Setsuko Faith Yim

Setsuko Faith Yim of Princeton, NJ, passed away peacefully on August 20, 2023, at age 90.

Faith is survived by her four children and their spouses: Helene, Mark (Peter Hare), David (Linda Yim), and Leila (Richard Surratt); and five grandchildren: Leah, Michael, and Alex Surratt; Michael Yim; and Emi Hare-Yim. She is predeceased by her husband Michael, a research scientist at RCA’s David Sarnoff Research Center. She was a resident of Princeton for 60 years until her move to Atria Senior Living in Riverdale, NY, in March 2023.

Faith was born in Raymond, Alberta (Canada), on February 10, 1933, to Ishimatsu and Mitsue Sugimoto, who had emigrated from Nagoya, Japan. Growing up on her parents’ wheat farm, she attended the Bonnie View School, a one-room schoolhouse, and Raymond High School. It was at the University of Washington (Seattle) where she met her future husband, Woongsoon Michael Yim, graduating with a bachelor of fine arts degree. She later obtained a master of library science degree from Simmons College (Boston) and did graduate work in art history at Princeton University.

Faith worked as an illustrator in Boston and then as a substitute teacher in the Princeton Regional School system while raising her children. She returned to work full time at the Mercer County Library System in 1987, becoming head children’s librarian at the West Windsor branch before retiring in 2008. She spearheaded and commissioned the library’s large “Rain Forest Mural” by Ilya Spirin and was fond of creating programs that responded to the changing demographics of the region, including Chinese New Year and Diwali. Faith spoke with pride on seeing children from her reading and arts programs move on to high school and college; years later, they and their parents would see her around town and thank her. 

Faith enjoyed traveling, including several trips to Japan, Korea, and Canada. She was a lifelong lover of animals, especially her many cats over the years. She enjoyed printmaking and photography and enthusiastically used Facebook to connect with people from her past and present. Above all, Faith loved participating and sharing in the lives of her grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 16, at the Present Day Club, 72 Stockton Street, Princeton. All who knew Faith and would like to gather to remember her are welcome. In lieu of flowers, donations by check to The Friends of the West Windsor Library, 333 N. Post Road, Princeton Junction, NJ, 08550 (memo line: Faith Yim Celebration) are kindly requested.

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Janet Townsend

Longtime Princeton resident Janet Townsend passed away on September 7, 2023 with her three daughters by her side. Janet was born to Celestia (nee Davidson) and Edward R. Linner on September 13, 1932 in St. Paul, Minnesota, where her father was completing a PhD in Chemistry. The family moved to Poughkeepsie, NY, in 1935 when her father took a professorship at Vassar College. An only child, Janet grew up on the Vassar campus with a group of faculty children who enjoyed a carefree, unstructured childhood and remained close friends throughout their lives.

Janet graduated from Vassar College in 1954 with a B.A. in Art History and spent the following year studying in Marburg, Germany on a Fulbright Scholarship. On the boat over she met her future husband and fellow Fulbright Scholar, Charles Townsend. After completing her studies, she moved to Hawaii to take a job as a docent at the Honolulu Art Museum. In 1957 she and Charlie married and moved to Nuremberg, Germany, where Charlie completed his U.S. Army service and their first daughter Erica (1958) was born.

The young couple then settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where Charlie earned a PhD in Slavic Languages and Linguistics at Harvard. They welcomed two more daughters, Sylvia (1961) and Louise (1964), and in 1966 moved to Princeton, where Charlie joined the faculty as a professor of Slavic Languages. In 1968 and again in 1971 the family spent a year in Prague, in what was then Czechoslovakia, where Janet skillfully navigated life behind the Iron Curtain, managing family life and their young daughters’ education and activities. Janet and Charlie developed a love of Czech culture, made many Czech friends, and continued to visit their adopted country for decades afterwards.

Over the years Janet welcomed the families of many visiting scholars and helped them integrate into the Princeton community. She was a warm and supportive presence in the lives of Charlie’s many graduate students. Janet also worked at the Princeton Art Association and the Princeton Packet and was an active and hands-on volunteer at Planned Parenthood, the Mercer Street Friends Food Bank in Trenton, and at Youth Employment
Services.

Janet loved playing tennis and was a daily runner for many years. She also enjoyed playing bridge and Scrabble, attending concerts and plays, going to museums, and spending time with her grandchildren. She was an avid lifelong reader whose friends admired the depth and breadth of her knowledge of literature. She also loved to travel, and she and Charlie enjoyed many trips throughout the U.S. and Europe as well as to Asia, Africa, and South America.

Janet provided endless support and love to her husband, her daughters, and their families. She was predeceased by her husband and is survived by her daughters Erica Appel (Charles), Sylvia Townsend (Charles Cowens), and Louise Townsend (Ben Schmidt). She leaves behind her five beloved grandchildren, Rose Cowens (Paul Koutsoukis), Alice Cowens, Justine and Stephen Appel, and Isabel Schmidt, and her nephews Ross Adler (Pam) and James Townsend (Jenny), and nieces Sara Poumerol (Gilles) and Laura McWright (Glen), and their children. She especially cherished her two great-grandsons, Alexandros and Nikolaus Koutsoukis.

