Obituaries

William L. Hartley, age 71 of Freehold, NJ died Monday September 4, 2023. Mr. Hartley was born in Camden, NJ. He attended Wall High School.

Mr. Hartley was Owner of Heritage Auto Body & Towing in Shrewsbury, NJ for 46 years with his business partner Robbie Hayes.  He was well respected and admired for his amazing talent with cars. His passion for cars, street rods, and especially corvettes showed in his work, and there was nothing that he couldn't fix and everything he fixed was like brand new and perfect.

Edward G. DePascale, age 87 of Shrewsbury, died on Sept. 3^rd 2023 at Jersey Shore University Medical Center of a stroke suffered on August 24, 2023.

He was born in Meadville, PA. The son of the late Jerome and Josephine DePascale.

He is a graduate of the Scotland School for Veterans Children in Scotland, PA and the Bowman Technical School in Lancaster, PA graduating as a Certified Master Watchmaker. He was recruited by Bell Telephone Labs in Murray Hill, NJ. He worked on the Telstar project in 1961. He retired from AT&T Bell Labs now known as Nokia Bell Labs in Murray Hill.

Marion Quinn, of Red Bank passed away peacefully Wednesday, August 30, 2023.

She was born November 21, 1923 in Newark, New Jersey to the late Joseph H. Logan and Mary Elizabeth Wooley. Marion was raised in Newark where she attended St. Joseph's Grammar School and St. Joseph's Business School in Newark.

She married Jack Quinn in 1945 after he was discharged from the U.S. Army. She moved to Red Bank with Jackie and children in the late 1950s. Jackie died on September 19, 1965.

Marion was employed by Brookdale Community College testing center in Lincroft. Upon retirement from Brookdale, she enjoyed socializing and traveling with her best friend Millie Schiafone. They had many wonderful adventures.

Alfred John Schiavetti, Jr. passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on June 28, 2023 overlooking the beloved Navesink River after a courageous battle with cancer. A 50-year-plus resident of Fair Haven, NJ, he had a distinguished banking career and dedicated his retirement to improving and delivering education and healthcare opportunities as an active and engaged non-profit board member. Al was an avid reader, a six-continent traveler, and ardent collector of art and wine.

Son of Elizabeth and Alfred John Schiavetti, Sr., Al grew up in Stafford Springs, CT where his father served as the small town’s doctor, sometimes accepting barter in lieu of payment. After graduation from Avon Old Farms in 1957, Al headed north to Williamstown, MA where he joined the Williams College class of 1961. He was inspired by the surrounding mountains and art museums that brought a lifetime of great joy and a second home to him and his family. As a member of the “Bottoms Up Ski Club,” Al met the love of his life, Barbara (Bauer) Schiavetti, whom he adoringly called Bobbie and married in 1966.

Ellen Teresa Conroy McNamara, of Stamford, Connecticut, died peacefully in Red Bank, NJ on Sunday, July 30, in the company of her husband, Gregory McNamara, her brother Jim Conroy, her daughter, Michal DiMiceli, and her son, Martin Albanese. 

Ellen was born in Rockville Center, New York, in 1950, the oldest of eight children, to Martin Conroy, an advertising writer and executive, and Joan Crowley, a homemaker. As the family grew, they moved to Old Greenwich, Connecticut, and then Wellesley, Massachusetts, before returning to Greenwich for the next two decades. 

Ellen attended St. Mary’s High School in Greenwich and graduated from Greenwich High School in 1968. After one year at Newton College of the Sacred Heart, in Massachusetts, she transferred to the University of Connecticut, where she earned her bachelor of arts degree in 1973. 

Ellen married and settled first in Port Chester, NY with her family, then moved to Greenwich, CT. She enjoyed restoring and decorating their homes, perfect for welcoming friends and hosting holidays for the large extended family. Ellen was a loving and devoted mother whose unconditional love was ever present.

After dedicating her life to her children, in her 40’s, Ellen went back to earn a master’s degree in education at Manhattanville College, eventually becoming a teacher at Westhill High School, in Stamford, Connecticut, working with students with special needs, who she adored, until her retirement in 2019. 

