U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Barbara A. Wowak
Barbara A. Wowak, 59, of Jamesport died Dec. 6, 2003 at Stony Brook University Hospital.
She was born in Greenport on Oct. 30, 1944, to Edward and Sophie (Harasimik) Scholtz. After graduating from Mattituck High School and SUNY/Geneseo, she worked as a librarian for Aquebogue and Riley Avenue schools, retiring two years ago. Ms. Wowak lived in Laurel before moving to Jamesport upon her marriage to John Wowak Jr. in 1967.
"She loved teaching and the library," said her husband. "After she retired, she was devoted to her granddaughter, Skylar Marie."
In addition to her husband, Ms. Wowak is survived by a son, Todd, of Baiting Hollow; her mother, of Laurel; two sisters, Ruth Doroski of Jamesport and Linda Bird of Laurel; and a granddaughter.
Visitation was Dec. 9 at F.J. McLaughlin Funeral Home in Riverhead. A funeral mass was celebrated on Dec. 10 at St. Isidore's Church in Riverhead. Interment followed at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Cutchogue.
John M. Maret
Retired Riverhead Junior High School teacher John M. Maret died at his home in East Moriches on Dec. 14, 2003 after brain hemorrhages and related complications. He was 73.
He was born and raised in western Nebraska, the fourth of five children of Dan and Ruie Maret. While studying at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, he met his wife to be, Arlene. Their 50-year marriage began on Aug. 8, 1953. They lived in Indiana while Mr. Maret earned a B.A. in education at Taylor University in 1957. He began his teaching career in Baldwinville, Mass. In 1959 the family moved to Long Island and he began teaching in the Riverhead district.
"John loved being with his family, boating, fishing, taking long walks, having good conversations, teaching and learning," said a family tribute. He retired in 1992.
Mr. Maret is survived by his wife; three sons, Daniel, Gregory and Douglas; a daughter, Nancy; three sisters, Wanda, Hilda and Claudia; and five grandchildren.
Visitation will be today, Dec. 18, 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at Sinnickson's Moriches Funeral Home. Religious services will be held on Friday, Dec. 19, at 11 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church of East Moriches. Interment will follow at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery.
Walter Pelc
Walter Pelc of Riverhead died Dec. 10, 2003 at Stony Brook University Hospital at age 94.
The son of Michael and Maria (Englot) Pelc, he was born in Poland on Sept. 16, 1909, and moved to Riverhead in 1949. He worked as a laborer on area farms. Mr. Pelc was a member of St. Isidore's Church in Riverhead.
Mr. Pelc is survived by his wife, Katherine; two daughters, Mary Sledzieski of Stamford, Conn., and Sophie Pelc of Walton, N.Y.; two sons, Michael and Stanley, both of Riverhead; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Visitation was Dec. 11 and 12 at F.J. McLaughlin Funeral Home in Riverhead. A funeral mass was celebrated on Dec. 12 at St. Isidore's Church. Interment followed at the church cemetery.
Julia A. Nelson
Julia A. Nelson of Calverton died Dec. 13, 2003 at Central Suffolk Hospital in Riverhead at age 98.
She was born in New York City on March 16, 1905, to Domenico and Felicia (Giansante) Amato. She earned a college bachelor's degree and taught at a school for troubled boys in Kingston, N.Y. There she met her future husband, Wesley Nelson, who would go on to become a Congregational minister and later serve as an interim minister at Riverhead's First Congregational Church.
Predeceased by her husband, Ms. Nelson is survived by two nephews, Robert Amato of South Jamesport and Richard Amato of Florida, and a niece, Claire Ventruella of North Babylon.
A service was held on Dec. 16 at Reginald H. Tuthill Funeral Home in Riverhead. Interment followed at Pinelawn Memorial Park.
Gertrude Reed
Gertrude Reed of Riverhead died Dec. 14, 2003 at Central Suffolk Hospital in Riverhead. She was 76.
The daughter of Max and Charlotte (Lehrke) von Schuetz, she was born in Koln, Germany, on Nov. 15, 1927. She earned a college associate's degree in Europe and came to the United States in 1949, settling first in Nebraska. She and her husband, Dale, lived in Iowa, Arizona and Mississippi before building a house in Riverhead in 1962. She lived in that house ever since. Ms. Reed was active in the community as a representative of Meals on Wheels. "She had an extreme passion for that, as well as for animals," said her son Dan Piniarski of Virginia.
Ms. Reed was predeceased by her husband, Dale. In addition to Mr. Piniarski, she is survived by another son, Rob Reed of Riverhead; six grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
A service was held on Dec. 17 at Reginald H. Tuthill Funeral Home in Riverhead, the Rev. Elsa Calandar officiating. Interment followed at Calverton National Cemetery.
Oscar P. Monroe Jr.
Former Riverhead resident Oscar P. Monroe Jr. died at his Dillwyn, Va., residence on July 4, 2004. He was 48.
Mr. Monroe was born Oct. 12, 1955, to Oscar and Johnnie Mae Monroe Sr. in Hazelhurst, Ga. The family moved to Riverhead while Mr. Monroe was a child and he graduated from Riverhead High School. He went on to serve for several years in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Surviving are his wife, Amanda, of Dillwyn; his mother, of Riverhead; three daughters, Tisha Mae and Tonya, both of North Carolina, and Octavia, of Dillwyn; a son, Zarkel, of Dillwyn; three stepchildren, Kendra, Terrance and Lavonia, all of Riverhead; four brothers, Larry and Johnny, both of Mastic, Paul, of New Jersey, and Roosevelt, of upstate New York; three sisters, Linda, of North Carolina, Sallie, of Riverhead, and Vanessa, of Coram; seven grandchildren; and six step-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held July 9 at Seay Memorial Chapel in Riverhead. Interment followed at Calverton National Cemetery.
Richard J. White
Lifelong Riverhead resident Richard J. White died July 17, 2004 at the skilled nursing facility at Central Suffolk Hospital. He was 79.
Mr. White was born on Jan. 15, 1925, to Anthony and Josephine (Yunka) White, Polish immigrants who moved to Riverhead in the early 1920s. He graduated from Riverhead High School and served in the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1946.
Mr. White worked for many years as a custodian at Pilgrim State Hospital in Islip, and at O'Keefe Chevrolet in Riverhead. He was a member of the Polish Town Civic Association.
He is survived by several nieces and nephews: Karen Fleischman, Pam Zaweski, Dan White Jr. and Tony White Sr., all of Riverhead, and Bruce White Sr. of Fort Myers Beach, Fla.
Private funeral services and burial took place July 20 at St. John's Cemetery in Riverhead. Arrangements were handled by F.J. McLaughlin Funeral Home of Riverhead.
