Susan K. Stein
September 20, 1946 – November 11, 2024
Susan Kampmeier Stein, age 78, passed away from heart failure in Princeton, New Jersey, on the evening of November 11, 2024, surrounded by loving family members.
Born and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Susan graduated from Chattanooga City High School in 1964, honored as valedictorian. She also was a star basketball player, retaining prowess with an almost unstoppable left hook shot into her 70s.
She received her B.A. from Oberlin College in 1968, after a year of study abroad at the American University of Beirut in 1967, and her M.S. from MIT in 1972. She met her husband George H. Stein while studying in Boston; they were married in 1973.
A devoted wife and mother, she worked many years as a registered dietician and laboratory researcher, always actively engaged in volunteer projects, building communities and friendships wherever she went. Together with her husband, she led an adventurous life, living in Atlanta, GA; Burlington, NC; Charlotte, NC; Miami, FL; New York City, NY; Los Angeles, CA; Munich, Germany; and Teaneck, NJ, before ultimately settling in Princeton in 1996.
Throughout her life, she was committed to alleviating childhood malnutrition and the dire effects of poverty on women and children. She launched her efforts in this area with a summer working for the United Nations in Guatemala in 1968, continued her dedication through work in public health on women’s, infants’ and children’s nutrition, and brought this passion on into her volunteer work in Central New Jersey with the emergency shelter program of HOME SC (Housing Outreach Multi-faith Empowerment of Somerset County, NJ), then known as the Interfaith Hospitality Network of Somerset County; Arm In Arm, previously known as the Crisis Ministry of Princeton; and TASK (Trenton Area Soup Kitchen), especially through the food donation drive “Yes We Can” that she and her husband helped organize in 2009 in response to the financial crisis.
She particularly enjoyed treating children with genetic disorders of metabolism, such as cystic fibrosis, in Florida, and a “second career” as technician and researcher in the Barry Jacobs lab of the Psychology Department of Princeton University, contributing to key research into the functioning of serotonin in the brain. Known by friends and family for her scientific research abilities, she also worked informally as a patient advocate supporting several friends and family members including during her eldest daughter’s childhood cancer and her father’s struggle with Parkinson’s disease.
While living in California, she completed her conversion to Judaism — her faith in God served as a guide and a source of strength throughout her life. In Munich, Germany, between 1990–95, she and her husband founded what was to become Beth Shalom, the first liberal Jewish congregation in Munich since the end of World War II. She hosted holiday parties, taught the 8-11-year-old class at the group’s Jewish Sunday School, and organized religious services. She led families to make Chanukah candles from bags full of wax remnants of candles held high during a major public demonstration against xenophobia in Munich in 1992. Her warmth and welcoming spirit enabled many “lost” German and East European Jews to reclaim their heritage.
No celebration was complete without her smile and laughter, but just to be sure, she also brought her famous apple crisps and hazelnut tortes. For these cakes, she faithfully followed a traditional recipe from the Jewish communities on either side of the Rhine, which was passed down through the family via George’s grandmother, “Grossmama,” who was born in the Saarland. The hazelnut tortes were so prized that she was requested to fly them cross-country to family Pesach celebrations in Palo Alto and Salt Lake City.
In addition to maintaining lifelong friendships across decades and continental distances, she enjoyed fellowship, friendship, and community in Princeton, particularly with the extended family of David and Liz Cohen, neighbors for over 28 years, through the MIT Club of Princeton, and as an active member of the Walnut-Cuyler-Dempsey Potluck group.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Sophia “Sally” (Wass) Kampmeier and Roland August Kampmeier; an unborn son, “Charlie”; her sister, Ann (Kampmeier) Qualman; her sister-in-law, Astri Reusch; her father’s second wife, Silbia Scott Kampmeier; and several adored aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws, and dear friends. She is survived by her husband of 51 years, George H. Stein; daughter Ada Laura Stein and grandson Erik Thorsteinsson; daughter Jannon Sonia Stein; daughter Julia Caroline Kampmeier Stein, son-in-law Lars Berg, and grandchildren Sono Aiden Berg Stein and Aletta Henriette Berg Stein; her brother William “Bill” Kampmeier (Paige); brother-in-law Samuel Stein (Gail); brother-in-law Fred Stein (Sue); sister-in-law Ada Mae Crouse (Irvin); and beloved nieces, nephew-in-law, grandnieces of both kinds, godchildren, cousins, and cherished friends around the world.
Her memorial service will be on December 7 at 3 p.m. at Congregation Kehilat Shalom in Belle Mead.
In lieu of flowers, donations are welcome to one or more of the following organizations Susan cared about: HOME SC (homescnj.org); the Audubon Society to Protect Birds (audubon.org); the Watershed Institute (thewatershed.org/donate); the ACLU of New Jersey (aclu-nj.org); the World Wildlife Federation (worldwildlife.org); Arm In Arm (arminarm.org); TASK (trentonsoupkitchen.org); and the Barre (Vt.) Historical Society (oldlaborhall.org).
She will be dearly missed.
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Rita F. Rofe
Rita F. Rofe, a longtime Princeton resident, passed away on November 17, 2024, after a brief illness. A decades-long ESL educator in the Princeton School System, she also taught for several years in the American International School in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, after her retirement.
Rita enjoyed opera and yoga, was deeply committed to health and wellness pursuits, and, most especially, travel. Italy held a special place in her heart.
