Obituaries

Catherine Santoro LaBruno

Mrs. LaBruno, 64, of Monroe Township, died Jan. 24 at home. Born in Jersey City, she resided in Marlboro prior to moving to Monroe Township 16 years ago. She was a clerk at North Bergen Board of Education for 27 years, retiring in 2000. She was predeceased by two brothers, Joseph and Frank Santoro; and a sister, Lucy Melazzo. She is survived by her husband of 45 years, Frank; a son, Frank LaBruno Jr.; and a daughter, Stacy LaBruno, all of Monroe Township; a brother, John Santoro Jr. of North Brunswick; and a sister, Phyllis Lavelle of Wood Ridge. Visitation will be Jan. 28 from 1-3 p.m. at The Brunswick Memorial Home, East Brunswick. A memorial service will follow at 2:30 p.m.

Vito A. “Sonny” Colavito

Mr. Colavito, 76, of Old Bridge, died Jan. 11 in Raritan Bay Medical Center, Old Bridge division. Prior to his retirement in 2003, he was employed for 15 years as a mechanic for the township of Old Bridge. He also owned Colavito Brothers Motorcycle Shop, Old Bridge and Perth Amboy, which was a family-owned business from 1925-1987. Surviving are a son, Michael Colavito of Plumsted; a daughter, Denise Whitaker of Old Bridge; a sister, Dominica “Dolly” Young of Chesapeake City, Md.; four grandchildren; a great-granddaughter; and his former wife, Helen Naiduk of Elizabethtown, N.C. A Mass was offered at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Old Bridge. Interment was in Chestnut Hill Cemetery, East Brunswick.

Bernadette A. Scordo Calandruccio

Mrs. Calandruccio, 55, of North Brunswick, died Jan. 17 in Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick. She was a basic-skills aide at Livingston Park Elementary School, North Brunswick, for the past 16 years. Prior to that, she owned A Touch of Country, Milltown. She and her husband were owners of Re/Max Country, Milltown and New Brunswick. Surviving are her husband, John “Cal” Calandruccio; a daughter, Deana Calandruccio of North Brunswick; two sons, John J. Calandruccio of Monroe and Frank Calandruccio of Milltown; a brother, Frank Scordo of Metuchen; and two granddaughters. A Mass was celebrated at Our Lady of Peace Church, North Brunswick. Entombment was in Franklin Memorial Park, North Brunswick. Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, 846 Main St., Fords, NJ 08863.

John J. Fitzpatrick

Mr. Fitzpatrick, 66, of Hamilton, formerly of Marlboro, died Jan. 11 in Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at Hamilton. Prior to retiring in 1986, he was a New York City police officer for 20 years. Surviving are his wife, Phyllis Reilly Fitzpatrick; a son, Martin Fitzpatrick of Bradley Beach; three daughters, Donna Lehnert of Longwood, Fla., Christine of the Somerset section of Franklin and Margaret of Spotswood; two brothers, James Fitzpatrick of Jackson and Gerald Fitzpatrick of Sayville, N.Y.; a sister, Anne Bannon of Ronkonkoma, N.Y.; and four granddaughters. A Mass was offered at St. Gabriel’s Church, Marlboro. Interment was in the church cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the ALS Association, Greater Philadelphia Chapter, 321 Norristown Road, Suite 260, Ambler, PA 19002.

Lila Ruth Illmensee

Mrs. Illmensee, 93, of Colts Neck, died Jan. 18 in Care One at Holmdel. Prior to her retirement, she was a bookkeeper for Illmensee Realtors, a family-operated real estate firm in Colts Neck. Her husband, George V. Illmensee, died in 1981. Surviving are two sons, George and Jack Illmensee, both of Colts Neck; two daughters, Lila Faye of Colts Neck and Barbara Meade of East Brunswick; 10 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren. A funeral liturgy was celebrated at St. Mary’s Church, Colts Neck. Interment was in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Middletown.

Leslie A. Danton Linke

Mrs. Linke, 69, of the Whiting section of Manchester, formerly of Monroe, died Jan. 16 at home. Prior to her retirement in 2000, she was the owner of Leslie’s Emporium, an antiques and collectibles shop in Monroe. Her husband, Marvin, died in 1987. Surviving are two daughters, Linda Talnagi of Helmetta and Michelle Williams of Monroe; two sons, David and Brian, both of Monroe; a sister, Bette Schmid, also of Monroe; nine grandchildren; and her companion, Louis Collari of Whiting. A funeral liturgy was offered at Immaculate Conception Church, Spotswood. Interment was in Holy Cross Burial Park, South Brunswick.

