Helen Linda Mahler

Helen Linda Mahler, beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, known to all as Linda, died peacefully at home in Stockton, New Jersey, on March 14. She was 73.

Linda was born on January 5, 1952 in Long Branch, New Jersey, to Harry and Helen Mahler. Her childhood in Highlands, New Jersey, was spent on the beach and in the ocean. She graduated from Mater Dei High School in New Monmouth, NJ, where she was captain of the cheerleading squad, homecoming queen, sang in a folk band, and appeared on stage in a production of The King and I.

On graduating from The College of New Jersey (then Trenton State College) with an English degree, Linda married and relocated to New Hope, Pennsylvania, where she raised two children, Katie and Mike. She worked briefly as a teacher at New Hope-Solebury Elementary before she took a position at Princeton University as a College Administrator, a job she loved and was loved in, where she became known across campus for her warmth, humor, and deep care for students. She was a second mom to many hundreds of students over the years, often inviting them to share holiday meals with her family. The final chapter of her career was spent as a fundraiser in the office of Annual Giving, where she reconnected with some of the same students she knew from their freshman year who were then adults making gifts to the university. For those efforts, she was made an Honorary Member of the Princeton University Class of 1993.

In 2003, Linda remarried to Edward (Ted) Champlin, a Professor of Classics at Princeton University. After some cajoling, she convinced him to move into what became their dream house in Stockton, New Jersey. There they spent many happy years entertaining old friends and new, building a community that often centered on their daily trips to Rojo’s coffee shop. With Ted she travelled the world, and with him she was happy to return home; she loved the beauty and serenity of the rolling farmland land around her. She also loved and was proud to be a part of the community she found in Lambertville—she delighted in bumping into friends on the towpath or on the street. She was famous among her friends and family for her tomatoes, her love of the Phillies and Eagles, her love of reading, and her cooking. Her cosmo cocktails were incomparable, and she was known to deliver them to the door of friends in need. “They contain Vitamin C,” she often said. Her 70th birthday present to herself — a rare extravagance in the form of a convertible Mini Cooper in a color called “Zesty Yellow” — was known to turn heads and smiles around town.

Linda was a fearless survivor of breast cancer for 21 years. She kept journals of her medical journey, great piles of notes about her treatment history, and she shared her story online, building a community on social media. Her final years were spent caring for her beloved husband, who suffered from Alzheimer’s and predeceased her by two months. In the face of these hardships, Linda was naturally kind, loving, and funny. Elegant and beautiful, she had a rebellious spirit and was a proud feminist. She was a tireless advocate for democracy and equality. Most of all, she will be remembered for how she loved her family, for her easy warmth and boundless interest in the goings-on of her children and grandchildren, for the time she spent with them, which she cherished most of all, and for the legacy of quiet kindness she leaves in her absence. She died at home, her two loving children by her side.

Linda was predeceased by her parents, Helen and Harry, brothers Peter and Harry, and husband Ted.

Linda is survived by her daughter, Katie Loughran and son-in-law Joe Ujj of New Hope; son Mike Loughran and daughter-in-law Megan Johnson of Philadelphia; three grandchildren: Mimi and Eero Ujj of New Hope, and Hugo Loughran of Philadelphia; sister Dawn Stout of Rumson and niece Sarah Stout of Hoboken; and two stepsons, Alex Champlin of Toronto and James Champlin of Queensland, Australia.

For information about a celebration of life in memory of Linda and her husband Ted, please email her son, Mike Loughran at michaeljamesloughran@gmail.com.

Donations in Linda’s honor may be made to Doctors Without Borders.

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Edward “Ted” James Champlin

Edward “Ted” James Champlin, beloved husband, father, historian, and longtime member of the Princeton community, died of cardiac arrest at Hunterdon Medical Center on December 23, 2024. He was 76.

Born in New York City and raised in Toronto, Ted devoured the histories of England, Rome, and Greece throughout his childhood — at one point ordering so many old texts from a British bookseller that the owner was shocked to discover his customer was not an aged professor but a curious teenager. Ted would channel his passion into a lifelong career, completing a bachelor’s in modern history and master’s in classics at the University of Toronto before earning his doctorate at the University of Oxford.

An expert in Roman society, culture, politics and law, Ted joined the faculty of Princeton University in 1976 and retired in 2016. He was at home in the classroom, teaching more than 40 different courses while sharing his wit, insight, and love of antiquity with generations of students. Beyond the lecture hall, Ted served the University as master of Butler College and chair of the Classics Department. He was named an honorary member of the class of 1984.

Brent Shaw, the Andrew Fleming West Professor in Classics, Emeritus, of Princeton University, called Ted “a prince amongst the modern historians of the Roman empire. He combined the very best of high technique with the most creative ways of seeing things.” Shaw said his inbox has been flooded with memorial emails from scholars around the world.

Ted was a masterful writer, whose books probed unilluminated corners of Roman history and upended common perceptions of famous figures. For his seminal biography Nero, he scoured ancient manuscripts to demonstrate that Rome’s most notorious megastar was the mastermind of his own theatricality.

