The Courier-News from Bridgewater, New Jersey • Page 91

LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY, MARCH 13. 1998 C-3 THE COURIER-NEWS OBITUARIES omerset plans RobertJ.HerlichJr., firefighter for 55 years lo finance variety of capital works Mary Frank, 90, retired phone operator FANWOOD Mary L. Frank, 90, died Thursday (March 12, 1998) at Villa Maria in North Plainfield. Born in Jersey City, she had lived in Deal and Basking Ridge before moving to Fanwood in 1995. She was a telephone operator for Cunard Shipping Co.

in New York City for many years, retiring in 1955. She was a member of St. Bartholomew The Apostle Roman Catholic Church in Scotch Plains. Her first husband, James Cullen, died in 1939. Her second husband, Fred B.

Frank, died in 1978. Surviving are a daughter, Mary Clare Egan of Fanwood; three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Services will be at 9 a.m. Saturday at Rossi Funeral Home in Scotch Plains, followed by a 10 a.m. Mass at St.

Bartholomew The Apostle Church Scotch Plains. Visitation is from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 tonight at the funeral home. 16 from entering burning buildings. "My parents were all for it; they said it kept me out of trouble," Herlich said in a 1989 article in The Courier-News.

"My aunts and uncles used to give them a hard time about allowing me to hang out with older boys, but my parents said at least they knew where to find me." In 1989, the Warren Township Committee honored him for his volunteer work. His wife, Jean R. Fisher Herlich, died in 1997. Two sisters, Gertrude Bazarnicki and Rose Harris, also preceded him in death. Surviving are a son, James R.

Herlich of Warren, a daughter, Judith A. Herlich of Warren; and a sister, Catherine Waterhouse of Crofton Park, Md. Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Higgins Home For Funerals in Watchung. Visitation is from 2 to 4 p.m.

and 7 to 9 tonight at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Warren Township Rescue Squad, 6 Bardy Road, Warren, N.J. 07059. behind the South County public works facility on Roycefield Road in Hillsborough, f- Construction could start in the fall, said Michael Amorosa, county public works director. Officials have been waiting two years for permission from the state Department of Environmental Protection to apply for an extension sl Hillsborough sewer lines to serve the proposed academy.

Plans for the fire academy include a classroom and administration building, and three buildings where fires, smoke conditions, and aerial rescue conditions could be simulated. Construction of a county fire academy has been debated and investigated since 1988, when firefighters first approached the freeholders about a public training facility. About 55 percent of the two capital spending plans will fund reconstruction of county roads and bridges, said Brian Newman, county finance director. The spending plan funds seven county road reconstruction projects, repaying a dozen county roads, rebuilding eight county bridges and engineering to reconstruct seven other bridges. The $18.3 million spending plan includes $700,000 toward the county's share of the Green Brook Flood Control Project along the Raritan River, and the Middle and Green brooks.

By LARRY HIGGS Staff Writer Somerset County freeholders are poised to finance $26.6 million in capital projects, including the final $3.5 million to begin construction of a county fire academy. The board is scheduled to introduce two capital ordinances on Tuesday, one to borrow $17.5 million, with an $875,000 cash down payment to finance projects, and another to spend $8.3 million in cash. Public hearings on both spending packages will be at 7 p.m., April 7. Local fire officials say the proposed fire academy is needed. Now, firefighters receive classroom instruction at the former Washington School in Raritan and train at the Wortman Firetower in Somerville, said Fire Chief Richard Larsen, of the Country Hills Fire Company in Bridgewater.

"The facilities that were being used are somewhat below standards," Larsen said. "This will definitely benefit the community, not just firefighters." The $3.5 million in this year's budget is the last of three years of payments toward construction of the county fire academy. By 1997, county officials had $4.6 million saved toward construction of the academy, proposed for 8.8 acres County eyes piece of mountain ridge By LARRY HIGGS Staff Writer BERNARDS Like choosing the right pieces to a jigsaw puzzle, Somerset County freeholders will vote to purchase land to preserve part of the Watchung Mountain ridge. The board will vote on Tuesday to spend $1.65 million to buy 30 acres of land from the estate of Elinor McNelis off Mountain Road. "The intent is to preserve the ridge-top from Pluckemin to Warrenville," said Ray Brown, county park director.

