The Courier-News from Bridgewater, New Jersey • Page A6

Page A6 Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2013 Courier News MyCentralJersey.com obituaries Death Notices THOMAS HIGGINS AGE: 83 PISCATAWAY Higgins, 83, of He retired in 2001. MICHAEL W. DUFF AGE: 77 PEAPACK GLADSTONE BOROUGH Agnas, Robert H. Middlesex; Sheenan Funeral Home Curcio, Emilie M.

Raritan; Bongiovi Funeral Home Duff, Michael W. Peapack Gladstone Borough; Bailey Funeral Home Goldstein, Herbert H. Piscataway; Crabiel Funeral Home Grega John Joseph North Plainfield; Scarpa Funeral Home Higgins, Thomas Piscataway; Piscataway Funeral Home Milewski Buzin, Josephine E. Bridgewater; Branchburg Funeral Home Restaino, George Somerville; Hagan-Chamberlain Funeral Home Sierveld, Anita Holler Egg Harbor Zale Funeral Home Sweeney M.D., Ph.D., Donald Raymond Naples, FL; Dee Funeral Home Westbrook, Jacqueline Scotch Plains; Higgins Home for Funerals Thomas Piscataway passed away on Monday, September 16, 2013 at Care One at the Highlands in Edison, New Jersey. Born in Newark, he has resided in Piscataway for 34 years.

Tom received his B.A. from University of North Carolina in Education where he played football for the Tarheels. In 1953, he began his professional football career playing for the Chicago Cardinals before being recruited by the Philadelphia Eagles for several years. Tom was a well-respected educator, guide and mentor to many students at West Side High School and later at Piscataway High School. He shined as a football and track and held coach and brought out the best in his athletes.

Tom won the first State High School Championship in Atlantic City in 1974. He coached 2 teams to New Jersey State Titles. He was inducted into the Newark Hall of Fame and the New Jersey Interscholastic Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1990. He was also inducted in to the New Jersey Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2001. Surviving are his wife, Se-dora, and his six children, Barbara-Ann, Thomas, Colleen, Susan, Daniel, and Dawn.

Tom was the proud parent of 19 grandchildren; Christina and Glenn Carson; Holly, Hillary and Thomas Higgins; Shannon, Ryan, Kirsten and Matthew Holt; Carly, Ricky, Tyler, and Thomas Lyster; Courtney, Kyle and Devin Higgins; Maximus, Sofia and Chase Parra. Tom loved his family. He devoted his life to the support of his friends and students. He was a generous man whose influence touched the lives of many successful athletes. Visitation will be on Wednesday September 18, 2013 from 2-4 pm and 6-9 pm at Piscataway Funeral Home 18 Stelton Piscataway.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday September 19, 2013 at 10 am at Our Lady of Fatima R.C. Church, Piscataway. Interment will follow at Resurrection Burial Park, Piscataway. Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting PiscatawayFuneral Home.com. and was also predeceased by two brothers, Gerald and Richard.

Survivors include his son Owen and his wife Toby of Gladstone, his daughter Meghan Liss-ner and her husband David of Glen Gardner; his sister Sheila Duff Hoffman of South Carolina; three grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Arrangements are by the Bailey Funeral Home, 176 Main Street Peapack, NJ 07977 (908) 234-0590 www. baileyfuneralhomes.com. Visitation will be at the funeral home on Wednesday, September 18, 2013 from 2-4 and 7-9 PM. Services of the Fire Department will be at 7:00 PM Wednesday.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Brigid's R. C. Church, 129 Main Street, Peapack, NJ 07977 on Thursday, September 19, 2013 at 10:30 AM. A private cremation will follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Michael's memory are requested by the family to the Peapack Gladstone Fire Department, PO Box 615, Glad-stone, NJ 07934. Michael W. Duff passed away suddenly at Morris-town Memorial Hospital on Sunday, September 15, 2013. He was 77. Born in Morris-town to the late Gerald and Cecelia (Willean) Duff on May 26, 2013, he grew up in Morris Plains before becoming a resident of Peapack Gladstone Borough for most of his life.

He was a parishioner of St. Brigid's R. C. Church in Peapack. Mr.

Duff was a senior layout technician for the engineering division of Jersey Central Power and Light, retiring after 48 years. He was a sonarman for the US Navy in Korea serving aboard submarines from 1954 to 1957. Mr. Duff was a 48-year member of the Peapack-Gladstone Fire Department, and had served as Past Chief and Past President. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus Blessed Mother of Seton Council 510 of Chester; served on the Board of Elections in Gladstone; worked as a ranger and starter at Fiddler's Elbow; and was an avid golfer.