He began his last book, a study of the emperor Tiberius, in 2007 before setting it aside due to illness. In 2022, Ted’s longtime friend Robert Kaster approached him with the idea of bringing the book to fruition. Tiberius and His Age: Myth, Sex, Luxury, and Power was published in November of 2024 to glowing reviews, with Champlin as author and Kaster as editor.

Ted was happiest when making children laugh, but his warmth and mischievous humor were unforgettable to all who met him. For years he was a familiar sight around Princeton, sharing a sly remark with students and colleagues, skim latte in hand.

His final decades were spent in the rolling countryside of Stockton, New Jersey, growing vegetables with his wife, Linda Mahler, cycling along the towpath, and making mischief with his step-grandchildren, Mimi and Eero — often attending their sporting events and performances. He was a much-loved fixture at Rojo’s coffee shop in Lambertville where his sly remarks found a new audience of friends and neighbors.

Ted is survived by his sisters Elizabeth Champlin, Marion Jensen and Minota Austin; sons Alexander and James; stepchildren Michael Loughran and Katie Loughran; and step-grandchildren Mimi Ujj and Eero Ujj.

Donations in Ted’s honor may be made to Doctors Without Borders.

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Anthony O. Arcuni

Anthony O. Arcuni, 86, Financial Services Executive, died on Friday, April 11, 2025, in Naples, Florida.

Arcuni was born February 20, 1939, in New York City, and was also raised in New York.

He graduated from Cardinal Hayes High School in 1956, Fordham College in 1960, and Fordham University Law School in 1963. A standout debater, Arcuni served as President of the Fordham Varsity Debating Team.

He completed Army ROTC training and was recognized as a “Distinguished Military Graduate.” Arcuni was a First Lieutenant, and served as an Officer on the Staff and Faculty of the Judge Advocate General’s School at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA.

In 1965, Arcuni joined Citicorp as a trainee, and he became one of the youngest Vice Presidents in 1971. He ran Citicorp’s first Private Banking Units on Wall Street and then spearheaded International Private Banking with market management responsibility for Asia Pacific and Latin America.

In 1978, Arcuni joined Bankers Trust Co., serving as a Senior Vice President, with global responsibility for International Investment Management and International Private Clients. During his time at Bankers Trust, he served on the Boards of Financial Institutions in Africa and Europe.

While working for Citicorp and Bankers Trust, he lived with his family in Chappaqua, NY. The Arcuni family were members of the Whippoorwill Country Club and Seven Bridges Field Club, where he served as President.

In 1986, Arcuni and Family, were relocated to Princeton, NJ, by the Prudential Insurance Company of America, where he served as Corporate Vice President and Executive Vice President of Prudential Affiliated Investors.

In 1989, New Jersey Governor Thomas Kean asked Arcuni to manage the State’s Pension Funds. Arcuni served as Deputy Director of the Division of Investments, within the NJ Department of Treasury. During his tenure, the NJ Pension Fund, according to SEI, was the top performing Public Sector Fund in the United States.

In 1995, Arcuni joined Merrill Lynch/Bank of America, and served as First Vice President – Investment, and Senior Financial Advisor.

In his later years, after retiring from the Corporate world, Arcuni served as an arbitrator for securities cases.

His first wife, Evelyn Leary, predeceased him, with whom he had two children, Philip and Suzanne.

Arcuni then married Susanne V. Popkin.

Tony and Susanne divided their time between Princeton, NJ, Skillman, NJ, and Naples, FL. They were members of the Country Club of Naples, the Nassau Club, Springdale Country Club, and Cherry Valley Country Club.

He is survived by Philip Arcuni, son, Suzanne Arcuni, daughter, children from his first marriage; second spouse Susanne V. Arcuni; grandchildren Tyler Boissevain, Natalie Boissevain; Stepson Daniel Popkin; Shobnah Patel, wife of Daniel, and granddaughter Dilhara Popkin; sister, Anita Ferrante; and brother Oreste Arcuni.

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Reba Jordan Lippincott

Reba Jordan Lippincott, just one month shy of turning 91, passed away while residing in Charlotte, NC, near her younger son. She lived in Princeton, NJ, from 1970 until September 2023. She was born and raised in St Albans, WV, the eldest of four siblings. Education was always an important part of her life. She graduated third in her high school class. She attended West Virginia University (WVU) with hopes of going to medical school. Upon graduating, she was admitted to the Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia where she spent three semesters; thereafter, she worked for a pharmaceutical company as a lab technician in Philadelphia where she met her husband-to-be. She was a stay-at-home mother until 1974 when she returned to school at Rutgers University to earn a Masters of Library and Information Science. After earning that degree, she worked for 23 years as an education media specialist (high school librarian) in the Watchung Hills Regional School District in northern NJ. Her husband had an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and both of her children have postgraduate degrees. She also had some input into the education of her two grandsons. She lived for her family.

Later in life, she took many trips and went on many bike rides and hikes. Her husband died in 2005, but she continued with biking and hiking. She became a big sports fan.

She was a serious follower of the New York Yankees and WVU’s football and men’s basketball teams.

