Naomi Kark Schedl

Naomi Kark Schedl passed away on May 10, 2023. She was born on January 12, 1920 in Cape Town, South Africa. She was the daughter of Dr. Solomon Ezekiel Kark and Rebecca Rossenstein and had two older siblings, Robert and Bernard.

Naomi matriculated with honors from the Good Hope School in Cape Town. She came to the USA in 1941 to attend Radcliffe. When she arrived, she discovered that Radcliffe was a women’s school and she didn’t want to go to a college segregated by sex. She also wanted to be an artist, but found out that Radcliffe only offered a degree in art history. So, she went looking for other schools and discovered that there was a School of Fine Arts that was connected to Yale and was co-educational. She enrolled in the Yale University School of Fine Arts and received her BFA in 1943 and her MFA in 1944. In her memoir she writes that she wanted to take courses in Yale College but that was forbidden, while in the Fine Arts classes she and other women were made to sit at the back of the lecture hall. During the 1944-45 school year she taught Art at Salem College, in Winston Salem, North Carolina.

In 1945 she married Harold Schedl, a Yale graduate, who was then working on his PhD. The family moved to Iowa City, IA, in 1950 when Harold began Medical School at the University of Iowa. Naomi taught art to children. When Harold graduated, the family moved to Bethesda, MD, where Naomi did post-graduate work in fiber art at American University (Washington, DC).

After the family returned to Iowa City, she began teaching Fiber Art in the University of Iowa Home Economics Department. Eventually her Fiber Art classes were cross-listed with the University’s School of Art and Art History. She was then tasked with developing a graduate program which emphasized Fiber Art. In addition to Fiber Art, Naomi was an accomplished painter. She exhibited her fiber art and other art work in national and international one person and group shows and received a number of awards and University grants. Her artwork is displayed in museums and in other public and private collections. She wrote art reviews and was featured in several issues of American Craft and Fiber Arts. She also organized multiple workshops. She is the author and illustrator of a children’s book, A Sea Voyage to Africa.

Naomi is survived by three sons, six grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

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Mike Joye

Erwin Michael “Mickey” Joye of Pamplico, SC, and Princeton, NJ, passed away on Thursday, May 4, 2023 after battling Parkinson’s disease for more than a decade. He was 78 years old. Our hearts are heavy with loss but also full of joy and gratitude for the time we shared with him.

He is survived by his loving wife of 48 years, Lucy (Sticco), his eldest son and daughter-in-law, his younger son and fiancée, a grandson, three siblings and their spouses, and a multitude of caring extended family and friends. He is predeceased by his parents and two brothers.

Mike was born on October 16, 1944 to Amy (Evans) and Acue “Stoll” Joye and grew up in the small farming community of Pamplico. During summers he cropped tobacco on his Grandaddy Evan’s farm alongside family members. Sandlot baseball and “half rubber” matches filled his early years. He was a proud member of the Pamplico High School basketball team when they won the state championship. He shared in the Southern heritage unique to the Pee Dee region. The values of hard work, honesty, and perseverance learned during these years always remained with him. Though his Southern accent could wax and wane from day to day, his love for those in his home state was a steadfast part of his identity.

Mike attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, graduating in 1966 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. He was awarded a four-year Navy ROTC scholarship for his undergraduate education. The first two years of his military assignments were as a naval officer at sea. Upon completion of his duties, he was discharged in 1970 from the U.S. Naval Station in Brooklyn, NY, as a Lieutenant, receiving a letter of commendation stating: “Your leadership, intelligence, and self-discipline have been in the highest tradition of the United States Navy.” Mike’s four-year service was an important part of his life. He often said that the responsibilities required to fulfill his military duties shaped his future.

Three years later in 1973, Mike earned the degree of Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School. He was recognized as a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar for outstanding academic achievement. Mike launched his professional career in the New York City law firm LeBoeuf, Lamb, Leiby and McCrae where he became a partner in the practice of insurance law. Mike believed in working hard and playing hard, and he unfailingly arranged his busy schedule to play short stop for the inter-firm softball games that he enjoyed.

