Obituaries

Former Livingston resident Herman Joseph Rich died on June 18. Born in Newark, he had also lived in Irvington, West Orange and Florida before moving to West Caldwell five years ago.

Mr. Rich was a civil engineer for Herman J. Rich P.E. in Livingston from 1966 through 2006. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from NJIT.

He served in the U.S. Navy from 1945 to 1946 as an Electronic Technicians’Mate Third Class, and received the Victory, American Theater and Asiatic Pacific medals.

He was a former board member of Temple Beth Shalom in Livingston, and a past president of the Livingston Camera Club.

Mr. Rich is survived by his wife, Margaret; his son, Mark; his daughter Judith (Don) Fast; his brother, Morton D.; four granchildren; and one greatgrandchild.

Jeffrey Scott Davidson of Livingston, son of Arthur and Lynda Davidson, died Saturday, July 6.

Mr. Davidson was born March 25, 1959. He is survived by his brother, Rick Davidson; Mary Beth Davidson, and his three children, Gregory, Spencer and Jordanne.

A funeral service was held on Monday, July 8, at Temple B’nai Abraham in Livingston. Burial followed at Beth Israel Memorial Park, Woodbridge.

Arrangements were by the Bernheim, Apter, Kreitzman Suburban Funeral Chapel, Livingston. Memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at bernheimapterkreitzman.com.

Marlene M. Paglianite, 83, died on Monday, July 1. Born in Newark, she resided in Livingston for the past 40 years.

Mrs. Paglianite is survived by her husband of 63 years, Henry; her children and their spouses, Samuel (Deborah), Richard (Patrizia), and Gregory (April); her seven grandchildren; her two great-grandchildren; and her brother, Edward Tonio (Yolanda).

A funeral Mass was offered on Monday, July 8, at St. Philomena’s Church. Funeral arrangements were directed by Quinn-Hopping Funeral Home, Livingston.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Mrs. Paglianite’s name may be made to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Former Livingston resident William J. Scheel Jr., 82, died Saturday, July 6, at Foothill Acres Nursing Center in Hillsborough.

Mr. Scheel was born March 16, 1937, in Orange to William and Mary (Mohr) Scheel. He grew up in Livingston, and graduated high school from Grover Cleveland in Caldwell(whereLivingstonthensent its students) in 1955. He joined the UnitedStatesArmyshortlythereafter, and served three years in Germany, then three years stateside in the Army Reserve.

He married Neal Ann Lauterbach in 1960 in Livingston. The couple lived in West Orange; moved to Parsippany in 1962; relocated to Edgewater Park in 1973, and lived there for 29 years.

Mr. Scheel drove trucks for Highway Freight and Baer Concrete in Roseland. He then began a long career as a warehouseman, and later warehouse manager, in the building materialsindustryforGeorgia-Pacific in Clifton and Yardville, and later for Boise Cascade and Shea Brothers Lumber in Delanco.

Matthew J. Cattafi, age 48, of Livingston, died at his home on June 23, following a 28-year battle with cancer. An avid bodybuilder who had won the Metropolitan Bodybuilding Championship, he was employed as chief radiation therapist at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) in Newark for the past 25 years.

He is survived by his mother, Judith (née Melnick); his wife, Gayle (née Heraut) Cattafi; and his children, Emma and Jack Cattafi.

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Mary Claire Owens (née Gower) died on June 30 at the Brandwine Living in Livingston. Born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, she lived in Newark and North Arlington before moving to Livingston two years ago. She was 84 years old.

Mrs. Owens retired 20 years ago from the Norpak Corporation in Newark.

She was predeceased by her husband, Edward, and is survived by her children, Debbie and Edward Owens, and Michelle Bogart; her sister, Esther Owens; and four grandchildren.

A Funeral Mass was celebrated on July 2 in Our Lady Queen of Peace Church in North Arlington.

Contributions in Mrs. Owens’ memory may be made to the ARC of Essex County, 123 Naylon Ave., Livingston, NJ 07039 (attention: Bridges Program).

Scott Mitchell Perry, 68, passed away peacefully at his home in Port St. Lucie, Florida, onTuesday evening, June 25, 2019.

He is survived by his two sons, Jonathan and Jason; his two fur grandchildren, Togo and Giglio; his cousins, Richie and Debbie; and his children of the Guardian ad Litem program of South Florida; as well as many close friends and extended family.

Born in New York, New York and raised in New Rochelle, New York, Scott was the son of Julius and Shirley Perry. Scott and his wife, Carol, were long-time residents of Livingston, New Jersey.

Hebe L. Backiel passed away peacefully, after a brief illness, on June 27, 2019 in Stamford, Connecticut, with her children by her side. She was 99 years old.

Hebe was born May 19, 1920 in Watkins Glen, New York to Duncan and Florence Parks. She graduated from Hofstra University, where she met her husband-to-be, Stephen A. Backiel, her spouse of 58 years. After four-year stints in Brooklyn, Mineola, New York, and Greenville, South Carolina, they moved to Livingston in 1956, where they raised their family and lived for almost 45 years.

Hebe thrived as a full-time homemaker and a loving and supportive mother, grandmother, and greatgrandmother, who always put her family first.

Myron (Mike) W. Kronisch, 92, who advocated passionately for a peaceful alternative to solving international disputes, passed away on Friday, June 21, 2019 surrounded by his loving family. Born in New York City, he lived in Maplewood and Livingston before retiring to Mt. Arlington, NJ.

He leaves behind his beloved wife of 63 years, Sheila (nee Felzenberg), four loving and devoted children: daughters Elizabeth (and Marc Lesser), Jennifer (and Steven Benenson), and Rebecca (and Robert Emert), a son, Matthew (and Belle) Kronisch, as well as eleven adoring grandchildren, Danielle (and David) Levine, Madeleine Lesser, Hannah and Rachael Benenson, David (and Monika) and Jacob Emert, and Zachary, Benjamin, Elianna, Shayna and Maxx Kronisch, and a great-grandson, Reece Levine. He is also survived by his sister, Sara (and Richard) Krieger, and was predeceased by his parents, Morris and Stella Kronisch, and his brothers, Drs. Sherman and David Kronisch.

Assunta Delia (nee Pichi) died in her Livingston home on Friday, June 21. She was 98 years old.

Born in Dover, Mrs. Delia had lived in Livingston over 60 years with her husband, Anthony, while raising their children.

She worked many years as a maternity nurse at Saint Barnabas Medical Center, retiring at the age of 72.

She was predeceased by her husband after 66 years of marriage. She is survived by her children, Rosanne Chieffo (Al), Ronald (Annie), and Anthony (Michele); seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held this Thursday, June 27, from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Quinn-Hopping Funeral Home, 145 East Mt. PleasantAvenue, Livingston. The funeral Mass will be offered on Friday, June 28, at 10 a.m. at St. Philomena Roman Catholic Church, Livingston. Interment will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Hanover.