Donald Bertrand of Middletown, died Wednesday August 9, 2023 at his home in Middletown, New Jersey. He was 82 years old. 

He was born in The Bronx on May 5th, 1941, the son of William and Helen (nee Harrison) Bertrand. Donald is survived by his loving wife of 48 years, Marjorie (nee Hofmeister) Bertrand; sons Andrew (Lauren) and Matthew (Elena). He was the beloved pop-pop to grandchildren Harper, Tucker, Ethan, and Oliver and the brother of Raymond and the late Marie and Gary.

Donald graduated from Cardinal Hayes High School and Iona College. At 19, he began his career at the New York Daily News, initially working as a copyboy while attending Iona during the day. That career would span five decades including time as suburban editor, coverage of City Hall and overseeing the Daily News’ expansion of their coverage into the borough of Queens. For Donald, the defining moment of this extensive career was coverage related to September 11^th and the days that followed. 

Vatsala Muralidhara passed away at Riverview Medical Center on Thursday evening, August 3. She was born in Karachi, British India, on August 10, 1936. The daughter of a government scientist, Vatsala lived throughout India during her childhood. She attended Catholic secondary schools and then continued her studies at Delhi University, where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in zoology. She was a top student, earning many prizes for her academic studies.

After her work as a journalist, Vatsala married Ranya, an organic chemist, in 1967, and immigrated to the United States. She settled first in Skaneateles, NY and then moved to New Jersey, where she lived for over fifty years. She and her husband raised two children, and for many years, their well-being was her primary focus as a stay-at-home mom. Her home in Fair Haven was full of colorful art, her extensive collection of elephant figurines, and the smell of gourmet cooking. She was a prodigious reader and also loved traveling in Europe and visiting museums.

“If you knew him, you loved him.” Thomas F. (“as in Frank”) Bruno, 82, a life-long resident of Little Silver passed away suddenly on August 3, 2023, with his loving wife Kris by his side. Tommy was born to parents Lucy and Thomas Bruno at Riverview Hospital on July 19, 1941. His birth was a complete surprise to his parents and older brothers Fred and Anthony, when he arrived some time after his twin sister Antoinette. He attended Markham Place School and Red Bank High School before receiving his Associate Degree from Brookdale Community College and attending Rutgers University.

Tom served six years in the NJ National Guard Reserves after training at Fort Dix. His ultimate desire was to become a Little Silver Police Officer and his dream was fulfilled when he was appointed as patrolman. He served 32 years rising through the ranks to become Chief of the Department for eight years before retiring in 1995. Chief Bruno also served on the Little Silver Fire Department beginning in 1963, rising to the rank of Chief in 1972. At the time of his death, he was an exempt member with over 50 years of service. With a true calling and passion for helping others, Tom also served on the Little Silver First Aid Squad. His dedication to the betterment of his community was unwavering and inspiring. As the LSPD said “his impact will be felt for generations to come.” He was a dedicated colleague, caring mentor, and good friend to many, bringing joy on and off duty.

Joseph F. Cichalski, 79, passed away on August 2, 2023 after a fulfilling life. Born in New Brunswick, NJ, Joe grew up in South River. He was a graduate of South River High School, class of 1962, earned a BA degree from the University of Notre Dame, and a master’s degree from Kean University.

Joe began substitute teaching shortly after graduation and found his calling. Over the next 37 years, he taught grades 3-6, both as a regular classroom teacher and as a basic skills math specialist, where he was known as “Math Man” to his colleagues and students. Joe’s humor and patience served him well in his career. He loved his work and his students, and he retired from the Manalapan-Englishtown School District in 2006.

Joe’s passions can be summed up as: Family, Friends, Fishing, and Football. He and his wife, Joan, settled in Little Silver and enjoyed 47 years there raising their two children. Joe served on the Little Silver Board of Education for 12 years and was a volunteer at the library for many years. He was also a frequent volunteer at Embury United Methodist Church, especially at their pie makes each fall.