Mike had an adventurous spirit and an open inquisitiveness about the world. From 1978-1980, he took a hiatus from the law firm to teach constitutional law at Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Nigeria, during that country’s transition from a military dictatorship to a constitutional government modeled on the U.S. Together, he and Lucy traveled widely throughout northern Africa and experienced the languages, foods, and traditions of the people along their journeys. Their travels furthered their respect and appreciation for different cultures.

Upon returning home to the U.S., Mike continued to practice insurance law as general counsel at American Insurance Group (AIG), Reliance Insurance Company, and American Reinsurance Company. Throughout his legal career, Mike developed a reputation for his keen intellect, good judgment, and honesty. He used his abilities in combination with an unrelenting work ethic to help resolve complex issues for his clients. Later in life, he applied these skills to public service as a member elected to the Montgomery Township Council.

Despite long commutes, longer office hours, and frequent business trips, family was Mike’s priority. No matter how busy, he always made time to help his children with homework, offer wise advice, and engage in the lives and the laughter of his sons and their friends, often hauling them to early morning ice hockey games in the big red family van with the notorious “JOYBOYS” vanity plates. Those who knew him remember his contagious optimism, intelligence, and broad knowledge of history and sports, especially the Yankees and his alma mater UNC Tarheels basketball team.

We miss Mike dearly.

Memorial services are planned in Princeton, NJ, and Pamplico, SC.

In lieu of flowers the family would be grateful for donations made to support the work of Mike’s neurologist, Dr. Matthew Swan, for Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders at Mount Sinai Hospital NY at: http://giving.mountsinai.org/movement.

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David M. Mackey

David Maurice Mackey passed away on May 23, 2023, in the Health Care Center at Stonebridge at Montgomery in Skillman, New Jersey. At the time of his death, he was suffering from esophageal cancer. Born on July 24, 1934, in Washington, D.C., to Justus Umsted Mackey and Isabel Louise Mackey nee Cathey, David grew up in suburban Washington and graduated from Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, Virginia. Following high school, he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Art Education in 1957 from Kutztown University. After two brief years as an art teacher, he was called to serve in the United States Army in Heidelberg, Germany, where he was a feature writer/photographer for regional military newspapers. Upon discharge in 1960 he returned to teaching and began what would become a 33-year career as a beloved art teacher in the Princeton regional school district, retiring in 1993.

During his 33-year career, David was active in organizations promoting education and teaching. At various times, he served as President and Vice-President of the Princeton Regional Education Association; as Recording Secretary, Vice-President, and President of the Mercer County Education Association; and as President of the Art Educators of New Jersey. In 1986, the Art Educators of New Jersey presented David with their “Outstanding Art Educator Award” and a Life Membership.

David was widely known for his interest in railroading and was an avid train-chaser and collector of railroad memorabilia. He served as President of the New Hope Steam Trains Foundation for two years and, when he had time, worked for the New Hope and Ivyland Railroad moving freight between points south and west of New Hope.

He was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Hopewell Museum, and eventually served as their President. In retirement, he kept up his interest in art education as a Docent for the Princeton University Art Museum.

David is predeceased by his younger sister Micki and his beloved wife of 32 years, Rebecca Sachs Mackey. He is survived by his brother- and sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews, and their children.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the American Cancer Society, to the Princeton High School Scholarship Fund at Fund101.org/donate, or to the Hopewell Museum, 28 East Broad Street, Hopewell, NJ 08525.

Arrangements are under the direction of Cromwell Memorial Home in Pennington.

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Assunta Sferra

Assunta Sferra, 91, of Princeton passed away on Tuesday, May 30, 2023. She was born in 1931 in Pettoranello del Molise, Italy. In 1969 she arrived in Princeton, NJ, where she was a lifelong resident. Assunta was a housewife who enjoyed cooking, gardening, and spending time with her family.

Predeceased by her parents Dominico and Angela (Toto) Sferra; husband Oreste Sferra; and brothers Tony, John, and Joe; she is survived by her brothers and sisters-in-law, Bert and Ester Sferra, and Flory and Patricia Sferra; and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held from 9:30–10:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 10, 2023 at St. Paul’s Church, 216 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ 08542 with a Mass of Christian Burial celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow in Princeton Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

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

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Vladimir Visnjic

Vladimir Visnjic, a particle physicist and active member of the Princeton community, passed away on May 30, 2023 at 76 years of age, three months after the passing of his beloved wife Georgia.