Predeceased by her parents, Marie Detmer Zebro and Frank Zebro, Rita leaves behind her siblings, Marie Zebro Lake, of South River, NJ, Joseph Zebro of Hilton Head, SC, and Evelyn Zebro of Asheville, NC; nephews Edward Zebro, Adam Lake, Alexander Zebro Osio, and Damien Zebro Osio; as well as great-nieces, Gabrielle, Katherine, Sarah, and Alice. She will be greatly missed and always remembered.
Arrangements under the direction of The Mather-Hodge Funeral Home.
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Edward Jonathan Bergman
Edward Jonathan Bergman, devoted husband, father, grandfather, and friend, passed away on November 22, 2024 at the age of 82.
After spending his childhood in Bayonne with his brother, Robert, and parents, Abe and Ethel, Edward proudly graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. with Honors in Art History. He received his J.D. from Columbia University and, subsequently, spent two years as a graduate fellow at the Annenberg School of Communications where he worked in the Documentary Film Laboratory. Notably, he received the American Film Institute Independent Filmmaker Award.
In the mid-’70s, after settling in Princeton, NJ, Edward began the private practice of law. The firm Bergman & Barrett was established and continued until his recent retirement. In the late-’80s, Edward became focused on alternative approaches to dispute resolution and was named to a Blue Ribbon Panel for the Creation of a Pilot Mediation Project for the U.S. District Court, District of NJ. From 1992 until his retirement, Edward mediated hundreds of cases in both state and federal courts.
In 1995, Edward returned to his alma mater and began teaching undergraduate courses in Negotiation and Dispute Resolution at the Wharton School of Business. In 2011, he was awarded the William G. Whitney Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Education. In 2005, he transferred his skills to the Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy where he founded the Penn Program for the Management of Clinical Conflict. With the assistance of his Penn colleagues, Edward conducted Intensive Clinical Ethics Mediation Workshops three to four times per year. In addition to his law practice and teaching assignments, Edward found the time to write and co-author numerous articles published in peer-reviewed journals in the field of bioethics.
Edward’s connection to Penn extended beyond academics with his intense passion for Penn athletics, the Palestra, and Quaker Men’s Basketball. A season ticket holder for decades, Edward was a faithful and visible basketball fan always seated no more than two rows behind the team bench.
His love of basketball included traveling each year (for 40 years) to a city hosting a round of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. Affectionately known as the “Boys of Spring,” Edward, Neil, Phil, and Steve, would celebrate their longtime friendship every March watching a weekend packed with college basketball.
A remembrance of Edward’s life would be incomplete without mentioning his love of Italian and French wines that he routinely shared with his family, friends, and Princeton Wine Group. Carefully curated bottles from Piedmont or Southern Rhone were routinely served with dinner he lovingly and meticulously prepared.
Ed is survived by his loving wife of 20 years, Jennifer Mullen; his children Peter Bergman and Amy Bergman Bonomi; his grandchildren Liza Bonomi, Celia Bonomi, Zora Bergman, and Nathaniel Bergman; Jane Shapiro, his former wife and the mother of his children; his niece Maggie Bergman and great-niece Maisie Bo; and many dear friends and colleagues.
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Marvin Wilmar Louis Ostberg
Marvin Wilmar Louis Ostberg, 88, of Skillman died on Monday, November 18, 2024 at home with his loving wife by his side. Two weeks earlier he had received initial copies of his book, Waking Up Old: A Life Lived Reasonably Well. Born in Slayton, Minnesota, he grew up in Nebraska. After graduating from Wakefield High School in 1955, he joined the United States Navy and traveled with the 7th Fleet to the Far East. Returning to Nebraska, he earned his BA degree at Wayne State. He married Nancy Whitford, taught high school English, earned his MS in sociology at the University of Kentucky, and taught sociology at Northwestern State University in Louisiana. He was an employment counselor for 23 years for the State of Oregon. He retired in 1988 and lived in New Jersey for over 25 years.
After many years as a single father for his two daughters, he and Pat married in 1999. When Pat became Marv’s wife, she also became the mother-in-love of two daughters as well as grandmother-in-love of his two lovely granddaughters. Marv and Pat have traveled all over the world, separately and together. Marv’s hobbies were reading history, lively discussions of current events, and shooting pool. He was a board member of the Princeton YWCA and, as “Mr. Marvin,” enjoyed 20 years of reading to toddlers at the Y. He was also a member of the Princeton United Methodist Church and the church’s Tiffany Window Tour Team.
Son of the late Wilmar R. and Louise (Konold) Ostberg Kahler, father of the late Carolyn Chun, brother of the late Roger Ostberg and Lyle Kahler, he is survived by his wife of 25 years Patricia (Warren) Ostberg, a daughter Jill Ostberg, son-in-law Jonathan Chun, and two granddaughters, Emily Chun and Hannah Chun He will surely be missed by family and friends, and will be remembered with love and gratitude.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, November 30, 2024 at the Princeton United Methodist Church, 7 Vandeventer Avenue, Princeton. In Marvin’s memory donations may be given to Save the Children, Doctors Without Borders, or an organization of choice.
The day after I wrote an article on Elon Musk referencing his first and foremost “life lesson,” that “empathy is not an asset,” the New York Times came up with a front page that instantly connected with my post-election state of mind. Lead head: “Chop First and Fix Later: How Musk Tames Costs.” The story directly beneath: “Trump Stands by Defense Pick Who Denies Sex Assault Claim.” Directly under that: “Robots Still Lack Human Touch in Warehouses.” And just below came two smaller heads previewing stories in the Business section: “Social Media Veers Right” and “Spirit Files for Bankruptcy.”
