Diane F. Nole

Diane Elisabeth Flippin Nole, of Jackson, New Jersey, beloved wife of Arthur Nole and beloved mother of Brian Nole, passed away at 7 a.m. on Friday, June 8, 2012 from acute myeloid leukemia at the age of 55. She passed away peacefully after a brief, brave struggle. Diane will be remembered always for her infectious smile, her outgoing personality, and her loving heart.

In addition to her husband and son, who both meant the world to her, she will be dearly missed by her parents, Louise and Royce Flippin Jr., who loved her and cherished her to the depth of their souls; her brothers, Royce Flippin III and Robert Flippin, who were her devoted friends and protectors from childhood onward; her sisters-in-law, Alexis Flippin and Tricia Flippin; her brother-in-law, Bob Przybylowski; her nephews and nieces, and their extended families. She was loved also by Arthur’s departed sister and brother, Dolores Przybylowski and George Nole, and George’s departed wife, Emma.

Diane was a special person and friend to all who knew her. Born on May 15, 1957 with a thyroid condition that placed her on a life path filled with unique challenges, she met all of those challenges with grace, humor, and fierce determination, going on to graduate in 1976 from Riverview School in East Sandwich on Cape Cod, Mass., and establish a career at Educational Testing Service in Princeton, where she met the love of her life, Arthur Nole. Their wedding day on June 27, 1987 was one of the shining moments in her life, as was the birth of her son, Brian, on January 21, 1989. Diane and Art shared the closest of marriages, living each day as friends, confidantes, and soul mates. Besides her life with Art, her greatest joy was nurturing her adored son and watching him grow day by day from a bright, inquisitive child into a strong, thoughtful and loving man. Her husband and son were the centerpiece of her active, full life, and the love and pride she expressed for them whenever she was with them or spoke of them is one of the things she will always be remembered for.

She was also filled with love and caring for the rest of her family and her friends. Diane’s card was always the first to arrive in the mail for any relative’s birthday, and she never missed a family gathering. She was an avid reader, a lover of music, and a skilled piano player from childhood, and spent many years as a loyal and valued volunteer at the Kimball Medical Center in Jackson and as a dedicated employee of the Wal-Mart in Howell, New Jersey, where she worked alongside her husband.

While Diane left us far too soon, she leaves a legacy of a person who overcame every obstacle in her way to lead an independent life on her own terms. She departed us on the highest of notes, having seen her son Brian graduate from Monmouth University just weeks before. At that celebration, which coincided with her 55th birthday, she was happy and in high spirits, surrounded by her doting family, basking in the knowledge that a major life milestone had been reached by the child that she and Art had raised. It was a golden moment that, like her spirit, will live forever in our hearts.

Memorial services were held on June 16 in Lakewood, and will also be held on Friday, June 22 at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in South River at 1 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, Diane’s family has requested that contributions given in her memory be made to the Riverview School Scholarship Fund, Advancement Office, Riverview School, 551 Route 6A, East Sandwich, Mass. 02537.

Siok-Tin “Susan” Sodbinow

Siok-Tin “Susan” Sodbinow, 52, of Princeton, passed away at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center on Monday, June 11, 2012.

Susan was born and raised in Melaka, Malaysia and came to the United States in 1985 settling in New York City. She married her husband, David, in 1992 and moved to Morristown in 1993. Susan then settled with her family in Princeton in 2003.

She received dual Bachelor’s degrees from Hunter College and the Fashion Institute of Technology, both of New York City. Susan was a graphic artist for Snow Joe, Edison, for the past two and a half years. Prior to that, she worked as a graphic artist for Pearson Education, Parsippany, and freelanced for many companies, including Silver Burdett-Ginn and Benzinger. Susan was a former member in the Tzu Chi Foundation, Mid-Atlantic Region.

