Mildred Campbell

Mildred Lucille Corum Campbell, a child of Warfield, Brunswick County, Virginia, died peacefully on Tuesday, March 17, 2015 while a patient at University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro, New Jersey. She is survived by her husband of 42 years, H. Stuart Campbell and a sister, Virginia D. Corum of Maryland; four step-children, Constance C. Rinaldi and her husband, Alexander, of New Jersey; Eleanor S. Vulopas and her husband Samuel, of North Carolina; H. Stuart Campbell, Jr., and his wife Alice, of Delaware; and Elizabeth C. Rodriguez and her husband, William, of Maryland; eight step-grandchildren and four step-great grandchildren. Mildred’s other sister, Ruby Corum Garrison, died in 2007. The three girls were the children of Oliver and Hazel Corum, long-time residents of Brunswick County.

Mildred’s childhood was one with a close knit, hard-working family raising tobacco and enjoying Sunday fish fries hosting their many neighbors. She attended Warfield Grade School and graduated second in her class from Alberta High School, Alberta, Virginia. She went to Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, Virginia from 1951 to 1953 (at that time this college was the girl’s division of the University of Virginia). She then went on to UVA at Charlottesville and graduated in 1956 with a BS degree in nursing. She immediately passed the Virginia State Board of Nursing Examinations and was ultimately registered in Virginia, South Carolina, Texas, California, Arizona, and New Jersey.

Following graduation, Mildred worked in the operating rooms at the University of Virginia Hospital until 1961. During this time she was Head Nurse in plastic surgery for 14 months and Head Nurse in cardiovascular for 2 years. Unfortunately in late 1958 she developed pericarditis (her heart covering calcified and constricted her heart function). She underwent heart surgery to remove the heart covering, was hospitalized for four months and spent a year and a half in recovery at home. When she returned to gradually resume a work schedule, she ironically operated a heart-lung machine that had not yet been developed for her surgery. We speculate her life ultimately would have been far different and less debilitating in her final years had the heart lung machine come along two years earlier.

Nevertheless, this lady was strong of character and dedicated to bringing her skills and experience to the welfare of countless patients throughout her exemplary career in nursing. She was recommended to the operating room staff at the Heart Institute in the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland and served there in 1961 and 1962.

She was hired by the medical university of South Carolina in Charleston as supervisor of the operating and recovery Rooms where she “ran the show” until an exciting opportunity was presented in 1964. Mildred went to Methodist Hospital in the Texas Medical Center in Houston with the chance to “scrub” for two of the world’s most famous heart surgeons at that time: Doctor Michael DeBakey and Doctor Denton Cooley. During her four years in Houston she completed training as a cardiovascular specialist in operating room nursing (one of the first three nurses in the United States to be so trained). She also was one of two civilians allowed to take a course in operating room management at the United States Army Medical Service School in San Antonio, Texas. Her extraordinary experience and reputation now brought her to Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Los Angeles, California as supervisor of the operating and recovery rooms and supervisory support to the cardiac assist program.

In 1968, Mildred was hired by Ethicon, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company, as a Nurse Consultant. Ethicon, Inc., the world’s largest suture and wound closure products company, benefited from Mildred’s background with her input on product development and packaging. She was also invaluable in providing marketing support with her many contacts among the operating supervisors around the country. She also developed training programs for the national sales force. After less than a year Mildred was moved to become the first full time nurse consultant to the Johnson & Johnson Hospital Products Company.

In August, 1970, Doctor E. B. (Ted) Diethrich, a protégé of Michael DeBakey, MD, recognized Mildred’s unique background and convinced her to join him in building the Arizona Heart Institute. This was a “once in a lifetime” opportunity for a nurse to undertake such an assignment. Mildred’s years of experience and diversity in operating room nursing, O.R. management and special training in cardiovascular let her confidently accept the offer of this brilliant cardiovascular surgeon to coordinate design, construct, and start-up operations of the new multimillion dollar Arizona Heart Institute in Phoenix, Arizona. She started with drawings, oversaw the construction, developed a budget, ordered all materials and supplies, hired all non-doctor personnel, started operations of diagnostic lab, operating rooms, intensive care units, office space, and all support systems for the Institute. The project was completed in one year and fifteen days.

