community news from Livingston

Ingeborg A. Wolter died in her Livingston home on Saturday, October 16. She was 86 years old.

The funeral service will take place at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 24, at Calvary Lutheran Church, 23 South Prospect Street, Verona. Interment will take place on Monday, October 25, at 10 a.m. at Restland Memorial Park in East Hanover.

Born in Cuxhaven, Germany, Ms. Wolter came to the U.S. in 1961 and was employed by Overbrook Hospital in Cedar Grove as a nurse’s aide for 35 years. She was an active member of Calvary Lutheran Church in Verona, serving on the Altar Guild, as well as volunteering at a soup kitchen in Newark, and offering counseling by phone.

She was predeceased by her husband, Guenter Haenchen. She is survived by her brother, Dieter Wolter, and his family in Germany.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorial donations be given to the Livingston First Aid Squad or the Mt. Pleasant Animal Shelter in East Hanover.

MEET THE SUPERINTENDENT: Superintendent of schools Matthew Block hosted a “Chat with the Superintendent” event on Thursday, October 14, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Gazebo on the Memorial Park Oval. Joining Block were assistant superintendents Lisa Steiger and Mark Stern. Block plans to hold additional informal community “chat” events at different times and on different days over the course of the school year.

While Election Day is Tuesday, November 2, mail-in voting has been underway for several weeks in New Jersey. In Livingston, we have one local race. Three candidates – Jenissa Arnette, James Calderón, and incumbent Pamela Chirls – are running for two open seats on the Livingston Public Schools Board of Education.

In this era of mail-in voting, when many (if not the majority) who vote will do so prior to Election Day, a traditional endorsement of a candidate or candidates does not hold as much weight as it once did. Typically, the Tribune offered its opinions on the local candidates each year in the issue just prior to Election Day; however, nowadays, such an opinion would offer little help to the many who had already cast their ballots.

Carmela S. Cecere, 92, of Chatham, New Jersey, passed away on Thursday, October 14, at Saint Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston.

Mrs. Cecere was born on July 27, 1929 in Newark, the daughter of the late Anthony and Rose (née Greco) Sponzilli. She married Rudolph A. Cecere and resided in West Orange where they raised their family.

Mrs. Cecere received a bachelor’s degree in music education from NYU. She worked as a music teacher in public schools for a short period of time before starting Carmela Cecere Studio for Piano Studies out of her home, which she ran for many decades.

She was very active in the Livingston Symphony Orchestra and served as a past president. She was a competitive judge with the Music Educators Association and the Music Educators Council.

In her spare time, she loved to cook and spend time at the seaside, admiring the ocean.

Mrs. Cecere was a parishioner of St. Patrick’s for 44 years and a member of the choir for 37 years.

Along with vital individual contributions, Livingston residents are stepping up through their businesses, organizations and clubs to support the mission of Livingston Philanthropies, Inc. (LPI).
Thanks to continuing donations, LPI founder and director Jeff Friedman has been able to purchase food, produce, diapers, wipes, formula, toiletries, baby clothes and more in greater amounts than ever before to provide for homeless and desperately poor families in urban Essex County.
“As LPI commences its 11th season of giving, needs continue to grow exponentially for thousands of people literally existing just minutes away from Livingston,” said Friedman. “COVID-19 has resulted in all kinds of havoc for folks simply looking for their next meal, a decent shirt or other basic, life-sustaining consumer items.”

LIBRARY ROOF: A roofer from VMG Group of Roselle, N.J. removes the old roof from the Livingston Library before installing a new one on Tuesday, October 12. Jerry Siskind Photo

Seven community members chose to attend the Livingston Board of Education’s first hybrid meeting since the pandemic closed schools in March, 2020. Twenty chairs were set up, socially distanced, in the conference room of the Board’s offices at 11 Foxcroft Drive.

Audience members showed their driver’s licenses and vaccination cards before entering the building.

“It’s wonderful to see people here in person,” Board of Education president Samantha Messer said.

An additional 33 people attended the meeting via a Zoom webinar.

Attendance was limited to 20 attendees, and the Board of Education meetings will continue to be held via webinar and livestreamed.

Board member Vineeta Khanna, participating from India by webinar, said. “It’s a delight to be logging in at 3:30 a.m. I so look forward to the next meeting where I can be in person with the public.”

Allowing a Negative PCR Test

The Livingston Township Council introduced one ordinance concerning water restrictions, deferred several others, and passed resolutions at its Tuesday, October 12, meeting. Also discussed was a TV show that recently filmed at Livingston High School and a potential street name change. The meeting was held virtually and may be viewed on the Livingston Township, NJ Facebook page.

At the start of the meeting, a proclamation was issued declaring October 2021 as Hindu Heritage Month in Livingston, recognizing the contributions of Hindu-Americans in the township. A resolution noting the month also passed later in the meeting.

Coben Show

The Council discussed the Harlan Coben pilot that filmed this week at Livingston High School. Should the show be ordered to series by Amazon, there is a chance Livingston would be used frequently as a setting in the show.

THREE CONSECUTIVE WINS: The Livingston High School girls’ varsity soccer team defeated the Bayonne Bees, 6-0, on the LHS turf on Monday, October 4. The Lancers next defeated Bloomfield, 3-0, and West Essex, 3-1, at home to advance in the Essex County Tournament. Shown above, Lancer forward Giulia Wilson elevates to score on a header against Bayonne. Below, Lancer teammate Katherine Riccardi congratulates Wilson on the header goal. At bottom, Lancer wing Bella DiLanni beats the Bayonne defender downfield. Don Schwartz Photos

Anna Marie Smykowski, 100, died on October 5 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

Born and raised in Newark, Mrs. Smykowski lived in Livingston and Caldwell before moving to Verona in 1972 and to Nanticoke, Pennsylvania in 2020.

She worked as an assembler for Ballantine Labs in Parsippany and for Monsanto Corp. in West Caldwell. She was a member of the Rosary Society of Our Lady of the Lake Church in Verona and St. Philomena Church in Livingston.

She was predeceased by her siblings, Margaret Munk, George Greb, Alfred Smith, Bertha Centrella, Charles Greb, Frank Greb, and Raymond Greb, and is survived by many nieces and nephews.

A funeral Mass was offered in Our Lady of the Lake Church on Friday, October 8. Entombment followed in Holy Cross Cemetery Mausoleum.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to Our Lady of the Lake Endowment Fund, 22 Lakeside Avenue, Verona, New Jersey 07044.