Obituaries

Frederick Leonard Koehler of Livingston died on May 17, at the age of 90.

Mr. Koehler was born in Irvington and was a graduate of Seton Hall Prep and St. Peter’s College. He was a senior vice president at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Jersey until his retirement in 1992.

Surviving are his wife, Mimi; his children, Fred (Tracy), Jim (Anne), and Tom; six grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held at St. Philomena Church on Wednesday, May 26.

Barbara Ann Caprio, 59, of Morristown, died on April 19.

Ms. Caprio was predeceased by her father, Robert L. Caprio, and is survived by her mother, Bernadette Brady, and her three sisters, Bernadette Weed and her husband, Philip; Susanne Castro and her husband, Rolando; and Tara Beth Caprio. She was a graduate of Livingston

She was a graduate of Livingston High School and Villanova University. Upon graduation she attended Madrid University followed by a career with Pan American Airlines and in later years worked in banking. Arrangements are by the Jacob A. Holle Funeral Home, Maplewood.

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Richard Slutsker, 87, formerly of Livingston, died on May 12. He retired to Boynton Beach, Florida, in 2004. Born in Newark in 1934, Mr.

Born in Newark in 1934, Mr. Slutsker attended Newark Academy and Union College.

He was the president of Lorstan Studios, a photography business started by his father in 1926, and served on the board of Newark Academy.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Rosalie; his children, David (Rebecca), and Karen Sisselman (Steven); four grandchildren; and his brother, Stephen Slutsker (Lisa).

The family is holding a private funeral. Memorial contributions can be made in Mr. Slutsker’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Assunta Balletti (nee Porrari), 78, of Livingston, died on May 17, following a six year battle with ovarian cancer.

Born in Aquilonia, Italy, she married her husband of 55 years, Jerry, in 1965 and soon afterwards immigrated to the United States with her sister-in-law, Iole. She settled in Newark, and in 1975, she moved with her family to Livingston, where she became a dressmaker,

She is survived by her husband Gerardo Balletti, her children, Michell Mauriello (Louis) and Gina Balletti, her siblings Adelaide Giangaspero, Michelina Cetta and Potito Porrari, and one grandson. She was predeceased by her siblings Umberto Porrari and Geltrude Pascarella.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 21, at St. Philomena Church in Livingston. Entombment will follow at Gate of Heaven Mausoleum in East Hanover. Visitation will be today, Thursday, May 20, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Caggiano Memorial Home, 62 Grove Street, Montclair.

Seena (Zeiler) Eatroff, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and sister, passed away on Friday, May 14.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Seena was a proud graduate of Midwood High School and Syracuse University. At Syracuse, she discovered her love for writing and spent all four years working at The Daily Orange, culminating in her being the Editor-in-Chief her senior year. She lived in Livingston, New Jersey for over 30 years before moving to Boca Raton, Florida.

Seena is survived by her loving husband of more than 58 years, Jerry; three children, Bruce (Fern), Bob (Lisa) and Francine Rosenberg (Kevin); six terrific grandchildren, Allison, Daniel, Jonathan, Zachary, Samantha and Sarah; and her brother, Fred.

Marilyn Jane Smith, 95, of Livingston, NJ, passed away Sunday, May 9, 2021 at home surrounded by her family. She was predeceased by her husband Harold H. Smith (1996).

Marilyn was born in Newark, NJ to her loving parents, Clarence and Emma Hill, and her sister, Lillian Kaufmann. She graduated from Westside High School in Newark in 1943 and competed as a gymnast with the National Turner’s Gymnastic School. She also enjoyed roller skating on a professional level. She later worked at Bell Telephone Company prior to becoming a homemaker. She was an active member of the VFW Post 2856 Ladies Auxiliary and the Roseville Presbyterian Church.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Livingston VFW Post 2856 (www.vfw.org) would be greatly appreciated.

Marilyn is survived by her two sons, Lawrence H. and his wife Pamela and Paul E. and his wife Susan; also her grandchildren, Jennifer Smith, Jessica Smith, Thomas Smith and Christopher Smith.

Joanne Frances (Klosowski) DeMartino of Elkton, Maryland, age 67, passed away Wednesday, May 5, 2021. She was born in Newark on June 13, 1953 to Blanche Pauline (Sweeney) Klosowski and the late Frank Joseph Klosowski, Sr.

Joanne graduated from Livingston High School in Livingston, and went on to graduate from Berkeley College in New Jersey. She worked at IBM for over 40 years as an administrative assistant. After retirement, Joanne enjoyed working part time as a slot ambassador at the Hollywood Casino in Perryville, Maryland.

Benilde Gallardo (“Beni”) of Livingston died on Monday, May 10, at the age of 98. She formerly lived in New Milford.

Benilde was predeceased by her husband, Cipriano Gallardo, and her son-in-law, Jorge Robles. She is survived by her daughters, Jane (Albert) Walker, Deborah (George) Hagl, Margaret Robles, and Elena (Ben) Sattely. She is also survived by ten grandchildren and 16 greatgrandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at Quinn-Hopping Funeral Home, and will be private.

Yolanda Picillo (née Balletti), of Livingston died at Saint Barnabas Medical Center on May 3, at the age of 71, after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Mrs. Picillo was born and raised in Aquilonia, Italy and came to the United States on January 30, 1966. She lived in East Orange and worked for Bell Telephone as a dispatcher.

Mrs. Picillo got married in 1973 and lived in Orange and West Orange before moving to Livingston in 2004.

She is survived by her husband, Vincenzo; her children, Felice Picillo and his wife, Alexaida, and Josette Leishman and her husband, Steve; her siblings, Gerardo Balletti, Renato Balletti, Antonietta Lotrecchiano and Adelaide Vitello; and two grandchildren. She was predeceased by her sister, Maria Balletti.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Mass was held on Tuesday, May 11, at St. Philomena’s Church and was followed by entombment at Gate of Heaven Cemetery.

Margaret “Peggy” S. Mittl, 91, died on Saturday, May 8.

Born and raised in the Vailsburg section of Newark, Mrs. Mittl attended Sacred Heart Grammar School in Newark and the Benedictine Academy in Elizabeth.

She moved to Livingston in 1952 and worked for many years as an office administer at what is now PNC Bank.

She was an active member of St. Philomena’s Church in Livingston and the Livingston Knights of Columbus Ladies Auxiliary.

Mrs. Mittl was predeceased by her husband, Joseph W. Mittl, and is survived by her children, Joseph R. Mittl, and Jeanne (Thomas) Carpenter, two grandchildren and one greatgrandchild.

Funeral Mass for Mrs. Mittl was offered on Wednesday, May 12, at St. Philomena’s Church, with interment at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Hanover.