Obituaries

Patrick K. Kiernan

Mr. Kiernan, 54, of Jersey City, formerly of the Morgan section of Sayreville, died Jan. 23 in Jersey City Medical Center. Prior to his retirement, he was employed as an insurance agent with Prudential Inc. Surviving are a son, Patrick Jude of the Parlin section of Sayreville; his ex-wife, Barbara; his mother, Florence; two sisters, Deborah Carr and Maureen Cooper; two brothers, Tim and Terrence; and an aunt and uncle, Dolores and Grover R. Sushko. A Mass was offered at St. Paul the Apostle Church, Jersey City. Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of one’s choice.

Genevieve Mielnik Wajda

Mrs. Wajda, 80, of the Parlin section of Sayreville, died Jan. 10 in Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune. She was predeceased by her husband, Peter P. Wajda, and by a daughter, Janet Francisco. Surviving are four daughters, Carolyn Bosies of Connecticut, Cynthia O’Connor of Sayreville, Maryann Raymond of South River and Valerie Wajda; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. A Mass was offered at Sacred Heart Church, South Amboy. Interment was in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Sayreville. Memorial contributions may be made to Sacred Heart School Scholarship Fund, 229 Cedar St., South Amboy, NJ 08879.

Stephen Olivacz

Mr. Olivacz, 80, of Sayreville, died Jan. 22 in Raritan Bay Medical Center, Old Bridge division. Surviving are his wife, Margaret Chuma Olivacz; three daughters, Barbara and Diane of Sayreville and Joyce of Pen Argyl, Pa.; two brothers, Robert of Hazlet and John of Westminster, Colo.; a sister, Ann White of Woodbridge; two grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. A funeral liturgy was offered at St. Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church, Perth Amboy. Interment was in the church cemetery.

Joseph M. Natale

Mr. Natale, 45, of Aberdeen died Jan. 22 at home. Born in Newark, he resided in Laurence Harbor before moving to Aberdeen 10 years ago. Mr. Natale was a conductor at NJ Transit, Long Branch, for 17 years. He was a former member of the Garfield Cadets Drum & Bugle Corps. He was predeceased by a brother, Richard, in 1991. Mr. Natale is survived by his parents, Joseph and Mary Lennon Natale of Parlin; a brother and sister-in-law, David and Donna Natale of Hazlet; a sister, Deborah Hoffman of Holmdel; and three nephews. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, South Amboy. Entombment was at St. Joseph’s Mausoleum, Keyport.

Ann Gorman

Mrs. Gorman, 81, of Old Bridge, died Jan. 21 in Raritan Bay Medical Center, Old Bridge division. Her husband, Michael, died in 1993. Surviving are two daughters Laura Eberle of Old Bridge and Ann Riccardi of the Belford section of Middletown; two brothers Daniel and Rocco Solomita, both of Florida; a sister, Millie Delio of Jamaica, N.Y.; and two grandsons. Services were held at Michael Hegarty Funeral Home, Old Bridge. Interment was in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Keyport.

Cornelius “Neil” F. Byrnes

Mr. Byrnes, 88, of Old Bridge, died Jan. 17 at home. His first wife, Dorothy Rose Byrnes, died in 1967; his second wife, Ann Byrnes, died in 1986; a son, John Byrnes, died in 1973; and another son, Joseph Byrnes, died in 2002. Surviving are his wife, Grace Plum Byrnes; a son, Neil Byrnes of Maryland; a brother, Frank Byrnes of Brooklyn, N.Y.; eight grandchildren; and one great-grandson. A Mass was offered at St. Lawrence Church, Laurence Harbor section of Old Bridge. Interment was in Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Arnytown section of North Hanover.

Virginia Lee Ogden Weaver

Mrs. Weaver, 62, of Salem, Ore., formerly of South River, died Jan. 17 in Tierra Rose Care Center, Salem. Surviving are her husband, Charles Warren Weaver; a daughter, Kelly Weaver Daffee of Seattle; her mother, Vivian Kirk Ogden of East Brunswick; a sister, Patricia Ogden Cosgrove, also of East Brunswick; and a brother, the Rev. William Kirk Ogden of Florida. A memorial service was held at Foresquare Church, Salem. Local arrangements were under the direction of Brunswick Memorial Home, East Brunswick. Memorial contributions may be made to Samaritan’s Purse, Tsunami Children, P.O. Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607.

Marion R. Skwira

Mrs. Skwira, 88, of the Melrose section of Sayreville, died Jan. 19 in Woodland Care Center, Plainfield. Prior to her retirement in 1978, she was employed as a film inspector with E.I. DuPont Photo Products, Parlin section of Sayreville, where she worked for 30 years. Her husband, Edward J. Skwira, died in 1980. Surviving are a daughter, Margaret Wagner of Parlin; a son, Edward J. Skwira Jr. of Rutland, Vt.; a sister, Margaret Gandy of Perth Amboy; a brother, Tony Gandy, also of Perth Amboy; and a grandson. Services were held at Maliszewski Memorial Home, Sayreville. Interment was in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Parlin.

