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Nettie Pizzi, 92
Nettie Pizzi, 92, of Gillette died on Sunday, April 23, 2000 at Overlook Hospital in Summit.
Born in Springfield, she had lived in Westfield before moving to Gillette 16 years ago.
Surviving are her husband, Michael A. Pizzi; two sons, Ronald W. Pizzi and Richard A. Pizzi; a sister, Ruth Volino, and three grandchildren.
A Mass was offered yesterday, Wednesday, April 26, in St. Vincent dePaul Church in Stirling, following the funeral from the Smith and Smith (Suburban) in Springfield.
Philip T. Gans, 90
Decorated Veteran; One of River Kwai Prisoners of War
Philip T. Gans of Scotch Plains, 90, a decorated United States Navy veteran and former prisoner of war, died on Sunday, April 23, 2000 in the Veterans Administration Hospital in East Orange.
Born in Brooklyn in 1910, Mr. Gans had been employed as a steamfitter at a government strategic materials storage facility in Belle Mead before retiring in 1971.
During World War II, he was among 1, 065 hands on aboard the USS Houston, a heavy cruiser stationed in the Java Sea.
He was one of 368 survivors after a torpedo attack sank the ship on March 1, 1942.
Along with fellow shipmates, he was picked up by Japanese forces and became a prisoner of war.
During that period, he was among those used as slave labor to build the Burma-Siam “died Railroad” later made famous by the movie The Bridge on the River Kwai. He was liberated in September of 1945.
Before being assigned to the Houston, he had been assigned to a patrol boat on the Yangtze River in China.
Later, he drove supply trucks over the Himalayas into China.
Mr. Gans’ 23 years of service included reactivation during the Korean Conflict to train troops.
He was a Boy Scout leader from 1958 to 1968 at St. Bartholomew the Apostle Roman Catholic Church in Scotch Plains and coached youth baseball in Scotch Plains during the 1960s.
He was awarded the Purple Heart for injuries suffered as a prisoner of war; a Presidential Citation with one star; the American Defense Medal with one star; a Good Conduct Medal with four stars and medals for Yangtze River service; Asiatic Pacific service with two stars; China service, Philippine defense and World War II Victory.
He was a member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, the Old Guard of Westfield, the Fleet Reserve Association, the USS Houston Survivors, American Ex-Prisoners of War, Scotch Plains-Fanwood Veterans of Foreign Wars No. 10122 and American Legion Post No. 209 and Disabled American Veterans.
He was also a member of the Westfield Knights of Columbus Council No. 1711, the Cruiser Sailors Association, the American Defenders of Bataan and Corrigidor, and other organizations.
He was predeceased by his wife, Isabelle Gans, in 1996.
Surviving are two sons, Philip Gans, 2nd of Peekskill, N.Y. and Richard Gans of Hanlin, Pa., and two granddaughters.
A Funeral Mass was held on Monday, April 24, at St. Bartholomew the Apostle Church.
Burial will take place on Monday, May 1, in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
Arrangements were under the direction of the Rossi Funeral Home in Scotch Plains.
Gertrude Sonkin, 94
Former Teacher; Was Member of Westfield Hadassah
Gertrude Rosenmann Sonkin, 94, of Colonia died on Thursday, April 20, 2000 at the Westfield Center, Genesis ElderCare Network in Westfield.
Born in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., she had lived in Miami Beach, Fla. before moving to Colonia 42 years ago.
Mrs. Sonkin had been employed as a kindergarten teacher at the Lear School in Miami Beach for 20 years until 1946.
She attended Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
She was a member of the Vassar Temple in Poughkeepsie and the Westfield Chapter of Hadassah.
Mrs. Sonkin played the piano at Jewish Family and Vocational Services Elderday in Woodbridge, as well as at other area adult daycare centers, for the past several years.
She was predeceased by her husband, Dr. Samuel Sonkin, in 1974; a brother, Morris S. Rosenmann, in 1963, and by her parents, Henry and Dora Peller Rosenmann.
Surviving are a daughter, Harriet S. Brown of Colonia, and two grandchildren.
Services were held on Saturday, April 22, at the Costello-Koyen Funeral Home in Avenel.
Interment will take place at Vassar Temple Cemetery in Poughkeepsie at a time to be arranged by the family.
Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of one’s choice.
Bernice Dutkowski, 84
Was Assembler For Wildcat Fighter Planes During War
Bernice Dutkowski, 84, of Mountainside died on Friday, April 21, 2000 at home.
Born in Bayonne, she lived in Mountainside for many years.
