Obituaries

Emil J. Freda, 92, of Livingston, passed away on Saturday, April 28, 2018 in Livingston, NJ. Born in Newark, Emil resided in Livingston for the past 51 years. He was a proud veteran of the U.S. Navy, having served during World War II. Emil was a member of the Livingston Old Guard, the Livingston VFW Post 2856, and the Livingston American Legion Post 201. He worked as a teacher for the Morristown School District for 35 years, before his retirement in 1986. Emil was an avid bowler, and would often be found outside of ShopRite, selling VFW poppies to help support veterans. Emil was predeceased by his beloved wife of 53 years, Helen, in 2005. He was also predeceased by his brothers, Joseph and James Freda. He is survived by his loving children, David Freda and his fiancé, Kathy, and Linda Hughes and her husband, Griff, as well as his cherished granddaughters, Allison and Kimberly Hughes.

Anthony “Dick” Battista, 78, of Livingston passed away on Monday, April 30, 2018. Relatives and friends may visit with the family at Paul Ippolito- Dancy Memorial, 9 Smull Avenue, Caldwell, New Jersey on Thursday, May 3, 2018, from 3 to 8 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at St. Philomena’s Church, Livingston, New Jersey on Friday, May 4, 2018, at 10 a.m., followed by the burial at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Hanover, New Jersey. For directions or to send the family condolences, please visit www.ippolitofuneralhomes.com. Born in Orange, New Jersey, Mr. Battista was a resident of Livingston for most of his life. He also enjoyed spending time in his Fort Lauderdale, Florida, home during the winter, and his Goshen, New York, home during the summer. He was employed by the Regional Automotive Warehouse in Newark for 40 years before retiring as president several years ago. Mr.

Former Livingston resident and police officer David Wilson Ackerman died in his Florham Park home on April 18. He was 78 years old. A memorial gathering was held Friday, April 20, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Hancliffe Home for Funerals in East Hanover. In addition, a memorial service was held Saturday, April 21, at 2 p.m. at Calvary Presbyterian Church in Florham Park. Born in Glen Ridge, Mr. Ackerman resided in Livingston before moving to Florham Park 45 years ago. He began his law enforcement career as a police officer with the Township of Livingston; then worked as the manager of corporate security at Macy’s Northeast for 37 years. He then served with the Morris County Sheriff’s Office as a senior systems analyst before retiring in 2016. Mr. Ackerman was a volunteer fireman in Livingston before moving to Florham Park, where he became active with that community’s First Aid Squad, FP Community TV, and the Fourth of July Parade Committee. Surviving Mr.

Marilyn L. Zirl of Livingston died Sunday, April 22, after battling cancer. She is survived by her daughter, Barbara; her son David and his wife, Lisa; and three grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband, Freddy. Mrs. Zirl was born in Newark on March 16, 1933, grew up in West Orange, and lived in Livingston for 55 years. She attended Cornell University and earned a bachelor of arts degree from Barnard College and a master of arts degree from Teachers’ College, Columbia University. She was initially a French and English teacher at West Orange High School and later taught French and home-bound students in Livingston. She then worked as a synagogue administrator at Oheb Shalom Congregation in South Orange, and at the Jewish Community Center of Fort Lee. She retired this past June after spending nearly 16 years as the administrator of the Sister Rose Thering Fund at Seton Hall University. Mrs.

Mary E. Pontrelli (née Long), died Sunday, April 22, at her home in Livingston. She was 84 years old. Funeral services will be held today, Thursday, April 26, at 9 a.m. at the O’Boyle Funeral Home in Bloomfi eld. A funeral Mass will offered at 10 a.m. in Immaculate Conception Church in Montclair. Interment will follow in Mount Olivet Cemetery. Mrs. Pontrelli is survived by her children, Anthony and his wife, America, of Texas; Celia Higgins and her husband, William, of Flor ham Park; and Angela Stetz and her husband, Gary, of Livingston; and five grandchildren and one great-grandchild. She was predeceased by her husband, Emilio Pontrelli; and her siblings, Dennis, Robert, Anne, Joan, and Ruth.