"It's a small piece of a large puzzle." The county has about four properties and some trail easements across other land along the ridge, Brown said. The money to purchase it will come from open space funds in the 1998 county budget. The McNelis land is significant, because it's suitable for farming and ripe for building, said Mayor William Holmes. Other mountaintop land has steep slopes and is difficult to build on, he said. "The McNelis property isn't one of those; it's farmland and there's a house on it," Holmes said.

Stanley O'Donnell, Korean War veteran FLEMINGTON Stanley ODon-nell, 61, died Wednesday (March 11, 1998) at home here. Born in Bayonne, he had lived in Flemington for more than 20 years. Mr. O'Donnell was a Navy veteran of the Korean War. He worked for Flemington Speedway security in Flemington.

He was also employed by Professional Security Co. in Somerville. He was a member of the Flemington Fire Department and a former member of the Lebanon Township Rescue Squad. Services will be held at 1 p.m. Monday at Holcombe-Fisher Funeral Home, Flemington.

Visitation is from 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to Flemington Fire Department, 38 Park Flemington, J. 88822. FUNERAL NOTICES COCKBURN John B.

of South Plainfield on March 11, 1998. Memorial Service Sunday 2:00 PM at the First Baptist Church, South Plainfield. Cremation Private. Family desires that donations be made to the First Baptist Church of South Plainfield. i GILBERT Gary A.

of Clinton NJ on Wednesday, March 11, 1998 at age 56. Son of the late Wilbert J. and Jean Squire Gilbert. Survived by a son, Christopher J. Gilbert; a daughter, Amy J.

Gilbert; and mother-in-law Madge Townley of Annandale, NJ. Calling hours will be Monday, March 16, 1998 from 2-4 pm followed by 4 pm memorial service at the Scarponi-Bright Funeral Home, 2 Main Street, Lebanon, NJ 08833. Memorials can be made to the American Littorial Society in care of the Funeral Home. Interment will be private. MELE HELEN M.

(NEE-NAZZARO), on March 11, 1998 of Paterson. Beloved wife of the late Joseph C. (6-1984). Loving mother of Dr. Joseph Ft.

of Bridgewater and Jo-Ann Romaine of Boonton. Dear sister of the late Dr. Rocco P. Nazzaro (5-1997). Cherished grandmother of Lynn Ann, Gregory, and Gary Romaine, and Keith, Daren, and Jon-Paul Mele.

Cherished great-grandmother of 3. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Funeral on Saturday, March 14, 1998, 9:30 A.M. from The Par-Troy Funeral Home, 95 Parsippany Rd, Parsippany. With the Liturgy of Christian Burial to be offered at St. Christopher R.C.

Church, Parsippany at 10:15 A.M. Interment: Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Totowa. Visiting Hours: Friday 2-4 and 7-9 PM. SISSER Fred Jr, age 81 of Brick died Wed at home. Husband of the late Virginia.

Father of Fred III and Jane Ellen Mesh. Brother of Vincent, Pearl Vroom and Ruth Kalina. Grandfather of Stephen, Elizabeth and Virginia Mesh. Great Grandfather of Hannah Mesh. Funeral Service will be offered on Monday 10:30 'AM at Colonial Funeral Home 2170 Highway 88, Brick.

Burial will follow at the New Cemetery in Somerville. Viewing is Sunday From 2-4 Only at the Funeral Home. In Lieu of Flowers Please make donations to the Jersey Shore Animal Center, 185 Brick Brick, NJ 08723. WALDLE Virginia Alpaugh, 50 of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, formerly of No Plainfield on Mar.

