The marquee on the Fair Haven firehouse is once again a sign of sad news. Another Fair Haven community pillar has passed — former Police Chief and 65-year fire company member, George Chandler.
His death comes just about a year after that of his brother Chum.
Continue reading Former Fair Haven Police Chief, 65-Year Fireman George Chandler Dies
A memorial service has been set for Saturday, Nov. 28, to honor the memory of forever Fair Havenite Benjamin “Ben” Barry Hamilton, who passed away this past Saturday at his home in the borough.
While “words of remembrance,” according to the obituary, will be shared at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday at Thompson Memorial Home in Red Bank, the service will span from 1 to 4 p.m.
Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect is in the process of putting together a memorial tribute and slideshow to honor Ben.
In the meantime, here is his edited obituary from Thompson …
Benjamin Barry Hamilton,”Ben” 56, of Fair Haven, died at home on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015.
Born in Jersey City to George and Joan (nee, Shook) Hamilton, he was a longtime Fair Haven resident. Ben was a retired investment professional. His professional career spanned three decades trading securities in the United States and Asia.
Ben will be remembered for his love of the Jersey Shore, his passion for surfing and his forever search for the perfect wave. He always began each day in New Jersey or Nantucket reading the local surf report or driving to check out the waves.
A Rumon-Fair Haven Regional High School Class of 1977 alumni, Ben went on to graduate from Hobart William Smith College in 1981, where he was a proud member of the Theta Delta Chi fraternity and participated in Hobart Lacrosse. He then received his master’s degree in International Public Policy from Johns Hopkins University.
He was a past family member of the Sea Bright Beach Club and an active member of the Clean Ocean Action.
Ben was also a founding partner of the Navesink River Paddle Excursions.
Ben was predeceased by his parents George and Joan Hamilton. He is survived by: his brother, George L. Hamilton Jr., of Ocean Grove, ; his sisters, Jeanmarie Drucker of NY, NY, and Kate Hamilton Pardee, of Nantucket, MA; his nephews and niece, Richard Drucker Jr. and Hamilton Drucker, George L. Hamilton III, and Katelynn Hamilton; his aunt, Jean Prial; close friend, Wendy Ostrov Delehanty; and many loving friends.
There will be a memorial gathering to celebrate Ben’s life on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015, at the Thompson Memorial Home, 310 Broad St., Red Bank, from 1 to 4 p.m. with “words of remembrance” at 3:30 p.m.
Memorial donations may be made to the Benjamin B. Hamilton Memorial Scholarship, P.O. Box 8097, Red Bank, NJ 07701 or to the Fair Haven Fire & First Aid, River Road, Fair Haven, NJ 07704.
The marquee on the Fair Haven Firehouse is once again blanketed in memorial buntings. Borough firemen and longtime residents are in mourning.
Sixty-year fire company member and deep-rooted resident Thomas Vetterl “passed away peacefully” on Oct. 19 in Florida where he had relocated in his retirement years, according to his obituary in the Palm Beach Post. He was 93.
Born in Paterson, he spent most of his life in Red Bank and Fair Haven, where he was a member of the Church of the Nativity.
A graduate of Red Bank High School in 1941, Thomas was a star athlete, playing football, basketball and baseball.
A U.S. Army World War II veteran, Thomas Vetterl served as a staff sergeant in the 112th Field Artillery Division of the New Jersey National Guard, according to his obituary.
After being honorably discharged, he became a civil service employee — a motor vehicle foreman in the HISA, CECOM section of Fort Monmouth, retiring in 1985 after a 35-year career.
He was an exempt member of the Fair Haven Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 until his death.
Formerly, he was an active member of B.P.O.E. Lodge #233 in Red Bank, and the American Legion in Tequesta, FL.
He was known to love softball and was a member of Val’s Pal Softball Club in Rumson, and in Florida was a member of Jupiter Men’s Softball Association and Staying Alive Fitness Club, Palm Beach Gardens, FL.
