Monthly Archives: June 2015

Local Life, Opinion, Schools Scene

Retro Father of Fair Haven Schools

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Former Fair Haven Schools Superintendent Robert Chartier and son Michael circa 1960s Photo/courtesy of Michael Chartier
Former Fair Haven Schools Superintendent Robert Chartier and son Michael circa 1960s
Photo/courtesy of Michael Chartier

By Elaine Van Develde

He was known as the patriarch, and perhaps patron saint, of schools in Fair Haven.

He was steadying, calm, encouraging influence — never pushed by politics, never mired by mass red tape, always out for the students’ benefit.

A perpetually sage, serene smile set on his face, Robert Chartier, for many years, stood in front of Knollwood School welcoming his village full of students every single day, watching them learn and grow — fixated on seeing to it that they flourish.

He was always present, always available, always receptive. Under his leadership, students, always seen as unique individuals, soared to hit their full potential. They were all his kids. That’s simply how he saw it.

You could say that, over the years, Robert Chartier was proud papa to thousands. It was that simple to him. As principal for a stint at Willow Street School (now Sickles), then longtime principal of Knollwood and finally superintendent of Fair Haven schools, he retired many years ago, but he is still around. And the lessons learned from this iconic administrator are not forgotten.

Friends of the former top schools administrator’s son, Michael, were thrilled to see the above Father’s Day throwback photo of a young Mr. Chartier and his son.

And, since he is still so fondly recalled as that father figure by former Fair Haven students, many of whom are now parents in the borough,  the photo is our Retro Pic of the Day.

Thank you, Mr. Chartier, for being a great dad of education to so many!

Share your memories of Mr. Chartier with us.

Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect will feature an interview with the iconic leader of Fair Haven schools in the future.

 

 

Police and Fire, Rumson Police and Fire Files

A Rumson Father’s Day Car Fire

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A car went up in flames at Rumson Country Club on Father’s Day; and, just about as quickly as the fire ignited, it was extinguished by first responders.

With scant details, the Rumson Police Department posted a 24-second video of the Sunday fire at about 3 p.m. and the firemen putting it out.

“Great job by The Rumson Fire Department extinguishing a vehicle fire at the Rumson Country Club,” the post said. “Happy Father’s Day from R.P.D.”

Click here to see the full video.

No further details were available as of press time. Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect will add information when it becomes available.

— Photo/screenshot of Rumson Police Department Facebook page video

Fair Haven Police and Fire Files, Police and Fire

Police: Fair Haven Man Jailed on Disorderly Charge & More

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The following May arrests and incidents were reported by Fair Haven police. An arrest does not constitute a conviction.

Arrests

• Terry Williams, 57, of Fair Haven, was arrested on May 10 and charged with disorderly conduct following a field interview, reference a call for service.

Williams was unable to post bail and was transported to Monmouth County Correctional Institution, Freehold, pending a Fair Haven Municipal Court appearance.

Sgt. Jesse Dykstra was the arresting officer.

• Tracey Lichtig, 42, of Fair Haven, was arrested on May 15 and charged with driving while suspended as a result of a previous DWI conviction.

Special Officer Class II Brooks Robinson was the arresting officer.

• Johnny Morris, 23, of Tinton Falls, was arrested by Cpl. John Waltz on May 27 on an active arrest warrant out of Fair Haven.

Morris was later released after posting bail pending a Fair Haven Municipal Court appearance.

• Veronica Carlisle, 45, of Highlands, was arrested on May 28 and charged with driving while suspended from a previous DWI conviction.

Special Officer Class II Brooks Robinson was the arresting officer.

•Marcelino Trejo, 32, Edison, was arrested on May 3 and charged with driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, speeding, refusal to submit to breath samples and driving with an open container of alcohol following a motor vehicle stop.

Sgt. Jesse Dykstra was the arresting officer. Trejo was released pending a court appearance in Fair Haven Municipal Court.

