Obituaries

Ann Gonzalez

Mrs. Gonzalez, 77, of Bealeton, Va., died Oct. 12 in INOVA Fairfax Hospital, Falls Church, Va. She was predeceased by her husband, Joseph Gonzalez. Surviving are a son, Marcelino Gonzalez of Bealeton; a daughter, Blanche Rusch, also of Bealeton; two sisters, Helen Arciszewski of South River and Olga Stefic of the Whiting section of Manchester; two brothers, Walter Zdanowicz of East Brunswick and Alex of Sebeka, Minn.; six grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. A graveside service was held at Culpeper National Cemetery, Culpeper, Va. Arrangements were under the direction of Clore-English Funeral Home, Culpeper.

Sharon F. Wieland

Sharon F. Wieland, 62, of Monroe, formerly of North Brunswick, died Nov. 2 at home. She worked part time for Curves fitness center, Jamesburg, where the owners, employees and members published and dedicated a cookbook to her. All proceeds from the recipe book are donated to the Lung Cancer Alliance. She was predeceased by her father, Sidney W. Baker. Surviving are her husband, Richard; a daughter, Beth Sanders of New Britain, Conn.; a son, Steven of Edison; two stepchildren, Laurie Burckhardt of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Erik Wieland of Oakland, Calif.; a brother, Leonard of Haddon Heights; her mother, Bertha G. Baker of Monroe; two grandchildren, Christopher and Benjamin Sanders of West Virginia; and several nieces and nephews. Services were held at Crabiel Parkwest Funeral Chapel, New Brunswick. Interment was in Congregation Poile Zedek Cemetery, also New Brunswick. Memorial contributions may be made to the Lung Cancer Alliance, 888 16th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20006.

Romilda M. Ettari

Mrs. Ettari, 82, of the Parlin section of Sayreville, died Oct. 25 in Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick. Surviving are her husband, Sebastian Ettari; two sons, Thomas of Parlin and Charles of Brooklyn, N.Y.; and two grandchildren, Thomas Ettari and Anthony Ettari. A Mass was offered at Our Lady of Victories Church, Sayreville. Entombment was in Woodbridge Memorial Gardens.

Betty Webb Herman

Mrs. Herman, 70, of Cranbury, died Nov. 11 in The Elms of Cranbury. Her husband, Elwood Johnson Sr., died in 1997, and a son, Elwood Johnson Jr., died in 1995. Surviving are five brothers, Dr. Joseph H. Webb of Pittsgrove, Richard Webb of Abington, Md., Frank Webb of Lavallette, John Webb of the Cedar Run section of Stafford and Robert Webb of Rahway; a sister, Sally Anderson of Virginia Beach, Va.; 18 nieces and nephews; and 20 great-nieces and great-nephews. A graveside service is planned for 10:30 a.m. on Nov. 26 at Shoreland Memorial Gardens, Hazlet. Memorial contributions may be made to The Elms of Cranbury, 61 Maple Ave., Cranbury, NJ 08512.

Wanda Bochad Modzelewski

Mrs. Modzelewski, 80, of South River, died Nov. 10 in Raritan Bay Medical Center, Old Bridge division. Prior to her retirement, she was employed for many years as a seamstress with Brodsky and Sons, South River. Her husband, Anton, died in 1961. Surviving is a dear friend, John Grzymkowski of South River. A Mass was offered at St. Mary of Ostrabrama Church, South River. Interment was in Washington Monumental Cemetery, also South River.

John Gerst Beecher

Mr. Beecher, 75, of East Brunswick, died Nov. 12 in Raritan Bay Medical Center, Old Bridge division. Prior to his retirement in 1997, he was a truck driver for Hermann Services, South Brunswick. Surviving are his wife, Dorothy Seidler Beecher; a daughter, Diane Horne of Boiling Springs, Pa.; two sons, Alan Beecher of Deltona, Fla., and John A. Beecher of Helmetta; a sister, Eleanor Rabinskas of Bradenton, Fla.; and eight grandchildren. Services are planned for 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 17 at Brunswick Memorial Home, East Brunswick. Interment will follow in Van Liew Cemetery, North Brunswick. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, 2550 Route 1, North Brunswick, NJ 08902.

Charles A. Miller

Mr. Miller, 84, of Milltown, died Nov. 10 in Saint Peter’s University Hospital, New Brunswick. He served as Milltown’s court clerk for more than 20 years. Surviving are his wife, Dorothy Harris Miller; a son, Darren Miller of Airmont, N.Y.; a brother, William Miller of Mount Pocono, Pa.; and a sister, Muriel Stuart of North Brunswick. Services were held at Selover Funeral Home, North Brunswick. Interment was in Clover Leaf Park Cemetery, Woodbridge. Memorial contributions may be made to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, 710 W. 168th St., New York, NY 10032.

Anthony Damiano

Mr. Damiano, 86, of East Brunswick, died Nov 11 at home. His wife, Elizabeth, died in 2003. Surviving are a daughter, Joyce Slaski of Barnegat; four grandchildren, Susan Jaronsky and John, David and Thomas Slaski; and five great-grandchildren. A Mass was offered at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Old Bridge. Entombment was in Holy Cross Burial Park, South Brunswick.