He was predeceased by his wife, the late Doris G. Vetterl, in 1987.
He is survived by: two sons, Thomas J., of Gilbert, AZ, and Robert D., of Wakefield, RI; and six grandchildren, Alison, Thomas, Robert, Kristen, Victoria and Justin.
A memorial celebration will be held Nov. 7 at John E. Day Funeral Home, Red Bank. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Wounded Warriors Fund.
Longtime Rumson resident and area lawyer Thomas F. Daly died on Sept. 8.
A graduate of Lower Merion High School, Lafayette College and the Georgetown University Law School, he served as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army. While attending law school, he was the Georgetown Lacrosse Team’s Head Coach.
A longtime partner of the McCarter & English law firm, Tom was a communicant of Holy Cross Church in Rumson, a member and former governor of the Seabright Beach Club and a member of the Rumson First Aid Squad and member of its Board of Trustees.
He was also a commissioner and former president of the New Jersey Maritime and Docking Pilots Commission, a trustee of the National Maritime Historical Society and the Sandy Hook Foundation.
He was an adjunct professor of maritime law at Rutgers University Law School, as well as a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Association of Barristers. He was a member of the International Association of Defense Council, the Maritime Law Society and a fellow of the American Bar Foundation.
Tom lectured extensively on aviation, maritime law and trial procedures. He was a passionate athlete who loved lacrosse and football. Later in life he became an avid skier. He was always drawn to the water, whether it be fishing, sailing, lifeguarding or relaxing at the beach with his family.
He is survived by: his wife Nancy; their children Charles Bartlett (Trish), of Ocean, Julia Oliphant (David) of Royal Oaks, MI, Emily Mee (Daniel), of Rumson and Morgan Zimmerer (Hans), of Fair Haven; ten grandchildren Tyler, Andrew, Morgan, Ben, Kelly, Ellie, Annie, Grant, Riley & Cate and his brother, Rev. Jerome R. Daly of Fort Belvoir, VA.
He was predeceased by: his parents, John and Dorothy Daly; and his brother, John Daly.
Visitation was on Tuesday, Sept. 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Thompson Memorial Home, 310 Broad Street, Red Bank.
A Mass of christian burial was celebrated on Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 10 a.m. at the Church of the Nativity, 180 Ridge Rd., Fair Haven.
Interment followed at Woodbine Cemetery, Oceanport.
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made to the Rumson First Aid Squad, 1 Wilson Circle, Rumson, NJ 07760 or the National Maritime Historical Society, PO Box 68, Peeksville, NY 10566 or online at www.seahistory.org
— Edited obituary, courtesy of Thompson Memorial Home
There’s nothing quite as wonderful as an old friend who’s known you since you were a kid. And there’s also nothing worse than losing that friend at a young age.
The worst of it happened a couple of days ago to friends in the Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School alumni community.
A wave of shock and sadness engulfed the Class of ’78 with the announcement of the death of 55-year-old classmate Debra “Debbie” Clarke Crowell on Sept. 8.
There have been some losses of the all-too-young in the class already. This was the latest.
Continue reading Remembrance: RFH Grad Debra Clarke Crowell Dies at 55
By Elaine Van Develde
Don Blesse lived in Rumson for nearly half a century.
The U.S. Navy World War II and Korean War veteran raised his family in Rumson. And every Memorial and Veterans Day service you’d see the tall, gentleman front-and-center at Victory Park paying ode to fallen fellow vets, hat to his heart.
In fact, it was not too long ago, in May, when we last saw Blesse in his usual spot at the Rumson Memorial Day service.
Now we know that he will be missing at the Veterans Day service in November. That’s because he passed away at 89 on Aug. 12.
We remember Mr. Blesse. We knew his kids. We went to RFH with them. And while we did not know their dad well, we knew he was a vet. We knew he was a father of three. We knew he was excited a couple of years ago, when we chatted with him after a Veteran’s Day service, to soon be on his way to a visit with them.