Eugene J. Pacetta

Mr. Pacetta, 79, of Monroe, died Jan. 20 in Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick. Surviving are his wife, Ann DeNapoli Pacetta; two sons, Joseph of Flushing, N.Y., and Frank of Columbus, Ohio; a daughter, Carmelene Lanzano of East Brunswick; a sister, Marie DeMata of East Islip, N.Y.; and five grandchildren. A Mass was offered at St. Bartholomew’s Church, East Brunswick. Interment was in Holy Cross Burial Park, South Brunswick. Memorial contributions may be made to Padavan Residence, 40-15 159th St., Flushing, NY 11358, for the benefit of Mr. Pacetta’s son, Joseph.

Louis P. Bay

Mr. Bay, 87, of East Brunswick, died Jan. 26 at home. Prior to his retirement in 1993, he was employed as a machinist with Johnson and Johnson, North Brunswick, where he worked for many years. Surviving are his wife, Marie Gunia Bay; a son, Kevin Bay of Red Bank; a daughter, Kathy Pascal of Herndon, Va.; a sister, Irene Szarvas of California; and four grandchildren. A Mass was offered at St. Mary of Mount Virgin Church, New Brunswick. Entombment was in St. Peter’s Cemetery, New Brunswick.

George A. Mendez Sr.

Mr. Mendez, 85, of Mays Landing, formerly of East Brunswick, died Jan. 19. A former chairman of the East Brunswick Recreation Board, he was instrumental in establishing the first East Brunswick Senior Center and in developing the municipal pool. He served as chairman of the East Brunswick and Middlesex County Democratic party organizations. Surviving are his wife, Marie Doyle Mendez; three children, George Jr. of Mays Landing, Ralph of Simpsonville, S.C., and Virginia Brewster of Metuchen; two sisters, Margie Smizaski of Park Ridge and Ruth Cashin of California; two granddaughters; and more than 15 nieces and nephews. A Mass was offered at St. Bartholomew’s Church, East Brunswick. Entombment was in Holy Cross Burial Park, South Brunswick.

George F. Ferris

Mr. Ferris, 91, of North Brunswick, died Jan. 26 at Margaret McLaughlin McCarrick Care Center, Somerset section of Franklin. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., he resided in New Brunswick prior to moving to North Brunswick in 1955. He was a court officer in the Middlesex County Court, Special Civil Division, New Brunswick, retiring in 1998. Prior to that, he worked at the North Brunswick Board of Education for several years, and was a former member of the North Brunswick Police Reserve. He served with the U.S. Army during World War II. He was a communicant of St. Mary of Mount Virgin Roman Catholic Church, New Brunswick. His memberships included the American Legion, Joyce Kilmer Post No. 25, Milltown, and Benevolent Protective Order of Elks No. 324, New Brunswick. He is survived by his wife Odette Chkaiban Ferris; a daughter, Julia Brustowicz of East Brunswick; a son, Edward Ferris of North Brunswick; a sister, Betty Horvath of North Brunswick; and five grandchildren. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St. Mary’s Church. Burial followed at Holy Cross Burial Park, South Brunswick. Arrangements were by Selover Funeral Home, North Brunswick. Memorial donations may be made to the North Brunswick First Aid and Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 7043, North Brunswick 08902.

Thomas J. Johnston

Mr. Johnston, 64, of Old Bridge, died Jan. 24 at home. Surviving are his wife, Barbara Johnston; two sons, Thomas Johnston of Bridgewater and Gregory Johnston of South Brunswick; a daughter, Ellen Amen of East Brunswick; and two grandchildren, Erica Amen and Zachary Johnston. Services were held at Rezem Funeral Home, East Brunswick. Interment was in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Hawthorne, N.Y.

Rose Synoski Carley

Mrs. Carley, 90, of Old Bridge, died Jan. 14 at home. She was predeceased by her husband, Harold F. Carley. Surviving are a daughter and son-in-law, Rosanne and Robert Crowe of Old Bridge; and two grandchildren, Melissa and Bobby. A Mass was offered at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Old Bridge. Interment was in Franklin Memorial Park, North Brunswick.

Margaret M. Walsh

Mrs. Walsh, 95, of Monroe, formerly of Old Bridge and Hamilton, died Jan. 17 in Cranbury Center, Monroe. Surviving are several nieces and nephews. A memorial service was held at St. Ambrose Church, Old Bridge. Cremation was private. Arrangements were under the direction of Michael Hegarty Funeral Home, Old Bridge.

David H. Bonett

Mr. Bonett, 71, of Hudson, Fla., formerly of Old Bridge, died Jan. 24 in Regional Medical Center, Bayonet Point, Fla. Prior to his retirement in 1986, he owned and operated Capital Termite Control, Old Bridge, for 30 years. Surviving are his wife, Marguerite Jones Bonett; two sons, David of Brick and Craig of Old Bridge; two daughters, Kelly Thorton of Egg Harbor and Kim Lindley of East Brunswick; four brothers, Joe, Ronald, Jerry and Bobby, all of Florida; a sister, Constance Cappiello of Florida; his in-laws, Joyce and Francis Bourgeau; and nine grandchildren. A Mass was offered at St. Ambrose Church, Old Bridge. Cremation was private.