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James P. Whalen, 88
Was Church Usher; Owned Whalen’s Automotive Service
James P. Whalen, 88, a lifelong resident of Westfield, died on Saturday, October 3, 1998 at Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center in Plainfield.
He had owned and operated Whalen’s Automotive Service in Westfield for the last 65 years.
Mr. Whalen was a longtime usher at the Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church in Westfield, where he was a lifetime parishioner and a member of the Holy Name Society.
He was also a charter member and past Grand Knight of the Monsignor Watterson Council No. 1711 of the Knights of Columbus of Westfield.
He was an officer of the Exchange Club of Westfield and a member of the Mountainside Elks Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks No. 1585.
He was also an officer in the Westfield Civil Defense Corps many years ago.
Mr. Whalen was predeceased by his wife, Stella Whalen, in 1979; his brother, John Whalen, in 1961, and his grandson, Kevin Whalen, in 1995.
Surviving are two sons, James J. Whalen of South Plainfield and William K. Whalen of Westfield; two daughters, Kathleen McCormack of Westfield and Nancy Goldsmith of Piscataway; two sisters, Sister Anita Agnes of Paramus and Sister Mary Dominic of Convent Station, both of them Sisters of Charity; a brother, Michael Whalen of Westfield; 10 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
A Funeral Liturgy was held yesterday, Wednesday, October 7, at the Holy Trinity Church in Westfield.
Interment took place at Fairview Cemetery in Westfield.
Memorial donations may be made to Sister Pat’s Cancer Camp.
Arrangements were handled by the Dooley Colonial Funeral Home, 556 Westfield Avenue in Westfield.
Louis Santacross
Earned Purple Heart; Was Maintenance Supervisor for Schools
Louis A. Santacross, 77, of Englewood, Florida died on Sunday, September 20, 1998 at Englewood Hospital in Florida.
Born in Plainfield, he had lived in Scotch Plains before moving to Florida 20 years ago.
Mr. Santacross had worked for the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Board of Education as a maintenance supervisor until his retirement.
He was a United States Army veteran of World War II, where he had earned the Purple Heart.
He was a member of St. Bernard’s Roman Catholic Church in Plainfield.
Surviving are two sons, Louis A. Santacross, Jr. of Englewood and Rodney Santacross of Cranford; a daughter, Annabelle Short of Scotch Plains; two brothers, Michael Santacross of Berkeley Heights and Jerry Santacross of North Plainfield; a sister, Mabel Tino of Watchung; nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
A Funeral Mass was offered on Saturday, October 3, at St. Bartholomew the Apostle Roman Catholic Church in Scotch Plains.
Arrangements were handled by the National Cremation Society in Port Charlotte, Florida.
Biagene R. Basile, 89
Biagene R. Basile, 89, of Scotch Plains died on Wednesday, September 30, 1998 in the Ashbrook Nursing Home in Scotch Plains.
Born in Brooklyn, she had lived in Ossining, New York and in Fanwood before moving to Scotch Plains 10 months ago.
Mrs. Basile was a clerical worker in the classified advertising department of the Courier News newspaper in Plainfield for 25 years before retiring in 1973.
Prior to that, she had worked in the same capacity for the Brooklyn Eagle newspaper.
Surviving are a son, James H. Basile; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
A Funeral Mass was offered on Saturday, October 3, in St. James Roman Catholic Church in Springfield.
Arrangements were handled by the Paul Ippolito Summit Memorial in Summit.
Benjamin Boykin, 76
Benjamin Boykin, 76, of Elizabeth died on Thursday, October 1, 1998 at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Elizabeth.
Born in Westfield, he had lived in Elizabeth since 1960.
Mr. Boykin had been a truck driver for the Roselle-Linden sewer department for many years, retiring in 1988.
He was a member of the New Hope Memorial Baptist Church in Elizabeth, where he was a member of the trustee board, the male chorus and the gospel choir.
He was an Army veteran of World War II.
Surviving are his wife, Lena Boykin of Elizabeth; two sons, Robert Lee Mars and Harry Mars, both of Elizabeth; four daughters, Marie Bartley of Perrineville, Lenore Moore of Lafayette, North Carolina, Brenda Pittman of Jackson, Tennessee, and Delora Mars of Baldwin Park, California; five sisters, Almeda Hurtt of Westfield, Louise Briggs of Roselle, Marion Stewart of Elizabeth, Priscilla Bullock of Scotch Plains and Edwina Davis of Plainfield; 33 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held on Tuesday, October 6, at the New Hope Memorial Baptist Church in Elizabeth.