9, 1998. Daughter of the late John the Late Rita Alpaugh, sister of the Late John sister in law of Peggy Alpaugh, niece of Ruth Warne, aunt of John Alpaugh, cousin to many. Funeral services will be conducted Sat. from the Sheenan Funeral Home, 233 Dunellen Dunellen will be followed by a 9AM Mass of Christian Burial at St. John's Church, Dunellen.

Interment Holy Redeemer Cemetery, So. Plain-field, Visitation Fri. 7-9PM at the Sheenan Funeral Home. WEBB George S. on March 9, 1998.

Father of Georgette, Margaret and George Webb. Brother of Helen Cox, Melva Brown, Geneva Berger, Lilly Clements, Derotha Wright, Nancy, Vogean, Carolee, Ernestine, Eugene, James and Howard Webb, Jr. Funeral Service Saturday 10:00 AM, JUDKINS COLONIAL HOME. Friends may call Friday 7-9 PM. CARD OF THANKS Tha family of the late Carrie Hawed wishes to express their grateful appreciation for the many acts of kindness and concern during the loss of our sister and aunt.

Special thanks to Reverend Gerald Thomas, the Shiloh Baptist Church family, the Mohawk Temple, I E. of and the Judkins Colonial Home for their services. May God bless all of you. James Vaden and family 32nd ANNIVERSARY r.j3ETTA ii. Who Passed Away March 13.

1966 Shall claim of death cause us to grieve And make our courage faint or fall? Nay, let us faith and hope receive, The rose still grows beyond the wall Sadly Missed, Sons and Grandchildren SQMBCHifllE (n)Uliano-i SURGICAL 627 Park Plainfield, NJ Saturday Hours rill 3:00 808-756-7074 1-800-287-1793 WARREN Robert J. Herlich 71, died Wednesday (March 11, 1998) at Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center in Plainfield. Born in Plainfield, he was a lifelong resident of Warren. He was a bus driver for Somerset Bus Co. in Piscataway for 33 years, retiring in 1977.

Mr. Herlich served in the Navy during World War II. He was a member of Wilson Memorial Union Church in Watchung, American Legion Post 293 in Warren and a 25-year member of the Warren Rescue Squad, where he served as captain for two years. He was a Warren Township firefighter for 55 years, serving in the Washington Valley Fire Company, the Community Fire Company and the Mount Bethel Fire Company, where he was a life member. He served as chief, assistant chief and engineer.

Mr. Herlich began his career as a volunteer firefighter at age 14 performing odd jobs like uncoiling hose, since state regulations at the time prohibited firefighters younger than Helen M. Mele, great-grandmother of 3 PATERSON Helen M. Nazzaro Mele, 83, a homemaker, died Wednesday (March 11, 1998) at Northwest Covenant Medical Center, Denville campus. Mrs.

Mele was born in Paterson, where she lived all her life. She graduated in 1932 from Eastside High School, Paterson. Surviving are her son, Dr. Joseph R. Mele of Bridgewater; a daughter, Jo-Ann Romaine of Boonton; six grandchildren; and three greatgrandchildren.

Her husband, Joseph C. Mele, died in 1984. Her brother, Dr. Rocco P. Nazzaro, died in 1997.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Christopher's Church, Parsippany. Visitation is from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m.

Friday at Par-Troy Funeral Home, Parsippany. Theresa M. Maxwell, married for 46 years BRIDGEWATER Theresa M. Lapinski Maxwell, 64, died Thursday (March 12, 1998) at Somerset Medical Center in Somerville. Born in Bound Brook, she had lived in Bridgewater for the past 26 years.

Mrs. Maxwell was a supervisor at Baker Taylor Co. in Somerville for five years, retiring in 1973. She also worked at American Cyanamid in Bridgewater as a veritypist for more than 13 years. She was a member of the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church in Somerville.

Surviving are her husband of 46 years, Robert Maxwell of Bridgewater, a brother, Henry Lapinski of Middlesex; and several nieces and nephews. Services will be at 8 a.m. Monday at Bridgewater Funeral Home followed by a 9 a.m. Mass at Immaculate Conception Church in Somerville. Visitation is from 2 to 4 p.m.