Mildred resigned in 1972. She and Stuart were married in the Lawrenceville, Virginia, United Methodist Church on December 2, 1972, and took up residence in New Jersey. For ten years then, Mildred became wife, gourmet chef, housekeeper, gardener, house decorator, and step-mother to Stuart’s four children from his first marriage. In 1982 Stuart retired from Johnson & Johnson and he and Mildred bought a little packaging business together. From three employees and three packaging machines at the start, they grew the company over the next 19 years to 126 employees and 30+ machines. Mildred was president of the company and ran operations while her husband took care of finances and marketing. They sold the business and retired in June of 2002. Mildred was an incredible motivator of people and “mothered” many of the more than 1000 employees who passed through the business to a better life.

In April, 1995 a benign tumor (the size of a newborn) was discovered in Mildred’s chest, having grown following her surgery in 1959. She returned to Houston for open heart surgery but they could only remove very little of the mass. It continued to grow slowly, pressing on her heart and lung leading to gradual deterioration of her breathing.

In retirement from their business she enjoyed travel. Having travelled the rest of the world with her husband as he pursued his worldwide responsibilities, now in retirement they concentrated on travelling in America and Canada. They just “wandered” up to six weeks at a time with Mildred’s sister, Virginia, and a cousin’s widow along — they would play bridge most evenings. Those travels took them to most of the lower 48 states, to 31 state capitols, 11 of the 13 presidential libraries and many beautiful national parks.

Mildred became fascinated with the beauty and engineering variety of the countless bridges encountered in her travels and used her photography hobby to capture those features.

Other hobbies or personal pursuits included the Princeton University Art Museum, the Pennsylvania Ballet, The Philadelphia Museum of Art, cross-stitching, interior decorating and a voracious appetite for everything in sports.

She was a member of the Association of Operating Room Nurses from 1956 to 1984; a member of the Plainfield, New Jersey Muhlenberg Hospital Auxiliary; the New Jersey Association of Manufacturers; Who’s Who of American Women; and Who’s Who of America.

This lovely lady was loved, admired, and respected by all whom she encountered in life. She guided and taught and positively influenced so many in an exemplary life. It is understandable that all of her immediate and extended family are so proud of her story.

The family received friends on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at Williams Funeral Home, 410 Windsor Avenue, Lawrenceville, Virginia. The memorial service was conducted at the funeral home on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. followed by a private burial for family members at Oakwood Cemetery, in Lawrenceville, Virginia. Memorial contributions may be made to Antioch United Methodist Church, 15328 Christanna Hwy, Lawrenceville, Va. 23868. Online condolences may be made at www.wmsfhva.com.
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Robert W. Ayling

Robert W. Ayling, 89, died on Sunday, March 22, 2015. He was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York and had resided in the Princeton area since 1970. He graduated from Fordham University Class of 1947. Robert worked as a sales executive in the office equipment industry, and had a 26-year career with Friden Inc. He was a communicant of St. Charles Borromeo Church in Skillman, New Jersey. While at Brooklyn Prep High School, he was a member of the National Champion 1-mile relay team. In his free time, he enjoyed playing bridge, reading, traveling, and rooting for the New York Yankees and Giants. Surviving him are his wife of 65 years, Margaret, his son Bob, and his wife Ann of Bayonne, New Jersey; his daughter Patti Gilmour and her husband Tom of Asbury Park, New Jersey; his 3 grandchildren Tom, Linnea, and Daniel; and his great grandchild Clara Louise.

A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Thursday, March 26, 2015 at 11 a.m. in St. Charles Borromeo Church in Skillman. Visiting time for family and friends will be one hour prior to mass from 10 to 11 a.m. in the church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Charles Borromeo Church in his memory. Arrangements are under the direction of the Hillsborough Funeral Home.

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John O. Parker, Jr. 

John O. Parker, Jr. died on Wednesday, March 18, 2015, at his home in Skillman, New Jersey. He was 70 years old.

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Mr. Parker earned his undergraduate degree from Bowdoin College in 1966. He served as a submarine officer in the U.S. Navy aboard the U.S.S. Greenfish before earning his Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard University in 1972.

