Town Topics — Princeton's Weekly Community Newspaper Since 1946.
Vol. LXV, No. 22
Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Obituaries

Greta W. Stanton

William H. Gallant

Howard C. Smith



Greta W. Stanton

Greta W. Stanton

Professor Greta W. Stanton, 92, died May 18 at her home in Stonebridge at Montgomery in Skillman.

Born in Vienna, Austria on April 9, 1919, to Richard Wertheimer and Klara Deutch Wertheimer, she was raised in a well-established middle class Jewish family. Her childhood was full of educational expectations, music and cultural activities. From the age of 12 through Hitler’s annexation of Austria in 1938, her leisure time activities revolved around a Jewish swim club, Hokoah, which was established because Jews were not permitted in the non-Jewish sports clubs. Hokoah was the subject of a 2005 documentary film, Watermarks, in which she had a prominent role.

In August of 1939, she left Austria for the United States and settled in New York City. Two years later she was able to bring her parents and maternal grandmother out of Austria, two days before they were scheduled to be deported to a so-called “work camp” in Poland.

She worked at various jobs while attending Hunter College. She became a social worker and obtained a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Columbia University in 1946. Her first psychiatric social worker job was at the Wiltwyck School for Boys, where one of her clients was the young Floyd Patterson, who later became a world champion boxer.

She eventually became an Assistant Professor of Social Work at Hunter College, and, in 1971, became an Associate Professor of Social Work at Rutgers University, from which she retired in 1988 as professor emerita. She authored numerous publications, among them the book, Children of Separation, published in 1994.

In 1963 she married Herbert G. Stanton and adopted his two children, Andrew and Priscilla. They initially lived in Queens, N.Y., but moved to Piscataway, N.J. in 1971 and later to Somerset, N.J. After Herbert died in 1987, she moved to Clearbrook, in Monroe Township, N.J., and relocated to Stonebridge at Montgomery in 2005. In 2009 she published her memoirs, Still Alive in the Shadow of Shoah.

She is survived by her children, Andrew Y. Stanton and Priscilla A. Stanton; and two grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held in late June at Stonebridge at Montgomery.


William H. Gallant

William H. Gallant

William H. Gallant, 71, of Princeton, died May 22.

A lifelong resident of the Princeton and Montgomery area, he was a graduate of Princeton High School, where he was an All State football player. He received his degree from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. He went on to establish William Gallant Associates, providing insurance and group benefit services.

He was a parishioner of St. Paul’s R.C. Church in Princeton, and was active with the National Health Underwriters Organization. He was also a sports enthusiast who loved fishing and riding motorcycles.

He is survived by his wife, Carol Chibbaro-Gallant; his daughter, Shelly Gallant-Bellezza; his son, Montgomery Gallant; his stepdaughter, Andrea Agin; six grandchildren; and two step grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian burial was offered on May 27 at St. Paul’s Church in Princeton. Entombment followed in Franklin Memorial Park in North Brunswick.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Eden Institute Inc., 1 Eden Way, Princeton, N.J. 08540; or at www.edenau
tismservices.org.

Howard C. Smith

Howard C. Smith, 72, of Griggstown, died May 25 at home.

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., he was a resident of Griggstown since 1940. He was a self-employed carpenter and was a life member of the Griggstown Volunteer Fire Company, serving as chief for three years, president for one year, and was the fire commissioner for district #2.

He was a member of the Griggstown Reformed Church, Trinity Church, Rocky Hill, and a member of the Masonic Lodge #38 F&AM.

Son of the late Karsten D. and Lina Smith; he is survived by his wife of 50 years, Janet Smith; two sons, Todd and Bryan; his daughter, Karin Mathews; and five granddaughters.

The funeral service was held on May 28 at the Griggstown Reformed Church. Burial followed in the Griggstown Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Griggstown Volunteer Fire Company, 1037 Canal Road, Princeton, N.J. 08540.

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