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.

HELEN B. MAHAR, 87, of Eatontown died Oct. 1 at home. Born in Long Branch, she lived there until moving to Eatontown in 1951. She was a retired employee of Fort Monmouth, where she worked in the post exchange. She was predeceased by her husband, Donald M. Mahar in 1986, and her son, Dwight E. Mahar in 1997. She is survived by her grandson, Dana Mahar of Albuquerque, N.M. Burial was at Glenwood Cemetery, West Long Branch.

GERTRUDE FRENGER, 97, of Lake Worth, Fla., formerly of Long Branch, died Oct. 10 in Lake Worth. She was predeceased by a daughter and son. She is survived by one sister; a daughter-in-law; four grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and several nieces and nephews. Interment will be Oct. 30 at 11:30 a.m. at Woodbine Cemetery, Oceanport.

THE REV. EUGENE KEANE, 69, of Lawrenceville, formerly of Eatontown, died Oct. 18 at the St. Lawrence Rehabilitation Center, Lawrenceville. He was born in Jersey City. He was the pastor of St. Dorothea’s Roman Catholic Church, Eatontown, resigning due to health problems. Prior to that he was associate pastor at St. Martha’s Roman Catholic Church, Point Pleasant; and director and Catholic chaplain at the Aquinas Institute at Princeton University. He graduated with a master’s of divinity in pastoral ministry from the State University of New York at Geneseo, where he was also employed as an assistant professor in the department of speech pathology and audiology. He was ordained into the priesthood in 1983, at which time he was assigned to St. Rose Roman Catholic Church, Belmar. He served with the U.S. Army in Hanau, Germany, and received an honorable discharge in 1958 with the rank of specialist 4th class. He is survived by his nephew, Walter A. Keane of Boca Raton, Fla.; and 13 first cousins. A Mass of Christian Burial was offered at St. Dorothea’s Roman Catholic Church, Eatontown. Interment was at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Hanover. Memorial donations may be made to St. Dorothea’s Roman Catholic Church, 240 Broad St., Eatontown 07724, or the Myelodysplastic Syndromes Foundation, P.O. Box 353, 36 Front St., Crosswicks 08515.

ANNE JUDITH BUDD, 58, of West Long Branch died Oct. 10 at the Center for Hospice Care, Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch. Born in New York City, she lived there until moving to West Long Branch in 1972. She was a retired teacher and principal of Public School No. 145, New York City. She was a communicant of St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church, Long Branch. She is survived by her cousins, Sr. Margaret Theresa, Roseanne Reilly, Jack Campion, Denise Minton, Patrick and James Oettinger, and Kathleen Rinaldi; and her godchildren, Stacey Anne Minton, Cristina Llull and Theresa M. Reilly. A funeral Mass was held at St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church, Long Branch, followed by interment at Mount Carmel Cemetery, West Long Branch.

MATTHEW L. ZOTTI, 76, of Long Branch died Oct. 10 at John F. Kennedy Medical Center, Atlantic City. Born in Yonkers, N.Y., he resided in Long Branch since 1956. He was a communicant of St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, Long Branch. He served with the U.S. Marines during World War II, and the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam War. He received the bronze star, purple heart, and the presidential citation for being wounded in action in the South Pacific Theatre. He was a member of the Long Branch Lions Club. He is survived by his wife and son, Maria Zotti and Harry Zotti, both of Long Branch; his daughter, Alexis Zotti of Marlboro; two brothers, Joseph Zotti of Yonkers, N.Y., and Dominick Zotti of Spring Valley, N.Y.; and three grandchildren. A funeral Mass was at St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, Long Branch, followed by interment at Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Arnytown.

