Ellen Smith Clarke

Ellen Smith Clarke, 91, of Princeton, died Friday, October 7, 2016.

She was born August 24, 1925, in Hartford Conn., the daughter of Thomas Sarsfield Smith and Catherine Klinger of West Hartford. Ellen attended Mount Saint Joseph Academy and the University of Saint Joseph School of Nursing of the Sisters of Mercy, Class of 1947.

On November 9, 1946, she was married at the Cathedral of St. Joseph to Audley Clarke II, son of Reginald Audley Clarke and Gertrude Shoebridge of Hartford Conn, and served as a U.S. Army Air Force officer in the Pacific stationed in Guam aboard a B29 from September 1943 to October 1946.

After the war, Ellen moved to Princeton in 1947, as the wife of a Princeton University student until 1949 then to Cambridge, Mass. where she was a volunteer at the Bay State Rehab Clinic of Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital, and a member of Harvard Law Wives. Ellen and her husband adopted two children, Kathryn Mary in 1957 and Jeremy Charles in 1959. She then lived in Providence, R.I., Winchester, Mass. and Owings Mills, Md. While living in Maryland, Ellen was a member of the Green Spring Valley Garden Club, volunteered at Greater Baltimore Medical Center and the Valley School.

On their return to Princeton in 1969, Ellen became a real estate agent with John T. Henderson Realty Inc. and remained with them and their successor companies for 42 years, retiring in 2008. She was a member of the Mercer County Board of Realtors and was affiliated with the Princeton Realty Group, LLC. She served on the Board of Princeton Community Village Residence Association.

Ellen was a faithful regular communicant of St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Church in Princeton and was a Catechist in the 1970s with the teaching Sisters of Mercy. She was a supporting member of the Aquinas Institute Catholic Chaplaincy of Princeton University and volunteered at Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart.

Ellen is survived by a daughter, Kathryn Clarke Held and husband Marc Held of Yarmouth, Maine; and four grandchildren, Emily, William, Rebecca, and Jonathan; and by a son Jeremy Clarke and Brenda Carbone of Farmingdale, N.J. and two children, Jeremy and Amber. Also surviving are nieces and nephews, five from her older brother Thomas A. Smith and Marian Smith of Westerly, R.I.; Thomas Smith Jr.; Elizabeth Smith-Kulick of Norwell, Mass.; Jason Smith of New Britain, Conn.; Georgiana Smith of Newport, R.I. and Mary Johanna Ramirez-Smith of Madrid, Spain; and two from her younger brother Charles Smith and Carolyn Cawkins Smith of Doylestown, Pa.; Charles Smith of Brooklyn, N.Y.; and Timothy Smith of Arlington, Va.

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at Sacred Heart Church, 326 Main Street, Yarmouth, Maine, 11 a.m., Thursday, October 20, 2016, with burial following at Holy Cross Cemetery, Yarmouth. Arrangements are under the direction of Conroy-Tully Walker Funeral Home, 172 State Street, Portland. To view Ellen’s memorial page, or to share an online condolence, please visit, www.ConroyTullyWalker.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: Sisters of Mercy, University of St. Joseph, CT, Office of Alumni Relations, 1678 Asylum Avenue, Hartford CT, 06117.

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Norman Edward Freeberg

Norman Edward Freeberg died early in the morning of October 3, 2016, the day of the Jewish New Year, at the age of 85. He was ill these past few months, and he passed away at home while receiving incredible care. His survivors include his beloved wife of 55 years Marilyn; and his daughters Ellen, Elizabeth, and their families; along with three special grandchildren Emma, Daniel, and Leah.

During Norman’s illness, he had extraordinary support from his wife, family, friends, and neighbors. The family is indebted to the caregivers — Teya, Avis, and Bahu – who devoted themselves to Dad’s every need.

Norman was the son of Anna (Back) and Samuel Freeberg and grew up in the Bronx, an only child surrounded by a large, vibrant extended family. A proud graduate of the city public schools and CCNY, he completed a PhD in Industrial Psychology and Statistics from Ohio State University.

In the U.S. Navy following graduate school, Norman finished flight school, and as a psychologist, studied the behavior of pilots under varied conditions. Later, he spent time working with astronauts in NASA. He met his beloved Marilyn (at the ice skating rink at Grossinger’s Resort) and they married in 1961.

Norman and Marilyn raised a family in Princeton as Dad shifted his work to ETS, cultivating a long and interesting career there. He helped to evaluate areas as diverse as federal youth employment programs and conditions affecting air traffic controllers.

