Cornelia N. Borgerhoff

Cornelia Newlin Borgerhoff died at her home in Princeton the evening of December 19, at the age of 91. Born in Philadelphia on April 6, 1920, the fourth child of Dr. Arthur Newlin, chief of staff at Pennsylvania Hospital, and Jane Cuyler Sims, she was raised in Philadelphia at 18th & Pine Streets and spent the summers at the family homestead, Shipley Farm, in Secane, Pennsylvania. It was there that she developed and nurtured her passion for horses, and she became an excellent equestrian. She attended Le Cours Français, then Shipley School, and graduated from Vassar College, Class of 1943.

As a college student, known to her family and friends as Nini, she became committed to social justice issues, in particular concerns about racial inequality. Immediately after graduation, she enlisted in the Navy as a member of the WAVES, and was selected to work on a project that was confidential — the Ultra Project — whose purpose was to decode and translate communications among the German military. Chosen because of her gift for languages, she did not share knowledge or information about the project until years later, after a British writer chose to write publicly about it, and she was released from secrecy by her commanding officer. The Ultra Project contributed in a major way to the Allies’ ability to misinform the Germans about their plans to invade Normandy, rather than a site further north as “suggested” to the Germans, and ultimately allowed the Allies to push the enemy troops out of France. Later, to her surprise, the fact emerged that her sister Janet’s husband, Adolph Rosengarten, had been the American Army’s liaison officer with the British, who worked on decoding and translating secretly at Bletchley Park, outside London.

After the war, she married a fellow naval officer, Elbert Benton Op’tEynde Borgerhoff, whom she had met in Washington and who had served in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. He was also a professor of Romance Languages and Literatures at Princeton University. The Borgerhoffs moved back to Princeton, where their three daughters were born.

In 1949, using her skills in French, she became the personal secretary to Jacques Maritain, a prominent French Catholic philosopher who spent several years in Princeton. This association became a deep and lasting friendship, and she continued to serve as Maritain’s assistant after his return to France until his death in 1973.

Mrs. Borgerhoff was for many years the administrative assistant to the Creative Arts Program and the Gauss Seminars in Criticism, which were, on occasion, directed by her husband. The Gauss Seminars brought prominent intellectuals to Princeton for lectures and discussions. She hosted parties for these guests and other friends, and became a highly regarded chef in the Princeton community. The couple’s jobs also allowed them to travel, primarily to France, and to introduce their daughters to other cultures and languages.

Raised an Episcopalian and imbued with her father’s Quaker values, she was committed to civil rights, contributing to the work of the NAACP and CORE and participating in the March on Washington in August, 1963, when Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered his “I have a dream” speech.

After her husband’s death in 1968, she became an assistant dean of the Graduate School at Princeton University. During this time, in addition to her full-time job at the University, she served on the Board of Trustees of Miss Fine’s School and was involved in the joining of Miss Fine’s with the Princeton Country Day School to create the Princeton Day School. She later served on the Board of SAVE, an animal rescue organization in Princeton. After eleven years as assistant dean, she retired and devoted her time to family, friends, her horses Charlie and Bran, and her dogs and cats. She was an avid reader and lover of poetry, which she recited from memory, and in several languages, until the end of her life.

Compassionate and fiercely loyal, she will be remembered for her hospitality, her intelligence, her sense of humor, and her generosity of spirit.

She is survived by her daughters Jane Cuyler Borgerhoff, Elisabeth Borgerhoff-Pomerleau, and Ledlie Newlin Borgerhoff, her son-in-law Dwayne Richard Pomerleau, and her grandchildren, Raven, Arthur, and Cornelia.

A memorial service will be held in the spring.

Gertrude K. Batutis

Gertrude K Batutis died on December 22 in Skillman, surrounded by her loving family. Born in Primrose, Pa. on February 4, 1925, the fourth child of Nelson Kessler and Jennie Lynch Kessler, she graduated from Cass Township High School in 1942, attended the Ford School of Business and graduated with honors. She married her high school sweetheart, Edward F. Batutis, after helping to support him during his service in World War II and through college. She was an active garden club participant, bridge player, and ballroom dancer. She volunteered at Phoenixville Hospital for over 10 years, and was on the board of trustees for Visiting Home Nurses of her local nurse’s association. She lived at Stonebridge in Montgomery.

She is survived by her husband Edward, her four children: Claire Robinson of New York City, Edward J. Batutis of Newton, Mass, Cathryn Heath of Belle Mead, and Joseph E. Batutis of New York City. She had nine grandchildren: Simon, Adam Roscoe, Brendan, Austin, Claire, Gail, Ellen, Samantha, and Sara Rose.

A funeral mass was held at St. Charles Borromeo RC Church in Skillman, on Tuesday, December 27. Burial will take place Wednesday, December 28, at St. Ann’s Church Cemetery in Phoenixville, Pa.

Donations are encouraged to the Mary Jacobs Library at http://savemaryjacobsli
brary.com. Extend condolences at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.

Evelyn Landau

Evelyn Landau, 94, died Wednesday, December 21.

Born in Trenton, she resided there and Ewing Township before moving to Monroe Township. She and her late husband founded Landau’s of Princeton. Daughter of the late Meyer and Rose Caplan, wife of the late David Landau, she is survived by four sons and daughters-in-law, Michael and Mimi Landau, Leonard and Susan Landau, Robert and Barbara Landau, Henry and Jane Landau, eight grandchildren, eight great grandchildren, and her dear caretaker/companion Sally Kallon.

Funeral services and burial were held Friday December 23 at Fountain Lawn Memorial Park. The family respectfully requests memorial contributions be offered to a charity of the donor’s choice. Funeral arrangements were by Orland’s Ewing Memorial Chapel,1534 Pennington Road, Ewing Township.