August 2, 2017

Obituaries 8/2/17

Gabriel Michael Pilenza

Gabriel Michael Pilenza, 92, passed away at Park Place Center in Monmouth Junction on Saturday, July 29, 2017.

Born in Trenton, he resided in Princeton for most of his life.

A very talented self-taught chef, Mike owned and operated the Grotto Restaurant, on Witherspoon Street in Princeton, for over 35 years.

Mike was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy as a Seaman First Class after serving from 1943 to 1945 on the USS Helm and USS Vincennes. After leaving the service, he remained very active in Navy reunions, kept in contact with his shipmates through the years and attended the 50th anniversary ceremonies at Pearl Harbor.

His leisure time was devoted to spending time with family and friends and travel.

He was predeceased by his parents Leonardo and Maria Pilenza; wife Vera Pilenza; brother Leonard Pilenza; and sisters and brothers-in-law Helen and Sam Scarribone; Christina and Pete Collender; Emma and Charles Nami; Elizabeth and Robert LaManna; and Gloria and Kenneth Schiendlewolf.

Surviving are his first wife Betty Pilenza of Princeton; son and daughter-in-law, Michael and Jan Pilenza of Delran, N.J.; daughter and son-in-law, Donna Pilenza Intartaglia and Andre of Princeton; four grandchildren April Theis and husband Sean of Delran, N.J.; Michele Wheeler and husband Alan of Mount Laurel, N.J.; Olivia and Anna Intartaglia, both of Princeton; six great grandchildren; a sister and brother-in-law Jean and Vincent Pucciatti; and a brother Eugene Pilenza; and partner John Cifelli.

Funeral services will begin at the Kimble Funeral Home, 1 Hamilton Avenue, Princeton, NJ on Thursday, August 3, 2017 at 11 a.m. followed by an 11:30 a.m. funeral mass at St. Paul Catholic Church, 214 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ 08542. Burial will be at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Hamilton, NJ following mass.

Visiting hours will precede services, at the funeral home, on Thursday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Memorial contributions to St. Paul Catholic Church are appreciated.

Extend condolences and share memories at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.

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Harold Martin Bermingham

Born the third of six children to William Christopher Bermingham and Mary Magdalene Fiedler on July 8, 1934 in Champaign County Illinois, this midwestern farm boy travelled far and loved much in his 83 years. He fought Parkinson’s disease long and hard for 20 years, and finally lost the battle with this insidious disease on July 31, 2017.

After graduating from Rantoul High School, he served at the end of the Korean war in the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. Coming home at last, he and his brother first installed indoor plumbing in his parents farmhouse. He then married his sweetheart from a nearby town of Ivesdale (pop 250), Rita Ann Flavin, on September 7, 1959. Using the GI bill to pay his tuition he forged through University of Illinois to get his degree in mechanical engineering; the first of his family to do so. Their only daughter Patti arrived in December 1960. He chose Illinois Bell as his career path; they rotated him through AT&T in New York for experience which involved moving seven times back and forth and within Illinois. Along the way he picked up a master’s degree from Northwestern University. He took up running before jogging was a known form of exercise; covering thousands and thousands of miles. It was his great honor to bear the Olympic Torch five miles as it was carried across the country to Los Angeles in 1983. He and Rita travelled far and wide visiting every state except Alaska, and covering most of Europe as well. In 1987, he retired from AT&T during a company reorganization. He found his new career in community involvement. He ran Morris Plains recycling center, became head usher at St. Virgils, and grand knight in the Knights of Columbus. He also found another career as grandpa to six grandchildren, whom he frequently transported home from school and to every imaginable activity, staying involved.

After the devastating loss of his wife of 52 years in 2011, the Parkinsons really began to take its toll, and in 2012 he moved to Acorn Glen Assisted Living in Princeton. Here he has been much loved “Mr. Hal” in yet another career for him, for indeed he never stopped working.

He is survived by his daughter Patti, her husband Robert Maslanka, and grandchildren Christopher, Mark, Jeffrey, Rebecca, Carolyn, and Sara, as well as two brothers Daniel and Paul. He joins his wife Rita, and sisters Lucy and Josephine, and brother William in the eternal web of love that awaits us all. We will miss you Grandpa!

Family and friends are welcome to gather on Thursday, August 3, 2017 from 4-7 p.m. at Dangler Funeral Home, 600 Speedwell Avenue, Morris Plains, NJ. A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, August 4, 2017 at 10 a.m. at St. Virgil’s Church, 250 Speedwell Avenue, Morris Plains, NJ. Interment will be at Princeton Cemetery, Princeton.

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John P. Belli, Sr.

John P. “Jack” Belli, Sr., 92 passed away on July 30, 2017 at home surrounded by his loving family.

Born and raised in Trenton, Mr. Belli later lived in Lawrenceville, Pennington, and Jupiter, Fla. He was retired, having spent 40 years as a co-owner of the Belli Company, a construction firm founded by his father, Simon Belli, in 1920. During the first 30 years under the founder, the company built Trenton Central High School, the War Memorial Building, the Lakehurst Naval Air Station, and the State House Annex, among other projects. Subsequently, the sons constructed St. Francis Hospital, the 11 building campus of Mercer Community College, the Labor and Industry Building, the New Jersey State Museum Cultural Complex, West Windsor High School South, as well as projects at Princeton University and the Lawrenceville School.

A veteran of World War II, having served in the Army Corps of Engineers in Germany and the Philippines, Mr. Belli graduated from The Lawrenceville School and the University of Pennsylvania with BA and a master’s degree in architecture. He was a Trustee of Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart, the New Jersey State Museum, Mercer County Community College, and Martin House. He served as president of the Fathers Association of The Lawrenceville School.

Son of the late Simon and Teresa De Vido Belli of Trenton, and the brother of the late Simon H. Belli of Lawrenceville, he is survived by his wife, Maude Meehan Belli and three sons: John P. Jr. and Adrienne of Pennington; Noel G. and Kathleen Belli of Wyckoff, N.J.; Mark C. and Barbara of Jupiter, Fla.; and two daughters: Marjorie Eno of South Freeport, Me; and Anne-Marie Belli of New York City; as well as seven grandchildren: John P. III and Drew Belli of Pennington; Megan, Michael and Suzanne Belli of Wyckoff, N.J.; Amos and Angus Eno of South Freeport, Me.

Family and Friends are invited to gather on Thursday, August 3, 2017 from 10 — 11 a.m. at St. James Church, 115 East Delaware Ave, Pennington, NJ. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Private interment will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Murphy Funeral Home, 935 Parkway Avenue, Ewing, NJ 08618. For more information, please visit the website www.murphyfh.com.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the charity of the donor’s choice.

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Michael E. O’Nan

Michael E. O’Nan, PhD, 73, of Princeton died Monday, July 31, 2017 at University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro. Born in Fort Knox, Kentucky he has been a resident of Princeton for over 48 years. Michael retired in 2011 as a mathematics professor with over 48 years of service from Rutgers University. He had written and published two books and was currently working on his third. Michael discovered a series of numbers, now known as the O’Nan group.

Son of the late Ernest R. and Mabel Orvetta (Owens) O’Nan, Husband of the late Loulie Estill-O’Nan, he is survived by a brother and sister-in-law Glenn S. and Jean O’Nan; a sister and brother-in-law Patricia and Darvin Burgess; and several nieces and nephews.

The Funeral Service will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, August 3, 2017 at the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home 40 Vandeventer Avenue, Princeton.

Burial will follow in the Princeton Cemetery.

Friends may call on Thursday morning from 10 a.m. until the time of service at the funeral home.