Sara Erina Katherine Cooper

Sara Erina Katherine Cooper passed away peacefully in her home in Titusville, New Jersey, on June 21, 2021, from complications associated with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

Sara waged a courageous fight against ALS for over five years with the same determination and commitment she brought to everything she did. Sara did not allow ALS to define her or prevent her from continuing to live her life as fully and meaningfully as possible. From the time she was diagnosed, raising awareness about this disease, for which there is no cure, was her passion and helping others with this disease, her mission. Sara educated others about ALS through her countless interviews, her exposure in magazines, newspapers, and podcasts and through social media. And as a champion and advocate for those new to the ALS fight, with her own experience in mind, she created the ROADMAP, a vehicle to provide those newly diagnosed with the information needed to navigate this unforgiving disease. She was relentless in her desire to make a difference, and she did.

Sara was a graduate of the Princeton Day School and Boston University, School of Management. After ten successful years in banking, Sara completed training at the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts. She turned her passion for cooking and her natural ability to engage with people into Four Girls, a successful catering business she started with three equally enterprising women. Sara was recruited to manage the customer accounts and new business development with Princeton’s Town Topics, and this experience gave her exposure to all aspects of marketing and the ability to secure director-level positions at The College of New Jersey, Princeton Magazine, and Moxie Woman. For three years Sara was also Director of Corporate Communications for Metaphore Pharmaceuticals Inc., Fort. Lee, NJ. But it was with Cooper Creative Group, launched in 2016, that gave Sara the greatest personal and professional satisfaction. There, along with the diverse talents of the women she assembled, she was able to combine her marketing experience with her entrepreneurial spirit, helping local businesses realize their full potential. She continued to enthusiastically serve her clients through her illness.

Sara served on the boards of Christine’s Hope for Kids and Hope Loves Company, an organization providing emotional support for children and young adults living with parents suffering from or lost to ALS. Sara was the recipient of the New Jersey Press Association Award and was recognized by several organizations for her achievement in raising ALS awareness, including the 2019 inaugural Impact Award presented by the Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Sara was a woman whose heart was full of love and compassion. She possessed a unique ability to bring people together and lift them up with her smile, her sense of humor and her humanity, and this never wavered despite her illness. She never focused on her challenges, but instead grew even more grateful for the life she lived and the love she received. She leaves a void in the lives of so many, but also leaves a legacy of kindness, selflessness, and a commitment to make a difference in the lives of others, simply by being Sara Cooper.

Sara was born in New York City on September 18, 1962. Sara leaves her husband, Michael James Delehanty; her mother, Mary Jane (Rubino) Cooper, the former Inspector General of the State of New Jersey, of Lambertville, New Jersey; and father Albert Cooper III, of Pinehurst, North Carolina; her brother and sister-in-law, Albert Cooper IV and Mary Platt Cooper, and her beloved nephew, Henry Albert Cooper, all of Hope, Maine and Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Sara was predeceased by her grandparents, Samuel and Philamena Rubino; and the Honorable Albert Cooper Jr. and Kate Cooper; and her adored nephew Keel James Cooper.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held at Our Lady of Good Counsel, 137 Upper Ferry Road in Ewing, NJ, on Saturday, June 26, 2021.

In lieu of flowers, Sara requested that donations be provided to Christine’s Hope for Kids and Hope Loves Company. Sara asked that donations not be given in her name to the ALS Association. Condolences are welcome at www.wilsonapple.com.

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Elizabeth “Betty” Gray

Elizabeth “Betty” (Kubovcik) Gray, 91, of Princeton, N.J., formerly of Spotswood, N.J., and Newton, Mass., died on June 25, 2021, in Princeton Care Center, Princeton.

Funeral services were entrusted to Spotswood Funeral Home, 475 Main Street, Spotswood. Entombment was in Holy Cross Burial Park, South Brunswick. To send an email note of condolence to the family, please visit spotswoodfh.com.

Born in Larksville, Penn., Betty moved to Newark, N.J., at a young age and married Gerald “Jerry” Gray in 1949 before moving to Spotswood, where they lived for most of their married life. Jerry died in 2011. Betty moved to Newton, Mass., in 2013 and then to Princeton Care Center in 2020.

