John “Jack” Goida

John “Jack” Goida, 80, of Princeton passed away Saturday, August 20, 2022 at Princeton Care Center of Princeton, NJ.

Jack was born in Coaldale, PA. He was an entrepreneur. Jack’s passions included golf, tennis, walks along the beach, and rooting for the NY Yankees and Philadelphia Eagles. Most importantly, he loved spending time with his family and friends. Anyone who met him adored him.

Predeceased by his parents Harry and Mary (Ketz) Goida, and a sister Ellen Garrett.

He is survived by a son and daughter-in-law John “Matt” and Christina Goida, a daughter and son-in-law, Barbara and Robert Paterson, a brother and sister-in-law Greg and Betty Goida, a grandson Christopher Paterson, and a grand dog Boomer.

A Visitation will be held from 7-9 p.m. on Thursday, August 25, 2022 at Mather-Hodge Funeral Home 40 Vandeventer Avenue, Princeton, NJ  08542. A Funeral Service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, August 26, 2022 at All Saints’ Church of Princeton 16 All Saints’ Road, Princeton, NJ 08540. Burial will follow in Trinity – All Saints’ Cemetery, Princeton.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Jack’s name to the American Diabetes Association.

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David Harding Thomas, Sr.

David Harding Thomas, Sr., 79, passed away on August 7, 2022, in Nashville, TN. Dave was born on January 27, 1943 in Long Branch, NJ, to Lloyd Banks Thomas, Sr. and Valerie Tirrell Thomas. The youngest of three, he spent his childhood in Locust, NJ, until age 9, when the family moved to Manhattan. David attended The Hill School in Pottstown, PA, and Vanderbilt University, where he was president of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and graduated with honors.

After a backpacking tour of Europe, Dave briefly served in the New Jersey Army National Guard. He began his career at McGraw Hill, then worked for Life Magazine as an advertising salesman, his true calling. Ad sales positions followed at New York, Time, Field & Stream, Financial World, and Mutual Funds magazines.

David married Jane Margaret Mawicke in 1969, had two children, and raised the family in Briarcliff Manor, NY. He subsequently resided in Rowayton, CT; Hilton Head, Mount Pleasant, and Charleston, SC; and finally, Nashville, TN. Known to his family members as “Fred,” Dave was an avid golfer, a lover of Labrador retrievers, and an entertaining correspondent. When not playing golf at Sleepy Hollow CC, Sea Pines CC, or CC of Charleston, he preferred to be on a boat or at the beach, always with one of his four-legged best friends, Sally, Molly, or Nelly, at his side. Family was supremely important; he generously sponsored beach vacations with kids and grandkids fondly known as “Fredweek.” He spent 10 years assiduously researching his genealogy, proving true the family lore that his ancestors arrived in America during its infancy. In his own words, though, “the most important role in my life’s work was that of a father.”

David is survived by his sister, Valerie Thomas Hartshorne (Blawenburg, NJ); his wife of 22 years, Jane Thomas Cogswell (divorced) of Stone Mountain, GA; his children, Pamela Thomas Alexander “Pam” (Peter) of Atlanta, GA, and David Harding Thomas, Jr. “Joe” (Betsy) of Franklin, TN; and five grandchildren: Samuel Deane Alexander “Sam,” Laura Jane Alexander “Janie,” David Harding Thomas, III “Trey,” Tyler Banks Thomas, and Tucker Alston Thomas. He is preceded in death by his brother, Lloyd Banks Thomas, Jr.

A memorial at All Saints’ Memorial Church (Navesink, NJ) is planned for early 2023. Memorial contributions may be made to the Charleston County Public Library at charlestonlibraryfriends.charityproud.org/Donate or the Nashville Public Library Foundation at nplf.org/general-donation.

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Louise Ann Taback

Louise Ann Taback of Blawenburg, N.J., passed away peacefully in her sleep at her home on August 9. She was 82 years old.

Louise was born in Union City, N.J. Her parents, Anna and William Blohm, were German immigrants who came to America to carve out a new life. They owned and operated a corner grocery store in their neighborhood. They were humble, kind, and generous people.

After graduating from high school Louise attended Upsala College where she met her husband, Alan. This was the beginning of a 62-year love affair.

