Emma Sumski of South Amboy; three sons and daughters-in-law, George and Kathleen McNeany of Edison, Robert and Judie McNeany of Princeton, and Donald and Patty McNeany of South Amboy; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. A Mass of Christian Burial will be Jan. 12 at 11 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church. Burial will follow at the church cemetery. Arrangements are by Carmen F. Spezzi Funeral Home, Parlin.

Andrew B. Scala

Mr. Scala, 87, of Parlin, died Jan. 3 at Bayshore Community Hospital, Holmdel. Born in Harrison, he resided in Belleville prior to moving to Parlin 53 years ago. He was a bus operator at Public Service Transport, Nutley for 32 years, retiring in 1980. Following retirement, he was a crossing guard with Sayreville Police Department for 10 years. He served with the U.S. Army during World War II. He was a Fourth Degree member of the Knights of Columbus Council No. 067, Nutley. He was also a member of the Sayreville Knights of Columbus Council No. 2061, Sayreville American Legion Post No. 211 and South Amboy Elks Lodge No. 784. He served as past commander of the Nutley American Legion Post No. 70, and past Essex County Commander. He was predeceased by his wife, Helen Ruggiero Scala in 2001. He is survived by three sons and two daughters-in-law, Joseph Scala of Sayreville, Andrew and Jean Scala of Lancaster County, Pa., and Peter and Monika Scala of Fort Myers, Fla.; two daughters and sons-in-law, Mary and Thomas Thorne of Bolder City, Nev., and Elizabeth and Gary Wolff of Edison; 14 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, South Amboy, with entombment at the church cemetery. Arrangements were by Carmen F. Spezzi Funeral Home, Parlin. Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P.O. Box 1818, Memphis TN 38101-9903.

George M. Sokolowsky

Mr. Sokolowsky, 51, of Marlboro, died Jan. 2 at home. Born in Pittston, Pa., he was raised in East Brunswick and had resided in Marlboro for the past five years. He was a software engineer for Syncsort Inc., Woodcliff Lake, for the past 2 1/2 years and had previously been employed by Lucent Technologies. He was a communicant of SS. Peter and Paul Byzantine Catholic Church, Somerset, and was also a Cubmaster for Pack No. 188, Marlboro. Mr. Sokolowsky was predeceased in 1995 by his father, George. Surviving are his wife of 19 years, Kathleen McNicholas Sokolowsky; two sons, Alex and Nick, both at home; his mother, Alice Shedlock Sokolowsky of East Brunswick; three brothers, William Sokolowsky of Westford, Mass., David Sokolowsky of Downingtown, Pa., and James Sokolowsky of Spotswood; and a sister, Mary Anne Pillo of Newtown, Pa. Funeral services were held at Brunswick Memorial Funeral Home, East Brunswick, followed by a liturgy at Nativity of Our Lord Byzantine Catholic Church, East Brunswick. Interment took place at Holy Cross Burial Park, South Brunswick.

Joyce C. Mokrzycki

Miss Mokrzycki, 64, of North Brunswick, died Jan. 4 at St. Peter’s University Hospital, New Brunswick. Born in New Brunswick, she resided in South River prior to moving to North Brunswick 20 years ago. She was a medical technician at Sharing Network, Springfield, for 20 years. She was predeceased by her father, Chester Mokrzycki in 1986. She is survived by her mother, Irene Toth Mokrzycki of South River; and a sister, Judy Mokrzycki of South River. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Church, South River. Interment was at St. Stanislaus Cemetery, Sayreville. Arrangements were by Brunswick Memorial Funeral Home, East Brunswick. Memorial donations may be made to American Cancer Society, 846 Main St., Fords 08863.