Sunday at the funeral home. JohnA.ButricoSr., owned auto body shop SOUTH PLAINFIELD John A. Butrico 75, died Wednesday (March 11, 1998) at home here. Born in South Plainfield, Mr. Butrico was a lifelong borough resident.

Mr. Butrico owned and operated Butrico's Auto Body Shop in Finderne. He started the company in 1974 and worked there for 20 years, retiring in 1994. He was also a manager of the auto body shop at the Former City Ford in Watchung for many years. He was a member of Our Lady of Czestochowa Roman Catholic Church in South Plainfield and the Queen City Pigeon Club in Piscataway.

He served in the Army during World War and received the Bronze Star. He was preceded in death by two sisters, Josephine Butrico and Mary Butrico, and a brother, James Butrico. Surviving are his wife, Ann D. Wai-tikowich Butrico; four sons, John Jr. and Frank, both of South Plainfield, Thomas of Naples, and Peter of Bridgewater; four daughters, Barbara Stahlin of South Plainfield, Mary Jane Finnerty of Middlesex, Joanne of Dunellen and Nancy Rob-shaw of Piscataway; four brothers, Joseph, William and Frank, all of South Plainfield, and Carmen of Whi-tehouse; two sisters, Theresa DiSesso and Grace Scala, both of South Plain-field; and 18 grandchildren.

Services will be at 9 a.m. Saturday at James W. Conroy Funeral Home in South Plainfield, followed by a 10 a.m. Mass at Our Lady of Czestochowa Church in South Plainfield. Visitation is from 2 to 4 p.m.

and 7 to 9 tonight at the funeral home. PLAINFIELD GRANITE WORKS LAMPERTI SONS Monuments Since 1921 416 RICHMOND ST. 756-4387 LL MANNING SON 34 Brook Plaza -Rt. 22 West Green Brook, NJ Between Rock It Washington Ave. 752-0330 756-0706 Stella Napolitano, hospital volunteer HILLSBOROUGH Stella Napolitano, 73, died Wednesday (March 11, 1998) at Somerset Medical Center in Somerville.

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., she moved to Hillsborough in 1960. She was a member of Mary, Mother of God Roman Catholic Church in Hillsborough and a former volunteer at Somerset Medical Center in Somerville. A son, Philip Napolitano, died in 1993. Surviving are her husband, Marco Napolitano; a daughter, Roseann Napolitano of Hillsborough; and a sister, Louise Pizzo of Newburgh, N.Y. Services will be at 9:30 a.m.

Monday at Mary, Mother of God Church in Hillsborough. Visitation is from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Hillsborough Funeral Home in Belle Mead. Ingrid Brokaw, 94, retired schoolteacher Ingrid Adele Pace Brokaw, 94, died Saturday (March 7, 1998) at her daughter's home in Arlington, Texas.

Born in Roselle Park, she had lived in Neshanic before moving to Tucson, in 1984, and then to Arlington, Texas, in 1993. Mrs. Brokaw was a graduate of Flemington High School, and attended Trenton State Teachers College in Ewing and Rutgers University. She was a schoolteacher in Neshanic and East Millstone until 1964. She was a member of Neshanic Methodist Church for 73 years and the New Jersey Retired Teachers Association.

She was a recent graduate of the International Bible Fellowship Study. Her husband, George F. Brokaw of Neshanic, died in 1979. Surviving are a daughter, Helen Pickell of Texas; a sister, Doris Pace Flack; a granddaughter, a grandson; and three great-grandchildren. Services will be at 10 a.m.

Saturday at New Cemetery, Somerville. Arrangements were by Speer-Van Ardsdale Funeral Home, Somerville. Buddy Jeannette, Hall of Fame ballplayer NASHUA, N.H. (AP) Buddy Jeannette, whose backcourt wizardry won hin a place in basketball's Hall of Fame, is dead. He was 80.

