Ilona Olgyay

Ilona Olgyay passed away peacefully at the Princeton Medical Center on Saturday December 29, 2012. Ilona moved to Princeton in 1953, and with her husband Victor (died 1970) raised her children here.

Born Ilona Csuvik on November 27, 1919 in Budapest, Hungary, Ilona was very active in sports, especially swimming. She also had a younger brother Oscar (died 2011), who became an Olympic water polo coach.

In her teens, during a time when Hungary won more Olympic medals per capita than any other country, Ilona was awarded the national award for being the top all-round women athlete in the country and was subsequently nominated to the Hungarian Olympic swimming team.

It was in Hungary where Ilona met and married Sandor Tarics, and in 1945 gave birth to daughter Eszike Tarics (died 1996). Ilona and Sandor were living in New York when Hungary was invaded by Germany in World War II, they both immediately returned to Hungary and fought in the resistance, saving the lives of many.

After the war Ilona and Sandor returned to the U.S.A., and eventually divorced. Ilona married Victor Olgyay in 1951; they lived in Indiana and Massachusetts before settling in Princeton, where Victor became an assistant professor of architecture at Princeton University.

Ilona had three more children, Nora Ava (born 1952), Cora Lynda (born 1953), and Victor Wayne (born 1958). In addition to raising her children, Ilona assisted her husband Victor performing interior designs for many of his houses. From 1970 to 1990 Ilona worked at the Institute for Advanced Study as a cataloguer in the Historical Studies Library. She greatly enjoyed this work, it used her broad multilingual skills, and she developed a wonderful network of friends there.

After retiring Ilona continued her passion for tennis and played several times a week. She also worked with several local volunteer organizations, notably “meals on wheels.” She generously gave back to the Princeton community that she loved. We love you and miss you, our dear cica pofa.

Ilona is survived by her daughters Nora and Cora, her son Victor, and grandchildren Niels, Ingrid, Kaya, and Maille, nieces Sally, Tabitha, and Joy, and great grandson Raoul.

A private memorial service will be held at a later date. Contributions in Ilona’s memory can be made to the Princeton Public Library at 65 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, N.J. 08542, (609) 924-8822 x251, or online at bit.ly/PPLdonate.

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Nelson E. Noel

Nelson E. Noel, of Princeton, died peacefully on December 2, 2012 after a long battle with heart disease. Born in North Adams, Mass. on July 14, 1938 to Alice Rowley and Edgar Noel, Nelson settled in Belle Meade, with his wife, Altina, in 1969. They later moved with their three children to Princeton, where he lived for the last 29 years.

Nelson was a loving husband and proud father of three children. Passionate about international travel (especially family trips to his wife’s native country, Brazil), history, and math, he also loved opera, and crossword puzzles. He was a great fan of international soccer, his beloved Boston Red Sox, and Alabama’s Crimson Tide. Nelson’s generosity and compassion were evidenced by his contributions to country and community. He was honorably discharged from the United States Army in 1963 after serving a tour in Germany, was a treasurer for the Montgomery United Methodist Church, served as an usher at Princeton Presbyterian Church, and volunteered his time on the Princeton Elections committee, and with The United Way.

Following studies at the University of Alabama and graduation from Rider College in 1966 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, Nelson began his career as a securities analyst at Merrill Lynch in New York City and earned a master’s degree in business administration from New York University. During his 34 year career he travelled the world extensively in analyst roles for various firms on Wall Street and earned repeated recognition as an all-star fixed income analyst by Institutional Investor and the Wall Street Journal. He retired from Moody’s Investor Services as a vice president in 2000.

Nelson is survived by his wife of 45 years Altina; his sister Janice Hamilton of Chicago; his three children and their spouses, Marilene Noel Bysshe and Robert Thomas Bysshe, Seattle, Wash., Linda Noel and Scott McGoldrick, Princeton, and David Rowley Noel and Kristen Armstrong Noel, Seattle, Wash.; and his four grandchildren, Cameron Bysshe, Olivia McGoldrick, Julia McGoldrick, and Jackson Noel.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his name can be made to the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program at the University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro, 3626 US Highway 1, Princeton, N.J. 08540 (609) 497-4190.

A private burial will be held at Princeton Cemetery. A memorial service celebrating his life will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, February 8, 2013 at Trinity Church at 33 Mercer Street in Princeton with a reception immediately to follow at Springdale Golf Club at 1895 Clubhouse Drive in Princeton.