In 2008 she joined the Women’s College Club of Princeton and became active in the organization that provides college scholarship awards to deserving young women in the surrounding Princeton area. In 2012 she became the club’s President. She took that job very seriously.

Reba is preceded in death by her parents, Gordon T. Jordan and Mary Katherine Jordan; her husband, Clair (Buzz) Lippincott; and her brother, Charles T. Jordan.

She is survived by her sons, Jeffrey and Clark (Lisa); sisters, Julia Elcan and Mary Jo Santrock (John); grandsons, Connor (Dani) and Cole (Katie); sisters-in-law, Ann Jordan and Shirley Lippincott; and many nieces and a nephew.

Her final resting place will be at the Princeton Cemetery in downtown Princeton, NJ.

Memorial donations may be made to The Women’s College Club of Princeton (wccpnj.org) or curingkidscancer.org. Raymer-Kepner Funeral Home is assisting the family. Kepnerfh.com.

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Tommy Williams

Tommy Williams, a beloved fixture in the Mercer County golf community and a passionate champion of Princeton, died at his home Saturday, April 19. He was 73.

A proud native of Jersey City, where he was raised in the Montgomery Gardens projects, Tommy retired after nearly three decades as an insurance agent for the Nelson & Ward Company, based in Iselin.

After settling in Princeton with his wife, Wendy, in 1996 Tommy became what could accurately be described as the soul of the Mercer County Golf system, generously sharing his knowledge and passion of the game with friends and struggling newcomers and strangers.

Tommy was a gifted and patient teacher, especially with first timers. His devotion was boundless – he could be found on the course helping someone improve their chipping game (his specialty) after the rain chased everyone else back to the clubhouse. He was widely popular with veteran players often shouting his name across fairways, thrilled to get his attention and share their scores.

Tommy played courses all over France and Ireland on his frequent travels to both countries with his wife and friends. He also played throughout the United States, with Torrey Pines near San Diego, Calif., his particular favorite.

Tommy was also one of the original regulars at the now-closed Little Taste of Cuba on Witherspoon Street, a cigar lounge where often regaling friends and customers with his golf course exploits and tall tales. His good nature, charm, and decency were infectious.

Tommy also was a great booster of the Princeton community and fan of F. Scott Fitzgerald. His passion for the author’s work led him to inspect Fitzgerald’s original manuscripts at Princeton University’s Firestone Library, an inspiring event that he often mentioned with pride.

Tommy is survived by Wendy Williams, his wife of 30 years; his daughter, Mellissa Carbone Moser, grandson, August Moser and son-in-law, Peter Moser of Mountain Lakes, N.J.; his brother Michael Williams, Sr., and sister-in law Ruth Williams, of East Windsor; nephews Michael Williams and Nicholas Williams; step-brother Jerry Bohrer, sister in-law Joanne Bohrer; nephews Jack Bohrer and Jerry Bohrer and a niece, Nicole Donio. He is predeceased by his mother, Mary Bohrer, and father, Robert Bohrer; and two sisters, MaryEllen Rozzell and Patricia Brennan.

An “Irish Wake” service will be held between 4 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, April 23, at the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vandeventer Avenue. Princeton. A period of storytelling and reflection about Tommy will begin at 730 p.m. Visitors are urged to bring their stories and a smile.

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Theodora Wei

Theodora “Teddi” Wei, 82, of Princeton, died suddenly of a cardiac event on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Lisbon, Portugal, while traveling with her beloved husband, Fong. Born in Seymour, Connecticut, she had resided in Princeton for over 50 years.

A proud alumna of the Vassar College Class of 1964, Teddi was deeply committed to education, history, and the arts. She began her career as a middle school history teacher in Newton, Massachusetts, and then Scarsdale, New York, and later earned her master’s degree in counseling from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After living in Chapel Hill and Montgomery, Alabama, she and her family settled in Princeton in 1974.

In addition to her consulting work for various nonprofits, Teddi was a passionate and effective fundraiser, setting a class giving record for her 50th Vassar reunion and playing a role in McCarter Theatre’s capital campaign that concluded in the early 1990s. She also served on the boards of McCarter Theatre, Young Audiences, and Opera New Jersey, and was an enthusiastic patron of local arts communities. A lifelong learner, Teddi regularly audited classes at Princeton University in her favorite subjects — literature, philosophy, and history — and remained engaged through organizations like the Women’s Investment Group (WIG), the Present Day Club, and her reading circle.

Teddi had a love of opera, classical music, theater, good food, and travel, and visited more than 70 countries. She was fiercely independent yet deeply devoted to her family and friends, offering her full presence to those in her life.

Daughter of the late Harry Zopko and Julianna Cymbolic, she is survived by her husband of 58 years, Dr. Fong Wei, and their sons, Christopher and Alexander Wei.

She is also survived by daughters-in-law Michelle Christman and Katie Wei, and grandchildren Atticus, Imogen, Oliver, and Lily.

A Celebration of Life will take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 31, 2025, at Prospect House, Princeton University.

For those wishing to honor her memory, donations may be made to the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, McCarter Theatre, or the Princeton Public Library.