• Omar Azcona, 34, of Trenton, was arrested on May 5 by Sgt. Jesse Dykstra on an active traffic warrant out of Mt. Olive Township after a parking complaint.  Azcona posted full cash bail before his release.

Incidents

• A Battin Road resident reported on May 7 the theft of a wallet from a vehicle in her driveway.

Patrolman Eric Patton took the report.

• A Willow Street resident reported on May 7 that his son’s bicycle was stolen from the front of Knollwood School.

Patrolman Christian Hostrup took the theft report.

• A Lake Avenue resident reported on May 7 that a wallet was stolen from her vehicle.

Patrolman Christian Hostrup took the theft report.

• A Maple Avenue resident reported on May 8 that someone fraudulently used the victim’s credit card.

Detective Stephen Schneider took the fraud report.

 

Local Life, Obituaries

Services for Sea Bright’s Lester Johnson Monday

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Lifelong Sea Bright resident, fireman and first aid volunteer Lester Johnson is being mourned Monday morning.

Services for the well-known and liked 87-year-old, who died on June 19 at Care One at King James in Middletown, will start at 10 a.m. at Flock Funeral Home, 243 Broadway, Long Branch. The firemen’s service is set for noon.

In addition to being a 67-year member of both the Sea Bright Fire Department and First Aid, Lester was longtime stock manager for the Acme stores in both Fair Haven and the Lincroft section of Middletown, according to his obituary on legacy.com. He also worked at Gardella’s in Sea Bright.

Valedictorian of the Long Branch High School Class of 1946, Lester was a veteran of the U.S. Army, having served in the Korean War, it added.

He loved trains and the stock market.

Lester was predeceased by: his parents, Lester and Marion Johnson; his grandparents, Stephen and Elizabeth Johnson; a sister, Jackie Timmons; his aunt and uncle, Alice and Jack Weir.

Surviving are: his brother, Kenneth “Tom” Johnson and his wife Lize; sister, Barbara Waters and her husband John; nieces, Sharon, Nancy, Terri, Khristi, and Leslie; nephews, Jay, Tom, Robert, Thomas and Kenny.

Donations may be made to the Sea Bright First Aid.

Police and Fire

DWI Checkpoint Starts Saturday Night

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Monmouth County DWI Task Force members and West Long Branch police will be conducting a DWI checkpoint on Route 36 in West Long Branch from late Saturday night through early Sunday morning.

Officers will be pulling vehicles from westbound lanes into the Monmouth Park Corporate Center parking lot from 11 p.m. Saturday through 3 a.m. Sunday to conduct sobriety checks, a release from the Task Force’s coordinator, Brielle Police Chief Michael W. Palmer, said in a release.

 

The checkpoint is being set up in cooperation with the NJ State Police.

Obituaries

Longtime Rumson Resident Joan Sanders Dies at 88

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Longtime Rumson resident Joan Sanders died on Tuesday, June 17, surrounded by family at home. She was 88 years old.

Joan grew up in Windsor Locks, CT. She graduated Cum Laude from the College of New Rochelle in 1948 with a degree in Social Studies and English. She received a masters of arts degree in Sociology from Fordham University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in 1950.

Following graduate school, Joan worked as research assistant to the Chief Economist of the American Bankers Association in New York.

She was married for 61 years to her beloved husband, Robert James Sanders Jr. who predeceased her in 2012.

Joan is survived by: her six children, Mary and husband David Jones, Omaha, NE; Joanie Sanders, Rumson; Robert J. Sanders III and wife Joan Throckmorton Sanders, Oceanport; Michael Sanders, Worthington, MA; Catherine and husband Daniel Hibbert of Woodbine; and Maura Sanders, Metuchen; her sister, Mary Hammond, Wolfeboro, NH; her brother, Daniel Kervick, Vero Beach, FL; six grandchildren, Colleen, Mary Catherine, Caitrin, Norah, Ryan and Margaret; and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 21 at the Thompson Memorial Home, 310 Broad St., Red Bank. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Monday, June 22 at the Church of the Nativity, 180 Ridge Road, Fair Haven.

