Christopher Robert Barbrack

Christopher Robert Barbrack died peacefully in his sleep on June 2, 2020, following several years of declining health. He was 78. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Joanne, who was the love of his life; by his sons Scott and David, who he loved deeply and of whom he was enormously proud; and their families, Scott’s wife Lyz, and their four children Justine, JC, Jazel and Aly, and David’s wife Mary, and their two children Daniel and Claire. Christopher often expressed his deep love for his two strong and loving daughters-in-law, Lyz and Mary,  for their warmth, emotional generosity, and kindness, and for his six grandchildren who brought him enormous joy, laughter, and optimism for the future with their generosity of spirit and intellectual, athletic, and artistic achievements.

Christopher was born in the Bronx, NY, on August 11, 1941, the only child of Christopher Barbrack Sr. and Margaret Ryan Barbrack. He graduated from Iona College in New Rochelle, NY, and credited his study of science and philosophy in college for his lifelong intellectual curiosity and respect for intellectual rigor. After graduating, he taught elementary school (third grade),  and there became interested in child psychology and learning theory. 

He  enrolled at Columbia University, Teachers College in NYC where he received a Master’s degree in Educational Psychology in 1968, then accepted an internship in Nashville, Tennessee, at Peabody College/Vanderbilt University, where he was a prolific researcher and author in the field of child psychology and early childhood learning and development.

In 1970, Christopher was recruited by the University of Miami School of Medicine and Jackson Memorial Hospital, to join the Medical School’s Comprehensive Health Care Program (CHCP), a federally-funded medical services program, to develop a psychology unit to provide psychological testing and treatment services for low income children in the Miami-South Dade area and to teach medical students on their pediatric rotation about early identification of psychological/developmental conditions in young children. Christopher moved to Miami from Nashville where he met Joanne his first week there. They fell in love, finding in each other a soulmate for life, and married in August 1971, with Scott (age 6) and David (age 3) in attendance, thus beginning their life journey.

Christopher and Joanne moved to Bloomington, Indiana, in August 1973 where Christopher attended Indiana University Graduate School of Psychology and received a PhD in Psychology  in 1975. While on the psychology faculty, Christopher taught graduate level courses in statistical experimental design and child learning theory, and organized annual psychological testing clinics for disadvantaged children in rural Wall, West Virginia. In his free time, Christopher fulfilled a lifelong ambition by taking flying lessons and receiving a pilot’s license for single-engine aircraft. He logged hundreds of hours flying over rural Indiana and adjoining states and developed a deep love and affection for the people, culture, and physical beauty of the Midwest.

In August 1977, after Joanne received a law degree (JD) from Indiana University Law School (Bloomington), Chris and Joanne moved back to the NYC area where Chris joined the faculty of Rutgers University Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology (GSAAP) in New Brunswick. They moved to Princeton in 1982 where they settled. Christopher received tenure from Rutgers in 1984, carried a full teaching load, and was a prolific author, publishing many articles in major scholarly journals as well as occasional pieces for popular magazines.

Christopher had an interest in the scientific underpinnings of psychology and the measurable effects of clinical treatment, and became increasingly skeptical about the lack of quantitative measurements of the effects of clinical psychological treatment, but was optimistic about developments  in the field of neuropsychology, because of its focus on brain structure and function and new developments in brain imaging. While at Rutgers, Christopher also worked as a clinical psychologist at Carrier Foundation, the largest private psychiatric facility in NJ at the time; and engaged in private practice in clinical psychology.

In 1986, at the age of 45, Christopher decided to embark on a career in law, and enrolled in the University of Pennsylvania School of Law. He received a doctorate of laws degree (JD) in 1989 and became a member of the New Jersey and New York bars. He opened the Barbrack Law Firm  on January 1, 1990, and, over the next 25 years, the firm represented hundreds of clients in matters of family law, medical malpractice, and immigration. Christopher had a strong affinity to the plight of the undocumented immigrant population in and around Princeton and focused increasingly on immigration clients. Chris believed strongly in the rights of the individual to be protected from unreasonable and unfair government action and, as a result, his legal practice increasingly focused on clients with immigration issues and pro bono work for prisoners mistreated during their incarceration. To Chris, his law practice and the many pro-bono clients he was able to assist, was the pinnacle of his professional life’s work.

Chris was a great animal lover and he and Joanne shared their home with many dogs, from Great Danes and Newfoundlands, to Westies and Shih Tzus, and dozens of rescue rabbits,  throughout their life together.