Elizabeth Markulic

Mrs. Markulic, 91, of South River, died Jan. 18 in St. Peter’s University Hospital, New Brunswick. Prior to her retirement, she was employed as a seamstress with South River Waist and Dress. Her husband, Michael Markulic, died in 1975. Surviving are a son, Lawrence Markulic of South River; and three grandchildren, Michael, Roxanne and Joseph. A Mass was offered at St. Stephen Protomartyr Church, South River. Interment was in St. Mary’s Cemetery, East Brunswick.

Garrett W. Voorhees Jr.

Mr. Voorhees, 81, of Monroe, formerly of Edison, died Jan. 22 in Cranbury Center, Monroe. Prior to his retirement in 1984, he was a lieutenant with the Edison Township Police Department, where he worked for 25 years. Surviving are his wife, Agnes Ledford Voorhees; a son, Garrett W. Voorhees III of South Brunswick; a brother, Merrill Voorhees of Florida; two sisters, Lucille Gestl of Williston Park, N.Y., and Theresa Reese of Wyandanch, N.Y.; two grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Services are planned for 10 a.m. on Jan. 26 at Brunswick Memorial Home, East Brunswick. Interment will follow in Holy Cross Burial Park, South Brunswick. Memorial contributions may be made to the National Parkinson’s Foundation, 1501 N.W. Ninth Ave., Bob Hope Road, Miami, FL 33136.

Genevieve DeChristofano Ruggiero

Mrs. Ruggiero, 101, of Old Bridge, died Dec. 29 in Raritan Bay Medical Center, Old Bridge division. Her husband, Felix Ruggiero, died in 1957. Surviving are a son, Nicholas Ruggiero of East Brunswick; four daughters, Antoinette Ruggiero and Phyllis Rullo, both of Sayreville, Elaine Ortman of California and Diane Cardella of East Brunswick; a sister, Elvira Risoli; seven grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. A Mass was offered at St. Bartholomew’s Church, East Brunswick. Interment was in Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington.

Ernest Sarpin

Mr. Sarpin, 86, of East Brunswick, died Dec. 26 in Saint Peter’s University Hospital, New Brunswick. Prior to his retirement, he was employed by Johnson and Johnson Personal Products, Milltown, where he worked for 26 years. His wife, Sylvia Sarpin, died in June. Surviving are a daughter, Barbara Parr of Old Bridge; three grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. A Mass was offered at St. Bartholomew’s Church, East Brunswick. Entombment was in Holy Cross Burial Park Mausoleum, South Brunswick.

Paul Smeck Sr.

Mr. Smeck, 66, of Jacksonville, Fla., formerly of the Morgan section of Sayreville, died Dec. 24 at home. He was the owner and operator of Paul’s Auto Repair, Morgan, for more than 30 years. He was predeceased by his longtime companion, Sandy Myslinski. Surviving are a daughter, Patricia Enderle; two sons, Paul Smeck Jr. and John Smeck; a brother, John Updike; two sisters, Barbara Papierz and Dorothy Westerberg; and two grandchildren. Services were held at Gundrum Service Home for Funerals, South Amboy. Interment was in Fair View Cemetery, Middletown. Memorial contributions may be made to Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey, 141 Bodman Place, Red Bank, NJ 07701.

Jessica Stenftennagel

Ms. Stenftennagel, 34, of Spotswood, died Jan. 12 in Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick. She worked as a secretary for her father, Roy Stenftennagel, a builder in Spotswood. Surviving are a daughter, Jill Marie of Monroe; her mother, Joleen Rachel of Spotswood; her father, Roy Stenftennagel, also of Spotswood; a brother, Joseph Brady of Old Bridge; a sister, Elizabeth Stenftennagel of Spotswood; her maternal grandmother, Muriel Brady of Spotswood; and her paternal grandfather, Adolph Stenftennagel of Spotswood. A Mass was offered at Immaculate Conception Church, Spotswood. Interment was in Spotswood Reformed Church Cemetery.

Mary Lou Strandberg

Mrs. Strandberg, 76, of Middletown, died Jan. 22 in Riverview Medical Center, Red Bank. Surviving are her husband, Oscar Strandberg; a son, Christopher Strandberg of East Brunswick; and two granddaughters. A service was held at the First Presbyterian Church at Red Bank-Tower Hill. Arrangements were under the direction of John F. Pfleger Funeral Home, Middletown. Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718.

