David A. Cayer

David A. Cayer of Princeton, N.J., died November 15, 2017 in the Yale-New Haven Smilow Cancer Hospital. The son of Abraham and Frieda (Chernus) Cayer, he was born in Newark, N.J. on November 14, 1928. He grew up in Elizabeth, N.J., graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Rutgers University in 1950, and earned a master’s degree in political science from Harvard University in 1952.

He served Rutgers for over 26 years in a variety of positions, including Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and Associate Vice President for Research Policy and Administration. He taught political science as well as courses for the Institute of Management and Labor. After retirement he taught jazz history in the American studies department.

He helped bring the Institute of Jazz Studies (IJS) to Rutgers in 1966. IJS is the largest single archival collection of jazz materials in the world. From 1973 to 2004, he was coeditor of the Annual Review of Jazz Studies, the only English-language scholarly periodical devoted solely to jazz and related music. He presented over two dozen programs for the IJS long-running radio program, Jazz from the Archives, on Newark’s WBGO-FM.

He was the first Executive Director of the New Jersey Council for the Humanities. Under its sponsorship he lectured on jazz history for various New Jersey groups, and he directed a symposium, “James P. Johnson: A Centennial Salute,” held in New Brunswick in 1994. In 1996, he annotated a compact disc of rare Johnson solo performances from 1942 to 1945, issued by Smithsonian-Folkways.

After retiring in 1991, he planned and directed the first year of the University’s program of non-credit courses for seniors, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Rutgers (OLLI-RU). A lifelong member of the advisory board, he taught many courses for OLLI including jazz history, the music of Cole Porter, Louis Armstrong on film, great jazz vocalists, African-American musicians from New Jersey, and the plays of George Bernard Shaw.

Shaw had been a personal interest ever since college when he had a walk-on role in The Devil’s Disciple. He attended Shaw Festival Theater productions in Ontario, Canada for 25 years, and was a member of the International Shaw Society.

In 1994 he received the University’s Ernest E. McMahon Class of 1930 Award for his services in extending the University’s services to the public.

In 1953 he married Elizabeth Elferink in Cambridge, Mass.; they had met when both were members of the Harvard Graduate Student Council. In addition to his wife; he is survived by his daughter, Susan M. Cayer, and her husband, Robert G. Stout, of Madison, Conn.; and grandchildren Amanda and Zachary Stout.

A memorial will take place at a later date. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Rutgers University Foundation (please specify the intended program: IJS or OLLI-RU), 335 George Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, or to the International Shaw Society, P.O. Box 728, Odessa, FL 33557-0728.

———

Evelyn J. Peters

Evelyn J. Peters, 96, of Griggstown passed away December 10, 2017 at her beloved home.

A longtime resident of Griggstown, she is survived by a daughter Susan P. Mattern and her husband Glenn Mattern of Schnecksville, Pa., and a son Raymond H. Peters, Jr. and his wife Joanne Peters of Homosassa, Fla. She is also survived by her four granddaughters: Kristin Ploeger of Perkasie, Pa.; Michelle Snyder of Indialantic, Fla.; Melissa Wood of Edgemoor, S.C,; and Virginia Williams of Charleston, S.C.; and five great-grandchildren — Nate Ploeger, Liam Williams, Emma Williams, Dylan Wood, and Ashley Wood. Daughter of the late Adolph and Olga (Olsen) Johansen, she was predeceased by her beloved husband of 71 years Raymond H. Peters who died in May, 2014.

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1921, she lived in Griggstown since 1944. Evelyn graduated from Bayridge High School and the Packard School in N.Y. She worked as a secretary for First Boston Corp in N.Y. and for 25 years for General Services Administration in Belle Mead, N.J.

Evelyn was a member of the Griggstown Reformed Church and its Ladies Circle, the Griggstown Historical Society, the Franklin Park Senior Citizens, and the Order of the Eastern Star. She enjoyed her family, her home, and memories of traveling to many destinations throughout the world.

The funeral service will be Saturday, December 16th at 11 a.m. with viewing starting at 10 a.m. at the Griggstown Reformed Church, 1065 Canal Road, Griggstown. Interment will immediately follow in the Griggstown Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Griggstown Reformed Church Memorial Fund, 1065 Canal Road, Princeton, NJ 08540.

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