Of the many achievements of Chris’s life, he will be best remembered as a brilliant and charismatic man who freely shared his warmth and emotional generosity with others and for his keen insight and interest in the lives of those whose paths crossed his. He loved to hear the life stories of people who overcame personal challenges and often noted how much those who shared their stories with Chris had enriched him. Chris summed up his own personal philosophy with a tattoo he chose for himself on his 60th birthday that said, in Chinese characters, “never give up,” and he lived this philosophy to the end. Chris was deeply loved by the many people whose lives he touched and his passing leaves a deep and immeasurable void.

Contributions may be made in his name to Princeton SAVE — A Friend to Homeless Animals.

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Mary Dimitruk

Mary Dimitruk, 97, of Princeton Junction passed away peacefully on October 28, 2020 at Granville Place in Burlington with her loving family by her side.

The daughter of the late George and Mary Kostuk, she is predeceased by her husband, Walter Dimitruk Sr., and her siblings, Anne Hopkins and Michael Kostuk. She is survived by her children Monja and Bruce Crandall, Nadja Selah, Walter Jr. and Ellen Dimitruk, and Nina and Robert Avery; her seven grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and her sister, Jennie Osinski.

Private Funeral Liturgy was offered at Saint Mary’s Russian Orthodox Church, Jackson, New Jersey 08527. Burial followed at St. Vladimir’s Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Mary’s name to either St. Mary’s Russian Orthodox Church, 316 Cassville Road, P.O. Box 146, Jackson, New Jersey 08527; Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas 66675; or to a charity of choice.

Arrangements are under the direct care and supervision of Robert L. Pecht, Bordentown Home for Funerals, 40 Crosswicks Street, Bordentown, NJ 08505. Please go to Mary’s Book of Memories page at www.Bordentownhomeforfunerals.com for arrangement information and direction, to upload a picture, order flowers, or offer condolences to the family.

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Wendell Keith Whitney

November 27, 1927 — October 23, 2020

Keith Whitney of rural Saline County, Kansas, went to join Annie, his beloved wife of 70 years, in the Kingdom of Heaven on Friday, October 23, 2020. Keith was preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd and Ina, of Miltonvale, Kansas.

Keith is survived by his daughter, Judy Alink; his son, Kenneth (Pam) Whitney; his chosen children Joel and Jeri Wimer; four grandchildren, Brian (Danica) Alink, Emily (Craig) Alink Batchelor, Cody (Morgan) Whitney, and Chris (Minuet) Whitney; and three chosen grandchildren, Matthew (Abby) Wimer, Michael (Ryley) Wimer, and Melissa (Michael) Wimer Haverfield. He was the loving great-grandfather to 14.

Dr. W. Keith Whitney was a PhD Research Entomologist. Keith taught all through his Bachelor, Masters, and PhD tenure at K-State. He then went on to do Research and Grain Insect Treatment for Dow Chemical, Cyanamid, and Pfizer in numerous foreign countries, mostly concentrated in Africa.

Keith passed on from this life and all its physical difficulties surrounded by loved ones at home. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

Online condolences: www.ryanmortuary.com.

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Helaine Randerson

Helaine Randerson (nee Kleinman) passed away quietly at her home in Princeton, NJ, on October 24, 2020 at the age of 81. She was born in Cleveland, OH in 1939 to the late Lillian Goldfarb Kleinman and Dr. Samuel Kleinman.

Helaine, known as Grandma Lanie to her beloved grandchildren Mose and Maceo Wolfe, shared a life full of love, art, theater, and travel with her cherished husband Lewis E. Randerson, a perfect match if there ever was one. Helaine charted her own path in life. After practicing law briefly in Los Angeles, CA, she moved with Lew to Princeton, NJ, where she worked for many years as the Assistant Editor for the journal Behavioral and Brain Sciences.

She decided to take a leap of faith and start her own business in editing and page production called Fastidious Word Processing, and she never looked back. Many an author’s writing benefited from her inquisitive mind, eye for detail, and sage advice. She shared these with her family and friends, too, but the greatest gifts were her unstinting love, encouragement, generosity, and compassion.

She is missed and loved by them all, but most deeply by her husband Lew, her son Justin Wolfe and daughter-in-law Edie Wolfe, her grandchildren Mose and Maceo, her sister Sandra Kleinman, her brothers Dr. Alan and Theodore Kleinman (Han), her niece Lisa Kleinman (Derek), and nephews Josh (Sabrina) and Chris Kleinman (Elizabeth). She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Richard Kleinman, and her ex-husband Michael Wolfe.