JOSEPHINE A. HARDING, 75, of Tinton Falls, died Oct. 11 at Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch. Born in Nanticoke, Pa., she had lived in northern New Jersey and moved to Tinton Falls more than 40 years ago. Mrs. Harding was a homemaker. She was predeceased by her daughter-in-law, Patricia Harding, who died in 2000. She is survived by her husband, James W. Sr.; her son, James W. Jr. of Oceanport; her mother, Helen Pyciak of Dunglen, Ohio; two brothers, Walter Pyciak of Vineland and John Pyciak of Cadiz, Ohio; three sisters, Helen Moye of New Brunswick, Wilma Robertazzi of Florida and Dorothy Kane of Edison; two grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St. Dorothea’s Roman Catholic Church, Eatontown, followed by interment at Woodbine Cemetery, Oceanport. Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, 801 Broad St., Shrewsbury 07702.

JOHN F. LEACH, 78, of the Oakhurst section of Ocean Township and Deerfield Beach, Fla., died Oct. 17 at home in Oakhurst. Born in the New Monmouth section of Middletown, he lived in Allenhurst and Ocean Township and retired to Deerfield Beach in 1992. He was a parishioner of St. Ambrose Roman Catholic Church, Deerfield Beach; and St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church, the West End section of Long Branch. He was a member of the Carpenters Union Local No. 2250 for approximately 50 years, retiring in 1988. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II. He was active in the community and was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars; charter member of the Old Village Fire Company, Middletown; and member of the Deal Fire Company No. 2. He also served as a building inspector for Allenhurst. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Gloria Bermann Leach of Oakhurst and Deerfield Beach; three daughters and one son-in-law, Barbara and Richard Burdette, Nancy McDonough, and Gloria Beth Dahrouge; three sons and two daughters-in-law, John F. and Libby Leach Jr., James P. Leach, and Clifford T. and Laura Leach; and 11 grandchildren. A funeral Mass was offered at St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church, West End. Interment was at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Middletown. .

JEAN A. De NAVE, 87, of Middletown died Sept. 26 at Holmdel Convalescent Center. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., she lived in Middletown before moving to Holmdel nine months ago. She was a clerk for U.S. Navy Ship Store Offices, Brooklyn, for 25 years, retiring in 1974. She was also a homemaker. She was predeceased by her husband of 38 years, Domenick De Nave, in 1976; and her brother, Joseph Cincotta, in 1955. She is survived by two daughters, Carole Salvia of Middletown, and Dorothy Desiderio of the Leonardo section of Middletown; her sister, Nancy Caputo; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. A funeral liturgy was held at St. Agnes Roman Catholic Church, Atlantic Highlands. Burial was at Holy Cross Cemetery, Brooklyn.

JULIA KIRBY ST. CLAIR, 97, of Ocean Grove died Sept. 12 at Manor By the Sea, Ocean Grove. Born in Dunellen, she had lived in Ocean Grove for the past 15 years. Mrs. St. Clair was a member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, Ocean Grove. She is survived by a daughter, Jean F. Scull of Tampa, Fla.; three grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandson. Memorial services were held at the Chapel at St. Francis of Asbury Manor, Ocean Grove.

JOHANNA W. "SIS" COYNE, 98, of Freehold died Sept. 20 at Jersey Shore Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Eatontown. She was born in Manalapan and was a lifelong resident of the Freehold area. Mrs. Coyne was the chief operator for the Monmouth County Courthouse, Freehold, before her retirement in 1972. She was hired as the first switchboard operator for the County of Monmouth in 1951. She attended Freehold High School and the St. Francis School of Nursing, Trenton. She was a communicant of St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church, Freehold, and was a member of the church’s Senior Citizens Club. Mrs. Coyne was predeceased by her husband, Henry S., who died in 1969; and a son, Henry J., in 1999. She is survived by a son, Howard E. of Freehold Township; a daughter and son-in-law, Kathleen and Jack Corcoran of Freehold Township; a daughter-in-law, Anne Tabacsko Coyne of Freehold; eight grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. The funeral liturgy was celebrated at St. Rose of Lima Church followed by interment at St. Rose of Lima Cemetery, Freehold Township.

