Obituaries

Mildred H. (Starr) Clere, formerly of Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts and Livingston, passed away on Sunday, August 27, 2017. For 66 years, she was the beloved wife of the late Melvin Clere. She was the loving mother of Deborah Baer of Massachusetts and her late husband, Dr. Warren S. Baer; Naomi and Albert Weiss of New Jersey; and Sarah and Craig Scott of Minnesota. She was the adored grandmother of Samuel Baer, Michael and Jaclyn Baer, Daniel Weiss, Arielle Weiss, Joshua Scott, and Zachary Scott; and the great-grandmother of Logan Stanley and Luke Warren Baer. Mildred was also the dear sister of the late Anne and Leo Lewis; and Arnold and Frances, Milton and Florence, Edward and Edith, Ernest and Lillian, and Albert and Ruth Starr. She is also survived by many cherished nieces, nephews and extended family members. Funeral services and shiva were private.

Josephine Shapiro of Livingston died Thursday, August 31. Arrangements were by Hines-Rinaldi Funeral Home, LLC, under the Jewish Funeral Practices Committee of Greater Washington Contract. Mrs. Shapiro was the wife of the late Herbert Shapiro; the mother of Karen Shapiro Miller, Philip Daniel Shapiro and Lenore Shapiro; and the sister of the late Nathan Zukerberg and the late Sadie Feinsod. She is survived by three grandchildren as well. The family has suggested that memorial contributions be made to Meals on Wheels, the Livingston New Jersey Public Library, or the charity of one’s choice.

Shiva will be held today, Thursday, September 7, at 7 Sunshine Lane in Livingston, for Marcia Jones, who died on September 3. The long-time Livingston resident was 87 years old. Mrs. Jones had worked for West Orange Jewelers, Celeste Jewelers, Tina’s Clothing, and Flora Grossman, and volunteered for the Livingston Little League, Daughters of Israel, and Saint Barnabas Medical Center. She was predeceased by her husband of 55 years, David, and is survived by her sons, Michael (Beth) of Randolph and Bob (Amanda) of Livingston; and four grandchildren. Donations may be made to the V.N.A. Health Group Hospice, 176 Riverside Avenue, Red Bank, NJ 07701. Services were held on Wednesday, September 6, arranged by the J.L. Apter Memorial Chapel in Cedar Grove.

Ruth Druck Barber, 78, of Livingston passed away on August 30, 2017. A loving wife and mother of three children and grandmother of six grandchildren, Ruth was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Ruth held a B.A. from the New Jersey City University and an M.Ed. in learning disabilities from Montclair State University. She spent most of her career working as a learning consultant in Winfield Township, and after she retired, she volunteered as an ESL teacher. Ruth was a leader of numerous Jewish organizations and causes. She was a devoted congregant of Temple Beth Shalom of Livingston, New Jersey for 51 years, and a member of both Congregation Beth Tikvah of Naples, Florida and Mishkan Shalom of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Grace Lutheran Church in Livingston will hold a special “Rally Day” worship service on Sunday morning, September 10, at 9:30 a.m. The worship service will kick off the new school year, and the theme for the service is “Becoming Like Children,” based on the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 18, verses one through four. “In our daily lives, it is easy to compete with others to be the ‘greatest,’” says the Rev. Dr. L. Richard Vossler, pastor. “However, when we wage that competition solely to trample on the people around us, we ignore God and what He has done for us.

Matthew James Dufford, 30, of Livingston, departed this life on August 22 to begin a new journey. Visitation was held on Sunday, August 27, at the Quinn-Hopping Funeral Home of Livingston. The funeral service was offered at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Livingston, on Monday, August 28. Cremation will be private. Matthew was born and raised in Livingston, and was a graduate of Livingston High School, class of 2005. He was employed at Saint Barnabas Medical Center since 2012, in the staffing and birth certificate department, and had been working for the New Jersey Perinatal Association. He also did some modeling in Spain and Italy. Matthew impacted so many people with his compassion, wit, and humor. He will be missed by all who knew him. Matthew is survived by his parents, Craig and Susan Dufford; his brother, Keith Dufford, and his wife, Meghan; as well as his niece and nephews, Liam, Jaime, and Ryan.

Constance (Connie) Warshoff died Wednesday, August 23, at the age of 92. She raised her family in Livingston, where she lived for more than 50 years. She began her 30 year career at Saint Barnabas Medical Center as an executive secretary for the president and vice presidents. She is survived by her children, Stacey Nan Wilkinson; Debra and Mark McCabe; Dr. Neal and Darcy Warshoff; and five grandchildren. Funeral arrangements were by Menorah Chapels at Millburn, Union.

Former Livingston resident Rebecca Margery Zimmerman Leewright, of Allen, Texas, died Sunday, August 20, at the age of 89. Funeral arrangements were by Gower Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc. in Gilbert, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Leewright was born in Munhall, Pennsylvania on August 26, 1927. In addition to Livingston, she had also resided in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania; Plainfield, New Jersey; Bayside, New York; and Baltimore, Maryland, before moving to Texas. She was a member of the Allen Seventh Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She was employed at Magnus Organ Corporation in New Jersey; as an auxiliary police officer in Livingston; and most recently, as a custodian by the LDS Church in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Predeceased by her husband, Melvin C., Mrs. Leewright is survived by three sons, Kenyon A. Leewright and his wife, Teresa, of Anchorage, Alaska; Brian C. Leewright of Allen, Texas; and Glenn H. Leewright and his wife, Karen, of Plano, Texas.

Former Livingston resident Herbert Joseph Wolkstein died August 28 in West Orange at the age of 96. Funeral services will be held today, Thursday, at 11:45 a.m. at the Bernheim-Apter- Kreitzman Suburban Funeral Chapel, Livingston. Interment will be at Mount Lebanon Cemetery, Iselin. Born in Newark, Mr. Wolkstein moved to Livingston in 1959, where he lived until 2015. A graduate of Weequahic High School and the Newark College of Engineering (now known as New Jersey Institute of Technology), he started his professional career in 1953 as an electrical engineer in the microwave tube division of the RCA Corporation. Over the next 34 years at RCA, Mr. Wolkstein rose to become the head of space communications and electronic counter measures at the RCA Laboratories David Sarnoff Research Center in Princeton. He was awarded 25 patents, authored 44 technical papers, and contributed to the development of numerous communications satellites.

John A. Mendillo Jr., 61, of Toms River, formerly of Livingston, died Friday, August 25. Funeral arrangements were by the Caggiano Memorial of Montclair. Mr. Mendillo was predeceased by his father, John Mendillo Sr. He is survived by his mother, Eleanor (nee Bellofatto); his brother, Drew Mendillo; and his nephew, Joseph Mendillo.