Interment will follow at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Middletown. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to Embrace Kids Foundation (www.embracekids.org), 121 Somerset St, New Brunswick, NJ 08901.

— Obituary, courtesy of Thompson Memorial Home

Schools Scene

RFH Class of 2015: Awards, Scholarships to More Than 80

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The Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) Class of 2015 is graduating Friday night, and not without many of its members first recognized for special achievements

More than 80 awards were given out at the RFH Annual Awards Program on June 8, including valedictorian recognition, departmental achievement, student life, and honorary awards as well as scholarships.

RFH Principal Dr. Tracy Handerhan presented the Valedictorian Achievement Award to Alexandra Siwulec, who also received the American Association of University Women 2015 Book, Catalyst STEM, Holy Cross Church Scholarship, U.S. Marine Corps Scholastic Excellence and Superintendent’s awards.

Siwulec will be attending the University of Pennsylvania in the fall, where she will major in biophysics and minor in Latin as part of the College of Arts and Sciences and Vagelos Molecular Life Sciences Program.

At RFH, Alexandra’s extracurricular activities include: co-founder and co-president of Global Women Empowerment Club, president of Paws and Claws, chairman of the Gender Issues Committee of the Social Justice Club, and junior board member for Change a Life Uganda. She is an accomplished pianist, having participated in the Golden Key Music Festivals in Vienna and New York City as well as the annual Monster Concert at Brookdale Community College.

Some of the highlighted awards presented to RFH seniors were:

• Alyson M. Raywood Scholarship — Erin Blewett

A 2013 RFH graduate, Alyson M. Raywood completed her first year at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia before passing, after a  courageous two-year battle with cancer, on October 14, 2014 at the age of 19.

The Alyson M. Raywood Scholarship was created to honor an individual who has suffered a tragedy but continues to fight on while maintaining a positive outlook. The scholarship was presented to Blewett by Alyson’s mother, Ro Raywood.

• Class of 2009 Scholarship Award — Ashley Adler

RFH Class of 2009 graduates Stephen Noglows, Timothy Robinson, and Daniel Ryan presented this new award to Adler in honor of their late friend and classmate Robert Anthony Melita. Funds for the scholarship were raised by the First Annual Robert Melita Softball Tournament.

• Robert Anthony Melita Scholarship — Abbey Weis

This scholarship is awarded to an RFH senior who, like Robert Anthony Melita, possesses the courage to stand up for what he or she believes in regardless of popular opinion and serves as an advocate for others. This year’s Robert Anthony Melita Scholarship was presented to  Weis by Robert’s sisters Lauren and Haley Melita.

• Catalyst STEM Award — Russell Binaco and Alexandra Siwulec

This new award recognizes two outstanding students planning to study science, technology, engineering, or math at the post-secondary level. Dr. Tracy Handerhan presented the Catalyst STEM Award to  Binaco and Siwulec.

• U.S. Army Reserve Top Future Soldier Award

This award was presented by Sargent Ethan Newago to Anthony Sciametta, who has enlisted in the Infantry Division of the U.S. Army.

• American Patriot Award

This award is given to a senior who has displayed honor, courage, and commitment by taking the oath to protect and defend our country as a United States Marine. Michael Longo received this award from Sargent Pedro V. Roman.

• Gold and Silver Awards were presented to RFH seniors at a breakfast held on April 17. Students from the RFH Class of 2015 amassed 58 Gold Awards and 31 Silver Awards.

A cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 4.00 at the conclusion of the seventh high school semester qualifies students for the Gold Award. A cumulative GPA of 3.67 at the conclusion of the seventh semester earns the Silver Award.

— Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School press release (edited)

Arts & Entertainment, Schools Scene

An RFH ‘Night of the Arts’

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Did you make it to Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School’s (RFH’s) Night of the Arts?

If not, here’s a glimpse of what you missed.

If so, take a look back!

— Photos/courtesy of RFH

Local Life

Retro Graduation Walk from Knollwood

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Screen Shot 2015-06-18 at 12.25.53 AM

It’s graduation day for Fair Haven’s Knollwood School Class of 2015.