He was predeceased by his wife, Ethna, in 2008, ROBERT H. AGNAS AGE: 94 MIDDLESEX whom he would go on to make his wife of 54 years. Robert is also fondly remembered for his service on JOSEPHINE E. MILEWSKI BUZIN AGE: 86 BRIDGEWATER Josephine E. Milewski Michael.

HERBERT H. GOLDSTEIN AGE: 95 PISCATAWAY, FORMERLY OF HIGHLAND PARK Buzin, 86, passed away on Friday, September 13, 2013. Born in Wilkes Barre, PA, she resided in Manville for thirty years and Lakehurst for ten years before moving to Bridgewater in 2010. Ms. Buzin worked as a Line Operator for SmithKline Beecham in Piscataway for ten years, retiring in 1991.

Josephine was an avid bingo player who enjoyed ballroom dancing, crocheting, singing, and making homemade candy. She also enjoyed taking trips to the Jersey Shore, Atlantic City, and Vegas. She loved having parties and picnics and being the life of the party. Her favorite times were spent with her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her sisters, Bertha Dalk-iewicz, Jeanne Lech, and Anna Shedloski; her brothers, Joseph Milewski, Stanley Milewski, and Anthony Milewski; and her grandson, the Middlesex Bor-lough police force, Where he spent 30 years and eventually retired as a Captain in 1976.

He was a member of the BPO Elks, VFW 6988, and American Legion Post 306. Bob was an avid fisherman and hunter. He was foremost a loving and devoted father, grandfather, and husband. Robert Agans is survived by his daughter, Sharon L. Daur of Middlesex, NJ, and sons, Robert M.

Agans of Hilton Head, SC, James H. Agans of Finksburg, MD, and Christopher J. Agans of Milford, NJ; his grandchildren Erik Daur, Heather Daur, Kristin Daur, Robert Agans, Patrick Agans, Lindsay Agans, James Agans, Jacqueline Agans and Justin Agans, and six greatgrandchildren. Visitation will be held at Sheenan Funeral Home, 233 Dunellen Ave, Dunel-len, NJ on Wednesday Sept. 18 from 2-4 PM and 7-9 PM.

His funeral will be held at Our Lady of Mount Virgin Church in Middlesex on Thursday Sept. 19 at 9:30 AM, followed by his interment at Resurrection Cemetery in Piscataway, NJ. GREGA SR. PLAINFIELD a daughter, Tammy Grega of Brownsmills, four step children, Debra and husband Ross Scarbrough of Stewartsville, Bob Parent of Houston, TX, Cathy and husband Dave Shippee of New London, and Cindy Parent of Carmel, ME. Also surviving are seventeen grandfchildren, Alyssa, Ryan, Christopher, Ayden, Matthew, Mason, Guilianna, Caitlin, Billy, Heather, Beth, Missy, Sara, Tony, Justin, Corinna, and Jack.

Also one great-granddaughter, Jacklyn, and John's favorite cherished cat, Frosty. Services will be 10 am Friday at the Scarpa Funeral Home 22 Craig Place, North Plainfield. Burial will take place in Lake Nelson Memorial Park in Piscataway. Visitation will be Thursday 2-4 pm and 7-9 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations maybe made to The Plainfield Humane Society, 75 Rock Avenue, Plainfield, NJ 07060.

L) Fnicillo Warreim Fniimera.1 Henmie Our Family Serving Your Family 205 South Main Street Manvnie, nj U883b 908-725-1763 John R. Zalewski, Mgr. NJ Lie. No. 2820 www.fucilloandwarrenfuneralhome.com Asia Funeral Service 910 US Hwy202 So.

908-725-6256 Jason C. Papavero, NJLIC4208 lAP-5000603579 GEORGE RESTAINO AGE: 91 SOMERVILLE George Restaino, 91, died Ambulance Squad Robert H. Agans, affectionately known as 'The passed peacefully at the home he built on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2013. He was 94 years old.

Robert was born in Plain-field in 1919, after which his family moved to a house in neighboring Middlesex Borough. He grew up on a swath of Prospect Avenue which held only a handful of homes but saw 17 young men and women serve in WWII. Robert himself is included in these numbers and proudly served this country in the United States Navy on a number of destroyers, including the USS Boyd, the USS Izzard, and the USS Mc-Call. He recalled often the good days and spoke frankly about the difficult times in that war. The good days included the day he met US Navy Ensign Evelyn Antilla, JOHN JOSEPH AGE: 70 NORTH John Joseph Grega 70, died Sunday, September 15, 2013 at JFK Medical Center in Edison.