Vladimir was born in Belgrade in the former Yugoslavia. Despite their limited means, his parents managed to enroll him in one of the best schools in the country: the Classical Gymnasium. While there, he excelled in all subjects, especially Latin, Ancient Greek, and Mathematics. He went on to study electrical engineering at university, before dedicating the rest of his career to physics.

From a young age he exhibited a knack for learning new languages (eventually mastering seven), which opened up many doors for him in life, beginning with a physics internship in Paris while still a university student. Needing to get from Belgrade to Paris but possessing minimal funds, he made the 1200-mile trek on a tiny motorcycle that broke down several times along the way. While in Paris, he lived in a tent and supported himself financially by unloading trucks at a farmer’s market every morning before heading to the physics institute. Through hard work and perseverance, he gained admission to a doctoral program at the University of Bonn in West Germany. There he wrote a PhD thesis on quantum chromodynamics and met his future wife and mother of his children, the mathematician Georgia Triantafillou.

In 1979, Vladimir and his wife left Europe and came to the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, where they made friendships that have lasted to this day. Over the next two decades Vladimir published influential articles in particle physics and held posts at NYU, Fermilab, the University of Minnesota, the Max Planck Institute in Munich, and the International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste. After many wanderings, he and his family returned to Princeton for good in 1996. Vladimir spent the last two and a half decades of his life teaching advanced mathematics at Temple University in Philadelphia.

Vladimir was known for his inquisitive mind and his fun-loving, adventurous spirit. He enjoyed taking his wife and two kids on trips to go skiing, camping, fishing, and exploring foreign countries. His house parties resembled the salons one reads about in novels, attracting a colorful assortment of characters including artists, musicians, and intellectuals of various stripes. He was a generous host who offered guests copious amounts of homemade wine and huge quantities of delicious meat roasted on a stainless-steel rotisserie grill that he had built himself in his university’s machine shop.

His inquisitive spirit permeated all aspects of his life. He loved taking things apart to figure out how they worked and then putting them back together again. He could fix anything from a broken toilet to a defective vehicle. He never cooked the same dish in the same way twice but made every meal a new experiment. When preparing his famous feasts, he was known to get engrossed in a conversation and forget the food in the oven, only to remember to take it out at the perfect moment for optimal deliciousness.

As parents, Vladimir and his wife Georgia always strove to foster their kids’ scientific curiosity. Every family dinner was an invitation to think creatively and critically about the world. And they made sure to have dinner as a family every night. Their children went on to become successful academics in their own right, both receiving PhDs from Princeton University.

Vladimir could hold engaging conversations on any subject. A friend who visited him on his last day of full consciousness reported that, in the space of an hour, Vladimir chatted about the relationship between quantum gravity and field theories, interesting features of Latin grammar, and the scenes depicted on Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise on the Baptistery door in Florence. Little did he know that in three days he would be passing through the same gate.

Vladimir is survived by his two children (Katerina and Vanya “Jack” Visnjic) and five granddaughters (Zoe, Alexandra, Lydia, Athena, and Selena). Following his wishes, the funeral will be held in Greece, where he will be buried next to his wife.

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

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Hal “Red” Ross
July 5, 1934 – May 21, 2023

Hal was raised in and around Princeton, NJ, in a loving farming family affected, like many, by the Great Depression. He was gifted with a strong mind and body and a will to succeed, all of which served him well in life. Excelling in mathematics and statistics, he put his efforts towards a notable career in Market Research, co-founding and managing Mapes & Ross Advertising Research for 30 years. He was a leading authority in the field and was frequently quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Advertising Age, and other journals.

Even with all his career achievements, he defined himself first as a father and excelled at the role. He raised two sons and a daughter with bottomless affection, support, and engagement. He loved to coach kids’ baseball and football and was highly involved with the Princeton YMCA swim center. Active in community service, he participated in the Princeton Rotary Club for decades.