Carol Malinowski Nowicki

Mrs. Nowicki, 57, of South Amboy, formerly of Manalapan and the Parlin section of Sayreville, died Nov. 11 in Trinitas Hospital, Elizabeth. Prior to her retirement in 2004, she was employed for three years as a receptionist at North Edison Family Practice. Before that, she was the owner of South River Video for more than 10 years. Surviving are her husband, Michael J. Nowicki; two sons, Keith Arway of Freehold and Dennis Nowicki of Metuchen; a daughter, Jennifer Martinovich of Mine Hill; two brothers, Stanley and Benjamin Malinowski, both of Florida; three sisters, Lillian Dybiec of Florida, Mary Ann Garbowski of Sayreville and Suzanne Smith of South Amboy; and six grandchildren. Services were held at Carmen F. Spezzi Funeral Home, Parlin. Interment was in Sacred Heart Cemetery, also Parlin.

Joseph Franchino

Mr. Franchino, 74, of South River, died Nov. 10 at home. Prior to his retirement in 1959, he was employed in maintenance with the South River Board of Education. Surviving are his wife, Marie Kish Franchino; two daughters, Marie Franchino-Johnson of South River and Candace Franchino of the Laurence Harbor section of Old Bridge; a son, Joseph of East Brunswick; three sisters, Angie Citero of Chicago, and Kay Bingert and Rose Fama, both of the Somerset section of Franklin; and four grandchildren. A Mass was offered at Corpus Christi Church, South River. Entombment was in Holy Cross Burial Park, South Brunswick.

Mary Buchler Gretch

Mrs. Gretch, 86, of Old Bridge, formerly of Spotswood, died Nov. 9 in Old Bridge Manor. Her husband, Alexander Gretch, died in 1967. Surviving are a son, Alexander “Sonny” Gretch of Middlebury, Ind.; two sisters, Rosie Fox and Betty Hinrichson; five grandchildren, Jacqueline Scanlin, Cheri Medus, and Cara, Alexandra and Casey Gretch; four great-grandchildren; and a nephew, George Gretch of Spotswood. A Mass was offered at Immaculate Conception Church, Spotswood. Interment was in St. James Cemetery, Jamesburg.

Stella Kosakowski

Ms. Kosakowski, 90, of Sayreville, died Nov. 13 in Reformed Church Home, Old Bridge. Prior to her retirement, she was employed as a seamstress for many years at Siegel Brothers Dress Co., South River. Surviving are two brothers, Louis and John Kosakowski, both of Sayreville; two sisters, Irene Wysocki and Mary Faczak, also of Sayreville; and many nieces and nephews. A Mass was offered at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, Sayreville. Interment was in the church cemetery.

Julia F. Borysewicz Nowakowski

Mrs. Nowakowski, 85, of South River, died Nov. 13 in Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick. Prior to her retirement, she was employed as a seamstress at Dora Dress Co., and Brodsky and Sons, both South River. Surviving are her husband, Alfons Nowakowski; a daughter, Irene Nowakowski of the Somerset section of Franklin; two sons, Richard Nowakowski of East Brunswick and Mark Nowakowski of South River; two brothers, Frank Borysewicz of South River and Thomas Borysewicz of South Amboy; two grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. A Mass is planned for 9 a.m. on Nov. 17 at St. Mary of Ostrabrama Church, South River. Interment will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery, East Brunswick. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Mary of Ostrabrama Church, Jackson Street, South River, NJ 08882.

Curt A. Wittig

Mr. Wittig, 74, of Old Bridge, died Nov. 14 in Bayshore Community Hospital, Holmdel. Surviving are his wife, Barbara Wittig; a son, Tim of Spotswood; a daughter, Karen Ollivierre of Jackson; a sister, Ruth Seidel of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; and two grandchildren, Sean and Danielle Wittig. Visitation is set for 3-5 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. on Nov. 17 at Michael Hegarty Funeral Home, Old Bridge. Services will be held at 10 a.m. on Nov. 18 at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Old Bridge. Interment will follow in Forest Green Park Cemetery, Morganville section of Marlboro. Memorial contributions may be made to the Children’s Home Society of New Jersey, 635 S. Clinton Ave., Trenton, NJ 08611.

Alice M. Mills Switzer

Mrs. Switzer, 69, of the Morgan section of Sayreville, died Nov. 11 in St. Barnabas Hospice at Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch. Prior to her retirement, she was employed for many years as a hairdresser at Marlene’s Beauty Shop, South Amboy. A son, Patrick F. Switzer, died in 2000. Surviving are two sons, James J. Switzer Jr. of the Parlin section of Sayreville and Alexander C. Switzer of Brick; three brothers, Leon Mills of Brick, Franklyn Mills of Virginia Beach, Va., and Richard Mills of Exeter, Pa.; three sisters, Margaret Richetti of Brick, Eleanor VanKleeck of Freehold and Susan Talmadge of Atlantic Highlands; and a granddaughter. Services were held at Gundrum Service Home for Funerals, South Amboy. Cremation was private. Memorial contributions may be made to the Morgan First Aid Squad, P.O. Box 296, South Amboy, NJ 08879.

John F. “Bing” Miller

Mr. Miller, 81, of South Amboy and Long Beach Island, died Nov. 10 in Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick. Surviving are his wife, Virginia McDonnell Miller; three children, John F. IV of Holmdel, Georgia Scott of Sayreville and Jackie Mancini of Hillsborough; and six grandchildren, Eric, Lori, Ashley, Ryan, Paulina and John F. V. A Mass was offered at St. Mary’s Church, South Amboy. Interment was in New Calvary Cemetery, Sayreville.