JOSEPH M. "MICKEY" STAVOLA, 58, of Middletown died Oct. 1. Born in Middletown, he was a lifelong resident. He was the president, CEO, and co-owner with his brother of Trap Rock Industries Inc., Kingston section of Franklin Township. He was also co-owner with his brother and sisters of Dixie Lime & Stone, Florida. He operated M.J. Stavola Farms, Middletown, a thoroughbred breeding and cattle producing entity; and co-owned Driftwood Cabana Club, Sea Bright. An avid hunter, he was a member of the National Rifle Association and his other memberships included the N.J. Federation of Sportsmen’s Club, and the United Bowhunters of New Jersey. He was the recipient of several awards, including the Garden State Deer Classic, and co-owned with his brother, a NASCAR Winston Cup race team that won the Daytona 500 in 1988. He is survived by his wife, Carol Hilbert Stavola of Middletown; five sons and three daughters-in-law, Michael J. and Andrea R. Stavola, Robert J. Stavola, William F. and Jennifer L. Stavola, Jesse D. and Jennifer A. Stavola, and Joseph M. Stavola Jr.; his daughter, Sharone M. Stavola; his brother and sister-in-law William H. and Maureen F. Stavola; two sisters, Lorraine M. and George Conway Jr., and Cynthia B. and Victor Cappetta; three grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. A Mass of Christian Burial was offered at St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church, Red Bank, followed by interment at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Middletown.

MAGDALENE "MIDGE" V. MADISON, 90, of Middletown died Oct. 11 at Riverview Medical Center, Red Bank. Born in West New York, she resided in several county towns prior to moving to Middletown. She was a member of the Asbury United Methodist Church, Long Branch. She was also the church’s financial recording secretary and member of its Duo Club and bell choir. She was a retired secretary for the River Plaza School, Middletown, for 10 years. She taught German at the Red Bank Senior Center, and was a member of the Retired Teachers Association, Middletown. She was predeceased by her husband, Roy M. Madison Sr., in 1992, and her brother, Harold Weber. She is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, Roy M. and Joan Madison Jr. of Oceanport, and Peter E. Madison and Lorraine Skidmore of Princeton; three sisters, Violet Schmitt and Kitty Welch, both of Arizona, and Marie Rotkewicz of Middletown; two grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter. A funeral service was at the Asbury United Methodist Church, Long Branch.

PATRICIA ANN KEENAN SCHWARZ, 65, of Long Branch died Oct. 10 at Jersey Shore Medical Center, Neptune. Born in Red Bank, she lived in Sea Bright prior to moving to Long Branch three years ago. She was the retired owner and operator of Nannie’s Deli & Sub Shop, Long Branch, for 10 years, retiring in 1955. She was a member of the Sea Bright Fire Ladies, as well as an avid bingo player and traveler. She was predeceased by her twin brother, Rodney Keenan of Middletown. She is survived by three sons and one daughter-in-law, John and Vicky Schwarz of Long Branch; Fritz Schwarz of Honolulu, Hawaii; and Kirt Schwarz of North Bergen; three daughters and two sons-in-law, DeAnne and Geoffrey Nesbitt of Randolph, Colleen and Thomas Aleo of Reno, Nev., and Cheryl Schwarz of Highlands; her brother and sister-in-law, John and Joan Keenan Jr. of Eatontown; her sister, Marguerite Estelle of Deal; her sister-in-law, Mary Keenan of Middletown; nine grandchildren; and one great-grandson. A funeral liturgy was offered at Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church, Rumson, followed by interment at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Middletown.

HELEN M. KENNY, 81, of Red Bank died Sept. 19 at Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch. Born in New Brunswick, she was a lifelong resident, prior to moving to Red Bank 10 years ago. She was a registered nurse for Roosevelt Hospital, Edison, retiring in 1982. Prior to that, she was a nurse at St. Peter’s Hospital, New Brunswick. She was a communicant of and member of the Stephens Ministry of the Church of the Nativity, Fair Haven. She is survived by three sons, Peter Kenny of Manalapan, William Kenny of Little Silver, and Michael Kenny of Monmouth Beach; two daughters, Katherine Fillmore of Camp Connell, Calif., and Liz Orsini of Little Silver; two sisters, Betty McCoy of Redwood City, Calif., and Jane Knaus of Manahawkin; and nine grandchildren.