A memorial service will be announced. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mercer Street Friends, the ASPCA, Planned Parenthood, or another nonprofit of your choice.

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Tomoko Shimura

Tomoko Shimura, 63, of New York, NY, died on Wednesday, August 30, 2023 following complications arising from a stroke. Tomoko was born on May 1, 1960 in Japan. She grew up in Princeton, NJ, as the elder of two children and graduated from Bryn Mawr College in 1982.

For many years, Tomoko worked as an editor at Abaris Books where her focus was on Western European art history. In 2008, she assisted her father, Goro, in editing and producing all photographic images for his book on her parents’ Japanese porcelain collection, The Story of Imari.

In the summers, Tomoko enjoyed spending time with her family at their mountain home in Nagano, Japan. She will be remembered as a great music lover and delighted in the many opportunities to attend the Metropolitan Opera with friends and family enjoying performances by famed singers such as Placido Domingo.

Tomoko is survived by her brother, Haru. She was predeceased by her parents, Goro and Chikako. A memorial gathering to celebrate Tomoko’s life will be held at a future date.

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Anthony D. Nini II

Anthony D. Nini II, age 71, passed away peacefully Monday morning, September 11, 2023, with his loving children and longtime companion Assumpta at his bedside.

Anthony grew up in Princeton and resided in Somerset, NJ. He was an adoring father and grandfather. He was incredibly proud of his children and grandsons and was looking forward to the arrival of his first granddaughter in November. Family was his priority and greatest joy.

Anthony attended Villanova University where he earned his bachelor’s degree and went on to get his MBA from New York University. Passionate about his work as a self-employed CPA, he was loved by all of his clients. Anthony had a smile that would light up a room and gave the best, most loving hugs. He was charismatic and made far reaching connections and friendships for life. His favorite hobbies included running, coaching, teaching, and networking.  He could be found at Starbucks enjoying coffee and a nap. He and Assumpta loved to go ballroom dancing and shopping.

Most importantly, Anthony was guided by his deep connection to his Catholic faith. He loved spending time at church and was known to attend many masses during the week. Anthony left a great impact on many people through his kindness, generosity, faith, and important tax advice. 

Anthony is predeceased by his parents Anthony D. and Joanne L. Nini, his son Anthony D. Nini III, and sister Kathleen Nini. He is survived by his children Melissa Nini (John Tenuto) and Andrew Nini; his longtime companion Assumpta Yau; grandsons Rocco and Westin Nini; sisters Janice Nini Weinberg (Fred), Lynda Petrocelli (Joe), and Patricia Biscardi (Tom); aunts Antoinette Nelson (Nils) and Gloria Hutchinson (Bob); and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A memorial gathering will be held at Kimble Funeral Home, 1 Hamilton Avenue, Princeton, NJ 08542 on Friday, September 15, 2023 from 5 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, September 16, 2023 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. with a memorial mass following at noon in St. Paul Parish, 214 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ. Burial will be in Princeton Cemetery, Princeton, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Lustgarten Foundation for pancreatic cancer research (Lustgarten.org)

Extend condolences and share memories at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.

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Katherine Marie (Webster) Dwight (“Kathie”)

Katherine Marie (Webster) Dwight (“Kathie”) passed away on May 19, 2023 at Riverwoods Exeter Retirement Community in Exeter, New Hampshire.

Kathie, born in Marion, Indiana, on April 15, 1936, was the eldest daughter of Jeanette and Lawrence Webster. She, however, grew up in Princeton, New Jersey, where her family moved when she was a small child. Kathie attended Pine Manor College and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a BA in English. Following college, she moved to New York City where she met her husband-to-be Theodore W. Dwight, Jr. They were married on April 27, 1963 and moved to Tenafly, New Jersey, where, as a devout wife and mother, they raised their three children and lived for more than 35 years.

Kathie was active in the altar guild at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Englewood, NJ, and enjoyed recreating at the Englewood Field Club. Ever learning, she acquired a masters of Individual Studies in Art History from Sarah Lawrence College in 1987. She enjoyed annual visits to vacation homes on the coast of Georgia, near Savannah, and in Kennebunk, Maine.

Kathie is survived by her three children, Lawrence, his wife Julie and their two sons, Alexander and Ryan of Bethesda, MD; Charles, his wife Beata, their daughter Elisabeth, and son Benjamin of Toronto, Ontario; and Katherine (Katie) and her wife Meghan of Vacaville, CA; and by her sister Rosalind Webster Perry of Santa Barbara, CA.

A graveside service for family and friends will be held at Hope Cemetery in Kennebunk, Maine on September 16, 2023 at 11 am.

To share a memory or leave a message of condolence, please visit Katherine’s Book of Memories Page at bibberfuneral.com.
Arrangements are in the care of Bibber Memorial Chapel, 67 Summer Street, Kennebunk, ME 04043.