Livingston New Jersey news

FENCING QUAD MEET: The Livingston High School varsity fencing teams hosted Columbia, Millburn and Montclair in a quad meet on Saturday, December 18. Shown above, left, Lancer Wenli Cai, right, sets to score against Aidan Haley of Columbia. Cai defeated Haley, 5-4. The Lancer boys’ team was defeated by Millburn and Montclair by identical 19-8 scores. Above, right, Lancer Haley Bhatt, right, charges to score against Rhody Evie of Columbia. Bhatt defeated Evie, 5-4. The girls’ team defeated Montclair, 19-8. Don Schwartz Photos

Elizabeth Joyce Dennington, who grew up in Livingston, died on December 11 and was interred in Pinelawn Memorial Park, Southern Pines, North Carolina.

Born in 1923 to Ralph and Mildred Brady, Mrs. Dennington was a 1940 graduate of West Orange High School and a 1944 graduate of the College of St. Elizabeth. She later earned a master’s degree from Montclair State University.

She taught home economics, child growth and development, and family living at West Orange High School, and later worked in the school’s administration.

After retiring, she lived in Pinehurst, North Carolina.

Predeceased by her husband of 65 years, Burdette, Mrs. Dennington is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Mary and Rick Clancy, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina: her son and daughter-in-law, Ralph and Nancy Dennington, of Hampton, Virginia; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Christmas this year looks like it will be a bit different than usual at my house. I’ve written in this space before about my [now adult] children. About their growing up years, their college years, and about their lives as adults. I’ve mentioned before that when the kids were small, I envisioned them growing up and settling in this area, or at least living somewhere a relatively short car ride away. However, that’s not what happened.

My oldest lives in Florida; my middle kid is in Tennessee; and my youngest is in Ohio. They’re all, thank goodness, happy, healthy, and gainfully employed in jobs that they love. They’re also all far enough away that it requires a flight to get to them, unless I’m willing to drive somewhere between 9 and 20 hours (which I’m not).

Dear Editor:

Thank you for your recent opinion regarding traffic safety for all.

It happens that I was at Hobart Gap Road waiting to turn left onto Livingston Avenue. I noticed a teenage girl waiting at the corner. She obviously wanted to cross. When the light turned green the driver in front of me quickly made the left turn. The young woman skirted back to the curb. I pulled forward slowly and told her to cross as she had the right of way. All the cars waiting to go to JFK waited, as did the vehicles coming across.

I write because our lights are not pedestrian-friendly, and drivers must remember that the pedestrian has the right of way.

Safe holidays to all.

Merle Kalishman

8 Trombley Drive

Dear Editor:

December 7, 1941: War begins.

On December 24, 1941 a small town of 12,000 people in Nebraska was preparing to feed a home-cooked meal to the troops from Nebraska coming through their North Platte train station, which was transformed into a canteen. When the train came in, the troops were from out of state, but they fed and gave the homesick troops magazines anyway. North Platte was to become a major train stop for troops going to the east coast from the west coast to go to Europe and the Pacific.

The stop was only for ten minutes. The good people of North Platte made that ten minutes count with their hospitality.

John Phillip Ryder,75, peacefully transitioned on November 4, 2021 at Flagler Hospital, St. Augustine, Florida. He was lovingly surrounded by his immediate family. John had been dealing with complications from heart disease and diabetes for the past few years.

John was predeceased by his mother, Sarah Bernhard Ryder, and his father, Arthur Calvin Ryder; as well as his brother-in-law, Arthur Lawrence Murphy Jr., and sister-in-law, Marilyn Whitcomb Murphy.

John is survived by his wife, Marilyn Murphy Ryder, and his brother, Robert Kimble Ryder (Cindy). He is also survived by his sisters-in-law, Sharon Murphy Hyers (Curt) and Ann Marie Callahan Murphy (Robert deceased).

He is also survived by many dearly loved nieces, nephews and grandnieces/nephews. John will be greatly missed by his extended family, including his “adopted mother” Ruth Jacoby, as well as devoted friends, students, and of course his kitties, Ali, Earl Grey and Little One.

In reporting the continuation of a COVID-interrupted partnership, Livingston Philanthropies Inc. (LPI) founder Jeff Friedman noted, “Livingston neighbors and friends have done it again to help provide for the ‘homeless, profoundly poor and disenfranchised.’ ”
 Livingston Philanthropies, Inc. (LPI) continued its partnership with the Early Childhood Center (ECC) at Forest Glen in Bloomfield. Put on hold due to the pandemic last holiday season, ECC principal and former Livingston resident Linda Colucci and her students once again built a “Giving Tree” for donation to LPI.

John Greco of Lanoka Harbor, formerly of Livingston, died Thursday, December 9, at the age of 85. He was born August 13, 1936.

A visitation will take place today, Thursday, December 16, from 4 to 8 p.m. at LaMonica Memorial Home, 145 East Mt. Pleasant Avenue, Livingston. A visitation was also held yesterday, Wednesday, December 15, at the Quinn Hopping Funeral Home in Toms River.

A funeral Mass will be offered Friday, December 17, from 10 to 11 a.m. at St. Philomena Church, 386 South Livingston Avenue, Livingston.

Memories and expressions of sympathy for the Greco family may be shared at www.lamonicamemorialhome.com.

Former Livingston resident Elizabeth Murphy Durkin died December 3. A Mass of Christian Burial was offered for her in St. Aloysius Church, Caldwell, on Friday, December 10, followed by interment in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Hanover. Arrangements were by Hugh M. Moriarty Funeral Home, Montclair.

Born in Kearny in 1925, she had lived in Essex Fells for more than 50 years. She had also lived in Livingston and regularly wintered in Wellington, Florida before ending her days in Spring Lake.

She attended St. Cecilia’s grammar and high schools in Kearny and won an academic scholarship to the College of St. Elizabeth. In 1949, she left her studies to marry Thomas E. Durkin, Jr., with whom she raised seven children.

BASKETBALL TEAM HAS TWO SCRIMMAGES: The Livingston High School girls’ varsity basketball team has been preparing for its season opener with scrimmages against local teams. The Lady Lancers hosted Newark Academy on Tuesday, December 7. Shown at right, Lancer forward Avery McLaughlin hits the corner jump shot against Newark Academy. The Lancers hosted Hanover Park on Thursday, December 9. Shown above, Lancer forward Christine Belcuore drives the lane against Hanover Park. Don Schwartz Photos