After starting his career at Corning Glass Works, Mr. Parker went on to serve as chief information officer of Baxter Healthcare, Squibb Corp., Sea-land Corp. and SmithKline Beecham. Upon his retirement from the pharmaceutical industry, he co-founded Care Capital LLC, a venture capital investment firm, and later joined Rho Ventures as a venture partner. Over the years, he served as a member of the board of directors of several companies, including Express Scripts, PHT Corp., Medical Present Value, Inc., and Solicore, Inc.

An avid sailor, Mr. Parker’s voyages included a trans-Atlantic passage and trips to South Georgia Island and Antarctica, as well as numerous crossings from the Chesapeake Bay to Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, and Canada. He held a 100-Ton Master’s License from the U.S. Coast Guard. Not limited to the water, Mr. Parker was also a Federal Aviation Administration-licensed aviator with private, instrument, high performance, and seaplane ratings.

While his passions for his career and his travels were great, nothing paralleled Mr. Parker’s love for his wife of 43 years, Beverly, and their family. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his son, Todd, and his daughter, Hilary; his grandsons, Andrew and Kevin; his brother, Jim; his son’s fiancée, Vanessa Alegria; and many in-laws, nieces, and nephews.

A celebration-of-life ceremony will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 11, 2015 at Prospect House on the Princeton University campus. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society in memory of John O. Parker, Jr.

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Charles E. Fiero, Jr. 

Charles Eldredge Fiero, Jr., a resident of Princeton and Nantucket Island, died on January 24, 2015 at Stonebridge at Montgomery due to complications from pneumonia and Alzheimer’s Disease. Chuck, as he was known to friends and family, was a brilliant man of great integrity and was an enthusiastic mentor to many.

Chuck was born on December 26, 1926 in Bronxville, N.Y. during a violent snowstorm causing his mother to be taken to the hospital by sled. He was the second of five children.

Raised in Bronxville, Chuck spent summers on Connecticut’s Long Island Sound and became a life long lover of the sea. On Nantucket Island, he shared his love with his children and grandchildren.

Chuck graduated from Admiral Farragut Naval Academy as valedictorian and joined the Navy, serving in World War II as a radar technician. His ship was about to leave San Diego for the Pacific when peace with Japan was declared. He then entered Connecticut’s Wesleyan University in 1946 and married Dorothy (Dolly) Hagenbuckle in 1948. Graduating in 1950 with distinction in Economics and as a member of Phi Beta Kapa, he joined Chase Bank’s training program.

During his 25 years at Chase he was made vice president in 1958 and was put in charge of the credit department, Chase’s vast training program. Later, he joined the international department and was asked to open Chase’s first branch in Geneva, Switzerland, and also to restructure and improve Chase’s European network. In 1965, the family moved to London where Chuck became a Board member of what was then the Standard Bank with branches in sub-Sahara Africa.

In 1968, Chuck was asked to become the Under Secretary of Commerce in the Lyndon Johnson administration to check and control the amount of U.S. funds being moved to Europe. He spent a year in Washington and then returned to Chase as director of long range planning and corporate development. Under David Rockefeller, he traveled extensively in the Middle East to assess the impact of OPEC’s wealth on the world’s monetary system. He then became an executive vice president.

In 1976, he left Chase to join the Hay Group, an international consulting group based in Philadelphia, as partner and chief financial officer. During that time, he ran biannual sessions at Northwestern University’s business school emphasizing mergers and acquisitions.

When Hay was sold to Saatchi and Saatchi of London, Chuck and two other partners formed MLR Holdings, a venture capital firm which also included publishing suburban Philadelphia newspapers and magazines. He retired at 78 due to a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Chuck was a trustee of Wesleyan University, chairman of Mount Holyoke College Parent Fund, and a member of the Board of the Woodrow Wilson Foundation.

He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Dolly Fiero, a son Dr. David E. Fiero (and Kathleen) of Princeton, a daughter Diane Claffey (and Don) of Indiana, a daughter Wendy Morgan (and Hugh) of Rhode Island, a sister Margaret Stone in Florida, a sister Jeanette Joynes in Virginia, a brother John W. Fiero of Louisiana, six grandchildren, and one great-grandson.

A memorial service will be held this summer on Nantucket. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, New Jersey Chapter, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, D.C. 20090-6011.