He loved to mingle with witty, positive people, and could deftly deliver a joke or funny story to light up the room. If rock ‘n’ roll or country music played, his feet were moving. The man could dance. His charm was legendary.

He loved sports, and played many well. Over time he mostly gravitated to skiing. This passion grew from regular family weekends at Elk Mountain, Pennsylvania, and eventually led to his retirement in Sun Valley, Idaho where his sons had previously relocated. The free spirit culture of Idaho suited him well and he effortlessly found his place among the colorful local ski town characters.

Hal is survived by his sons Peter and Brian, sister Dorothy, brother-in-law Bruce, and nephews Doug and Chris. He will be sorely missed. Perhaps his only goal left unfinished was a tireless campaign to rid menus of garlic and onions.

He will be laid to rest next to his daughter Jennifer in the Princeton Cemetery. A casual dress celebration of his life will be held at the Nassau Club at 3 p.m. on Saturday June 10.

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Ernest Monge

It is with great sadness that the family of Ernest Monge of Princeton, NJ, announces his passing on May 27, 2023. It was very sudden. He was 86 years old.

Ernie had an amazingly rich and varied life. He was a true Renaissance man. Born in Quito, Ecuador, Ernie moved to the United States as a young man in 1960 after spending two years teaching in the Galapagos Islands under the direction of the Franciscans. He had contemplated a religious career but instead followed his sister Josephine’s footsteps and moved to Yonkers, NY. There he enrolled and graduated from Fordham University.

His first job was with the Bank of Nova Scotia in New York City. The bank turned out to be his only employer. Ernie had a distinguished 40-year career. Although he had always been based in New York City, he had several postings in Latin America. Ernie had a talent for languages (he knew at least seven); he was a skillful diplomat and he truly loved people. He was an invaluable member of the Scotia Bank family.

Ernie left Woodside, NY, and moved to East Windsor in 1986 and then to Princeton in 1992. He retired in 2006, five years after the 9/11 tragedy which he witnessed and then survived. In retirement he dedicated his time to his passions of travel, cooking, and writing. He became a historian and biographer and was recognized in both Ecuador and Spain for his historical contributions.

Ernie was a beloved member of his family in the United States, Canada, Ecuador, and Europe. He was a father to his siblings, nieces, nephews, and extended family. He was a man of great faith and was wise, generous, and always there. His laughter was outrageous and infectious. There will never be another Ernie.

Ernie was predeceased by his parents Ernesto Celiano Monge and Elsa Maria Zambrano; his sisters Elsa and Veronica (Uscocovich); and his friend Roy Anderson. He is survived by his sisters Josephine (Schmeisser) of Princeton, NJ, and Rosemarie (Kosar); brothers Rodrigo and Edward; niece Josephine Law of Princeton, NJ, and her children Anastasia and Oliver; 12 nieces and nephews; and 14 great nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, June 7,^, 2023 from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. and on Thursday, June 8, 2023 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. at the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vandeventer Avenue, Princeton, NJ 08542. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday at 12 p.m. at St. Paul’s Church, 216 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ 08542 followed by burial in Princeton Cemetery.

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

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Vivian B. Shapiro

Vivian B. Shapiro, MSW, PhD, the beloved wife of Harold T. Shapiro, passed away on May 29, 2023 following a brave battle with a long illness. Vivian is survived by her husband, Harold T. Shapiro, and her four daughters, Anne (Joseph Kabourek), Marilyn (Ralph Schapira), Janet (Steve Eisenberg), and Karen (Susan Goodin), in addition to her 11 grandchildren, Joseph, Sarah Laura, Emily, Alex, Aaron, Teddy, Jared, Corey, Jacob, and Sophia, and six great grandchildren.

Born and raised in Montreal, Canada, Vivian first moved to the United States when her husband attended graduate school at Princeton University. The family then moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, where they lived until their return to Princeton in 1988, when Harold became the president of Princeton University. In Montreal, Ann Arbor, and Princeton, Vivian had many close friends and colleagues with whom she remained in touch throughout her life.

