Obituaries

Sophie Napolitano, 95, of Livingston, died on April 7.

Born and raised in Jersey City, she settled with her husband, Stephen Napolitano, in Livingston in 1981. Prior to her retirement in 1995, she worked for Continental Stock Transfer in New York. She was an active parishioner of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Roman Catholic Church in Roseland.

Mrs. Napolitano was predeceased by her husband, Stephen; her brothers, Joseph and Charles Milczarski; and her sister, Theresa Kepler.

Surviving are her sons, Stephen Napolitano and his wife, Joan, and Gary Napolitano; two grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held privately under the direction of Shook-Farmer Funeral Home, Roseland. A memorial Mass will be offered at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family has suggested that donations may be made in Mrs. Napolitano’s memory to Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Church, 28 Livingston Avenue, Roseland, NJ 07068.

Anton van Ouwerkerk died on Wednesday, April 8, at Arden Court Memory Care Center in Whippany, at the age of 93.

He was born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and married Arendina “Dini” (Ikking) in 1950. They were married for 63 years, until her death in 2014.

Mr. Ouwerkerk graduated from the Technische Hogeschool in Amsterdam with a degree in chemistry. He and his family emigrated to the United States in the 1960s and moved to Livingston. He worked in the fragrance industry, initially at Polak and Schwartz in the Netherlands and later at International Flavors and Fragrances (IFF) in the U.S. He was the author of many patents related to fragrance manufacturing, and a member of the board, and later president of, the American Society of Perfumers.

Anita (Arnold) Nurge, 80, formerly of Livingston, died on Good Friday, April 10.

Born in Orange, she resided in Livingston before moving to East Hanover 57 years ago. A graduate of Livingston High School, she was employed as an executive secretary for the Chubb Insurance Company in Bridgewater for 20 years prior to her retirement in 2000.

She was a parishioner of St. Ann Roman Catholic Church in Parsippany.

Mrs. Nurge is survived by her husband of 60 years, William Nurge; her two sons, William Nurge and his wife, Natalia, and Donald Nurge and his wife, Lori, all of Sun Valley, Idaho; her daughter, Dana Nurge, and her husband, Brian Cluggish, of San Diego, California; her sister-in-law, Joyce Arnold of Budd Lake; and three grandchildren. She was predeceased by her brother, Albert Arnold.

Louise Cardinale, 98, died on April 8 from complications due to COVID-19.

She was born in Newark on March 4, 1922, to Aurelio and Anna Cardinale. The family, which included her siblings Vincent and Gloria, moved to Livingston in 1965. Ms. Cardinale lived here until moving to Crane’s Mill in West Caldwell in 2014.

At age 19, she began working at Macy’s (previously Bamberger’s) in Newark. She then worked at Blue Cross-Blue Shield in Newark from 1942 until retiring in 1982.

Ms. Cardinale is survived by her nephews, grand-nieces and grandnephews, and a great-grand-nephew and great-grand-niece.

Funeral services will not be available at this time. A Memorial Mass will be planned, depending on availability, in the near future. Interment will be at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in East Hanover.

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Patricia Hawkins Vaillancourt passed away peacefully on Friday, March 27, 2020, surrounded by her loving family.

Born on August 23, 1934, daughter of the late William and Bella Hawkins, she was raised in Astoria, New York. She graduated from Saint John’s University with a teaching degree and later attended Fordham University, where she graduated summa cum laude with a master’s degree in family ministry.

Patricia lived in Livingston, New Jersey for many years, and was active in St. Philomena’s Church. She founded the Paraclete School and was an avid civil rights supporter. Patricia was employed by the Newark Archdiocese until retiring in 1999. She dedicated her life to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Glenn Hazuka, a 1967 graduate of Livingston High School, died in Grandview, West Virginia, on Tuesday, April 7.

He was born in Newark and worked in the mining industry.

Mr. Hazuka was preceded in death by his father, John, his mother, Ann; and his brother, Bruce. He is survived by his wife Sydney (Cricket) of Grandview; his sons, Kevin (Kelly) of Clarksburg, West Virginia; Greg (Rhonda) of Shady Spring, West Virginia; and Darrin (Sheri) of Daniels, West Virginia; his sister, Linda, of Chatham; his brother-in-law, Greg Goetzman, of Prescott, Arizona; and nine grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at Rose and Quesenberry Funeral Chapel, Beckley, West Virginia, at a later date. Online condolences may be directed to the family via the guestbook at www.roseandquesenberry.net.

Frank Emerson Wolfe died April 10, 2020 at the age of 90. Residents of Livingston for many years, Frank and his late wife, Annabelle (Jones) Wolfe, were members of the Federated Church of Livingston.

Mr. Wolfe worked as a field service engineer for Warner and Swasey Company, initially in Cleveland, then eventually transferring to West Orange. He enjoyed the challenges of his life’s work.

Predeceased by his parents, Dr. Rolland E. and Esther (Hoff) Wolfe, and his brother, Homer Wolfe, he is survived by his four children, Donna (Ransome), Bruce, Nancy (Barbaro), and Lynda. Also surviving are six grandchildren, James and Timothy Ransome; Melissa (Wolfe) Addison; Nicole, Jacob and Jesse Barbaro; and three greatgrandchildren, Cooper Barbaro, and Dexter and Brooklyn Addison.

Memorial arrangements are pending at this time.

Dina Claire Culff of Anderson, SC, formerly of Livingston, passed from this world in the comfort of home hospice care on April 10 at the age of 86, after a long struggle with cancer. The granddaughter of Russian Jewish immigrants, Dina was born in Newark, NJ and gifted with a magnificent singing voice. She recorded her first single at the age of six, and at ten she sang for First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

She went on to have an illustrious stage and screen career that spanned decades, playing Marjorie May in the Broadway production and company tour of Gypsy with Ethel Merman and Natalie Wood, and appearing in the classic film version as well. She performed at Carnegie Hall and starred as Alice in Radio City Music Hall’s Easter show, Alice in Easterland. During this time, she studied with the Grand Opera and recorded an album, The Jewish Heart, now available on iTunes.

Phyllis (O'Brien) Baker Rech of Granby, Connecticut, formerly of Livingston, died on Thursday, March 26. Born in 1923, she was raised in Baldwinsville, New York and graduated from Baldwinsville Academy in 1941.

Mrs. Rech graduated from Oswego State Teacher’s College in 1945 and taught first grade in Camden, New York and later in St. Louis County, Missouri, before staying home to raise her five children. A resident of Livingston for many years, Mrs. Rech was a member of the Livingston United Methodist Church and sang in the choir. She later moved to Fayetteville, New York.

Sandra Garb, 84, died on Sunday, April 5. She was born in Newark and was a long-time resident of Livingston.

Predeceased by her husband of 60 years, Martin Garb, and her brother, Marvin Warhaftig, she is survived by her two daughters, Mindy Garb of West Orange, and Randi Goldberg (Eliot) of Morganville; her son, Larry Garb (Stacey) of Towaco; her sister-in-law, Connie Cherenson (Lee) of Florham Park; and six grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family has suggested that contributions in Mrs. Garb’s memory be made to the Friendship Circle of Central Jersey, 26 Wickatunk Road, Manalapan, NJ 07726 (www.friendsnj.com).

Funeral services will be private.