Nancy Scott Amick

Nancy Scott Amick, 85, passed away on October 31 at home after a courageous battle with metastatic kidney cancer. She was surrounded by her loving husband, James, and her daughter, D’Maris. Nancy was born to Madeline and Ronald Scott on April 4, 1931, in Greece, N.Y., a suburb of Rochester. Her family moved twice more in the Rochester area, eventually settling in the town of Brighton where she attended Brighton High School. At Smith College, she majored in physics, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 1953. She continued her studies at Cornell University where she earned a Masters of Science in experimental physics in 1958. Upon returning to Rochester, Nancy was employed by Eastman Kodak. In 1959, she relocated to Princeton to carry out research on thin films at the RCA Laboratories. Her work there focused on measuring the thickness of thin evaporated films, as well as assessing their structure and electrical resistance. During the interview process, Nancy met the love of her life, James Albert Amick. They were married on September 9, 1961.

After settling in their home in Princeton, Nancy became a volunteer at Recording for the Blind. Drawing on her analytical and scientific background, Nancy began creating raised-line drawings to accompany science texts for blind students. Over time, she developed novel techniques for generating these tactile drawings, becoming a leading expert in the field. Nancy and her colleague, Ruth Bogia, subsequently revived a non-profit organization known as The Princeton Braillists, with a focus on the creation of low-cost, raised line (tactile) maps. Their first effort, a four volume set entitled Maps of North and South America, became available in 1994. Since then, The Princeton Braillists have created and made available to the visually challenged some 35 different volumes of international and U.S. state maps. In 2009, their service to the blind community was recognized by the National Federation of the Blind, which presented them with a Jacob Bolotin Award at their annual meeting.

In her spare time, Nancy was an avid gardener, very adept in needlework of all kinds, and interested in artisanal crafts. She and her husband annually designed and produced their own Christmas cards by silk screening. They also enjoyed travel, the theater and the opera.

Nancy is survived by her husband, James; her daughter and son-law, D’Maris and Joseph Dempsey; and two grandsons, Connor and Brian, currently engineering students at Cornell University.

A memorial service will be held at Nassau Presbyterian Church, Princeton at a future date.

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Gwendolyn L. Roderick

Gwendolyn L. Roderick, 90, of Princeton died Sunday, October 30, 2016 at Acorn Glen in Princeton.

Born in Marion, Ohio, she resided in Princeton since 1965. She was a temporary employee at ETS of Princeton and with FAF Support Services from 1982 to 1992. She was a member of the Lutheran Church of the Messiah. She was a past president of Newcomers Group of Princeton and past vice president of Princeton YWCA.

Special thank you to the Acorn Glen Assisted Living Care Family for the loving care given to Gwendolyn.

Daughter of the late Clarence M. and M. Matilda (Harsch) Long, she is survived by her husband James E. Roderick; two sons, and a daughter-in-law David M. and Jana Roderick, and Steven L. Roderick.

Calling hours will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, November 2, 2016 at The Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vandeventer Avenue, Princeton.

Funeral Services will be held 11 a.m. Thursday, November 3, 2016 at the Lutheran Church of the Messiah, 407 Nassau St., Princeton.

Burial will be in Marion Cemetery in Marion, Ohio at 10 a.m. on Saturday, November 5, 2016.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Lutheran Church of the Messiah, 407 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ 08540 or Princeton YWCA, 59 Paul Robeson Place, Princeton, NJ 08540.

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Sally Jane Schoch

Sally Jane Schoch, 69, formerly of Princeton, died on November 19, 2015 of complications from multiple sclerosis.

Born on November 20, 1945, in San Francisco, Calif., Sally spent her formative years in Princeton, attending Valley Road School and for a time, Princeton High School. An avid lover of sports and blessed with a sturdy frame, Sally played basketball and field hockey with abandon and enjoyed ski trips to Vermont.

As a teen, she became a lover of animals, which led her to keep a particularly stubborn horse by the name of “Nosey.” Stabled in a barn near-by to her house on Ridgeview Road, Sally would call out each evening to bid the equine a pleasant good night and always received throaty confirmation.

Following high school, Sally’s love of open spaces took her to her beloved Colorado where she attended Adams State University and began her career in elementary education. Sally later spent many years on the Western Slope and also made a stop in Fort Collins to earn an MA in early education.

Known for her warmth and good cheer, Sal was the unfortunate victim of multiple sclerosis beginning at the early age of 19. A fighter by nature, Sally dealt with her condition with resolve and dignity for many decades before being institutionalized near her brother, Fred Schoch, in the Boston, Mass. area. Her nephews Willard Schoch of Charlestown, Mass. and Henry Schoch of Providence, R.I. also survive Sally; as well as her constant friend, caregiver, and former sister-in-law Beatrice Billings Schoch.

A service will be held on November 12, 2016 at the Princeton Cemetery at 10 a.m. All are welcome to attend.