Obituaries

Frances Pascale Sykes, Mother, Wife, Founder and CEO of The Pascale Sykes Foundation, passed away peacefully on March 25, 2024 surrounded by her loved ones.

Fran was born in Newport News, Virginia, and graduated from Rumson Fair Haven High School in 1958. She resided in Newport News, Virginia, Merion, PA, Newport, Rhode Island, Pittsburgh, PA.; Center Harbor, NH (summer). She finally settled in Rumson, NJ and spent her summers in Oquossoc, Maine.

The Almighty Lord gently raised Sharon into His loving arms on March 28. He knew that she had bravely struggled through the pain for so, so long and He had some work for her to do. There were some people in Heaven that needed cheering up. The Lord knew that Sharon could strike up a conversation with a complete stranger and make them feel good about themselves immediately.

Helen G. Hazlett (known to her friends and family as ‘Stetsie’) of Little Silver, New Jersey, passed away peacefully on March 18, 2024, surrounded by loved ones.

Stetsie was born on March 3, 1925, in Meadowbrook, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Josephine Ely and Benjamin W. Greer.  She excelled in academics and sports at the prestigious Ogontz School for Young Ladies in Elkins Park, PA.

Always adventurous and defying convention, Stetsie took flying lessons as a young woman, a rarity at the time. Much to her mother's displeasure (perhaps concern!), she would fly over the family home in Meadowbrook, tipping her wings as she flew over.

On June 19, 1948, Stetsie married the love of her life, James (Jimmy) V. Hazlett, II. Jimmy's work for The Dupont Company led them on 17 moves throughout their marriage. They had one son, James V. Hazlett, III (known as ‘Sandy’), who sadly predeceased Stetsie on December 15, 2023. His passing was a great source of grief for her.

Florence Walton Pye Apy peacefully passed away on Thursday evening March 28^th in hospice at Riverview Medical Center, surrounded by her family.  

Flo was born on May 5, 1931 in Spring Lake, New Jersey to Reginald C. and Florence Walton Pye, and remained a life-long resident of New Jersey. Her early childhood was spent in Glen Rock and Ridgewood, until at 13 her family moved to Red Bank.

She met her future husband, Chester Apy in the 8^th grade at Miss Mozar’s Dancing Class. Flo graduated from Red Bank High School and was a distinguished 1953 graduate of Sweet Briar College in Virginia. She married Chester Apy in 1954 a week before his graduation from Princeton University, and the couple moved to New York City. While her husband attended Columbia University Law School, Flo began six years of work at the College Entrance Examination Board, sparking a lifelong passion for education. After her husband graduated, they moved to Red Bank and then in 1960 to Little Silver where they raised their three sons, David, Donald and Dean.

Elizabeth Galvin Bender passed away on March 24, 2024. She was born in Jersey City, NJ, and resided in the Cherry Hill, NJ area for more than 50 years. She was born on January 8, 1940 in Jersey City to the late Cyril Jerome and Veronica Teresa (nee Lawlor) Galvin. Elizabeth graduated from St. Michael’s High School, Jersey City, in 1957, received a BA from MIsericordia College in Pennsylvania in 1961, a Masters in Education and a Bachelors in the Science of Nursing from Rutgers University.

She also took courses at the Sorbonne, University Paris. Leaving college, she taught at St. Catherine’s School in Spring Lake, NJ, and in College Park, MD. In 1963, she hopped a 17 hour propeller plane flight toEurope to become a primary school teacher for children of US military families stationed in Germany and in England. When she returned to the US, she taught French and English at Burlington Township High School until her retirement. She also had a second career as a registered nurse.

Eugene D. Graman of Red Bank, NJ passed away peacefully on March 21, 2024. He was 87.

Eugene was predeceased by his parents, Donald and Florence Graman. He is survived by his loving family; his brother Marvin, his sister in-law Dolly, and his nephew Donald.

Peter T. McKinney, age 88, of Little Silver, NJ died on March 21, 2024 at Riverview Medical Center, Red Bank. He was born in Brooklyn NY. He was a 1953 graduate of Port Jefferson High School, Port Jefferson NY, Hampden-Sydney College in VA and the Wharton School of business in NY.

Peter spent his business career on Wall Street retiring from Oppenheimer and Company in 1997. He was a member of the Sea Bright Lawn Tennis and Cricket Club, Rumson NJ and The Seabright Beach Club, Sea Bright NJ. He was an avid tennis and paddle tennis player, swimmer and sailor.

Janice Irene Dobbs Pedersen died Wednesday, March 20, at Monmouth Medical Center after a lengthy illness. Jan was born in 1938; the daughter of Harold and Irene Dobbs of Bernardsville, New Jersey. She graduated from Bernardsville High School and received a Bachelor’s Degree from Hood College in Frederick, Maryland. Jan was married to her husband Thomas Pedersen in 1962. They had two daughters, Katherine and Caroline. They lived for several years in Lincroft and most recently at Seabrook Village in Tinton Falls. 

In loving memory of Deborah Marie Lynch Byrne, who passed away peacefully on March 18, 2024 at the age of 58 in her home surrounded by her loving family. 

Deborah graduated from the Academy of the Holy Angels in 1984 and from the University of Virginia in 1988, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in English. After graduation, Deborah worked for Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City. That summer, Deborah met the love of her life, Kevin. They quickly fell in love and were married on September 15, 1990. 

It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we said goodbye to Richard Edward Dooley on March 12^th,2024 surrounded by his loving family.

Rich was born in Hoboken on March 30^th,1947 to James Dooley (Jim) and Virginia Claire Carroll (Ginnie). The Dooley family moved to Rumson in 1955 where Rich grew up as the 2^nd of 5 boys. He attended Holy Cross School and graduated from Rumson Fair Haven High School in 1965. He was a talented athlete who attended Seton Hall University on a basketball scholarship.