Melvin "Cookie" Petersen

Mr. Petersen, 71, of South River, died Jan. 3, 2008, in Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick. He served as a member of the South River Borough Council in 1979 and was a former chief of the Reliable Fire Company, South River. Prior to his retirement in 1995, he was employed as a shipping operator at E.I. DuPont Photo Products, Parlin section of Sayreville, where he worked for 37 years and was a member of the fire brigade and hazmat team. He later worked as a delivery driver for Boyd's Pharmacy and then Eckerd Drugs, South River. Surviving are his wife, Barbara Fritz Petersen; two sons and daughters-in-law, David and Anita of Far Hills and Daniel and Rose of Freehold; two brothers and a sister-inlaw, Kenneth and Barbara Petersen and Ronald Petersen and Robert Petersen, all of South River; an aunt, Dotsy Hartman of South River; his mother-in-law,Marie Fritz of South River; a sister and brother-in-law, Cathe and Richard Villani of Atlantic Highlands; two grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. A Mass was offered at St. Stephen Protomartyr Church, South River. Interment was in Washington Monumental Cemetery, South River. Memorial contributions may be made to New Jersey Firemen's Home, 565 Lathrop Ave., Boonton, NJ 07005.