Townsend Scudder, Jr. 

Townsend “Towney” Scudder, Jr., son of Townsend Scudder III and Virginia Boody Scudder, was born on January 3, 1927 in New Haven, Connecticut and passed away among loving family at the Haven at Otter Creek in Middlebury, Vermont on May 6, 2016.

A graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy and Yale University, he received his MBA from New York University. He served in World War II as a cadet-midshipman in The U.S. Merchant Marine Cadet Corps., first at Kings Point, then at sea in both the Atlantic and Pacific theatres of the war.

He married Mary Constance Bordman, Concord, Massachusetts in 1950. With Mary, Towney developed a passion for horticulture. They settled in Neshanic, New Jersey, starting with a small sheep farm and rare plant nursery where they raised four children. In 1965 they founded Ambleside Gardens & Nursery, in Belle Mead, New Jersey, which, to this day, is one of New Jersey’s most unique garden centers, specializing in dwarf evergreens, Japanese maples, and other uncommon plants. Ambleside won the Governor’s Trophy for the best garden at the New Jersey Flower Show in each of the six years in which it exhibited. Towney and Mary retired to Vermont in 2013. Their son, David, continues to own and manage Ambleside Gardens.

Towney is survived by Mary, his wife of 65 years and now living in Middlebury, Vermont; a brother, Thayer Scudder of Altadena, California; and his children: John Scudder of Freehold, New Jersey; David Scudder and his wife Robin of East Millstone, New Jersey; Holly Scudder-Chase and her husband Keith of Richmond, Vermont; and Hal Scudder and his wife Carol of Park City, Utah. He is also survived by six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

A celebration of his life will take place at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in his name to the New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association — www.njnla.com.

———

Robert A. O’Leary

Robert A. O’Leary of Boca Grande, Fla. and Quechee, Vt., passed away on Friday, May 13, his 77th birthday, overlooking the Gulf. He was surrounded by family and friends.

Bob was born on May 13, 1939, in Boston and grew up in Cambridge and Lincoln, Mass.

He was a graduate of Belmont Hill School (1956) and Colby College. He worked as an executive in corporate bonds on Wall Street and raised his family in Princeton.

After a valiant two-year battle with myelofibrosis and leukemia, he was blessed to be comforted at home by Hope Hospice with his sister Debbie and his best friend Lincoln Kerney, at his side.

Bob is survived by his children Garret (Lulu) of London; Elizabeth of Hanover, N.H.; and William (Alex) of Marion, Mass.; and seven grandchildren Katherine (Kitty) and Robert O’Leary and Katherine (Katie), Lillia (Lillie) and Hope (Hopie) Lovell and Natalia (Tali) and Phoebe O’Leary. He is also survived by his sister, Deborah Carpenter and her husband Tom and niece, Stephanie, all of Naples, Fla. He also leaves behind his constant and faithful companion, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Jack.

He is predeceased by his parents, Alyce M. and Paul J. O’Leary and his brother, Paul Jr.

Donations may be made to Hope Hospice, 9470 Health Park Circle, Fort Myers, FL 33908 or hopehospice.org.

———

Jane Ann Schade

Jane Ann Schade, known to her friends as Ann, and to her grandchildren as Nanny, died on May 14, 2016 at age 90. Ann was pre-deceased by her husband, Dr. Harold R. Schade.

She is survived by five children; Nancy S. Hearne; Jane Ann Butehorn; Harold R. Schade, II; Mary Alexis McCormack; Christian S. Schade; 16 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

After raising her children, Ann returned to school and attained a BA degree with highest honors from CW Post College.

A memorial service at Trinity Church in Princeton will be held on May 27th at 10:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, gifts to Trinity Church-Pastoral Ministries would be appreciated.

———

Brian Cevera

Brian Cevera, 42, of Griggstown, N.J. died Tuesday, May 10, 2016 at home. Born in Princeton, he was a lifelong Griggstown resident. Brian is survived by his parents Randi L. Sara, Nicholas R. Cevera; two sisters Tracy Cevera, Gretchen Cevera-Underwood; and several aunts, uncles, and cousins.

A memorial service was held Saturday, May 14, 2016 at The Bunkerhill Lutheran Church. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Brian’s memory to the Franklin Township Animal Shelter, 475 DeMott Lane Somerset, NJ 08873.