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MARY KUCHINSKI, AGE 82, OLD BRIDGE
Published 1/12/98
Mary Siroki Kuchinski died yesterday at Old Bridge Manor Nursing Home. She was 82.
She was born in Drifton, Pa., and lived in Perth Amboy for 40 years before moving to Old Bridge in 1980.
She was a communicant of St. Lawrence R.C. Church in the Laurence Harbor section of Old Bridge and a member of its Holy Rosary Society.
A sister, Anna Mackanich, and three brothers, John, Paul and Nicholas Siroki, are deceased.
Surviving are her husband of 63 years, Frank E.; four daughters, Elizabeth Catano of Woodbridge, Mary Ann Abraham of the Parlin section of Sayreville, Kathleen Rey of Millstone and Eileen Jones of Chester; two sons, Francis of Old Bridge and Thomas of Keyport; four brothers, Joseph and Michael Siroki, both of Freeland, Pa., and Edward and Emil Siroki, both of Drifton; 11 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
Services will be 8:15 a.m. Wednesday at the Kurzawa Funeral Home, 338 Main St., South Amboy, followed by 9 a.m. Mass at St. Lawrence Church. Burial will be at Holy Cross Burial Park, East Brunswick.
E. ROBERTA "BOBBY" WOYSHNER
Ocean Grove - E. Roberta "Bobby" Woyshner, 72, of Ocean Grove, died September 13, 1999, after a brief illness. She had worked as an operator for the Telephone Company until retiring in 1954. Mrs. Woyshner was a member of the Ocean Grove Woman's Club, a Cub Scout leader and a choir mother for St. Paul's United Methodist Church, Ocean Grove. Surviving are her husband of 49 years, Robert Woyshner; a son, Robert Charles Woyshner of Sebastian, Fla.; a daughter, Gail Bagdanov of Ocean Grove, and a grandson, Paul Bagdanov of Ocean Grove.
GERTRUDE STRINGFELLOW STOLL
Ocean Grove - Gertrude Stringfellow Stoll, 84, died Saturday September 4, 1999 at Manor-by-the-Sea, Ocean Grove. She was a member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church, Ocean Grove, the United Methodiest Women, the Ocean Grove Women's Club, and the Ocean Grove Auditorium Usher's Auxilliary. She was a graduate of The Harrisburg (Pa.) business school, and she did nursing training at the Methodist Hospital, Philadelphia. Born in Philadelphia, she lived in Harrisburg before moving to Ocean Grove 64 years ago.
Her husband, Rev. Otto G. Stoll Jr.; and a son, Otto G. "Buddy" Stoll III, both died in 1998. Surviving are a daughter, Polly Stoll Hundertmark, Baltimore; a sister, Lillian E.S.B. Rankin, Rydal, Pa.; and six grandchildren, Heather Lea de Pinho and her husband, Michael, Baltimore, Tracy Christine Gilbert, San Francisco, and Gregg Crisp, Andrew Crisp, Robert Stoll, and David Stoll, all of Thousand Oaks, California.
Friends may call from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, September 7, 1999 at the Ocean Grove Memorial Home, 118 Main Avenue, Ocean Grove. A funeral ceremony sill be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, new York and Embury Avenues, Ocean Grove, with burial following at the Monmouth Memorial Park, Tinton Falls. In lieu of flowers, a contribution to the Now and Forever Fund, 54 Pitman Avenue, Ocean Grove NJ 07756, would be appreciated.