Jeannette died Wednesday at his home, four days after a stroke put him in a coma. He had been in ill health lately. Jeannette coached and played at a time when professionals competed in ballrooms and small-town gyms, often for $25 a game, and dunk was something you did only to doughnuts. A player-coach for some of his pro career, Jeannette played on six championship teams in four cities and three pro leagues the National Basketball League, the American Basketball League and the Basketball Association of America, forerunner of the NBA It was as a 5-foot-ll player-coach that he led the Baltimore Bullets to the 1947-48 BAA championships. At his Hall of Fame induction in 1994, Jeannette remembered that before his senior year, the only way he could be part of the basketball scene at his hometown high school in New Kensington, was by playing clarinet in the band.

He said he was too "small and scrawny." For the record Virginia Alpaugh Waldle, 50, who died Monday at home in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, is survived by a cousin, Ruth Warne of Plainfield; a sister-in-law, Peggy Alpaugh of Van Nuys, a nephew, John Alpaugh of Van Nuys, and many other cousins. Services will be at 9 a.m. Saturday at St. John's Roman Catholic Church in Dunellen.

Visitation is from 7 to 9 tonight. Arrangements are by Sheenan Funeral Home in Dunellen. Memorial contributions for Romuald "Ray" Wawrzyniak, 78, of South Bound Brook, who died Wednes- day at Somerset Medical Center in Somerville, should be made to the Bound Brook Rotary Club, P.O. Box 222, Bound Brook, NJ, 08805. The Sierra Club of Somerset County, co Conroy Funeral Home, P.O.

Box 86, Bound Brook, N. J. 08805 or Our Lady of Mercy Roman Catholic Church, 122 High South Bound Brook, N.J. 08880. 3 families are homeless after Scotch Plains fire Gloria D.Bailey, computer aide Gloria D.

Bailey, 74 died Wednesday (March 11, 1998) at Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center in Plain-field. Born in Hazelhurst, she had lived in Plainfield for 54 years. She was a computer aide for the Plainfield Board of Education for 24 years. She was a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Plainfield and a past president of its Matrons Club. She was preceded in death by two sons, Hugh Bailey and Arthur Bailey III, a radio personality who hosted the "Close to the Gospel" program on WERA.

Surviving are her husband, Arthur Bailey Jr. of Plainfield; a son, Gary M. of Pennsylvania; her mother, Lo-zelle Whiting; and a sister, Millicent Yvonne Alston of Plainfield. Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Calvary Baptist Church in Plain-field.

Visitation is from 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at the church. 'Arrangements are by Judkins Colonial Home in Plainfield. company president BRICK Fred Sisser 81, died Wednesday (March 11, 1998) at home here. Born in Somerville, he moved to Point Pleasant in 1972 and Brick Township in 1987.

He was president of Sisser Brothers Moving and Storage Somerville. His company delivered the oil to Lakehurst for the ill-fated "Hinden-burg" in May 1937. He played football at Somerville High School and represented Somerville in the first state wrestling meet in 1935. Mr. Sisser was a member of the Watchung Power Squadron, a boating club.

He was interested in boating and travel. After retiring, he traveled in all 50 states in his motor home. He was preceded in death by his wife, Virginia Sisser. Surviving are a son, Fred Sisser of Bridgewater; a daughter, Jane Ellen Mesh of Windsor, a brother, Vincent J. of Lavallette; and two sisters, Pearl E.

Vroom of Bridgewater and Ruth J. Kalina of Pluckemin. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Colonial Funeral Home in Brick. Visitation is from 2 to 4 p.m.

Sunday at the funeral home. JohnB.Cockburnll, D-Day participant SOUTH PLAINFIELD John B. Cockburn II, 73, died Wednesday (March 11, 1998) at Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center in Plainfield. Born in Plainfield, he had lived in South Plainfield most of his life. He was an engineering technician at Picatinny Arsenal in Dover for 35 years, retiring in 1979.

