Obituaries

Ajay Shah of Livingston died on Sunday, January 11, at the age of 57. Funeral services, followed by cremation, were held Tuesday, January 13, at Rosedale Crematory in Montclair. A religious ceremony and prayers to honor his life will be offered at the Hindu Temple in Wayne on Sunday, January 18, from noon to 2 p.m. Mr. Shah was born in the city of Vadodara, India. He had been a resident of Livingston since 1989. He received his master's degree in chemical engineering from Rutgers University. He was a member of the Livingston Zoning Board of Adjustment and active with the Livingston Area Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Shah is survived by his wife, Preety Shah, and his sons, Chirag and his wife Aishwarya; and Rajiv.

Patricia Lynn Baker, 61, of Livingston died Monday, January 5. A funeral Mass was held January 6 in St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Bloomfi eld. Born in Newark, Ms. Baker lived in Nutley before moving to Livingston nine years ago. She was a Spanish teacher for the Roseland Board of Education at the Lester C. Noecker School. The daughter of Audrey F. and the late Charles A. Baker, Ms. Baker is survived by her sisters Susanne Casale, Ginger Scholar and her husband, Richard, Kim Baker, and Lisa Spaner; and a brother, William, and his wife, Audrey. She was also predeceased by her brother, Kenneth.

Yolanda “Lonnie” (Pelosi) Sementa, 87, died at Morristown Memorial Hospital on Tuesday, January 6. The Funeral Mass celebrating her life was offered at St. Philomena’s Church, Livingston, on Monday, January 12. Born and raised in Orange, Mrs. Sementa lived in Livingston before moving to Island Heights in 1982. She assisted her husband, Agostino, in his accounting practice and later assisted her son, Frank, at D’Jais in Belmar. Predeceased by her husband Agostino, she is survived by her children, Frank and Teresa, Gail and Tom, and her three grandchildren.

Funeral services for Martha Halper were held yesterday, Wednesday, at Bernheim-Apter-Kreitzman Suburban Funeral Chapels, Livingston. Mrs. Halper, who died on January 12 at Inglemoor Care Center, was a member of Temple B'nai Abraham in Livingston and a member of Hadassah. Predeceased by her husband, David, and her son, Barry, Mrs. Halper is survived by her children, Elaine and Harris Cahn, and Barbara and Evan Katz, nine grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. The family has suggested that memorial contributions be made to Barnabas Health Hospice, 95 Old Short Hills Road, West Orange, NJ 07052.

A chapel service will be held at 11 a.m. today, Thursday, January 8, at the Jewish Memorial Chapel in Clifton for Alfred L. Siegler. Mr. Siegler died at the age of 88 on January 2. Born in Newark, he resided in West Orange and Livingston before moving to Boynton Beach, Florida. A graduate of Weequahic High School, Mr. Siegler studied architecture at Penn State University. During World War II, he served as a ball-turret gunner aboard B-24 Liberator aircraft in the 13th Air Force, based in the Pacific Theater from 1943 to 1945. Following his military service, Mr. Siegler founded and was president of Niagara Paper and Twine Corporation in Newark. He was a former member of the YMHA in West Orange. Predeceased by his son, Jack, Mr. Siegler is survived by his wife, Rosemarie; a daughter, Lori Mausner; a son, Dr. Joseph Siegler; and two grandchildren.