Stella Mark (née Kaltman) died peacefully in the company of family on April 20, 2018. She was 97 years old. Stella moved to Livingston in 1954 and lived there until moving to an assisted living facility in late 2017. She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She loved music. She and her husband, Joseph Mark, played mandolin and guitar, respectively, and often gathered with friends to sing traditional folk songs. She was also an avid, lifelong reader. As a World War II bride and then homemaker, Stella had not had an opportunity to pursue a college education. She remedied this by enrolling at Caldwell College in 1969, at the age of 49. She earned a bachelor’s degree in library science. She worked as a librarian, and for the New Jersey Psychological Association. Late in life, Stella took up watercolor painting. She continued this pursuit into her 97th year. Her family members are proud to have her framed art in their households.

The man with the friendly smile and the twinkle in his eye is gone. Gil Adams died Sunday morning, April 15, 2018 at the Presbyterian Home in New Hartford. He was 94 years old. Born in Newark on December 23, 1923, in God’s Country — New Jersey, for the uninitiated – Gil spent his first 40 years in the Garden State: 24 in Caldwell, his hometown, and 16 in Livingston. He graduated from Caldwell High School, and subsequently followed his older brother to Hamilton College in the fall of 1941. Pearl Harbor cast its shadow over the future; Gil enlisted in the Army Air Force to study meteorology at New York University in 1943. He maintained that one of the three most important events of his life was his commission as a First Lieutenant in the Army Air Force. He served as a weather officer at Offutt Field near Omaha and Lowry Field in Denver. Gil came back to College Hill in Clinton in 1946, and received his diploma in mathematics in 1947.

Michael D. Tufariello of Livingston died Thursday, April 5, at the age of 94. Born in Newark, he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. Mr. Tufariello was an active member of the Livingston Old Guard, as well as Livingston Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 2856. He was predeceased by his wife, Vincenza (“Jennie”) Tufariello, and his sisters, Anne Richardella and Catherine Petrello. He is survived by his children, Cindy Hornstein and her husband, Harold, and Vincent Tufariello and his wife, Suzanne; his sisters and brother-in-law, Faustina Prignano, Michaelina Kazluckas, Isabel Ricigliano, and Carmen Grieco; and four grandchildren. Visitation was held Friday, April 6, at the Quinn-Hopping Funeral Home of Livingston. A funeral Mass was offered Monday, April 9, at St. Philomena Roman Catholic Church in Livingston, followed by interment at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Hanover. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations in Mr.

Evelyn Ann Kowtko (neé Sweppy), 82, of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, died on March 28 from a stroke. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 14, at the Island Funeral Home and Crematory in Hilton Head. Born in Irvington in 1936, Mrs. Kowtko grew up in Livingston and graduated from Grover Cleveland High School in 1953. Three years later, she married the late Donald Kowtko. They lived in Basking Ridge until moving to Hilton Head in 1992, where she painted landscapes and seascapes. She is survived by her two sons, Robert and David, and a grandson. Memorial contributions may be sent to the Art League of Hilton Head, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928.

Patrick Joseph Moran, 83, formerly of Livingston, died on April 3. Visitation will be held on Friday, April 6, from 4 to 8 p.m. in the Farmer Funeral Home in Roseland. A Funeral Mass will be offered on Saturday at 10 a.m. at Notre Dame Parish in North Caldwell. Born and raised in the Vailsburg section of Newark, Mr. Moran lived in Livingston and North Caldwell. He served honorably in the Marines on four battleships during the Korean War, and then worked as a lineman for Bell Atlantic in Bloomfi eld and as a production manager for AT&T in Caldwell. He also served as a Eucharistic Minister at Notre Dame. Mr. Moran is pre-deceased by his wife, Barbara Moran (Wetzel). Surviving are his children, Keri Moran and her fi ancé Dale Pettaway, and Scott Moran; three grandchildren; and his sister, Adele Grob-Moran. Donations in his name may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, stjude.org.