Obituaries

Greater Media Newspapers prints obituaries as a free community service, at no charge to the families of the deceased or to the funeral homes that provide the information.

JOSEPH ARCISZEWSKI JR., 79, of South River died Sept. 18 in Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick. He owned Archers Embroidery, South River, and Sunoco service stations in Edison and Rahway. A grandson, Benjamin, died in 1999. Surviving are his wife, Helen Zdanowicz Arciszewski; four daughters, Elizabeth, Shirley, Marilyn and Christine; two sisters, Pat Landers and Connie Apel; and three grandchildren. A Mass was offered at St. Mary’s Church, South River. Interment was in St. Mary’s Cemetery, East Brunswick. Memorial contributions may be made to Deborah Hospital Foundation, P.O. Box 820, Browns Mills 08015.

ANDREW J. NOVAK, 76, of Sayreville died Sept. 18 in Raritan Bay Medical Center, Perth Amboy division. Surviving are his wife, June Ware Novak; two sons, Michael of Sayreville and Paul of Upper Freehold; a daughter, JoAnne McMahon of Carrollton, Va.; two brothers, John and Stephen of Florida; three sisters, Mary Maurer of South River, Irene Zuczek and Betty Milyo of Florida; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. A Mass was offered at Our Lady of Victories Church, Sayreville. Entombment was in Forest Green Park Mausoleum, Morganville section of Marlboro. Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of one’s choice.

THERESA BARTKOWECH KONOPACKI, 81, of South River died Sept. 18 in Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick. She and her late husband, Dominic, were the owners and operators of Dan’s Superette, South River, for more than 30 years. Surviving are a son, Dominic J. Konopacki of South River; three daughters, Elizabeth Konopacki of East Windsor, Valerie Matuchek of South River and Theresa Hardy of Exeter, Pa.; two brothers, Joseph Bartkowech of East Brunswick and Adam Bartkowech of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; and five grandchildren. A Mass was offered at St. Mary’s Church, South River. Interment was in St. Mary’s Cemetery, East Brunswick.

VINCENT M. LABIANCA, 33, of Old Bridge died Sept. 16 in New York City. He was a fraud investigator for Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield, New York City. Surviving are his wife, Doreen; his parents, Marie and Frank Labianca of Freehold; two brothers, Emanuel of Freehold and Joseph of Staten Island, N.Y.; a sister, Catherine Bombambardi of Howell; his mother-in-law and father-in-law, Dorothy and Thomas Syms Sr. of the Franklin Park section of Franklin; and a brother-in-law, Thomas Syms Jr. of North Brunswick. A Mass was offered at St. Ambrose Church, Old Bridge. Interment was in Holy Cross Burial Park, South Brunswick.

PATRICK DeSTEFANO, 95, of Spotswood died Sept. 18 in St. Peter’s University Hospital, New Brunswick. He founded A and P DeStefano Real Estate and Insurance Co., Spotswood. The first director of the Spotswood Office on Aging, he also served as a member of the Spotswood Borough Council. Surviving are his wife, Mary Critelli DeStefano; three sons, Anthony of Barnegat and Daniel and Patrick Jr., both of Spotswood; five daughters, Ann Byrne of Pennsylvania, Roberta Dittmyre and Dolores Pope, both of Spotswood, Mary Ann Strehl of Lebanon, Pa., and Patricia Sanchez of Freehold; two sisters, Theresa Staleen of Racine, Wis., and Irene Venutolo of Spotswood; 26 grandchildren; and 29 great-grandchildren. A Mass was offered at Immaculate Conception Church, Spotswood. Interment was in St. Mary’s Cemetery, East Brunswick. Memorial contributions may be made to Immaculate Conception Church, Spotswood; the Spotswood First Aid Squad; or St. Peter’s University Hospital, New Brunswick.

LOUIS ROMAN, 71, of East Brunswick died Sept. 22 in Bayshore Community Hospital, Holmdel. Prior to his retirement in 1988, he was employed as manager at ShopRite Liquors, East Brunswick. Prior to that, he worked as manager at Founders Inn, Jamesburg. A son, Thomas Roman, died in 1988. Surviving are his wife, Eleanor Bonus Roman; two sons, Michael Roman of Howell and Stephen Roman of Spotswood; and three grandchildren. A Mass was offered at St. Bartholomew’s Church, East Brunswick. Entombment was in Holy Cross Burial Park, South Brunswick. Memorial contributions may be made to the East Brunswick Rescue Squad.

BRUCE A. RISLEY SR., 63, of the Morgan section of Sayreville died Sept. 18 in St. Peter’s University Hospital, New Brunswick. He was the owner and operator of Barco Transport, Morgan, for 30 years. His wife, Renee Chunko Risley, died in 1997. Surviving are two sons, Bruce A. Risley Jr. of Trenton and Mark Alan Risley of South River; a daughter, Tricia Pongracz of Jackson; two sisters, Sandra Risley of the Whiting section of Manchester; and four grandchildren. Services were held at Gundrum Service Home for Funerals, South Amboy. Interment was in Adams Cemetery, Port Republic.

NETTIE COHEN ADELMAN, 96, of East Brunswick died Sept. 18 in St. Peter’s University Hospital, New Brunswick. Her husband, David, died in 1991. Surviving are a daughter, Mona Weiss of East Brunswick; a brother, Jack Cohen of Brooklyn, N.Y.; and four grandchildren. Graveside services were held at Oheb Shalom Cemetery, Hillside. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 400 Morris Ave., Suite 251, Denville, NJ 07834, or to the American Cancer Society, 846 Main St., Fords, NJ 08863.

MARY ARVAY, 81, of East Brunswick died Sept. 22 at home. She was predeceased by her husband, John. Surviving are a son, John Kishel of East Brunswick; a brother, Stefan, and a sister, Katarina, both of Czechoslovakia; two grandsons, Scott and John Kishel; and a niece, Boshena Soltes of California. A Mass is planned for 11 a.m. on Sept. 26 at St. Bartholomew’s Church, East Brunswick. Interment will follow in Holy Cross Burial Park, South Brunswick.

ANTHONY J. BRUNO JR., 70, of Milltown died Sept. 19 at home. He was a member of the Milltown Youth Guidance Council and the Milltown Board of Adjustment. Surviving are his wife, Marie E. Abate Bruno; a son, Michael Bruno; two daughters, Diane DeVoe and Stephanie Lebiak; his mother, Angelina Buongiovanni Bruno; his mother-in-law, Anna Previte Abate; two brothers, Carmen and Peter Bruno; three sisters, Mary Lombardo, Martha Cresti and Carol Ann Lombardo; four grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. A liturgy was offered at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Milltown. Entombment was in Franklin Memorial Park, North Brunswick. Memorial contributions may be made to the Milltown Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 308, Milltown, NJ 08850, or to Our Lady of Lourdes Church, North Main Street, Milltown, NJ 08050.

ANNE D. ERNEST, 64, of East Brunswick died Sept. 20 in St. Peter’s University Hospital, New Brunswick. Surviving are a dear friend, Elizabeth S. Pittenger, with whom she lived; two nieces, Patricia Greer of the Highland Lakes section of Vernon Township and Ann Marie McAndrews of North Arlington; and two nephews, John Egan of Skitook, Okla., and James Egan of the Fords section of Woodbridge. Services were held at Brunswick Memorial Home, East Brunswick. Interment was in Chestnut Hill Cemetery, East Brunswick.