Mr. Grega was born in Plainfield and raised in South Plainfield before moving to North Plainfield in 1963. In his younger years he worked as an Usher at the Liberty Theater in Plain-field, then 33 years as a Sheet Metal Machinist at Atlantic Metal Products in Springfield, and the past 7 years as a Crossing Guard in North Plainfield at the corner of Wilson Avenue and Rt. 22. John served in the Navy in the 1960's.

He enjoyed surf fishing, crabbing, and wore many hats for each Holiday. Most resent he was an early AM regular at Sunset Diner on Rt. 22, Greenbrook and loved his Dunkin Donuts Coffee also on Rt. 22, North Plainfield. He is survived by his wife, Clara Baumgartner Grega, a son, John Jr.

and wife Rachel Grega of Lindenwold, ca7 an-dkamtuxlain. Funeral Home 225 Mountain Avenue 732-356-0327 L. Edward Hagan, Mgr. NJ Lie. No.

3194 Mark D. Chamberlain NJ Lie. No. 3169 Paul D. Chamberlain NJ Lie.

No. 383 7 Joanna Hagan NJ Lie. No. 4334 FUNERAL HOME James-Michael DeMaio, Executive Lie. No.

4378 707 East Main St Bridgewater 732-356-1116 bridgewaterfuneralhome.com Branchburg, NJ 08876 908-526-7638 Anthony J. Papavero, Sr. MgrNJ Lie. JP03 120 AP -5000 603577 India Funeral Service 416 Bell Avenue Raritan, New Jersey 08869 866-744-8200 -Anna Louise Bongiovi, CFSP, Manager NJ Lie, No, 281 7 MmM ley, and one of the founders and a past President of the Board of the Central NJ Jewish Home, and President of the Wilentz Senior Residence for 30 years, as well as a member of the Board of Directors of the YM-YWHA of Raritan Valley. In addition, Mr.

Goldstein received many awards in his lifetime, including the David Ben-Gurion Award for his devoted service to Israel and his leadership in the Jewish Community. His other achievements include: Past President and Director of the Middlesex Rehabilitation Hospital; Past General Chairman of the United Fund of New Brunswick; Director for over 25 years of First Savings and Loan Association of Middlesex County. Herbert Goldstein has devoted his life to furthering humanitarian causes in the community. His love and devotion to the Jewish people has been characterized by his boundless energy, tenacious will, and unselfish motives -all of it directed to ensure the growth and development of the greater Middlesex County community. He was a also a devoted husband, father and grandfather.

Funeral services will be held at the Highland Park Conservative Temple on South Third Ave and Benner St on Wednesday, Sept 18th at 12:30 PM. Following the burial at Beth Israel Cemetery, the family will be receiving people at the Parker Home in Piscataway from PM on Wednesday. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Crabiel Parkwest Funeral Chapel, 239 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ. FJ Bruce II v.i. I 111 N.

Gaston Ave, Somerville, NJ 08876 i 908-725-3111 i Bruce VanArsdale, Mgr. NJ Lie. No. 3521 CUSICK Funeral Home SO Mountain Avenue Somerville, NJ 08876 908-725-4100 Joseph CusickMgr. NJLic.

No. 3230 James CusickDir. NJLic. No. 3221 mm SOMERVILLE FUNERAL HOME 1 0 W.

End Somerville, NJ 08876 908-725-2079 I Anna Louise Bongiovi, CFSP OwnerManageru NJLic. No. 2817 AP -5000649706 Surviving are her beloved sons, Walter J. Buzin of Edison, Joseph E. Buzin of Manville and Anthony Buzin of Easton, PA; her cherished daughters, Theresa Myre and husband, Jeff of Raritan and Sue Arms of Easton, PA; her five grandchildren, Amy Buzin, Rachael Renner and husband, Joel, Wayne Fallet and wife Jessica, Crystal Biggs and husband, Stephen, and Shannon Buzin; great-grandchildren, Dylan, Aiden, and Madeline; and several nieces and nephews.

A visitation will be held on Wednesday, September 18, 2013 from 2 to 3 PM with a prayer service to begin at 3 PM at Branchburg Funeral Home, 910 US Highway 202 South, Branchburg, NJ 08876 (908) 526-7638. Memorial contributions may be made in Josephine's memory to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 www.Branchburg FuneralHome.com He is survived by his wife, Colette; his daughter, Colette Fran (Robert) Restaino-Harabin, his sons, John (Gail) Restaino and Anthony (Joanne) Restaino, his grandchildren, Michelle (Michael) Knight, Dena (Matthew) Gregory, Vincent, Ralph and AJ Restaino, his four great grandchildren, Alena, Autumn, Adam, and Michael Jr. Arrangements are being handled by Hagan-Chamberlain Funeral Home, 225 Mountain Avenue, Bound Brook, Cremation will be private.

