Obituaries

Marylyn Ann Davis Collins passed away at home, March 1st, 2017, after a battle with cancer.  She was born in Newark, NJ.  The family moved to Oceanport Park on the Shrewsbury River when she was three.  Marylyn graduated from Long Branch High School in 1949 with scholastic and athletic honors.  

She worked as an Executive Assistant to the Fort Monmouth Command and later held the same position at The Charms Candy Company in Newark, NJ.  Her most adventurous position, however, was as one of the first women pursers hired by an American steamship line.  She sailed with Moore McCormack to the British West Indies and South America for several years, igniting her lifelong passion for travel.

In 1955 Marylyn travelled to Hawaii to join her beloved sister and brother-in-law.  Although she fell in love with the islands, after a year she decided she missed the change in seasons and returned to the East Coast.  Marylyn then met her future husband, T Collins, and they married in 1957.  They settled in Rumson where they lived for 46 years and raised their five children.  Marylyn’s most cherished roles were as mother and grandmother.  She lived for her children and grandchildren and shared her love limitlessly and without judgement.  Marylyn took great pride and joy in witnessing their many accomplishments.  She was an almost permanent fixture in the stands and bleachers, as a member of the audience, and as a viewer of webcasts for over 50 years.  

Dorothy H. Gunniss, Age 80 of Shrewsbury, formerly of Little Silver, passed away on February 21, 2017.  Dorothy was very active in local charities and organizations, including the Nifty Fifties at the Church of the Nativity in Fair Haven, the Fair Haven and Little Silver Seniors, the Episcopal Women’s Group at St. John’s Episcopal Church and the Women’s Exchange in Little Silver.  Before retiring she was a legal secretary at the law firm of Shelby, Cullom, Davis & Company in NYC.  

Dorothy is predeceased by her husband Gordon F. Gunniss.  She is survived by her step-children: Gordon “Andy” Gunniss & his wife Wanda of Trumbull, CT; Stephanie Quintal & her husband Carl of Sharon, MA.; Amanda Capossela & her husband Dom of Sharon, MA. Also, her grandchildren: Ian & Hilary Gunniss; Madeline and Samantha Quintal; and Dylan Capossela.

Jack Preston passed away on Feb. 25 at his home in Middletown, N.J.  Born in Red Bank, Jack was fiercely proud of his United States Marine Corps service during the Vietnam War.  He was an usher at Holy Cross Church, Rumson, the owner of J. Preston Realtors, and was past-President of the Monmouth County Board of Realtors.

Jack is loved by those he leaves behind – daughter Sheana Preston and her husband Nicholas Ditri, daughter Brittany Preston, former wife Bonnie Preston, stepchildren Frank Pinto and Carri-Ann Murillo, grandchildren Cody and Brianna, partner Peggy O’Neil and many friends who were family. Jack is predeceased by his parents John and Mae Preston, and is survived by his brother Jim Preston and wife Ann Marie, and his sister Kathleen Preston, husband Dow Walker, Jr. and their six sons.  

Visitation will be Wednesday, March 1st   2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Thompson Memorial Home, 310 Broad St, Red Bank. 

"...lived a very good life," and passed away peacefully with her family by her side at Meridian Nursing and Rehabilitation in Shrewsbury, NJ on Valentine's Day, February 14, 2017, after suffering a series of strokes beginning in June. After each stroke, Betty was able to recover and resume an active social life with her new friends at Meridian. Two days before her passing she held court in the hallway and said "who would've thought that this late in my life I would make so many new and dear friends that I love. Aren't we lucky to all be able to live together in such a beautiful place."

Betty was born in Elmont, NY, December 4, 1926, the youngest and 13th child of Patrick "Harry" H. Clarke and Catherine "Katie" P. Waters Clarke. At 16 yrs. old, after all but 2 of her siblings had enlisted to serve in WWII, she accompanied a girlfriend downtown to an interview at AT&T who was in dire need of telephone operators to handle overseas calls. She was offered a job in San Francisco, CA to handle calls coming from the Pacific.

Maria (Andzelm) Kershenbaum, 88, entered eternal rest on Friday, February 10, 2017 surrounded by her loving family in Red Bank, New Jersey. She was born in Janowiec, Poland to the late Stefan and Waleria Andzelm.
After immigrating to the United States in the early 1950's, Maria and her husband, Moses, lived in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and in 1968, they relocated to the Red Bank area where they owned and operated the Monmouth Cigar and Stationery Store for fourteen years.

She was a natural homemaker, great cook, talented knitter and an avid sewer who also worked in the Garment District of New York City as a professional seamstress.

She was raised with a humanitarian spirit; believing and demonstrating a connection to others. Maria received the Yad Vashem Medal and Certificate of Honor and was designated as one of the "Righteous Among the Nations" by the Israeli government (the distinction is awarded to a non-Jewish person who risked his or her life, freedom, and safety to save Jews from the threat of deportation or death). The recognition Maria received was for the part she played, as a young teenager, helping two Jewish men escape from the Nazis. Her family built a box (put in the ground like a grave), and hid them in a barn and cared for them for two years. Sadly, her father was killed the day of Liberation. Her family's courage to uphold human values ultimately caused them to leave their home for fear of attacks by their neighbors.

