Monthly Archives: January 2023

Obituaries

In Memoriam: Former Longtime Little Silver Resident, Riverview Volunteer, Nancy MacConnell, 92

Former longtime Little Silver resident, Nancy Ann Birkenmeier MacConnell, more recently of Middletown, passed away at home on Jan. 25. She was 92.

Nancy MacConnell
Photo/family via Thompson Memorial Home

“Nancy was a 65-year member of the Tower Hill Presbyterian Church where she was a deacon from 2002 to 2004. She was a volunteer at Riverview Medical Center where she was president of the Ladies Auxiliary from 1950 to 1960. She was a member for 35 years of the Surfrider Beach Club and later at
Sands Beach Club in Sea Bright.

She was a true nature lover feeding all of the deer and wildlife in her backyard but her favorite was her dog Heidi.”

Loved ones of Nancy MacConnell in her obituary

Nancy was predeceased by: her parents, Robert and Elizabeth Birkenmeier; her sister, Betsy Mueller; brother R. Barrett Birkenmeier; her husband, Donald W. MacConnell, in 1996; and her son, Wylie, in 1960.

She is survived by: her children, Melissa and husband James Sullivan, Debbie and husband Tom Doremus, Peter and wife Cathy MacConnell, and Nancy and husband David Wikoff; her grandchildren, Sean, Shannon, Caitlin, T.D., Taylor, Kristyn, Blaire and Brian; and great-grandchildren, Cole, Teagan, Rhys, Camryn, Tessa, Ruby, Saylor and Brody.

All arrangements are private. Donations to the Monmouth County SPCA, 260 Wall Street, Eatontown, NJ 07724 would be appreciated.

— Edited obituary prepared by family via Thompson Memorial Home

Crime, Regional Interest

Prosecutor: 27-Year-Old Area Man Indicted on Attempted Murder, Weapons Charges in October Shooting

An area man has been indicted on attempted murder and weapons charges in connection with a shooting incident that left one person injured, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced on Wednesday.

Continue reading Prosecutor: 27-Year-Old Area Man Indicted on Attempted Murder, Weapons Charges in October Shooting →
Local Life

Retro Dank Daze of RFH Junior Lounging

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Lounging in the RFH Junior Lounge circa late 1970s.
Photo/George Day

A reprise from 2019 as an ode to the dismal weather. Cheers and sun up!

The weather has not been quite fair these days. In fact, it’s been downright dank. And with dreary weather comes a little bit of a lackadaisical mood — especially for students cooped up in a high school all day. But, back in the day, there was a remedy for what ailed RFH students when lazy, hazy days drenched with dismal weather set in. That colored brick and pillar remedy was the Junior Lounge.

Continue reading Retro Dank Daze of RFH Junior Lounging →
Local Life

R-FH Area Weekend: Music, Mangia & the Weather

2015 FHFD Spaghetti Dinner
Photo/Elaine Van Develde

What better way to take the chill out of the winter air than by kicking off the weekend with a little music at the hands of area musicians and finishing it with a homemade spaghetti dinner among community friends?

The soothing starts tonight with music by longtime Rumsonite and RFH grad, Kyle Ward and the Elk-Ward Duo at a new venue, the Long Branch Distillery, at the foot of Broadway from 8 to 10:30 p.m. Ward has been playing in the area for some time now, so this is a great time to catch up with him.

And, if a riverfront night of kicking back in traditional style and listening to local talent tickle the ivories is more your mojo, pianist Conor Quigley will be playing from 6 to 10 p.m. at the bar in The Molly Pitcher Inn.

And on Saturday in Fair Haven …

A real classic, down-home night is back! The now Angelo DePonti Memorial Spaghetti Dinner at the Fair Haven Firehouse from 5 to 8 p.m. upstairs. Spaghetti, meatballs and dessert will be served for a nominal fee to benefit the volunteer fire department.

The dinner is making its comeback from a pandemic hiatus and features, as always, the sauce and meatball recipes of former longtime Fire Company social member Angelo DePonti, who, for years, was there to concoct and oversee the making of the meals, stirring the pot and serving up some homemade sustenance with true love of community, a smile and a thumbs up.

The dinner, since DePonti’s death, has been dedicated to him. So, take a trip over and mangia to see what “That’s amore!” really means.

And the weekend is looking pretty tame, with a glint of sun showing some promise. Here’s the forecast. Enjoy!

Obituaries

In Memoriam: Red Bank Resident Lou Maresca, 96

“When through one man a little more love and goodness, a little more light and truth comes into the world then that life has had great meaning.” ~ A close friend of Lou’s, Fr. Charles Hudson, at his 60th birthday.

Red Bank resident Louis J. Maresca passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday, Jan. 17, after suffering from dementia for the last five years. He was 96.

Continue reading In Memoriam: Red Bank Resident Lou Maresca, 96 →
Local Life

Retro RFH Snow Day Drive

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RFH snow day
Photo/George Day

To go along with the second snowfall and the first snow day for R-FH area schools … A snowy reprise and musing about snow days at RFH …

Well, they’re calling it a snow day. It seems like these days it doesn’t take much of the fluffy white stuff to blow the snow day whistle — broadcast it on social media is more like it nowadays.

Continue reading Retro RFH Snow Day Drive →
Local Life

Retro Schwenker’s Pond Winter Wonderland Fun

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Kathy and Pat Reed and mom on a visit to Fair Haven’s Schwenker’s Pond circa late 1950s
Photo/courtesy of Pat Reed

With the hint of sun and tinge of milder weather these days, R-FH area people were popping up all over the great outdoors  for a little fairer weather respite.

Continue reading Retro Schwenker’s Pond Winter Wonderland Fun →