Sporting his signature veteran’s hat, he modestly talked about how he was an aviation electrician who worked on aircraft carriers in the Atlantic Ocean during the war.
He was proud, yet soft-spoken and modest. You could see his love of country and hometown. He wore it in his smile and demeanor, his bride, the mother of his children still by his side, also smiling contentedly.
He said nothing about working tirelessly to bring that veteran’s memorial to Victory Park that day. We read that in his obituary.
Don Blesse died on Aug. 12 at his relatively new home in Red Bank. He won’t be at the next memorial service in town. His simple legacy will.
We missed his own memorial service. But, we haven’t forgotten him.
People like him shouldn’t be forgotten — people living their lives, cognizant of and considerate of the people in them, serving their country and community in modest, meaningful ways, doing the right thing.
It was nice to have that brief chat with that dad and man behind the kids we knew that one day, a couple of years ago. It was good to get that glimpse — however fleeting — of yet another person who had passed through our lives, in an unobtrusive way, through his children, through his sometimes everyday, sometimes grander contributions to the community.
“Speak to people.” It’s what Fair Haven Police Chief Darryl Breckenridge told us was his mother’s best advice to him in life.
She was right. One hello, one day, brought a little insight into a life and a nice surprise. And every time we saw Don Blesse after that, we remembered a little something about him.
Now we say goodbye, never forgetting the hello.
RIP Mr. Blesse. Condolences to Carol, Paul, Donald and Ken — and your many friends and extended family.
Don Blesse’s obituary from Thompson Memorial Home …
Donald Edwin Blesse, 89, of Red Bank died at home on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015.
He was born in Weehawken and lived in Rumson and Little Silver before moving to Red Bank three years ago.
He was a tall, friendly and kind man who willingly served for many years in the communities in which he lived and his church. After earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Business Administration from Rutgers University, he worked for Bell Laboratories for 38 years before retiring in 1987.
He honorably served in the US Navy as an Aviation Electrician’s Mate aboard aircraft carriers during WWII and the Korean War.
Continually steadfast in his faith as a member of St. George’s by the River Episcopal Church for 53 years, he served as church school Superintendent for 28 years, Canterbury Fair treasurer, sang in the choir and was on the Vestry.
In Rumson, he was on the school board, active as a leader in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, and in later years worked tirelessly to create a new veterans’ memorial in Victory Park.
He is survived by: his wife of 63 years, Carol Einbeck Blesse; three sons, Donald A. Blesse, of Lakewood, OH; Ken Blesse, of Fairview Park, OH; Paul Blesse, of Johns Creek, GA; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his name would be welcome to the St. George’s Outreach or Memorial funds, 7 Lincoln Avenue, Rumson, NJ 07760; www.stgeorgesrumson.org. In the notes section, please identify which fund.
Services are set for Monday for Rumson’s Robert (Bob) S. Jones, Jr., former president of Rumson Country Club Board and trustee of the Riverview Medical Center Foundation, who died Sunday, Aug. 16, after a losing a courageous battle with cancer. He was 74.
His obituary on the Thompson Memorial Home website, says …
Born in Baltimore, Bob attended Lower Merion High School where he met the love of his life, Sharon. After high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he served from 1959 to 1962.
A 1987 graduate of the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University,having earned both his CLU designation (1971) and ChFC degree(1982), he got his undergraduate degree in economics from Gettysburg College in 1965.
In the summer of 1965, Bob began his 42-year career with AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company (formerly The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the U.S.), serving as an advisor, district and agency manager, and in the company’s marketing and retail operations as well as executive vice president, head of Retail and chairman of company advisors.
Bob had myriad professional and community affiliations. He was president of the Pittsburgh Life Underwriters, president of the Agency Round Table, a board member of the LUTC, president of Equitable’s Management Association, and a member of the Million Dollar Roundtable.