RAYMOND L. POLAND
Wayside - Ray Poland, 60, of Ocean Township died Sunday, August 28, 1999 at Jersey Shore Medical Center, Neptune. He was owner and operator of Ray Poland & Sons Auto Service Center, Ocean Grove, for 23 years. He was a mechanic for Franlin Sunoco for almost 20 years before opening his own business. He was born in Neptune and lived there for almost 40 years before moving to Wayside 20 years ago. Surviving are his wife of 41 years, Shirley Stern Poland; three sons, Steven of Brick, Richard of Monroe, and Douglas of Ocean Grove; two daughters, Michelle Bahr of Neptune, and Cynthia Poland of Ocean Township; his parents, David Poland of Orlando, Florida, and Geneva Poland of Spring Hills, Florida; two brohters, David of Orlando, Florida, and Robert of Neptune; four sisters, Deanna Gant of Wall, Ina Hecter of Iron Mountain, Michigan, Virdae Rich of Cooksville, Tennessee, and Virginia Fine of Belmar; and eight grandchildren. Visitation will be from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, September 1, 1999 at Johnson Funeral Home, Rt 138, Wall. A funeral service will be held Thursday, September 2, 1999 at 10 a.m. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations in Raymond's name may be made to the Asssemblies of God Full Gospel Church, Wall.
Jester Hairston
Jester Hairston died January 18 in Los Angeles at 98. As an actor, he was in both the radio and television versions of "Amos 'n' Andy", where he was a foil for title characters. He was held up both as an example of a black actor making good, and as an example of a black man helping to perpetuate demeaning stereotypes. "We had a hard time then fighting for dignity. We had no power. We had to take it, and because we took it the young people today have opportunities," Hairston said. And he took the jobs, working in movies from "Tarzan's Hidden Jungle" to "Being John Malkovich" and on TV, most prominently in recent times as Deacon Rolly Forbes on "Amen". He was also well known as a singer and composer, and was the musical arranger for composer Dmitri Tiomkin starting with "Lost Horizon" (1937). He continued to work with Tiomkin for over 20 years.
Hairston also conducted and performed at the Ocean Grove Choir Festival in recent years. His arrangement of "Amen", written in the 1920's, was recorded by Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions and popularized during the 1970's civil rights movement.
Dennis "Eagle" Wood
Dennis "Eagle" Wood died January 18, 2000. He was 77 years old. Born in England, he emigrated in 1947 with his family. Working with his father as "C.H.Wood & Son" he was a building contractor in the Ocean Grove and Neptune area for many years. Later, he taught with the Monmouth County Vocational School in Middletown.
He was, perhaps, best known for his leadership roles with the Boy Scouts of America, actively serving for decades as the Scoutmaster of Troop 41 in Ocean Grove. He was a Vigil member of the Na-Tsi-Hi Lodge, Order of the Arrow, Director of Dan Beard and Central Camps at Forestburg Scout Reservation of the Monmouth Council in Forestbury, New York, Program Director at Quail Hill Scout Reservation in Manalapan, New Jersey, participant and advisor to the Order of the Arrow Dance Team, and Camp Director at Arrowhead Camp, of the Red Bank YMCA in Marlboro.
He was a member of Washington Engine Co. No. 1 of the Ocena Grove Fire Department, and served as Captain of the Ocean Grove F.D. First Aid Squad. Dennis was the first person to be honored as Ocean Grove's Citizen of the Year, and received the honor a total of three times.
An active member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church, Dennis served as Sunday School Superintendent, Methodist Youth Fellowship (MYF) Counselor, and led the "Clowns for Christ" group.
Dennis Wood was predeceased by his first wife, Norma "Peaches" Wood, in 1988. Surviving are his second wife, Edith Drake Wood, and four children: Penelope Smith, Dennis Wood Jr., Jonathan Wood, and Christopher Wood, as well as six grandchildren: Jocelyn, Carolyn, Wyatt, Adrienne, Ian, and Emily.
A Memorial Service was held Saturday, February 5, 2000 at 11 a.m. at St. Paul's United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, his family requests donations be made in his memory to the Memorial Tribute Fund, Monmouth Council Boy Scouts of America, P.O. Box 188, Oakhurst NJ 07755.
