Former longtime Fair Havenite, Arthur J. Flanagan, Sr., also of Middletown and Kearny, passed away peacefully on Feb. 26. He was 95.
Born on June 26,1926 in Lyndhurst and raised in Kearny, Arthur was a resident of Fair Haven for more than 50 years.
Continue reading In Memoriam: Longtime Former Fair Havenite, U.S. Navy WW II Vet, Arthur J. Flanagan Sr., 95Our now annual reprise honoring the inspiration for R-FH Retro — my mom, Sally Van Develde — on what would have been her 99th birthday. A birthday wish … Happy Heavenly Birthday, Mom. You remain in the hearts of so many … Besides, I won’t let them forget.
“If I ever go looking for my heart’s desire again, I won’t look any further than my own back yard. Because if it isn’t there, I never really lost it to begin with! Is that right?” ~ Dorothy, The Wizard of Oz
For the love of home and a Fair Haven mom … that’s right.
Sometimes a birthday without her is about lighting the candles, making the wish, sustaining the simple legacy of going home, staying home with my mom, Sally Van Develde.
Today would have been her 99th birthday. If she had lived to blow out all those candles on her cake, I wondered what she would have done. What her wish would have been.
Continue reading Staying Home with My ‘Fair’ Lady on Her BirthdayThe following January arrests were reported by Fair Haven police. An arrest does not constitute a conviction.
Continue reading Fair Haven Police Report: Theft & Disorderly
It’s black-and-white simple, stark. The crackly, cool-hued solace offered by the winter’s Fair Haven Navesink River view is a prelude to all that’s warm. It’s a constant. A reminder that all that’s good is pretty simple.
The tide still rolls in gently over the patches of snowy, broken ice. All is a still, simple move forward, yet keeping all that’s good in its niche. The river is always there. A home anchor. Its shore a welcome mat. The tide gently wipes out all that’s broken, a little bit at a time. All that soothes melds together, soaking up the same goodness in one sliver of Earth. The tide that always comes in saturates the shore and hometown heart with searing sunshine for the soul.
Nothing really changes when it comes to the river view or its wealth of healing power. And all you have to do is take a minute to take it in … rolling ever so gently with its inspiring tide.
Say “Ahhhh” and take in the scenes … (CLICK on one photo to enlarge and scroll. Enjoy! And can you find those ducks?)
Here’s what’s headed this way weatherwise, courtesy of the National Weather Service …
TGIF! The simple acronym held a great deal of meaning for RFHers back in the 1980s.
Continue reading Retro RFH TGIF GirlsLongtime Fair Havenite, U.S. Navy World War II veteran and centenarian-plus, Henry E. Stevens passed away peacefully on Feb. 3. He was 102.
Continue reading In Memoriam: Forever Fair Haven Centenarian-plus, U.S. Navy World War II Vet, Henry Stevens, 102
With the sun up and out a bit on Thursday, the temperature rise was enough of an impetus for a good daydream back to very cool beach days with an RFH guy and his college bud.
Continue reading Retro RFH 70s Hipster Beach Boys
If the winter blues have set in after a day or two worth of spring(ish) respite, a little Fair Haven Dock time is a reminder that the blue hued winter sky and crackled icy shore is always a prelude to sunshine.
If not in the sky, in the heart. Through every crack in the icy snow coat on the beach under the dock, sun is seeping in for a peek into the happy place. The melt? Well, we know the cold sting in the air doesn’t stop the softening of the hometown heart with a glimpse back to dock days.
Of course, some of those dock days of the past involved a little mischief and jumping, which we are always asked to remind is prohibited. All the more the melt. But the daydream of one of your miscreant friends taking a plunge into that icy Navesink River water on a dare does crack a grin on the face.
How about the jaunt to a sliver of beach under the dock with a frozen cheesecake and a bottle of Boone’s Farm? Hmmmm … If that kind of memory doesn’t take away the winter blues … Focus back. What scene do you see?
Say “Ahhhhhh” to the serene river scene of blue and daydream the sun and smiling crazy times back. After all, the weather forecast is promising a peek through the icy cracks into spring again …
**Don’t forget to CLICK on one photo to enlarge and scroll! Enjoy!**
— Photos/Elaine Van Develde for R-FH Retro only
Fair Havenite Nick Glassman passed away unexpectedly on Jan. 20.
Continue reading In Memoriam: Fair Havenite, CBA Grad, Nick GlassmanFair Haven-raised Lillian “Jane” Bradshaw Hendricks has passed away at 95.
Continue reading In Memoriam: Fair Haven-Raised Jane Bradshaw Hendricks, 95
Kids, you’ll skate when … the pond freezes over! Yes, Rumson-Fair Haven folks, it’s cold outside! But it’s only cold enough when the pond truly freezes over. Hell is another story, depending on the pond and the skater.
Continue reading Retro Schwenker’s Pond Skkkk … aters
The following story was originally posted on Sept. 10, 2021 … after a chat with Mr. Ray Taylor on is way to the Fair Haven Firemen’s Fair. With the very sad news today of Mr. Taylor’s passing, we are reprising it in his honor. As all in the area grapple with the death of this cornerstone of the borough and we struggle to pay the best of tributes to him in a story, this serves as a simple, happy reminder of what really matters. Rest In Peace, Mr. Taylor, the best of best friends to Fair Haven. We will always remember. Read on. Remember. Smile …
“I got to keep movin’!”
That’s the first thing that came out of 98-year-old Ray Taylor’s mouth when R-FH Retro ran into him doing his usual walking and savoring the smallest of moments in his Fair Haven hometown.
Continue reading Scene Around: Townie Walk with Ray Taylor
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