Area artist Charlotte “Shirley” A. Cunneff passed away peacefully, two of her five sons by her side, on June 3. She was 93.
Shirley “was especially fond of the watercolor medium, earning membership to various art societies and exhibiting her work for sale and in juried competitions. She received numerous accolades for her art, including the Garden State Watercolor Society’s Award for Excellence for a painting of abalone shells in 1996. Private collectors from Hawaii to Paris have displayed her work in their homes. Other passions included travel, cooking and speaking out against the Vietnam War. In October 1967, she attended the March to End the War in Vietnam in Washington, D.C., wearing her mink coat to show that it wasn’t just ‘hippies’ protesting the war. Doctors’ wives were opposed to it, too.
Longtime Middletown resident and former ARC of Monmouth principal, Katherine (Kay) Frances Grady (Leyden), passed peacefully on May 17. She was 92.
Kay Grady Photo/family via John E. Day Funeral Home
“Kay never stood taller than 5 feet, but her diminutive stature was deceptive as she always had a big presence, touching many lives. Kay faced life’s challenges with dignity and grace and always maintained a sense of humor and positive attitude.
Kay will be truly missed by all those she has left behind.”
Born to Joseph and Katherine Leyden in West Orange, Kay was raised in Ridgefield Park. It was there that she met the love of her life, Douglas Grady. Doug and Kay married in June of 1951 and settled in Middletown, to raise their three children, Joanne, Douglas Jr. (Skip) and Kathy.
“After spending many years at home as a devoted wife and mother, Kay decided to rejoin the workforce. She was hired by the ARC of Monmouth in an administrative role and continued to advance within the organization eventually becoming the director of development, which was the position Kay held when she retired after 30 years. While with ARC, Kay won several awards including the prestigious Martin Papish Award in 1998.
Loved ones of Kay Grady
Kay was a communicant at St. Catherine’s Catholic Church in Holmdel for more than 25 years and St. James Catholic Church for 25 years prior to that.
Kay is survived by: her sister, Joan Tanner of Rochester, NY; her children, Joanne and husband Frank Delguercio of Hammonton; Douglas Grady, of Ft Worth, TX; Kathy and husband Ted Dlugolecki, of Hopkinton, MA; nine grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.
Kay is predeceased by her loving husband, Doug as well as her great granddaughter, Leyden.
The family would like to thank the wonderful care provided by the caregivers and staff at Arbor Terrace Shrewsbury and Embracing Hospice.
Checks may also be mailed to ARC at The ARC of the US C/O Tamala P. Scott, Senior Director of Development, 1825 K. Street, NW Suite #1200, Washington, DC 20006 indicating that the gift is to be applied in memory of Kay Grady.
There will be a memorial gathering on Tuesday, June 15, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at the John E. Day Funeral Home, Red Bank, followed by a memorial mass at 11:30 a.m. at St. James R. C. Church in Red Bank, and an interment at Mt. Olivet cemetery in Middletown.
— Edited obituary written by loved ones via John E. Day Funeral Home
“Hey! Where you going?!” I knew the voice. I knew it well. A Gladdis Kravitz Popeye, if you will. Gravelly, purposeful, with that guttural laugh, he’d yell to me from the porch as he, hearing my “beep, beep” call, would run outside to catch me in my disappearing act before I turned the corner.
After all, it was his neighborhood job. He took it seriously — and he relished the relentless taking care kinda ribbing he so generously doled out. Food was usually involved, too, if he could catch you to get you in for a burger, a sandwich or a Twizzler. The scoop was what he was after. He had that bait, too, but you couldn’t get away without a good grilling, burger aside, a lecture and a heaping helping of teasing. Always the scoop — on what I was up to and how my dad would feel about it all. It was a few million steps beyond nosy neighbor. He had to know. It was part of our neighborhood family pact.
“Her love, guidance and life lessons taught have made us better people. Her generosity has been felt by all … We all now have another angel watching over us.”
Loved ones of Iris Bluford in her obituary
Another forever Fair Haven neighbor, an angel among neighbors to many, has passed, leaving behind a rich legacy of grace and love of home with heart. Iris Bluford, who lived on Parker Avenue since 1959, passed away peacefully at her home on April 2, Good Friday evening. She was 99, just a couple months shy of her 100th birthday.