She is survived by her husband of twenty years, David Sodbinow; two sons, Terence Sodbinow and Laurence Sodbinow, both of Princeton; her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Sah Lai and Chin Tee Tan of Melaka, Malaysia; her brothers, Khee Giap Tan of Singapore, Khee Boh “Dan” Tan of New York City, and Khee Seng Tan of Melaka, Malaysia; two sisters, Seok Hua “Jennifer” Tan of Long Island, N.Y. and Seok Hui “Tricia” Tan Friedrich of Long Island, N.Y.; and many nieces and nephews.

Visiting is at the Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home, 100 Elton-Adelphia Road (Route 524), Freehold Township on Thursday, June 21, 2012 from 6 to 8 p.m. Relatives and friends are invited to attend her funeral service at 10 a.m. on Friday, June 22 2012 at the funeral home. Cremation will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in memory of Susan may be made to Tzu Chi Foundation, Mid-Atlantic Region, 150 Commerce Road, Cedar Grove, N.J. 07009. For information, directions or condolence messages to the family, please visit www.claytonfuneral
home.com.

Michele Del Bianco

Michele Del Bianco, 86, died Sunday, June 10, 2012 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. A memorial mass was celebrated on June 16 at St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Church, 214 Nassau Street, Princeton.

Dawn A.J. Moses

Dawn Anne Jahn Moses, 46, of Arlington, Massachusetts, died June 6, 2012 following a long illness.

Dawn was a loving mother, wife, friend, and tenacious advocate for homeless children and families, fiercely committed to solving public policy issues around the interrelatedness of homelessness, poverty, trauma, and mental illness.

Born and raised in Princeton, Dawn remained in her hometown to attend Princeton University, where her father, Robert Jahn, is professor of aerospace science and Dean, emeritus. Her mother, the late Catherine Seibert Jahn, was an early childhood educator who taught at the University League Nursery School.

Dawn graduated from Princeton in 1988 with a degree in history and received a certificate in women’s studies, when she moved to Washington D.C., where she had spent summers while in college engaged in a range of public service oriented internships. She worked for two years at the National Institute of Mental Health, where she served as special assistant to the director of the Office of Programs for the Homeless Mentally Ill.

In 1991, Dawn entered the Lyndon Baines Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, where she completed a Master of Public Affairs degree, having written a thesis on the functionality and success of the Texas medicaid system.

Upon completion of her graduate degree, Dawn returned to Washington and the National Institute of Mental Health, again taking up policy issues related to the homeless mentally ill. In 1994, she was summoned to the office of the vice president of the United States to work as a policy advisor to Mrs. Tipper Gore, who was and remains a staunch advocate for recognition of mental illness as a real and significant public health issue.

In 1995, Dawn moved with her husband to Massachusetts, where she began work with the non-profit organization, the National Center on Family Homelessness (formerly the Better Homes Fund), a leading voice in the country for homeless children and families. As vice president of the National Center on Family Homelessness for approximately 15 years, she worked to prevent and end this tragic problem and to ensure that no child in America would spend even one night on the streets. She developed practice guidelines for programs serving homeless families; she was one of the pioneers in helping programs provide trauma-informed care and services that met the needs of children. In addition, Dawn understood the policy issues and knew how to move the dialogue forward, helping to create “America’s Youngest Outcasts: State Report Card on the Status of Homeless Children”.

Dawn’s commitment to public service extended to the local level, as exemplified by her membership on the board of directors of the Arlington Education Foundation, which makes grants to fund educational initiatives within the Arlington Public School system.

Dawn was a great friend, colleague, and mentor to many. She managed to delicately balance work and life with grace, valuing above all family and friends while remaining fully committed to her call to public service. Dawn was the thoughtful and loving mother of two children, Georgia and Henry; and wife of 18 years of James Moses. In addition, Dawn is survived by her father, Robert Jahn of Princeton; her siblings, Eric and Jill Jahn, also of Princeton; and Nina Gustin, of Greenwich, Conn.

A celebration of Dawn’s life will be held at Town Hall in Arlington, Massachusetts on July 14 at 2 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the National Center on Family Homelessness.