After college Louise went to work for American Airlines. Her next job was working for a doctor friend as an administrative assistant. In 1967 when her daughter Jennifer was born, she became a stay-at-home mom. She was an amazing mom.

When her husband Alan told her he was leaving education to pursue a career as an artist, her comment was, “I guess I’d better get a job.”

And with that, she began her career as an administrative assistant at three food businesses: Soupe Du Jour, The Catering Company, and Lucy’s Kitchen and Market. Her attention to detail was impeccable. She loved the many lifelong friendships that developed as a result of her work.

Louise had a wonderful eye for design. Her home felt like the interior of a beautiful showroom and the gallery she owned and managed in Jerome, Arizona, was, like her home, a tasteful showplace.

Louise was known for her small, elegant dinner parties. She loved the warmth of the gatherings. She was humble, shy, elegant, and at 6’1, stately. She was a beautiful person, both inside and out. Her smile said it all.

She was predeceased by her father, mother, and older brother Ray whom she adored. She is survived by her husband Alan Taback, daughter Jennifer Anderson, and son-in-law Anthony Anderson.

The Celebration of Louise’s life will take place on September 10 at 3:30 p.m. at 395 Route 518 in Blawenburg, NJ 08558. Please park at the Blawenburg Church, on Route 518.

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George Neville

George Neville, 78, passed away on Saturday, August 20, 2022 in Princeton. He was born in Hartford, CT, grew up in Winchester, MA, and settled in Ridgewood, NJ. He graduated from Harvard University in 1966, attended Boston College Law School, and Tuft’s Graduate School in Massachusetts, where he met his wife of 49 years, Frances Jani.

He enjoyed history, especially the American Civil War. He loved sports and was a three-sport athlete in college, participating in baseball, football, and basketball. He earned All-American honors in baseball: a wonderful culmination to a youth spent on the baseball diamond where he and his friends honed their skills and eventually played in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, in 1955 and ’56. He spent the bulk of his career in education as Principal of the George Washington Middle School in Ridgewood, NJ. There will always be a special place in his heart for his GW Family. George loved people most of all and had a unique ability to assemble an exceptional learning environment.

Predeceased by his parents George Malcolm and Florence (Shannon) Neville; he is survived by his wife Frances Jani Neville; children Ben Neville, Jennifer Ann Findlay and husband Trey Findlay, Tyler Neville and wife Lauren Haugh Neville; grandchildren Brennan Neville, Declan Findlay, Bowen Neville, McCoy Neville, and an additional grandson to be born in November; sister Ann Howell; and sister-in-law Mary Englert, along with many nephews and friends that he loved dearly.

An Ice Cream Social Memorial will be held at a later date in Ridgewood.

Arrangements are under the direction of Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton.

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Olive (“Shortie”) Brown

Olive (“Shortie”) Brown, 96, died at her home in Princeton on August 16, surrounded by her three children.

Olive was born in Trenton on May 2, 1926, to William Schulte and Olive Fine Schulte, the second of their two daughters. She attended the Miss Fines School in Princeton, graduating in 1943; she received her B.S. as a math major from Douglass College (Rutgers) in 1947. She married Leslie (“Brud”) Brown Jr., in 1951.

A state-ranked tennis player, Shortie switched sports to golf when she got married, and went on to win the Trenton Country Club Women’s Golf Championship 10 times. She won the Trenton District Women’s Golf Championship in 1970.

A member of the executive committee of the Women’s Philadelphia Golf Association for many years, Shortie served as president of the Association in 1982-1983. She also sat on the boards of the Garden State Golf Association and the New Jersey State Women’s Golf Association. From 1991 to 2008 she served on the United States Golf Association’s Senior Women’s Amateur Committee; she also served on the Handicap Procedure Committee and worked as a rules official for the U.S. Women’s Open. In 2008 she was inducted into the Princeton Day School Athletic Hall of Fame.

Shortie is survived by her daughter, Candie Brown, who lives in Princeton; her twin sons, Ted Brown, a professor in the School of Architecture at Syracuse University, and Bill Brown, professor of English Language and Literature at the University of Chicago; and two grandchildren, Peter and Fraser.

Memorial donations may be made to The Elephant Sanctuary, P.O. Box 393, Hohenwald, TN 38462; https://shop.elephants.com/give.