At a time when women, especially mothers with young children, did not work outside the home, Betty worked nights as a bookkeeper for Prudential Insurance Company in Newark in the early 1950s before moving to Spotswood. She became a Tupperware dealer and eventually managed a team of dealers, a position she held for many years. In the mid-1970s Betty returned to full-time work as an executive assistant in the undergraduate admissions office at Rutgers University, before retiring as executive assistant to the director of the Associate Alumnae of Douglass College in 1997.

Betty was an active member of Immaculate Conception Church Choir for more than 40 years and enjoyed participating in the Ocean Grove Choir Festival yearly. She was actively involved in church activities, especially Immaculate Conception School. She was a Girl Scout leader in Spotswood for many years and was a longtime member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Spotswood Fire Department. She and Jerry enjoyed traveling extensively in the United States and throughout the world, often with their “club,” five couples from West Side High School in Newark who maintained a friendship for more than 75 years.

Betty is survived by two sisters, Marie Bauman and Josephine Kubovcik, both of Massachusetts, and her children: Barbara Flanagan and her husband, David, of Brookline, Mass.; Linda Flanagan and her husband, James, of Sag Harbor, N.Y.; William Gray and his wife, Stephanie, of Princeton, N.J.; and Maryellen Smith of Waltham, Mass. In addition she leaves nine grandchildren, Erin Flanagan Manning and Megan Flanagan LaForge, Michael and Thomas Flanagan; Michael Anna Gray, Corrie Gray Garcia, and Abigail Gray; and Hannah and Sarah Smith; and seven great-grandchildren.

Contributions may be made in memory of Elizabeth Gray to the Dementia Society of America, PO Box 600, Doylestown, PA 18901 or online at DementiaSociety.org/donate.

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Arthur M. Edelman

Arthur M. Edelman, a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, who lived and worked in the Trenton, N.J., area for more than seven decades, died peacefully on Monday, June 21, at Penn Medical Center in Plainsboro, N.J. He was 90 and had been in declining health.

A Boston Red Sox fan since his youth, Arthur followed the team religiously right up to his final days in the hospital, which he spent surrounded by family. Like most Red Sox fans, he claimed he could run the team better than whoever was manager at the time.

Arthur never got a shot at managing the Sox, but he had a long and successful career as a certified public accountant. In his younger days, especially during tax season, he would often work evenings in the den, the printout from his adding machine cascading from the desk to the floor, a college basketball game on the television to keep him company.

Later, Arthur merged his firm, Edelman & Eros, with J.H. Cohn & Co., where he became a member of the management committee and managing partner of its office in Lawrenceville, N.J. After he retired, Arthur continued as a consultant to the firm. He kept a calculator in his home office — a digital model with no paper to clutter the desktop.

Arthur Myron Edelman was born December 11, 1930, in Newton, Mass., and moved to Trenton 15 years later with his mother, Bertha Berkman Edelman, and older sister, Felice, after the death of his father, Maxwell.

It wasn’t long before he met his future wife, Marion Lavine, a classmate at Trenton Central High School. He went on to the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, commuting daily to Philadelphia, while Marion studied at Douglass College. They married in 1953, a year after their graduations and while Arthur was in the middle of his stateside Army service.

Arthur and Marion settled in Trenton and started a family. They lost their second child, a daughter, Leslie, to leukemia at 2 ½ in 1961. Marion died 11 years later, at 42, from breast cancer.

Arthur did what he saw his mother do: He persevered. A new love entered his life, Carol Frank, and they married in 1974. Their households came together — Arthur’s three children and Carol’s two, plus Carol’s father and a miniature schnauzer — in Princeton, N.J. He adored his wife, loved his new children, and tolerated the dog.

When he wasn’t working or complaining about the Red Sox, Arthur relaxed by golfing, socializing at Greenacres Country Club (now known as Cobblestone Creek) with Carol, going to the movies and theater, and traveling. He enjoyed watching his children, and then grandchildren, compete in sports and perform in dance.