“‘Tis I’ll be here in sunshine or in shadow …” Danny Boy
“Dan loved his family, he loved his friends, he loved his work — Dan loved life.“
Loved ones of Dan Grady
Friends called them The Grady Bunch: A passel of six affable Rumson- and Fair Haven-raised kids, all graduates of Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School. The bunch was headed by patriarch Daniel “Dan” Richard Grady.
Surrounded by his children, the longtime former Rumson and Fair Haven dad passed away on March 9 at his Florida home. He was 86.
The popular dad was laid to rest today, April 14, what would have been his 87th birthday.
Longtime Rumsonite Dennis Patrick Lynch entered into his eternal life on April 10. He was 80.
The former Borough councilman, Rumson Country Day School Board vice chair, volunteer, consummate businessman and tennis player was known to
“practice what he preached.
He saw the good in every person, and was the gentle, self-effacing one so many sought out for counsel; his patience, understanding, and supportiveness were incomparable (as was his wit!). Dennis enjoyed the game of Bridge and earned the ACBL rank of ‘regional master.’ His taste in music was eclectic, and he was everyone’s favorite dance partner, especially his wife’s.”
Dennis Patrick Lynch Photo/family via Thompson Memorial Home
Longtime singles and doubles champion of the Seabright Lawn Tennis & Cricket Club, he served as its president and was recently named an honorary member. In 2000, the Asbury Park Press voted him second best player in the history of Jersey Shore tennis.
Dennis served on the Board of the Navesink House (now The Atrium CCRC) and was vice chair of the Rumson Country Day School Board. He also headed the investment sub-committee of the Meridian Health Group after years on the Riverview Medical Center Foundation.
In addition, Dennis served on the Yale Advisory Committee, and was named a Sterling Fellow. A longstanding member of the Racquet and Tennis Club of N.Y., Dennis was also a member of the Sea Bright Beach Club and Rumson Country Club.
More about Dennis Patrick Lynch …
Born in Jersey City, Dennis was a son of Thomas E. Lynch and Mary Doust Lynch. A longtime resident of Rumson, he was a graduate of Red Bank Catholic High School. After spending a postgraduate year at Phillips Exeter Academy, Dennis earned a B.A. from Yale College in l964.
Upon completion of his service in the Coast Guard, Dennis married his former classmate, Ann Marie Blades, his “best friend for life.”
The newlyweds moved to Philadelphia where Dennis studied for his M.B.A. at Penn’s Wharton School, majoring in finance.
He became a V.P. at Smith, Barney & Co. before cofounding the investment advisory firm of Lynch and Mayer, Inc., N.Y.C., in 1976. For 20 years, L & M ranked nationally in the top quintile of large-cap investment managers. Early retirement years were partly spent in Hanover, N.H., and Essex, CT.
Throughout his school years and thereafter, Dennis pursued an outstanding athletic career, distinguishing himself on both the basketball and tennis courts.
A member of the 1962 Yale Ivy League Basketball Championship Team, Dennis was named an All-Ivy Player in 1963 and 1964, was point guard for the Navy and All-Service Teams in 1965, and was drafted by the N.Y. Knickerbockers.
Dennis was also captain of the 1964 Yale Tennis Team and of the Yale-Harvard Team that played Oxford-Cambridge in the Prentice Cup matches of that year.
He was a decades-long parishioner of Holy Cross Church in Rumson.
Dennis is predeceased by: his brother, Thomas E. Lynch, Jr.; and sister, Maureen Lynch.
Dennis is survived by: his loving wife, Ann Marie; his devoted children, Kathy L. Hale (Jon), Dennis P. Lynch, Jr. (Marshall), William T. Lynch, and Nora A. Lynch; his brother, Vincent; his grandchildren, Ted and Nick Hale, Eleanor and Coley Lynch; nieces, Perri Howard and Meghan Lynch; nephew, Nick Lynch; and several close cousins.
A mass of christian burial and a celebration of Dennis’s life will be held in July.
Donations in his name may be made to the Sisters of Mercy of NJ, Red Bank Catholic H.S. and the SLTCC Landmark Preservation Friends.
— Edited obituary provided by family to Thompson Memorial Home
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