Verna Stewart Damon Matthews

Verna Stewart Damon Matthews died in Newport Hospital in Newport, Rhode Island, in a room with a beautiful view of the waterfront and harbor in the distance, in the early hours of July 6th, 2018, after a brief illness.

She was born on September 23, 1929 in Woburn, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of Philip Arthur Damon and Anne Ruth Van Buren Damon. She grew up in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, where her father was president of the Pittsfield Cooperative Bank, and attended Miss Hall’s School, graduating in 1947. She was an alumna of Wellesley College, Class of ‘51.

She married John P.C. Matthews of Princeton, New Jersey on March 31, 1951, in Pittsfield.

They lived in Munich, West Germany from March 1954 to March 1959 while John worked for the Free Europe Press, the print division of Radio Free Europe.

They moved back to Princeton in 1959, where she worked for Princeton University as a programming tutor at the Computer Center; then at Trinity Episcopal Church in Princeton as their parish administrator until she retired. She was a longtime member of Trinity Church and was on its vestry committee. She was formerly a member of the board of the Princeton Historical Society.

She leaves behind her two sons John, Jr. and Christopher; Christopher’s wife Jill Matthews; four granddaughters, Aurora, Pilar, Esmé, and Rhys Matthews; her daughter-in-law K’lyn Matthews; two brothers- and sisters-in-law, Paul and Lelia Matthews and Alexander and Shirlee Matthews; and numerous nephews and nieces. On the Damon side she leaves her sister-in-law Geneviève Damon, her two nieces Sumali Damon Piyavidyakarn and Lawan Damon Chumsai, and her nephew Bill Damon.

Preceding her in death were her husband John; her brother-in-law Thomas S. Matthews, Jr. and sister-in-law Ann Matthews; her brother Philip A. Damon, Jr.; and her sons Thomas Matthews and Philip Damon Matthews.

There will be a memorial service later this month at St. Columba’s Church in Middletown, Rhode Island. She will be buried at Trinity Church in Princeton in the family plot in early September, following a funeral service there. The dates and times of both services will be announced shortly.

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Vincenza C. Pirone

Vincenza C. Pirone, 97, of West Windsor died Saturday, July 7, 2018 at home surrounded by her loving family. Born in Pettoranello, Italy she was a resident of Princeton from 1946 until 2009 when she moved to Hamilton and later residing with her daughter in West Windsor. She was a member of St. Paul’s Church, the Altar Rosary Society, and the Princeton Italian American Sportsman Club Ladies Auxilliary.

Daughter of the late Nicola and Elvina (Palumbo) Tamasi; wife of the late Ginefrico P. Pirone; sister of the late Eliseo Tamasi; and late son-in-law, Malcolm Bell; she is survived by a son and two daughters and son-in-law, Cesina Bell with whom she resided, Mario Pirone, Margaret and Robert Cash, a brother and sister-in-law Domenico and Adele Tamasi, and sister-in-law Lina Tamasi of Isernia, Italy; five grandchildren Stephanie Wyers, Brian Cash and his wife Stephanie, Rachel Pirone, Christopher Pirone, Alexandra Pirone, a step-granddaughter Karen Smith and her family in Scotland; three great-grandchildren Adriana Wyers, Logan Cash, Savannah Cash; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins in the U.S. and Italy.

Our family would like to thank all the aides who took such good care of Mom over the years as well as representatives from Adaptive Care Management and recently Synergy Home Care.

The funeral will be 9 a.m. on Thursday, July 12, 2018 from the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vandeventer Avenue, Princeton.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 10 a.m. at St. Paul’s Church, 216 Nassau Street, Princeton. Burial will follow in the Princeton Cemetery.

Friends may call on Wednesday, July 11, 2018 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Paul’s Church, 216 Nassau Street, Princeton or Princeton-Pettoranello Sister City Foundation, 120 John Street, Princeton.