Neil V. DeSena of Rumson, N.J. passed away on Saturday, February 11, 2017. He was 52 years young.  Neil was Managing Partner of SenaHill Partners, the merchant bank he co-founded in 2013, after an impressive career spanning three decades. During these three decades, Neil helped drive the electronification of Wall Street and what is now called fintech. His vision, spirit and larger-than-life persona came with him to work every day where he influenced a whole generation of professionals around him. His kindness and care ignited the successful careers of many others on the path he blazed. Not only did he create a legacy in the businesses he built, but he also left a massive family that is now carrying forward his mantra. Not many people had the magic he did to get work done and build bonds that lasted well after he had left the room.

He started his career in the back-office at Quick & Reilly Clearing in 1985. He later became a partner at the venerable Spear, Leads and Kellogg (SLK) where he pioneered the REDI electronic trading division as its first employee in 1992. After it was acquired by Goldman Sachs, he became a managing director and global head of REDI Products from 2000 to 2006. This business was generating nearly a billion dollars of revenue a year for the firm. He took an archaic business and leveraged technology to bring it into the future. He pushed ideas and people in a way that was unique and built the best franchise on Wall Street that remains unparalleled.

Catherine Ross, beloved sister, aunt and wife, passed away on February 7, 2017 at her home.  “Casey”, as she was known by both family and friends, was born in New Brunswick in 1925, and graduated New Brunswick High School in 1943. She was employed by the U.S. Government at Ft. Monmouth, and retired after 30 years of faithful service.  She was married to Tom, the love of her life, for 36 years. Casey was predeceased by her parents, Vassilios and Kalliope Gitantzides, her brother John, her sister, Stella Dancey and her husband, Thomas Ross.

Her sense of humor and good-natured attitude was enjoyed by all, and her love for family was immeasurable. She doted on her niece and nephews, and her generosity towards them and others will never be forgotten.

She is survived by her nephews, John and Mike Dancey, niece Kathy Boyle, and numerous great nieces and nephews.

Kay Mullaney Girling, age 79 of Middletown, formally of West Long Branch, passed away on February 9, 2017.  Born in Newark, NJ, Kay resided in West Long Branch before moving to Middletown in 1967.  She worked for Kitson Chevrolet in Eatontown and Wall Lincoln Mercury in Shrewsbury.  

Kay was predeceased by her husband Robert S. Girling III in 1992; her father Frank B. Mullaney; her mother and stepfather Thelma and Clifford Brower; her brother Donald H. Mullaney; her sister Joan Lamberson and her beloved grandson Donald J. Cyrta.  She is survived by her loving, caring daughter Sharon Girling; her sisters Roberta Maletto of Eatontown and Burnice Jarosz of Jordan, NY; her grandchildren Nina Deangelo and her husband Brian, Robert Cano and Katherine Cyrta; her great-grandchildren Justin MacDonald, Patricia Cyrta, Sophie Deangelo, Kianna, Kimmy and Christian Rodriquez; and her nieces and nephew, including Morgan Frenk who played a special part in her “Kee’s” life and was loved dearly.

George Fleury Melick Jr., 92, of Middletown, passed away on Wednesday, February 8, 2017.  George served his country in World War II and the Korean War earning a Bronze Star.  He was a graduate of Princeton University and Columbia University.  He was a Mechanical Engineering Professor at Rutgers University.  George was a member of the First Presbyterian Church at Red Bank at Tower Hill.  

George is survived by his four children, Robert of Red Bank, Linda and husband William Reynolds of Flemington, Judith Melick of Long Branch, and Karen Melick and wife Clare Thomas of Santa Monica, CA; sister Carolyn Derr of Charlotte, NC; six grandchildren, Emily, Dean, Kelly, Keith, David and Gregory; and one great grandchild, Penny.  George was predeceased by his wife of 66 years, Florence B. Melick.

Anne was born in Kingscourt, County of Cavan, Ireland, and arrived with her mother, Elizabeth, and sister, Marie, at Ellis Island on January 7, 1929, to join her father, Patrick Brady.  While growing up on the West Side of New York, Anne attended Holy Name Grade School and graduated from Assissium Institute.  She worked for many years in New York, including on the Manhattan Project, and began traveling the world.

Anne married John T. Hordych, Jr. in 1970, making their home in Centereach, Long Island.  Several years later, they moved to New Jersey where Anne was employed by Riverview Medical Center.  She continued to pursue her love of travel as well as skiing, tennis and all things Irish while completing an Associate of Arts degree from Brookdale Community College.  Upon her retirement from Riverview, Anne and John cruised to many ports, had regular outings to Atlantic City with long-time friends and made several trips to Anne’s beloved Ireland.  

In 2011, after 40 years of marriage, John passed away.  Anne subsequently moved from Red Bank to The Brandywine in Shrewsbury where she made many friends among the residents and staff.  She passed away peacefully on January 28, 2017.