One of the steadfast traditions is, in addition to the usual walk to get the diploma, the one from Knollwood down Third Street to Sickles School for the dance.

All along the way, the grads are greeted by cheering families and friends with signs, cheers, noisemakers, balloons and anything else to make the occasion as festive as possible.

This year, we’re sure, won’t be an exception.

Unfortunately, Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect will not be able to make it, but we ask that you send your photos to [email protected] so that we can post them in a slideshow post-graduation.

In the meantime, we are honoring the students and the day with a look back at the 2013 graduation walk.

Congrats, grads!

Local Life

Retro & Present Forrestdale Graduation

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Forrestdale graduation 2015 Photo/Paul & LuAnn Hughes Facebook screenshot
Forrestdale graduation 2015
Photo/Paul & LuAnn Hughes Facebook screenshot

It’s graduation time. And Forrestdale School in Rumson held its ceremony at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School Wednesday night.

Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect could not make it to the ceremony, so we are asking people to send in their photos so that we can put a slideshow together.

In the meantime, here’s a group shot from the Hughes family (directly above) and a Retro Pic of the Day of the 2013 graduation (featured).

Congrats, grads!

Thanks, Hugheses!

From the Meeting Room, Local Life

Honor for Nativity’s Father Bob

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They call him Father Bob.

His full, formal name is Rev. Robert Schecker. He’s been the pastor at Church of the Nativity in Fair Haven since 2004.

Since he started at the church 11 years ago, everyone, including non-parishioners, got to know him. That’s because he has become, over the years, a highly visible and valued member of the community.

And, since Father Bob announced his retirement from Nativity, effective June 30, the Fair Haven governing body decided it was a good time to thank him for his dedication to the community with a proclamation.

That was Monday night.

The proclamation, in particular, cited that “Father Bob has not only been a spiritual leader of the parish, but an overseer of many projects to improve the church and surrounding property including many upgrades and repairs to the Church Building, Chapel, Cloister, Office and Religious Education classrooms, the Rectory and Parish Hall as well as the outside grounds; and …

“he is a member of the Rumson-Fair Haven Community Alliance which was formed in 2013 to provide prevention education, guidelines when recovery is needed and compassionate, ongoing support for all. He has provided valuable input and support for the program; and …

“Father Bob has always made the church facilities available to the Borough in our time of need which has been the hallmark of his tenure, accommodation for community needs.”

A man of few words, Father Bob accepted the proclamation, listened in on the regular meeting for a bit and made a quiet exit, not without Mayor Ben Lucarelli and council members once again thanking him for his service and wishing him well.

Thanks, Father Bob.

Share your memories of Father Bob.

— Elaine Van Develde

Local Life, Opinion

Retro Happy Birthday to Fair Haven’s Sonia Reevey

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Sonia Reevey at the 2015 Fair Haven Memorial Day ceremony Photo/Elaine Van Develde
Sonia Reevey at the 2015 Fair Haven Memorial Day ceremony
Photo/Elaine Van Develde

It’s more than likely that if you live in or have lived in Fair Haven, you know a Reevey.

The family is rooted in the borough’s history, and with much longstanding honor. There are many Reeveys around, and usually doing something, career wise or otherwise, for their community, neighbors, family and friends. It’s seemingly second nature for them.

It’s living matriarch, Sonia, a modest, community-minded woman who is known to love and do anything she can for her hometown, is always featured at the Memorial Day ceremony singing My Buddy, the old war remembrance tune.

This year was no exception. Well, Sonia, family told us on Memorial Day, is turning (or has turned) 80 this month.

We are not quite sure of her birthdate, but would like to take a moment to honor her and wish her Happy Birthday by featuring her in our Retro Pic of the Day offering thanks for her dedication to Fair Haven.

It’s a comfort to know people like Sonia are still around, part of the Fair Haven family without a second thought.

Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect will feature a full story on Sonia Reevey in the near future.