Arrangements were under the direction of the Smith Funeral Home in Elizabeth.
Christopher Estok, 40
Christopher G. Estok, 40, of Spring Hill, Florida died on Wednesday, September 30, 1998 at the home of his brother, Edward P. Estok, Jr., also of Spring Hill.
Born in Elizabeth, he had lived in Linden, Roselle Park and Scotch Plains before moving to Florida six months ago.
Mr. Estok was an office service assistant with Score Insurance in New York City for nine years. Prior to that, he had been a mail clerk with the law firm of Brown & Wood for six months.
Surviving, in addition to his brother, are his wife, Lorraine Estok; a daughter, Hope Elizabeth Estok, and his parents, Edward P. and Frances Estok.
Funeral services were held on Monday, October 5, at the Krowicki McCracken Funeral Home in Linden.
Maurice J. Kilcommons, 72
Veteran; Retired South Orange Police Chief
Maurice J. Kilcommons, 72, of Island Heights, who served as Police Chief of South Orange for a dozen years, died on Thursday, October 1, 1998 at his home.
Born in Manhattan, he had lived in South Orange before moving to Island Heights upon his retirement.
The former Chief had been a 25year veteran of the South Orange Police Department before retiring in 1982.
He served as a United States Marine in the Pacific Theater during World War II.
He was a graduate of Seton Hall University in South Orange, and received a wartime diploma from Columbia High School in Maplewood.
Former Chief Kilcommons was a member of the New Jersey Police Chiefs Association.
Upon his retirement, he became Assistant Director of Public Safety at Seton Hall University, where he served from 1988 to 1996.
Surviving are his wife, Hertha Katzinski Kilcommons; three daughters, Susan Kilcommons of Springfield, Maura Kilcommons of Cambridge, Massachusetts and Jayne Zubko of Maplewood; four sons, Thomas Kilcommons of Upper Montclair, Daniel Kilcommons of Fort Collins, Colorado, Shawn Kilcommons of Greenfield, Massachusetts, and Peter Kilcommons of Maplewood; three brothers, John Kilcommons of Middletown, Rhode Island, Thomas Kilcommons of Florida and Eugene Kilcommons of Westfield; three sisters, Rita Brewer of Oak Bluff, Washington, and Catherine Chevalaz and Maureen Carolan, both of Rockaway, and five grandchildren. A Funeral Mass was offered on Monday, October 5, at Our Lady of Sorrows Roman Catholic Church in South Orange.
Arrangements were handled by the Joseph W. Preston Funeral Home in South Orange.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Island Heights or the South Orange Rescue Squad.
George J. Skurka
Former Postal Clerk; Member of American Legion and VFW
George J. Skurka of Kenilworth died on Wednesday, September 30, 1998 in Runnells Specialized Hospital of Union County in Berkeley Heights.
Born in Beaver Brook, Pennsylvania, he had lived in West Hazelton, Pennsylvania before moving to Kenilworth in 1957.
Mr. Skurka had been a clerk for the United States Postal Service in Kenilworth for several years before retiring.
He served in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II.
Mr. Skurka was a member of the American Legion of Westfield and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post in Kenilworth.
He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus Chapter No. 4186 of Kenilworth, and of St. Theresa’s Roman Catholic Church choir.
Surviving are his wife, Mary Skurka; three sons, James Skurka, Joseph Skurka and John Skurka; a brother, Andrew Skurka, and two grandchildren.
A Funeral Mass was held on Saturday, October 3, in St. Theresa’s Church.
Arrangements were handled by the Higgins and Bonner Echo Lake Funeral Home in Westfield.
Joseph A. Gullo, 88
Knights Member; Center Fielder for Cincinnati Reds
Joseph A. Gullo, 88, of Basking Ridge died on Thursday, October 1, 1998 at Morristown Memorial Hospital in Morristown.
Born in Port Norris, he had lived in Westfield before moving to Basking Ridge in 1979.
He had been an electrical engineer with the Western Electric Company in New York for 47 years prior to retiring in 1972.
A centerfielder, Mr. Gullo played professional baseball from 1928 to 1935 for the Cincinnati Reds.
He was a member of the Knights of Columbus in Brooklyn.
Surviving are his wife, Rose Brevetta Gullo; a son, Joseph G. Gullo of Somerset; a daughter, Elaine Egan of Basking Ridge; five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held on Saturday, October 3, at the Shrine of St. Joseph in Stirling.
Arrangements were handled by the Gallaway and Crane Funeral Home in Bernardsville.