Bob was also a board member of the Riverview Medical Center Foundation, served on the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, and the U.S.O. of Metropolitan New York, and was a trustee emeritus of Gettysburg College.
He was a member of: the Pittsburgh Field Club, where he served as a board member from 1980-84; Rumson Country Club, where he served as a board member from 2000-06, and president from 2003-06; the Sailfish Point Foundation, the Sailfish Point Golf Board and the Sailfish Point Marina Board; the Medalist Golf Club and the Stone Harbor Golf Club.
After retiring, Bob enjoyed golfing, bird hunting, fishing and thoroughbred racehorse ownership, his latest hobby.
“As part of ABL Stables (formerly BDL Stables), Bob found tremendous joy in each and every racehorse he owned,” his obituary said. “Bob was also a lifelong Pittsburgh Steelers fan, never giving up his season tickets even after he moved to New Jersey. However, Bob’s greatest happiness came from his family. He became known around town as “Big Bob” shortly after his first grandchild was born.
“Bob made an impact on everyone around him, with his zest for life, his kindness and his generosity. He will be forever missed by the numerous people whose lives he touched.”
Bob is survived by: his wife of 52 years, Sharon Jones, of Rumson; his daughter, Kelly DalPra and husband Kenny, of Rumson; his daughter, Kirsten Ward, and husband Chris, of Fair Haven; his daughter Ashley Jones and Sue Dillon of Fair Haven; and his son, Matt Jones and wife Elaine, of Fair Haven; his eight grandchildren, Robert, Klayton, Kyle, Marin, Brayden, Liam, May and Milo; his brother, Elliot Jones and wife Melanie, of Florida; and many nieces, nephews and friends.
Visitation will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 24 at Thompson Memorial Home, 310 Broad Street, Red Bank.
A memorial Mass will follow on Tuesday, Aug. 25, at 11 a.m. at The Church of the Nativity, 180 Ridge Road, Fair Haven.
Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made in his memory to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123, 1-800-227-2345 or online at www.cancer.org/donate.
Rumson resident and World War II vet Niels Winchester Johnsen passed away at home on Aug. 7 after having spent “busy summer days with grandchildren and children,” his obituary from Thompson Memorial Home said. He was 93.
The son of Niels F. Johnsen and Anita Winchester Johnsen, Neils Winchester Johnsen was born in New Orleans.
He was co-founder, with his father and brother, Erik F. Johnsen, of Central Gulf Steamship Corporation in New Orleans.
After attending Tulane University, Niels began his career in the maritime industry in 1942, having served as an officer in the Merchant Marine at sea during World War II and surviving two ship torpedo singings (stet).
Continue reading Services Set for Rumsonite, WW II Vet Niels Johnsen, 93
Losing her battle with DIPG, a progressive brain cancer, Molly Ann Richards, of Fair Haven, passed away on July 6. She was 3 years old.
Born on July 23, 2011, Molly was diagnosed with DIPG on August 23, 2013. She is survived by: her parents Ann and Tyler Richards; and her big sister Emily, of Fair Haven.
“Molly, although not here with us long, touched the hearts of many,” family said in her obituary. “She never once complained or cried during her dance. Let her life be a true example of courage, strength and fortitude until the last breath. We will LOVE you forever, Daddy and Mommy.”
A Mass of christian burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, July 8, at 10 a.m. at the Church of the Nativity, 180 Ridge Rd., Fair Haven.
— Obituary, courtesy of Thompson Memorial Home
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.
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
Fair Havenite John Somerville passed away peacefully at his home on June 12. He was 100 years old.
Born in Evanston, IL to John and Corinne Patton Somerville, John divided his time between Chicago and Sarasota, FL. He graduated Asheville High School, Asheville, NC in 1934 and earned his undergraduate degree in engineering from Cornell University in 1938.
Continue reading Services for Fair Haven Centenarian Start Tuesday
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