Obituaries

John Oliver Byren, 88, of Rumson, NJ and Jensen Beach, FL died peacefully at home on October 1st, 2021, surrounded by his family in Rumson, NJ.  “Pop Pop”, as he was known to his grandchildren, was raised in Germantown, PA and Ocean City, NJ.  He attended the William Penn Charter School and Lehigh University before serving in the United States Army, where he was a company commander in Germany. 

Ryan Patrick Martin of Shrewsbury, NJ, passed away suddenly on September 28, 2021. He was born in Red Bank, NJ, and resided in Shrewsbury for most of his life. Ryan was a graduate of Shrewsbury Boro School, Red Bank Regional High School and St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA. Ryan was employed as Director of Recruiting for Fusion Recruiting Labs in Middletown, NJ. Prior to that Ryan acquired his Series 7 and 66 licenses and was a financial planner for Merrill Lynch in Baltimore, MD.

Ryan leaves behind his parents, Kenneth and Cathy Martin of Shrewsbury; his sister Katelyn Moliver and brother-in-law Harrison Moliver of Atlantic Highlands, NJ; his sister Kelly Martin and future brother-in-law Austin Dam of Neptune City, NJ and his younger brother Corey Martin, also of Shrewsbury; as well as several aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and his longtime girlfriend Sharon Zitzman.

Anne M. Duncan, 91, passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday September 28, 2021. 

She was born in Jersey City in 1929. She was graduated from St. Aloysius High School. Anne married George M. Duncan in 1951 and started raising a family in Jersey City before moving to Hazlet, New Jersey. There she continued to lovingly raise her eight children. She would often say that her time at home with her “babies” was the happiest of her life. She worked in a wide range of occupations that included being a switchboard operator in New York City as a young woman, and later in life as an executive secretary for four consecutive presidents of Saint Peter’s College (now Saint Peter’s University) over the span of three decades. It was there that she had established many life long friendships and was known as a trusted and steadfast professional in the “Saint Peter’s family”.

Longtime Rumson resident Phyliss Amses died on September 25, 2021 in Riverview hospital in Red Bank. The cause of death has not been determined.

Phyliss was born on November 6th, 1931 in Bayonne, New Jersey, to Irvin and Sophie Gershman. She graduated from Bayonne High School in1948. After that she worked as a supply clerk for the U.S. Army, a switchboard operator, and then as a seamstress at Flora’s Dress Shop after she moved to Rumson to raise her family.

Anne M. Dugan passed away peacefully in her sleep in her apartment at the continuing care center of Seabrook Village in Tinton Falls, NJ on Sunday, September 26, 2021 at the age of 93.

Anne was born on March 23, 1928 to Fred Taylor Dugan and Ethel Burroughs Dugan of East Orange, New Jersey. She was active as a camp counselor in New Hampshire during both her high school and college years, which formed the foundation of her interest in teaching. Anne graduated from Rutgers University with a degree in Education and, following internships, she became a full-time elementary school teacher in Red Bank, NJ, where she taught for 42 years before her retirement.

Anne was an avid and excellent golfer. While her drives may not have been the longest, they were always down the middle of the fairway, and she was notorious for her stellar short game around the green. She simultaneously belonged to multiple country clubs, including Old Orchard Country Club in Eatontown, NJ, where she organized and won several club championships. Anne developed her love for the game of golf at a young age through learning from and playing with her father.

Just a few hours after coming into this world, Jackson Thomas Hardesty passed away in his parents’ arms at Jersey Shore University Medical Center on September 24, 2021. 

Jackson spent only a moment in this world but he is forever in our hearts. He leaves behind his loving family: Parents, Victoria and Aaron Hardesty; Siblings, Kaydence, Noah, and Lucas Hardesty; Grandparents, Great-Grandparents, Uncles, Aunts, and Cousins. 

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday September 29, 2021, at Saint James RC Church, 94 Broad Street, Redbank, NJ 07701, at 9:30AM.

Thompson Memorial Home, Red Bank, has been entrusted with the arrangements. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.thompsonmemorial.net. In lieu of flowers a donation in Jackson’s honor may be made to Michael’s Feat at https://michaelsfeat.org/volunteer-donate/. This non-profit organization provides comfort and eases the burden for parents carrying and caring for seriously ill newborns. 

“Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart” - A.A. Milne

Winifred Steinthal Svikhart passed away peacefully on September 20, 2021, at her home in Little Silver, NJ, surrounded by her loved ones.

Winifred was born in Manhattan to Martin and Winifred Steinthal on October 27, 1932. After attending the Convent of the Sacred Heart, she graduated from Manhattanville College in 1954 with a degree in Economics. She was a research librarian for the Rockefeller Foundation until her marriage to her great love, Clifford Miles Svikhart on September 13, 1958. They moved their growing family to Rumson, NJ in 1964 where they raised their 6 children. Winifred was very active at Holy Cross Church and School where she was the treasurer of the Antique Show for many years, among other roles.

Red Bank - John Barry Phelan left us on 9/17/21, with his three children at his side. He was born in Newark, NJ, and resided in Fair Haven, NJ, since 1978. Barry graduated from Newark Academy in 1958 and Upsala College in 1966. 

Barry and the love of his life, Lynn, were married for 60 years and raised their 3 children in New Jersey and Ohio before settling in Fair Haven. He had a long successful career at AT&T, where he hired and mentored countless employees. After he retired, he became business manager at Church of Nativity for ten years, where he made many dear lifelong friends. 

Known as Grandbear to his extended family, Barry was a wonderful husband and father, loyal friend, devout Catholic, and devoted Giants’ fan. A passionate golfer and fantastic dancer, he was proud to tell you he once got a hole-in-one and danced the spotlight dance on the TV show, American Bandstand, in 1958. 

Kathleen Ryan Geren, 81, of Eatontown, NJ, passed away peacefully embraced by the love of her children, family and friends.

She was born in Troy, NY, to her mother, Jane Ryan Geren and father, John F. Geren.

Kathleen attended Ballston Spa, NY, schools graduating in 1958. She then attended Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing in Troy, NY, where she became a Registered Nurse.

Kathleen was the first Hospice Homecare Nurse at MCOSS, now known as Central Jersey Visiting Nurses Association. She went on to work at Riverview Hospital Hospice and Meridian Homecare Hospice. Kathleen was passionate about her profession and dedicated to her patients. For this, she was awarded the New Jersey Hospice Nurse of the Year in 1999 by the New Jersey Hospice and Palliative Care Organization.

Charles Horowitz, the light of so many lives, passed peacefully on September 12, 2021 after a short and well fought battle with cancer. Charlie was born in 1942 in Brooklyn NY and lived in NY until he moved to Red Bank, NJ in 1978.

Charlie served in the Army at Fort Bragg, NC in the 1960’s. Known for the quickest of wits and brightest of dimpled smiles, Charlie was most comfortable in the spotlight making people laugh and even spent some time as a stand up comedian known as Charlie Harmon. Always enterprising, Charlie started and ran many businesses and was widely known as the face of HobbyMasters.