His volunteer work included serving as president of the Jewish Community Center of Trenton, the local Jewish Federation, and Greenacres Country Club (now Cobblestone Creek Country Club.)

In addition to Carol, Arthur is survived by Marc and Edna Edelman, of El Portal, Fla.; Larry Edelman and Meghan Willis, of Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; Nancy Frank Cook and Richard Cook, of Basking Ridge, N.J.; Sue Edelman and Cheryl Schaffer, of Medford, Mass.; and Seth Frank and Caroline Broullon, of Doylestown, Pa.

His nine grandchildren — Sagiv Edelman, Gilad Edelman, Mara DeJonghe, Jacob Edelman, Gabriel Edelman, Stephanie Cook, Jennifer Cook, Sayde Frank, and Chloe Frank — brought Arthur immense joy. So did his great-grandchildren: Emmanuel Edelman, Remy DeJonghe, and Sylvie DeJonghe. 

Funeral services were held Friday, June 25 at Orland’s Ewing Memorial Chapel, with burial at the Har Sinai section of Ewing Cemetery.

Arthur was a regular contributor to Planned Parenthood. Memorial contributions can be made at weareplannedparenthoodaction.org. As Arthur would surely note, it’s tax deductible.

To send condolences to the Edelman family and to view a recording of the service, please visit OrlandsMemorialChapel.com.

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Andrew “Bucky” Cupples

Andrew “Bucky” Cupples, 93, of Princeton passed away peacefully on June 25, 2021 at Stonebridge at Montgomery Assisted Living in Skillman. He was born, raised, and a lifelong resident of Princeton. He was a three sport athlete at Princeton High School playing baseball, football, and basketball. He was inducted into the Princeton High School Athletic Hall of Fame in the 2000s.

After high school he enlisted in the United States Army and served during the Korean War. After returning home he met his lifelong wife of 60 years Teresa B. Cupples. Bucky was an active Firefighter with Princeton Engine Co. #1 with over 60 years of service and also worked and received service awards from the Princeton American Legion as well. Bucky is considered one of the last few remaining “Townies.” He loved Princeton and enjoyed raising his children and grandchildren there. Always attending Princeton University sporting events and parades down Nassau Street.

Bucky was predeceased by his parents Andrew and Rebecca Cupples; daughters Tracey Breetveld and Rebecca Kent; he is survived by his six grandchildren Daniel V. Wilson, Dylan Hullfish, Trevor Hullfish, Andrew Breetveld, Rebecca Breetveld, and Oliver Kent; and five great-grandchildren Madison and Reese Wilson, Harper Hullfish, and Michael and Tracey Breetveld.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, July 1, 2021 from 6-8 p.m. at the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vandeventer Avenue, Princeton, NJ 08542. Funeral service and burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Princeton Engine Co. #1 / Princeton Fire Department, 363 Witherspoon Street,
Princeton, NJ 08540.

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Benjamin R. Britt, III

Benjamin R. Britt, III, 70, of Princeton died Wednesday, June 23, 2021 at home surrounded by his loving family. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, he resided most of his life in Princeton.

Benjamin was a graduate of Lawrenceville Prep ’69. He retired in 2016 with over 27 years of service as a Shipping and Receiving Foreman with Princeton Gamma Tech. He was the former President of the Princeton Mac users group, member of the Washington Crossing United Methodist Church and the worship ministry, lifelong guitarist and bass player who enjoyed mentoring others as well as an avid fisherman.

Son of the late Benjamin R. and Margaret (Birge) Britt, Jr., brother of the late James Duncan Britt, he is survived by his wife of 41 years Susan (Geist) Britt; two sons and two daughters-in-law Jonathan and Julia Britt, Michael and Karla Britt; a daughter and son-in-law Naomi and Trenell Galman; two sisters Margaret Riley Britt, Alice Hume Britt; and six grandchildren Michaela, Abigail, Charlotte, Josiah, Jeremiah, and Henry.

The Funeral Service was held on Monday, June 28, 2021 at the Washington Crossing United Methodist Church in Washington Crossing, Pa.