Joseph M. Syslo

Mr. Syslo, 73, of Sayreville, died Jan. 8 at home. Prior to his retirement, he was employed for many years as a chemical operator, first at National Lead Industries, Sayreville, and then at CPS Chemical, Old Bridge. He was predeceased by a son, Joey. Surviving are his wife, Florence Louise Kulesa Syslo; two sons, Michael and Paul Syslo, both of Sayreville; two daughters, Valerie A. Wheeler of Spotswood and Jacqueline Leary of Roanoke, Va.; a brother, Martin Syslo of Sayreville; two sisters, Roseann McGinty of North Carolina and Marie Syslo of San Diego, Calif.; and four grandchildren. A Mass was offered at Our Lady of Victories Church, Sayreville. Memorial contributions may be made to Deborah Heart and Lung Center, 200 Trenton Road, Browns Mills, NJ 08015.

Claire Burns Armstrong

Mrs. Armstrong, 80, of the Parlin section of Sayreville, died Jan. 20 in Raritan Bay Medical Center, Perth Amboy division. She was employed by the Newark Board of Education from 1947-82, serving as a teacher and vice principal at several schools in the city. She was principal at St. Mary’s School, South Amboy, from 1989-1991. Surviving are her husband, Eugene T. Armstrong; and 10 nieces and nephews. A Mass was offered at St. Mary’s Church, South Amboy. Interment was in St. Mary’s Cemetery, South Amboy. Memorial contributions may be made to The College of St. Elizabeth, Morristown.

Carmela Sirangelo Cofone

Mrs. Cofone, 80, of East Brunswick, formerly of the Parlin section of Sayreville and the Morganville section of Marlboro, died Jan. 16 at home. Prior to her retirement, she was employed as a seamstress with Dora Dress Co., South River, where she worked for 20 years. Her husband, Daniel F. Cofone, died in 1982. Surviving are a daughter, Marie Vieira of East Brunswick; four brothers, Joseph Sirangelo of Jersey City, Albert Sirangelo of Florida, Peter Sirangelo of Long Island, N.Y., and Vincent Sirangelo of Freehold; five grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. A Mass was offered at St. Bartholomew’s Church, East Brunswick. Interment was in Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens, Iselin section of Woodbridge.

John A. Rossi

Mr. Rossi, 89, of Union Beach, formerly of Old Bridge, died Jan. 22 in Bayshore Health Care Center, Holmdel. His wife, Barbara, died in 1999. Surviving are two daughters, Ellen Barnak of Union Beach and Deborah VanPelt of Sayreville; a brother, Charles; seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. A Mass was offered at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Old Bridge. Entombment was in Franklin Memorial Park, North Brunswick. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or the Alzheimer’s Association.

Arlene M. Zaczek Storms

Mrs. Storms, 55, of East Brunswick, formerly of Sayreville, died Jan. 16 in Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick. Prior to her retirement in 2004, she was employed as a travel agent for 19 years with Travel Reservations, East Brunswick, and as a teacher’s assistant at Gateway Preschool at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, also East Brunswick. She was predeceased by her parents, Joseph J. and Margaret Zaczek. Surviving are her husband, Robert Storms; a son, Daniel of East Brunswick; a sister, Bernadette Brozowski of South River; a brother, Joseph H. Zaczek of Sayreville; an aunt, Christine Catanese of Monroe; her mother-in-law, Johanna Storms of Wyckoff; a sister-in-law, Karen Popjes of Midland Park; and a nephew and three nieces. A Mass was offered at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, Sayreville. Interment was in the church cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Oncology Unit, c/o Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick, NJ 08903.

Stanislaw Gromadzki

Mr. Gromadzki, 73, of the Somerset section of Franklin, formerly of Perth Amboy, died Jan. 11 at home. Prior to his retirement in 2003, he was employed by Alpha Associates, Woodbridge, where he worked for 27 years. Surviving are his wife, Wladyslawa Skrzypczak Gromadzki; four sons, Jan of South Amboy, Tadeusz of Perth Amboy, the Rev. Stanley Gromadzki, pastor of St. Mary of Ostrabrama Church, South River, and the Rev. Michael Gromadzki of Our Lady of Peace Church, Fords section of Woodbridge; and five grandsons. A Mass was concelebrated at St. Mary of Ostrabrama Church. Interment was in St. Stanislaus Cemetery, Sayreville.

Rosemarie F. Murphy Madsen

Mrs. Madsen, 70, of South River, died Jan. 9 in Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick. Surviving are her husband, Andy Madsen; three daughters, Susan Grasso of the Colonia section of Woodbridge, and Kari Cole and Christine Hohner, both of South River; and seven grandchildren. Services were held at Brunswick Memorial Home, East Brunswick. Interment was in Princeton Memorial Park, Robbinsville section of Washington. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, 2550 Route 1, North Brunswick, NJ 08902-4301.