He was a veteran of World War II and participated in the Normandy Invasion. He served in the European Theater. He was a member of First Baptist Church in South Plainfield, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6763 of South Plainfield, American Legion Post 243 of South Plainfield and the South Plainfield Elks Lodge. A son, Charles W. Cockburn, died in 1997.

A brother, Francis B. Cockburn, also preceded him in death. Surviving are his wife, Margie Her-don Cockburn; a son, John B. Ill of South Plainfield; two sisters, Juanita Lucy of Warren and Mary Ann Dezen-dorf of, Toms River; and two grandchildren. Services will be at 2 p.m.

Sunday at First Baptist Church in South Plainfield. There will be no visitation. Arrangements are by Greiner-Costello Funeral Home in Wood-bridge, i Memorial contributions may be made to First Baptist Church of South Plainfield. 'This is very new and kind of William Holmes, Bernards maypr m- "They're carving out a parcel for the house on a conforming lot, and the rest will be purchased by the county." Last year, Bernards voters approved creating a local open-space trust, funded by a township property-tax levy. "This is very new and kind of exciting," Holmes said.

"While our program isn't as ambitious as the county's, we're willing to work with the county to help fund purchases doVJn the road." The environmental constraints that make other mountaintop tracts difficult to develop, also make those lands ideal candidates for preservation, Holmes said. County officials stepped in at the right time, because family membefs had considered developing the land, he said. "People can see our tax dollars are going to keep this land wide open'," Holmes said. en, Ellis said. Most of the damage was confined to the kitchen and a family room jn the back of the house, he said.

When firefighters arrived, they saw flames and smoke near the front door and at the back of the house, Ellis said. Ellis said the three families none of whom was immediately identified will not be able to move back in very soon, but they were allowed to go in and retrieve a few items, he said. Sharon Donker, who lives across the street, said she saw a police car in front of the home and thought the house was being robbed. "Then I saw smoke coming out the front door," Donker said. Suddenly, she said, flames shot out from the right side of the house.

"Within a few minutes the whole house was on fire," she said. Irene Cummings, who lives at 929 Raritan Road, heard the fire engines and saw the blaze in its early Cummings said she walked outside and saw the house on fire. She said she could see flames inside the home. Remembered cation. Nadelmann and other organizers were encouraged by comments from college President Cary Israel, who said fund-raising efforts to build a permanent center for the institute within the college library, are nearly complete.

More than $250,000 has been raised over the past year to build a center that will house computers, textbooks and other materials on the subject for use by students and teachers. About $300,000 is needed to build the structure on the library's top floor. "It would be nice if some individual could step forward and put us oven the top during the institute," Israel' said Thursday. v' Today Lonna Hooks, New Jersey's Secretary of State, will address By JANET A. HINES and WESLEY YANG Staff Writers SCOTCH PLAINS A three-family home at 920 Raritan Road was badly damaged by a fire Thursday night, but none, of the residents was home when the blaze broke out about 9 p.m.

Fire Chief John Ellis said one of the residents returned home and fpund the two-story home ablaze. Flames leapt from a window at one side of the two-story brick home, witnesses said. Firefighters from Scotch Plains and the neighboring borough of Fan-wood fought the blaze in sub-freezing weather. Ellis said the cold weather slowed firefighters down some, but witnesses said the fire was out in less than an hour. There were no reports of injuries to either firefighters or police officers.

The fire was started by a faulty refrigerator compressor in the kitch- HOLOCAUST: Continued from Page C-1 of Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties. Edward Ford, a 17-year-old junior Colonia High School, said the range of subjects surprised and intrigued him. Ford attended a session Thursday led by a former U.S. soldier who liberated World War II concentration camp survivors, and a second on Japanese internment in the United States. "I wanted to go to more of them," Ford said of the workshops.

The talk on Holocaust denial dismayed Ford. "It's amazing how people can say it didn't happen." The institute is sponsored by the Jewish federation, along with the college and the state Department of Edu-.