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Betty V. de Sherbinin

Ms. Betty V. de Sherbinin of Princeton died on Sunday, January 27, 2013, at the age of 95.

Ms. de Sherbinin was born in British Columbia, and had lived in Princeton since 1956. She was most proud of her five published books: Wind on the Pampas, Bindweed, By Bread Alone, The Challenged Land and The River Plate Republics.

She is survived by her nephew Matthew de Sherbinin with whom she lived, a niece, Paula Hawk of Ridgefield, Connecticut and a grand nephew and niece.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to SAVE Princeton Small Animal Rescue League, 900 Herrontown Road, Princeton, N.J. 08540.

Arrangements are under the direction of The Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton.

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Angeline Dorothy Esposito

Angeline Dorothy Esposito, 96, passed away Friday, January 25, 2013. Born February 4, 1916, she was the eldest daughter of Siggismondo and Pasqualina Ranieri and sister of Filomena Skowronski, Adelina Provenzano, and Pasqualina Pease, all deceased. Angeline was a lifelong resident of the Princeton-Lawrenceville area. She married Joseph A. Esposito (deceased 2006) in 1934. Surviving are eight devoted children: Robert, Patricia Sohn, Marilyn Dinicola, Joseph, Catherine Dress, Diane Jacobs, David, and Thomas, 14 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.

Angeline attended Nassau Street Elementary School in Princeton and worked as a seamstress for several years before turning full time to raising her children with her loving husband, Joseph, who operated a service station in Princeton with his brother Vincent J. (Jim) Esposito for over 50 years. She was most proud of the fact that, despite having only an elementary school education, she was able to see all her children graduate from college, enjoy successful careers, and raise families of their own.

She enjoyed cooking and entertaining, sewing, and spending time with her children and their families. She was also an accomplished gardener, and was proud of the numerous flowerbeds, shrubbery, and plantings that surrounded her home in Lawrenceville. Her gardens were featured in an article in the Lawrence Ledger in the early 1980’s.

For the past 9 years, Angeline resided in Longmeadow, Mass. Her daughter Catherine lived nearby and oversaw her mother’s care. For the past 2½ years, she was a resident of the Julian J. Leavitt Family Jewish Nursing Home in Longmeadow, Mass, where she received excellent care from the staff and was known as “the sweetheart of the unit”. The family is most appreciative of the kindness shown toward their mother by them.

The family will receive visitors at the Kimble Funeral Home, 1 Hamilton Avenue, Princeton, N.J. 08542 on Saturday, February 2 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., with a funeral mass to follow at 11 a.m. at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, 214 Nassau Street, Princeton, N.J. 08542. Burial will be at St. Paul’s Church Cemetery.

Extend condolences at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com

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Michael Edward Curtin

Michael Edward Curtin, 73, of Naples, Florida and formerly of Princeton, died on January 10, 2013 in Naples, Florida. His life was marked by unwavering devotion and love to his wife and children, steadfast loyalty to his friends, true conviction to his ideals, and untiring commitment to his work.

Michael was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma and graduated from Cascia Hall before attending the University of Notre Dame. He graduated from Notre Dame in 1961 with a BA in Business Administration and was co-captain of the fencing team. He received an MBA from Chicago Business School in 1965.

His career was concentrated in International Finance for several companies. Notably he was executive vice president of the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington, D.C. from 1981-1988. Throughout his life, he sustained an interest in developing markets, particularly in the role that business could play in bettering national economies and individual lives.

Michael was an early Peace Corps volunteer and part of the first group sent to Chile in 1961-63. In his later years, he became a Knight of Malta and his charitable activities were concentrated on this association. He remained a loyal alumnus of Notre Dame and regularly traveled back to the University for class reunions, football games, Peace Corps reunions and other events.

Michael is survived by his wife, Anne O’Grady Curtin; his children, Victoria and her husband Henry, Theodore and his wife Pamela, Christianne and her husband Daniel, and Susan and her husband Michael; his brother John D. Curtin and sister Margaret Curtin Hutchinson and their families; as well as his lively and lovely grandchildren: George, Elinor, Michael C., Daniel, Charles, Virginia, Michael J., Theodore, and Theodora. He was pre-deceased by his parents Agnes Marie Curtin and John Dorian Curtin, his brother George M. Curtin, and his granddaughter Marie-Claire Curtin.

He was a good man. He led a good life. He will be terribly missed by those who knew him.

Condolences may be mailed to 3951 Gulf Shores Blvd North, #201, Naples, Florida 34103.