JAMES C. DAY SR., 84, of Aberdeen died April 13 at home. He was the owner/director of Day Funeral Home, Keyport, for 65 years, recently retired. Mr. Day was a longtime resident of Keyport. He was a communicant and trustee of St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, Keyport. He was active in the church’s veterans, social and fraternal organizations. He was a trustee emeritus of Bayshore Community Hospital, Holmdel. He was predeceased by his first wife, Mildred Fallon Day, in 1979. Surviving is his wife, Martha Weeden Day of Aberdeen, a son, Dr. James C. Day Jr. and daughter-in-law, Kathleen Day of Matawan; a granddaughter, Kelly Ann Day of Matawan; and a brother, Hugh T. Day of South Bend, Ind. Services were under the direction of Day Funeral Home, Keyport, with a Mass at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, Keyport. Interment was at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Middletown.
CHARLES "EDDIE" MERRILL, 83, of Little Egg Harbor died April 9 at Southern Ocean County Hospital, Manahawkin. Born in Keyport, he lived in Matawan before moving to Little Egg Harbor two months ago. He owned and operated Eddie’s Taxi Service, Matawan. He served as a police officer in Matawan for 10 years. He attended Keyport High School and excelled in baseball. He was honored in 1991 by the Keyport Booster Club for his accomplishments on the 1936-1937 Shore Conference Group II baseball team. He served in the U.S. Navy in the South Pacific where he sustained a back injury. In 1978, he received a Man of the Year award. He was a lifetime member of the Disabled American Veterans Post No. 4374, Freehold. He was predeceased by his wife of 57 years, Josephine Armellino Merrill. Surviving are his son, Victor of Little Egg Harbor; a brother, Albert Merrill of Middletown; a sister, Sarah Allen of Eatontown; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Services were under the direction of Waitt Funeral Home, Morganville. Entombment was at Holmdel Mausoleum.
VINCENT MICHAEL GALANO SR., 64, of Middletown died April 10 in Beth Israel Medical Center, Newark. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., he moved to Middletown 36 years ago. He was a graduate of St. John’s University. He was employed by Friden Co. from 1963-69, and was president and owner of Procon Services Inc. from 1969-74; and president of T.H. Lehman and Co. from 1978-85, all New York City; and president of Convergent Solutions Inc., Laurence Harbor, from 1988-94. Surviving are his wife of 41 years, Regina G. Galano; three sons, Michael Galano of Little Silver, Vincent Galano of Middletown, and Robert Galano of the Belford section of Middletown; one daughter, Regina Acker of Middletown; and 10 grandchildren. Services were under the direction of John F. Pfleger Funeral Home, Middletown, with a Mass at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church. Entombment was at Fair View Mausoleum, Middletown. Memorial donations may be made to the Sisters of St. Francis, Development Office, 4421 Lower River Road, Stella Niagara, NY 14144.
MARGARET "PEGGY" R. KOVAL HARBINA, 88, of the Belford section of Middletown, died April 11 in Beachview Extended Care Facility, Keansburg. Born in Dunmore, Pa., she lived in Newark, Irvington and Hillside before moving to Belford 11 years ago. She worked as a tubulator for RCA, Harrison, for 19 years, retiring in 1982. She was a communicant of St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, New Monmouth section of Middletown. She was predeceased by her husband, Stephen E. Harbina, in 1979, seven brothers and three sisters. Surviving are one son, Richard Harbina of the Belford section of Middletown; one daughter, Barbara Silver of Middletown; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Services were under the direction of John F. Pfleger Funeral Home, Middletown. Interment was at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Middletown.
CATHERINE T. MURPHY SECKERS, 88, of the Port Monmouth section of Middletown, died April 11 in Bayshore Community Hospital, Holmdel. Born in New York City, she lived in Brooklyn, N.Y., before moving to Port Monmouth 10 years ago. She worked as a bookkeeper/accountant for Bloomingdale’s, New York City, for 35 years, retiring in 1976. She was predeceased by her husband, John Seckers, in 1970. Surviving are her sister, Grace Reilly of Port Monmouth; three nieces, Patricia Miller, Grace Yanick and Patricia Murphy; and two nephews, Matthew Traynor and Dennis Traynor. Services were under the direction of John F. Pfleger Funeral Home Inc., Middletown, with a Mass at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, Middletown. Interment was at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Middletown.
