Tag Archives: Rumson

Obituaries

Visitation, Funeral Set for Former Rumson Councilwoman Joan Pillsbury DeVoe

Longtime Rumsonite, community volunteer and former Councilwoman Joan Pillsbury DeVoe passed away peacefully on Feb. 21.

The daughter of the late John M. and Mary Loux Pillsbury, Joan was raised in Atlantic Highlands and Middletown. She attended The Beard School in Morristown, and graduated from Wheaton College, Norton, MA.

Joan was an active volunteer in the community where she made her home for most of her life — Rumson.

Her service to the community included longtime involvement in: The Junior League; Rumson Community Appeal; Rumson Historical Society; and St. George’s Canterbury Fair, Altar Guild and Vestry.

Public service was a very important part of Joan’s life and she believed that serving as an elected official was a public trust.

Joan was elected to the Rumson Borough Council in 1996 and served for 18 years. The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders presented her with a citation on the occasion of her 80th birthday in honor of her many years of government service on both the local and county level.

A member of the Sea Bright Beach Club, rain or shine, spending time at the beach with family and friends was anticipated all winter and filled her with happiness all summer.

Joan is survived by her three children: John P. DeVoe, Dale D. Leach (Jeffrey), Susan D. Sandlass (Henry); grandchildren Kristin C. Devoto (James), Aimee M. Chandler, Gregory D. Leach, Frank J. Leach II; her great granddaughter, Ava S. Devoto; her sister, Mary Loux (Dubie) McDonnell; and her nieces and nephews. Joan was predeceased by her sister, Susan P. Kyle.

Visitation will be held on Friday, Feb. 26, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Thompson Memorial Home, 310 Broad Street, Red Bank.

A funeral service will be held at St. George’s by-the-River Episcopal Church, Rumson, on Saturday, Feb. 27 at 11 a.m. Interment following the service will be private.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to Shore House, 279 Broadway, Suite 400, Long Branch, NJ 07740; or St. George’s by-the-River, 7 Lincoln Ave., Rumson, NJ 07760.

— Obituary, courtesy of Thompson Memorial Home.

Schools Scene

Lunching with a Loved One at Deane Porter

Enjoying Lunch with a Loved One at Deane Porter School are Joseph Whitehouse and his grandmother Elaine Sourlis and Maria Ursino and her cousin Cecilia Ciambrone, and Reagan Haley and her grandmother Ginger Kriegel. Photo/Rumson School District
Enjoying Lunch with a Loved One at Deane Porter School are Joseph Whitehouse and his grandmother Elaine Sourlis and Maria Ursino and her cousin Cecilia Ciambrone, and Reagan Haley and her grandmother Ginger Kriegel.
Photo/Rumson School District

Love was in the air as the Rumson Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) presented its annual Lunch with a Loved One at Deane Porter School recently.

Students kindergarten through third grade enjoyed a luncheon celebration with a special person in the special Valentine’s Day themed event on Feb. 15.

“Families and schools belong together, and Lunch with a Loved One allows us the opportunity to come together for a fun event,” Deane Porter School Principal Shari Feeney said. “It’s great to see the smiles on everyone’s faces and hear the laughter as they share lunch with their friends and loved ones.”

The PTO provided bottled water and an array of home-baked treats, snacks, gluten-free snacks, and pre-packaged peanut-free items as well as fruit and granola bars in the Deane Porter gym festooned with Valentine’s Day decor.

— Edited press release from Rumson School District

News

Quaking in Rumson & Fair Haven?

Reports of tremors felt in southern and western New Jersey flooded social media at about 1:30 p.m.

Now, at about 3:30, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has reported on Twitter that the rumblings felt were likely not an earthquake but a sonic boom. Why was it felt at different times and, in some spots, multiple times? “A sonic boom travels through the air w/ the airplane so it arrives at different ground locations at different times,” USGS reported.