During World War II, Mrs. Dutkowski had been an assembler for Eastern Aviation in Linden, where she worked on Wildcat fighter planes.
She previously was a seamstress for the Maidenform Brassiere Company in Bayonne.
She was predeceased by her hus band, Alexander Dutkowski.
A Mass was offered on Tuesday, April 25, in Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic Church in Mountainside.
Interment took place in the Gate of Heaven Cemetery in East Hanover.
Arrangements were under the direction of the Dooley Colonial Home, 556 Westfield Avenue in Westfield.
Memorial donations may be made to a favorite charity.
Sophie Pieta, 83
Owned Luncheonette; Was Member of Area Ladies Auxiliary
Sophie Pieta, 83, of Scotch Plains died on Thursday, April 20, 2000 at home.
Born in Poland, she had lived in Elizabeth and Fort Lauderdale, Fla. before moving to Scotch Plains 14 years ago.
Mrs. Pieta had been the owner of Sophie’s Luncheonette in Elizabeth for 10 years before retiring in 1965.
She was a member of the ladies auxiliary of the Polish Legion American Veterans Post No. 91 in Eliza beth.
Surviving are a son, Leon Pieta; a daughter, Margaret Hansen; a brother, Andrew Urban; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
A Mass was offered on Tuesday, April 25, in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Roman Catholic Church in Scotch Plains, following the funeral from the Krowicki McCracken Funeral Home in Linden.
Ernest J. Caprarola, 77
Ernest J. Caprarola, 77, a lifelong resident of Scotch Plains, died on Monday, April 24, 2000 at Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center in Plainfield.
Mr. Caprarola had been the owner and operator of Caprarola Plumbing in Scotch Plains for 30 years before retiring in 1980.
He was a member of the Italian-American Club of Scotch Plains and a communicant of St. Bartholomew the Apostle Roman Catholic Church in Scotch Plains.
He was predeceased by two sisters, Elsie Novello and Amelia Dudak, and a brother, Albert Caprarola.
Surviving are a sister, Esther Checchio.
Funeral services will begin at 9 a.m. today, Thursday, April 27, at the Rossi Funeral Home in Scotch Plains, followed by a 10 a.m. Mass at St. Bartholomew the Apostle Church.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Scotch Plains Rescue Squad, P. O. Box 325, Scotch Plains, 07076.
Joseph Sieczka, 80
Decorated Veteran; Retired Cost Accountant and Manager
Joseph W. Sieczka, 80, of Fanwood died on Friday, April 14, 2000 at Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center in Plainfield.
Born in Beaver Falls, Pa., he had lived in Elizabeth before moving to Fanwood 45 years ago.
Mr. Sieczka had been employed as a cost accountant and manager for Rogers, Hoge Hills in New York City before retiring in 1992.
He was a veteran of World War II, having served with the Infantry of the United States Army in the Pacific Theater.
He was a recipient of the Bronze Star and a member of the 27th Division Association.
Mr. Sieczka was a communicant of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Roman Catholic Church in Scotch Plains.
He graduated from Rutgers University in Newark in 1941.
Surviving are his wife of 50 years, Doris J. Kelly Sieczka; a son, Paul Sieczka of Berkeley Heights; four daughters, Linda Horrigan of Wading River, N.Y., Debra Sieczka of Roselle Park, Wendy Pierce of Ferrisburgh, Vt. and Valerie Sieczka of Morris Plains, and two sisters, Sophie Pasko and Helen Mallack.
Funeral services were held on Tuesday, April 18, at the Memorial Funeral Home, 155 South Avenue in Fanwood, followed by a Mass at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Scotch Plains.
Interment will follow at St. Gertrude’s Cemetery in Colonia.
Julia Sullivan, 79
Was Secretary At Exxon Chemical Company
Julia Sullivan, 79, of Scotch Plains died on Tuesday, April 25, 2000 in Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center in Plainfield.
Born in New York City, she had lived in Linden and Elizabeth before moving to Scotch Plains in 1950.
Mrs. Sullivan had been employed as a secretary at the Exxon Chemical Company in Florham Park for 30 years before retiring in 1983.
She was a graduate of the Coleman Business School in Newark.
She was a member of the Rosary Altar Society of St. Bartholomew the Apostle Roman Catholic Church in Scotch Plains, where she also served as a Eucharistic minister.
Mrs. Sullivan was also a Union County notary public.
Surviving are two daughters, Joanne Empson and Patricia Magalhaes; a sister, Ann Patrick, and three grandchildren.
A Mass was offered on Monday, April 24, in St. Bartholomew the Apostle Church, following the funeral from the Rossi Funeral Home in Scotch Plains.