In addition to being a devoted wife and mother, Vivian earned her MSW from the University of Michigan School of Social Work in 1969. In 1970, Vivian joined the Child Development Project at the University of Michigan. There, her work with her colleagues led to new ways of working with parents and children, including early understanding of the intergenerational transmission of trauma. Vivian was a co-author, with her mentor Selma Fraiberg, and colleague Edna Adelson, of “Ghosts in the Nursery,” a groundbreaking article in the field of infant, child, and caregiver mental health. Ultimately, Vivian joined the University of Michigan School of Social Work and retired as an Associate Professor Emerita of Social Work in 1988.

In 1988, Vivian relocated to Princeton when her husband became the president of Princeton University. She continued her own work; earning her PhD in Social Work at Smith College in 1994, and continuing to explore new ways to support the well-being of children and families. In 2001, Vivian published a book entitled Complex Adoption and Assisted Reproductive Technology: A Developmental Approach to Clinical Practice, which she co-authored with her colleague, Isabel Paret, and her daughter, Janet Eisenberg.

In addition to her devotion to her family and friends, and to her life’s work, Vivian was deeply involved in community services. As a board member of the Children’s Home Society, Vivian worked to introduce new approaches to infant and early childhood mental health to the organization. Vivian’s deep contributions to the Children’s Home Society were recognized in 2022 when the Vivian B. Shapiro Early Childhood Center was opened in Trenton, NJ.

The family wishes to express its gratitude to all who meant so much to Vivian during her life, and who did so much to support Vivian and her extended family through Vivian’s illness.

Private family services honoring the life of Vivian were held on May 30, 2023.

Funeral arrangements are by Orland’s Ewing Memorial Chapel. For condolences, please visit OrlandsMemorialChapel.com.

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Robert Conant Ellis
September 2, 1931 – June 3, 2023

Robert C. Ellis, permanent resident of Falmouth, MA, and former resident of Princeton, NJ, from 1975 to 2002, died peacefully at Falmouth Hospital on Saturday June 3, 2023 after a recent illness. He was 91 years old.

Robert graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 1953, and earned an MBA at Boston College and Masters of Library Science from Rutgers University. He worked in market research for several corporations including Pan Am Airlines, Arthur D Little, American Express, Dun & Bradstreet, Fidelity Union, and AT&T until his retirement in 1994. He also was an author of the book, Cape Cod Yesteryears – The Life and Short Stories of Eleanor Conant Yeager.

He served as Naval Officer during the Korean War 1954-1957.

He is survived by his daughters, Elizabeth (Bill) of New Ipswich, NH, and Gail (Jeff) of Fair Haven, NJ; his sons, Robert Jr. (Bonnie) of Pleasantville, NY, Peter (Merceditas Villanueva) of New Haven, CT, David of Brooklyn, NY, Stephen of Meriden, CT, and Bruce (Shelley Bennett) of San Diego, CA; and 15 grandchildren.

Bob is survived by wife Pat Ellis, a retired registered nurse and faithful companion particularly during years when his memory began to fail. Bob also leaves behind Pat’s five children and eight grandchildren whom he loved.

Bob has a sister Rosemary and brother-in-law Ed Currant of Plymouth, Mass., and a sister-in-law Jay Ellis of California. Bob is predeceased by his brother William and his first wife, Joanne Marie Hynes Ellis.

Bob and the Ellis children attended the Princeton School System as well as Lawrenceville Prep, were a part of the Princeton Community Tennis program, attended St. Paul’s Church, and his first wife Joanne served on the Princeton Board of Education.

The family would like to extend its heartfelt gratitude to the staff at Falmouth Hospital, Laurentide Memory Care, Royal Cape Cod Rehabilitation, and Southcoast VNA Hospice Services who provided exceptional care and comfort to Bob.

Funeral mass will be held on Monday, June 12 at 10 a.m. at St. Patrick’s Church, 511 Main Street, Falmouth, MA. Burial immediately following at St. Anthony’s Church, 167 E. Falmouth Highway, E. Falmouth, MA.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Bob’s memory to: The Conant House, Falmouth Historical Society 55 Palmer Ave, Falmouth, MA 02540, (508) 548-4857; Catholic Relief Services, 228 W. Lexington Street, Baltimore, MD, (377) 435-7277; or Wounded Warrior Project — Woundedwarriorproject.org.