This editor felt it in Fair Haven while on the phone with a news contact for another story. It wasn’t major, but enough to startle and make the house rumble for a few seconds. It only happened once here.

Seconds later, while the news contact from a mile or two away in the same area did not feel the same quake, people started bombarding social media with reports of tremors. Most reported were felt in western Monmouth County and Ocean County and farther south.

No one else from the immediate area has said they felt any sort of tremor. Since, though, NJ State Police, on their Facebook page, has asked people to let them know where and when tremors were felt throughout the state.

Here’s their post:

“Have you felt the tremors?
We are hearing reports of tremors here in Jersey. For the record, we have not reported any seismic blasts anywhere in the State.
If you’ve felt the tremors today, let us know in the comments where and when. We’re working to confirm.”

While USGS has stood by the sonic boom theory, other sources have disagreed and the state police are still asking people to report any tremors from the afternoon.

Did you feel it?

 

News

How Rumson Weathered the Storm

Rumson officials called it one of the worst storms to weather in three decades in the borough.

Continue reading How Rumson Weathered the Storm →

Obituaries

Former Rumson Fire Chief Edward Duffy Dies at 81

Edward Duffy Photo/courtesy of Thompson Memorial Home
Edward Duffy
Photo/courtesy of Thompson Memorial Home

Longtime Rumsonite and former Oceanic Hook & Ladder Company No. 1  Chief Edward J. Duffy passed away with his family at his side at Riverview Medical Center on Jan. 9. He was 81.

Born Jan 4, 1935 to James and Catherine (Walsh) Duffy in New York City , where he spent his youth and attended Power Memorial Academy, Ed first came to Rumson as a teen vacationing with his parents. He met his bride Midge there and moved to the borough permanently in 1955.

A 59-year member of Oceanic Hook & Ladder, Ed served as its chief in 1971, company president from 1975 to 76 and served on most of the fire company’s committees.

He created the fire company’s social committee, putting much effort into managing bus trips, picnics and parties. Ed retired from Coastal Building Maintenance in 2000 after more than 30 years as its vice president /general manager.

He had a passion for theater, from Broadway to local community theater productions. “He was inspired to write his own comedy mysteries, bringing laughter to many,” his obituary from Thompson Memorial Home said. “He was our favorite comic, magician and jokester. We will forever miss checking the mail to find a card from him with a joke or newspaper clipping.”

Ed Duffy is survived by his wife of 59 years, Margaret (Midge); daughters, Marie Duffy, Margaret Duffy Bodchon and Regina Duffy; his son, Edward Duffy; grandchildren, Kristen Turner, Brian Custer, AJ Custer, Nicole Bodchon, and Derek Bodchon; and three great grandchildren; his brothers, James Duffy and Philip Duffy; and his sister, Virginia Keane.

He was predeceased by his sisters Grace Linderman and Catherine Ferrick, and his son-in-law, David Bodchon.

Visitation is Tuesday from 2 to 4  and 7 to 9 p.m. at Thompson Memorial Home, 310 Broad St., Red Bank. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday at Holy Cross Church, Ward Avenue, Rumson. Interment will follow at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Middletown.

— Edited obituary from Thompson Memorial Home

Local Life

Focus: R-FH Area Faces of 2015

In one way or another, they were part of the lives of the people of the Rumson-Fair Haven area.

Some were leaders. Some were in prominent positions. Some were just plain popular people — mainstays around the towns. Some retired. Some resigned. Some were promoted. Some passed away and left behind their community legacies. Some made small, significant contributions of kind words or bright smiles.

For whatever the reason, we remember them. They passed through our lives last year or a lot longer. They embodied the community. They are the Rumson-Fair Haven area faces of 2015.

— Elaine Van Develde

Local Life

2015: The Year’s Events

There was a lot happening in the way of events in the Rumson-Fair Haven area in 2015.

There was …

Take a look back with us! Don’t forget to click on the lower right icon to enlarge!