TOBIAS J. "TOBY" MIELE JR., 34, of Aberdeen, died April 12 at home. Born in South Amboy, he lived in Hazlet before moving to Aberdeen 23 years ago. He was a truck driver for R&M Transport, Manalapan, for eight years until 1998. He was a communicant of St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, Keyport. He was a 1983 graduate of Matawan High School. Surviving are his father, Tobias J. Miele Sr. of Hazlet; his mother, Gloria Caputo McArdle of Aberdeen; his grandmother, Mary Caputo of the Toms River section of Dover; two sisters, Regina Miele at home, and Lisa Mooney of Hazlet; two nephews, Christopher Mooney and Cody Mooney, both of Hazlet; and two nieces, Jenna Mooney and Nicole Mooney, both of Hazlet; and his girlfriend, Jill Daniels of Manalapan. Services were under the direction of Day Funeral Home, Keyport, with a Mass at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, Keyport. Entombment was at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Keyport.
DOROTHY EMILY SCHMIDT DAVIS, 93, of Keansburg died April 13 in Meridian Nursing and Rehabilitation at Red Bank. Born in North Bergen, she moved to Keansburg three months ago. She was employed as an office clerk for Mundet Cork, North Bergen, for 15 years, retiring in 1971. She was predeceased by two husbands, Fred Dinse, in 1953, and John Davis. Surviving are two sons, Fred Dinse of Middletown, and Robert Dinse of Paterson; one sister, Emily Knisley of North Bergen; one brother, Edward Schmidt of Atlantic Highlands; seven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. Services were under the direction of John F. Pfleger Funeral Home, Middletown. Interment was at Flower Hill Cemetery, North Bergen.
MARY L. SCHOLTZ GORDON, 97, of Holmdel died April 13 in Bayshore Community Hospital, Holmdel. Born in Woodhaven, N.Y., she lived in Hazlet for 25 years, moving to Holmdel 11/2 years ago. Mrs. Gordon was a homemaker. She was a communicant of St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church, Keansburg. She was a member of St. Ann’s seniors, and Keansburg and Middle Road Village seniors, Hazlet. She was predeceased by her husband, Phillip Gordon, in 1966; and three sons, Robert Gordon, Gordon Gordon, and Perry Gordon. Surviving are two sons, Melvin Gordon of Staten Island, N.Y., and Warren Gordon of Red Bank; a brother, Frank McCue of Brooklyn; two sisters, Helen Smith of Florida and Rita Quill of Georgia; 11 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. Services were under the direction of Day Funeral Home, Keyport, with a Mass at St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church, Keansburg. Cremation was private. Memorial donations may be made to the Women’s Shelter, Keyport.
JANE F. LEWIS, 66, of Barnegat died April 14 in Riverview Medical Center, Red Bank. Born in Hastings on Hudson, N.Y., she was a longtime resident of Matawan before moving to Barnegat last December. She worked as a secretary for Matawan Borough Police Department, for 10 years, retiring in 1986. She was a life member of the Washington Engine Fire Co. Ladies Auxiliary, and Matawan First Aid Squad Ladies Auxiliary in Matawan. She was a volunteer at Bayshore Community Hospital, Holmdel. She was predeceased by her husband, Richard "Blackie," who died in 1998, and her son, John who died in November. Surviving are two sons, Richard J. Jr. of Las Vegas and James F. of Manahawkin; one daughter, Kathleen Fitzgerald of Aberdeen; one brother, Herbert Spay of Little Silver; two sisters, Geri Bell of Freehold and Marsha Walter of East Hanover; four grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Services were under the direction of Waitt Funeral Home, Morganville. Entombment was at Holmdel Mausoleum, Holmdel.
GEORGE KACHIGIAN, 68, of Matawan, died April 11 at home. Mr. Kachigian lived in Port Washington, N.Y., before moving to Matawan five years ago. He was employed as manager of Jefferson Auto Body, Long Island, N.Y., for 40 years, retiring in 1995. Surviving are his sister, Rose Ciccotto of Staten Island, N.Y.; his brother, Stephen Samerjian of Staten Island; and several nieces and nephews. Services were under the direction of Day Funeral Home, Keyport. Interment was at North Burial Grounds, Providence, R.I.