A feminist to her core, with a sharp intellect and a crack wit, she was a lifelong supporter of women’s rights and reproductive freedom. In lieu of flowers, we ask you to consider honoring her life and memory with a donation to Planned Parenthood.

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Albert Medwin

Albert Medwin, age 94, of Skillman and formerly of Princeton, passed away Monday, October 26, 2020. An accomplished electric engineer, he holds several US patents, including in the field of electronic encoders. He was involved in the early development of integrated circuits while working at RCA in Somerville, New Jersey. In the 1960s he led the engineering group that developed the world’s first low power CMOS chips.

Born in New York City, he was a graduate of City College of New York. He was an Army veteran of World War II, serving in the European Theatre. After returning home, he married Marilyn Herbst Medwin in 1947.

In 1957 he moved to Whippany, N.J. There he and Marilyn raised their sons. Soon after moving to Whippany, he built a small sailboat. Every summer Marilyn and Alby took the sailboat, and the family, to Lake George, N.Y., to camp on the islands. 

Attached to the house was a greenhouse that he built. Throughout the year, it was a warm place to enjoy the sun and many, many orchids. In the summer, the upper row of windows opened to help cool off the greenhouse.

At one point, Medwin got his private pilot’s license and even bought a small airplane which he flew out of Morristown Airport.

Medwin’s first patent (US 3,390,314) was issued in 1968 when he was 43. It is entitled “Semiconductor Translating Circuit” and was assigned to Radio Corporation of America (RCA). His second patent (US 3,588,635) was issued in 1971 and is simply titled “Integrated Circuit.” It was also assigned to the RCA Corporation. At this point, Medwin left RCA to start his own integrated circuit development company called Ragen Semiconductor. He received his next patent (US 3,789,388) in 1972, titled “Apparatus for Providing a Pulsed Liquid Crystal Display.” This was the first of his patents that was assigned to Ragen Semiconductor.

Several years later, Medwin started another company call CGS Systems, Inc. in Princeton, New Jersey. His next patent (US 4,110,701) was issued in 1978 and is titled “Method and Apparatus for Near-Synchronization of a Pair of Oscillators, and Measuring Thereby.” His final two patents are related to electronic encoders, “Electronic Measuring Apparatus” (US 4,367,438) issued in 1983 and “Electronic Vernier” (US 4,459,702) issued in 1984. Neither of these was assigned to a company.

Mr. Medwin was a member of The Jewish Center of Princeton. He and Marilyn were active with Recording for the Blind for many years. They were also members of the Princeton Macintosh User Group (PMUG).

He is survived by his wife, Marilyn Medwin; two sons, Steven (Rabbi Michele) Medwin and Lawrence (Ellie Hertzberg) Medwin; a sister, Mildred Linnetz; four grandchildren, Dan Medwin, Allison Steele, Rachel Witriol, and Sam Medwin; and five great-grandchildren, Zimra, Gavi, Teddy, Jasmine, and Julian. He is predeceased by his brother Julius Medwin.

Private funeral services and burial with military honors were held Wednesday, October 28 at 2:30 pm at Princeton Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Springpoint Foundation (online at https://springpointsl.org/foundation/donate or by mail to Springpoint Foundation, 4814 Outlook Drive, Suite 201, Wall Twp., NJ  07753).

To send condolences to the family visit orlandsmemorialchapel.com.

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Frederick Spring Osborne Jr.

Frederick Spring Osborne Jr., 80, of Princeton, NJ, and Philadelphia, PA, died on October 28th at home in Chester, CT.  

Fred began his career as the Director of Undergraduate Sculpture at the University of Pennsylvania and Assistant Professor in the Graduate School of Fine Arts at Penn, progressed to a faculty member in the Graduate Program of Arts Education and Director of Continuing Education at Philadelphia College of Art, co-founded the Vermont Studio Center, was Dean of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, and finally President Emeritus of the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts. Fred had great influence on all with his gentleness, wisdom, and patience.

Fred is survived by his wife Judith Barbour Osborne; daughters Sophie Simpson of Philadelphia and Jessica Mungekar of Sewell, NJ; sister Lydia Osborne of Pennington, NJ; and respective families. He was predeceased by his son Thomas Spring Osborne who left behind wife Natasha of Philadelphia and two now-grown children. 

Sympathies: tributes.com.