He was curious, generous, and a great conversationalist. He loved an inspired, informed talk about the issues of the day. A devotee of basketball, jazz, jogging, and biking around town, he had a steady collection of favorite activities, and he loved to socialize and travel with Marilyn. They were always a team. He was a committed, devoted companion to his life-long partner; he provided so much to his daughters, Ellen and Liz; his family and circle of friends were his touchstones. He was a lucky man, and we are fortunate for his 85 years with us.

We will remember Norman as a good husband, a devoted family member, a friend, and an engaged thinker.

Donations in Norman’s memory may be made to Jewish Family and Children’s Service in support of their Secure at Home Program: JFCS, 707 Alexander Road, Suite 102, Princeton, NJ 08540.

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Frank M. Cuomo

Frank M. Cuomo of Princeton passed away peacefully Tuesday morning October 4, 2016 surrounded by his loving family. Frank was born in Ischia, Italy in 1931 to the late Vincenzo and Teresa Cuomo and moved to the United States in 1952 to live the true American dream, although part of his heart remained in Ischia. He married his loving wife Alba in 1958 and shortly began a family.

His lifelong passion for gardening led to an extraordinary career in grounds keeping at RCA/SRI. After a career of 62 years, Frank retired in 2014 to cheer Italian soccer (Forza Napoli), care for his lawn and garden, and relax at his home down at the shore boating, fishing, and making memories with his family. A beloved husband, father, and Nonno, he leaves a legacy of hard work, loyalty, and the love of family, Almighty God, and country.

Frank is predeceased by his sisters Anna DeMeglio, Renata, Lupa and her husband Joseph; and Francesca Porcaro and her husband Luigi. Surviving is his loving wife Alba of 58 years; his sister Clara and her husband Silvio; his daughter Teresa Pietrefesa and her husband Craig; son Vince and his wife Lisa; and three grandchildren, Michael and his wife Savannah, Christopher, and Eric; and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

Funeral services were held 10:30 a.m. Saturday, October 8, 2016 at The Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vandeventer Avenue, Princeton. Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Paul’s Church, 214 Nassau Street, Princeton. Burial followed in Princeton Cemetery. Calling hours were held from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, October 7, 2016 at the funeral home.

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Lucien Davis Yokana

Lucien Davis Yokana, 89, of Princeton, New Jersey and Biddeford Pool, Maine died peacefully surrounded by his family Thursday, September 29, 2016 in Princeton.

Lucien graduated from Princeton University in 1948 with a BSE in engineering. In 1949, he married Anne D. Guthrie at Trinity Episcopal Church in Princeton, after which they raised five children and lived happily until her death in 2012.

Lucien’s career started at Johnson & Johnson and Hartig Machine. In 1959, he founded Sterling Extruder Corporation, which became one of the largest and most innovative plastics companies in the industry. Sterling merged with Baker Perkins in 1986. After the merger, Lucien retained the Davis Electric division (later Merritt Davis) where he was chairman until the company was sold in 2005. He was a pioneer and a respected leader in the plastics industry, held numerous related patents and set a precedent that still stands today regarding trade secrets in a case that was heard by the United States Supreme Court. He continued to serve on numerous boards and consult in the plastics field up until his final days.

He was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church for nearly 70 years and served as Senior Warden of St. Martin’s in the Field Episcopal Church, a summer chapel at Biddeford Pool, Maine. He was a member of Bedens Brook Club, Pretty Brook Tennis Club, the Nassau Club, the Mill Reef Club in Antigua, and the Princeton Club of N.Y.. In addition, Lucien was a member and past president of the Abenakee Club and the Pool Beach Association in Biddeford Pool.

Lucien loved music and a fine cocktail with friends. He will be remembered as a consummate and gracious gentleman with a quick wit, outstanding sense of humor, and uncanny ability to tell a remarkably good joke. Lucien will also be remembered for his unparalleled devotion to his wife, family, friends, and the Princeton Class of 1948 where he served as a class officer. He participated in Princeton reunions and the P-rade every year from 1948 through 2016.

He is survived by his brother Andre Yokana, two sons; Alexander D. Guthrie and Lucien S.Y. Guthrie; three daughters; Ariane G. Peixoto, Isabelle G. Yokana, and Alice G. Barfield; and seven grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, November 10, 2016 at Trinity Episcopal Church in Princeton.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Trinity Episcopal Church.