Hilda Bennett

Mrs. Bennett, 81, of the Port Reading section of Woodbridge, died Jan. 6 at home. Born in Newark, she had resided in Linden before moving to Port Reading 46 years ago. She was a communicant of St. James Roman Catholic Church, Woodbridge, and enjoyed traveling, playing the piano and walking the track at the Woodbridge Community Center. Surviving are her husband of 58 years, Howard Bennett; a daughter and son-in-law, Joyce A. and Christopher Kosty of the Iselin section of Woodbridge; two sons and daughters-in-law, Howard Jr. and Martha Bennett of East Brunswick, and Richard E. and Carol Bennett of the Fords section of Woodbridge; three brothers, Allen Puorro of Mountainside, and Tony Puorro and Jerry Puorro, both of Maple Shade; and four grandchildren. Funeral services were held at Costello-Greiner Funeral Home, Woodbridge, followed by a funeral liturgy at St. James Church. Entombmenttook place at Woodbridge Memorial Gardens.

Mary R. Talnagi Larsen

Mrs. Larsen, 88, of Woodbridge, died Jan. 6 at JFK Medical Center, Edison. Born in Perth Amboy, she had lived in Woodbridge for the past 65 years. Prior to retiring, she was employed as a salesclerk at Two Guys department store, Woodbridge. She was predeceased in 1976 by her husband, Alvin Larsen. She was also predeceased by three brothers, John, Michael and Nicholas Talnagi, and three sisters, Margaret Kishner, Rose Larsen and Pat Hladik. Surviving are two sons and daughters-in-law, Gary and Carolyn Larsen of Old Bridge, and Kenneth and Barbara Larsen of Surprise, Ariz.; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Services were held at The Gundrum Service Home for Funerals, South Amboy, followed by a service at the Church of the Holy Cross, Perth Amboy. Interment took place at Clover Leaf Memorial Park, Woodbridge.

Thomas P. McLoughlin

Mr. McLoughlin, 78, of East Brunswick, died Jan. 9 at University Medical Center at Princeton. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., he resided in East Brunswick the past 42 years. He was a senior technical manager, field support, and data station controller at Lucent Technologies, Middletown, for 35 years, retiring in 1993. Prior to that, he was employed at Western Electric, and Sun Oil Co. He served with the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was a communicant of St. Bartholomew Roman Catholic Church, East Brunswick. He was a fourth degree member of the St. Bartholomew Knights of Columbus Council No. 1873, and charter member of East Brunswick Elks Post No. 2370. He was predeceased by a sister, Anne Marcella Colgan; and a brother-in-law, John Colgan. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Isabel June Geipel McLoughlin; three daughters and two sons-in-law, Isabelanne and Chris Petersen of North Brunswick, and Kathleen and Jerry Morin, and Tara McLoughlin, all of East Brunswick; a son, Thomas P. McLoughlin II of Staten Island, N.Y.; and eight grandchildren. A Mass of Christian Burial was offered at St. Bartholomew’s Church. Interment was at Holy Cross Burial Park, South Brunswick. Arrangements were by Brunswick Memorial Funeral Home, East Brunswick.

Patricia Ann Gagnon Brady

Mrs. Brady, 70, of Spotswood, formerly of the Parlin section of Sayreville, died Dec. 6 at home. Her husband, Michael C. Brady Sr., died in 2001. Surviving are seven children, Patricia Ann Davies of the Lawrenceville section of Lawrence, Donna Marie Savarese of Monroe, Michael J. Brady Jr. of East Brunswick, Karen Brady-Eckman and Margaret Mary Miller, both of Spotswood, Kathryn Kane of Jackson and Melissa Rucinski of Helmetta; a sister, Monica Check of Englewood, Fla.; three brothers, George Gagnon of Idaho, Francis Gagnon of New Jersey and David Gagnon of Georgia; two brothers-in-law; three sisters-in-law; 16 grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. A Mass was offered at Immaculate Conception Church, Spotswood. Cremation was private. Memorial contributions may be made to the Spotswood First Aid Squad, P.O. Box 231, Spotswood, NJ 08884, or to Haven Hospice, c/o JFK Medical Center, 80 James St., Edison, NJ 08818.