Ernest R. McElrath
ERNEST ROLAND MC ELRATH died January 19, 2000. He was a caretaker at Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association. An Army veteran of the Korean War, serving from 1953 to 1975, and a specialist third class, Ernie was a Neptune athlete, and excelled in football and baseball. He was invited to the Dodgers Vero Beach training camp and was a pitcher. His baseball career was interrupted by the military service. Born in Neptune, he was a lifelong resident of the Shore area. His wife, Jacqueline McElrath, died in 1970. Surviving are two sons, Ernest Jr. of Toms River, and Anthony of Florida; a daughter, Antonette of Maryland; a brother, George McElrath; and a sister, Alice R. Alston, both of Neptune; 10 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends. Funeral services were held January 24, 2000 at the Jackson Funeral Home in Neptune.
WILLIAM P. GANNON JR.
died May 31, 2000 at Jersey Shore Medical Center, Neptune. He was 72 years old. He was a probation officer in Monmouth County from 1957 to 1963 and then in Kings County, N.Y., from 1963 to 1966, where he was instrumental in starting up SPARTA, Special Programs Aimed at Rehabilitating Teenagers, at Daytop. He was the former director of public works of Neptune Township, and the former director of Middletown Youth Services, where he obtained a grant to open the Middletown Boys Club. He also taught police training courses at Rutgers University. He served in the Marine Corps during World War II. He was a communicant of Ascension Roman Catholic Church, Bradley Beach, where he was a member of the choir. He honored by the Middletown Kiwanis Club as Man of the Year in 1969. He graduated from St. Peter's Prep in 1945 and St. Peter's College in 1951.
Born in Jersey City, he lived in Middletown and Atlantic Highlands before moving to Ocean Grove in 1972. He was predeceased by his parents, William and Lauretta Gannon, and a brother, Joseph. Surviving are his wife of 47 years, Elaine Brain Gannon; five sons and three daughters-in-law, Thomas and Betty of Toms River, Mark and Debbie of Belmar, Matthew and Beth of Ocean Grove, and Paul and William of Ocean Grove; two daughters and sons-in-law, Kathleen and Charles Solazzo of Neptune City, and Patrice and John Schneider of Middletown; a sister, Laurette Boseski; two brothers, Gregory of Allenhurst and Robert of Ocean Grove; his mother-in-law, Elizabeth Brain; and 14 grandchildren. Memorial donations can be made to Right To Life, 49 Alden Ave., Cranford, NJ 07016.
Kenneth H. Abrams Jr.
59, of Ocean Grove, February 3, 2001 at Jersey Shore Medical Center.
The memorial service will be held at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, Embury and New York Avenues, at 7:30 p.m. on Monday February 5.
Ken was an Air Force pilot for 20 years, retiring as a Lt. Colonel in 1986. He was an EMT with the Ocean Grove First Aid, he served as Fire Chief of the Ocean Grove Fire Department in 1998, was a member of the E.H. Stokes Company, and a member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church, Ocean Grove.
He received his bachelor's degree from Davis and Elkins College in West Virginia and he received his MBA from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. He was assistant chief of the Fort Monmouth First Aid Squad. He received the Bronze Star for meritorious service during the Vietnam War. Born in Kearney, he had lived in Mesa, Ariz., San Antonio, Texas, Wichita Falls, Texas and Selma, Ala., before coming here 20 years ago.
Surviving are his wife, Joyce M. Lowry Abrams; two daughters and sons-in-law, Tammy Joan Hamilton and Troy of Chatham and Tracy Lee Winckler and Max Jr. of Jackson; a brother, Ronald Abrams of South Carolina; his father, Kenneth H. Abrams Sr. of Ocean Grove; his mother-in-law, Irene M. Lowry of Ocean Grove; and four grandchildren, Brianna and Max Winkler and Joshua and Casey Hamilton. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association, Now and Forever Fund, 54 Pitman Ave., Ocean Grove, NJ 07756 would be appreciated. Messages e-mailed to OGMHOGNJ@aol.com will be delivered to the family.