In Memoriams "if rsarfW hirteenth Anniversai WALTER "TOAD" SYNTSCHA, JR. If tears were a stairway, memories a lane, we would walk right up to heaven to bring you home again. Sadly missed by, Mother, Janyne Syntscha, Brother, Michael Syntscha, Sister, Kabrina Syntscha, Sister-in-Law, Dawn Syntscha, Nephews, Michael Anthony Justin Walter TO PLACE AN OBITUARY: E-mail: CNobitsgannett.com Fax: 1-888-516-9430 Questions about obituaries may be called in to 1 -888-51 6-0060 Mon. Fri. 8:30 am 6:00 pm Sat.

Sun. 8:30 am 5:00 pm TO PLACE AN IN MEMORIAM OR CARD OF THANKS: Call 732-643-3626 Fax 732-643-3734 Mon. Fri. 8:30 am 5:00 pm Upload online: www.njpressmedia.cominremembrance The Courier News reserves the rightto puhlEh, dGWhrte, repurpeand otherm rrse in print eleetrancand other merfe platforms all snhmited obituaries and photographs. Herbert H.

Goldstein passed away on Monday, Sept. 16, 2013 at Robert Wood Johnson Hospital, New Brunswick due to complications from pneumonia. He was 95. He was residing at Parker Home on River Road in Piscataway, NJ. Prior to that he was a resident of Highland Park for over 50 years He was born in New York City and graduated from St.

John's University in 1939, the same year that he married Bert Shipon, who pre-deceased him in 2006. The Goldstein's have 3 children, Roslyn Rolan of Fort Lee, NJ, Eileen Eisner Husband Averell of Harvey Cedars, NJ. and Irwin Martin wife Fran of Ann Arbor, Michigan. He had 7 grandchildren and 9 greatgrandchildren. Mr.

Goldstein was a co-owner of Rosenthal Lumber based in New Brunswick, until his early retirement in 1975. He has served as Past Chancellor of the Knights of Pythias, was a life member of the Masonic Order, Shriner's and the Elks. He was also President of the Exchange Club in Highland Park, and served as President of the Jewish Federation of Raritan Val AAA Cremation Services Full Cremation Services 416 Bell Raritan, NJ 08869 1-888-906-9500 Anna Louise Bongiovi DirMgr. CFSP, NJ Lie. No.

28 1 7 Bongiovi Funeral Home 416 Bell Avenue Raritan, New Jersey 08869 i 908-725-1887 Anthony C. Bongiovi, Founder 1 91 1 -2008 Anna Louise Bongiovi, CFSP, Manager NJ Lie, No, 281 7 Cnunlrtteratentlorae John R. Zalewski, Mgr. NJ Lie. No.

2820 To place your ad in this directory, please call Jen 732-643-3637 or email JFaganNJPressMedia.com Sunday, September 15, 2013 at Somerset Valley Rehabilitation Nursing Center in Bridgewater. Born in Newark, he was the son of Frank and Alfonsine (D'Rogatis) Restaino. A resident of Bloomfield he moved to Somerville in 2005. Mr. Restaino was a WWII Army veteran.

He worked for 25 years with the city of Newark as a painter, retiring in 1989. While in Bloomfield he was the District Leader of the Republican Party, a member of the American Legion, the VFW, a councilman in the North Ward, and a member of the North Ward EMILIE M. CURCIO AGE: 89 RARITAN Emilie M. Curcio, 89, died on September 13, 2013 surrounded by those she loved. She was born in Bronx, NY on October 15, 1923 to her dear parents Claus and Annie Sprick Suhr.

Emilie was a Bank Teller for Fleming-ton National Bank in Flem-ington NJ; was an avid gardener, and enjoyed spending time with her husband. She was a kind, caring, generous person, and will be sadly missed by all who knew her. Emilie is survived by her beloved husband, Ralph James Curcio; a dear brother, Herbert Suhr and his wife Rose of Readington; a loving sister, Elizabeth Constantino of Bloomsburg; and several nieces and nephews. Viewing will be held on Sunday, September 15, 2013 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm at the Bongiovi Funeral Home, 416 Bell Avenue, Raritan, NJ 08869 (908-725-1887). Funeral Services will be held on Monday, September 16, 2013 starting with a viewing from 9:00 to 10:00 am followed Religious Services at 10:00 am at the funeral home.

Burial in St. Bernard's Cemetery, Bridgewater, NJ 08807. "Forever In Our Hearts" Scarpa Funeral Home I North Plainfield, NJ 07060 908-756-2693 Daniel M. Pellegrino, Mgr. NJ Lie.

No. 3128 These emblems and more available consult your funeral director for details. AMERICAN LEGION.