Town Topics

Ellen Q. Beneke

Ellen Quinn Hoff Beneke of Louisville, Ky., formerly of Princeton, died May 4 at home following a lengthy illness.

She was a graduate of the Academy of Saint Vincent in Tuxedo Park, N.Y., and Marymount College in Arlington, Va.

She was a member of the Younger Women's Club, Big Spring Country Club, and Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Fla.

Predeceased by a son, John David Jr., she is survived by her husband, John David; four daughters, Mary Ellen Hale of Miami Beach, Fla., Anne Burkley, and Susan DeWeese, both of Louisville, and Allison Brand of Austin, Tex.; two sons, Stephen and Michael, both of Louisville; a sister, Elizabeth Galvin of Cinnaminson; and ten grandchildren.

A Catholic mass was celebrated at St. Louis Bertrand in Louisville on May 14. Burial was at the Cave Hill Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Right to Life of Louisville; or Vincent DePaul Hospice and Palliative Care of Louisville, Dept. 52420, P.O. Box 36370, Louisville, Ky. 40233.

Elizabeth R. Burger

Elizabeth R. Burger, 81 of Princeton, died May 12 at St. Francis Medical Center, Trenton. Born in Philadelphia, she was a graduate of Princeton High School and a longtime resident of Princeton.

She retired from New Jersey Bell Telephone Company as a management supervisor, having worked in the Trenton and Princeton offices for more than 34 years.

A life member of the Telephone Pioneers of America, she was also a member of the American Association of Retired People.

She is survived by a sister, Catharine Burger Shields of Bordentown; three nephews; and three nieces.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on May 14 at St. Paul's Church. Burial was in St. Paul's Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Fox Chase Cancer Center at St. Francis Medical Center, 601 Hamilton Avenue, Trenton 08629.

Arrangements were under the direction of The Mather-Hodge Funeral Home.

Margaret Hildeburn Hobler

Margaret Hildeburn Hobler, 83, of Yarmouth, Me., died May 9 in Yarmouth. She was a Princeton resident during the 1940s and '50s.

She was a 1942 graduate of Smith College.

Before moving to Maine in 2001 she had lived in New York City for many years, where she was an interior designer and docent at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Predeceased by her husband, Wells Hobler, she is survived by two children, Edward of Portland, Me., and Linnard of St. Louis, Mo.; and a brother-in-law, Herbert Hobler of Princeton.

William D. Houghton

William Davis Houghton, 88, of Crockett, Tex., died May 7 in the Whitehall Nursing Center. He had been a Princeton resident for 40 years before moving to Crockett 14 years ago.

Born in Philadelphia, he was a graduate of RCA Institutes, and joined RCA's communications research facility at Rocky Point, Long Island, in 1940, where he took an active part in the development of the RCA color television system. After transferring to Princeton in 1950, he helped to develop the first color video tape system used to broadcast prerecorded signals over commercial TV stations. He also headed a group that developed Homefax, a television facsimile message system.

More recently, he headed the research on a system for sending TV pictures over telephone networks, which was the basis for the RCA Globecom Videovoice System. He retired from Video Systems Research after 38 years of service.

He was a member of the Nassau Presbyterian Church before joining the First Presbyterian Church of Crockett.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Margaret; and a daughter, Heather Bixby of Crockett.

Memorial services were held May 13 at the First Presbyterian Church of Crockett. Arrangements were by the Callaway-Allee Funeral Home.

James P. Kiss

James P. Kiss, 72, of Princeton, died May 11 at the University Medical Center at Princeton.

Born in Rocky Hill, he was a lifelong area resident. He was the proprietor of Kiss Brothers Inc. for the past 50 years.

He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War.

Son of the late Julius and Anna Redling Kiss, he is survived by his wife of 45 years, Beverly; two daughters, Lori Wierzbinsky of Princeton and Dawn Kiss of Gig Harbor, Wash.; two brothers, Julius and John of Princeton; and a sister, Anna K. Peacos of Princeton.

The funeral was May 14 at the M.J. Murphy Funeral Home in Monmouth Junction. A Mass of Christian Burial followed at St. Augustine of Canterbury Church in Kendall Park. Burial was in Ten Mile Run Cemetery.

Memorial Contributions may be made to Ten Mile Run Cemetery, 40 Old Georgetown Road, Princeton 08540.

Ethel R. Timby

Ethel R. Timby, 98, of Pennswood Village in Newtown, Pa., died May 8 at Pennswood Village. Born in Columbus, Ohio, she had been a Princeton resident for 52 years before moving to Pennswood Village in 1980.

She was a graduate of Ohio State University, where she met and married her husband. During World War II, she was a volunteer at the Fort Dix Army Hospital before following her husband to Texas and Washington, D.C., where she worked as a legal secretary.

She was active at Princeton University as a faculty wife, serving in many offices including the Altar Committee of the University Chapel and the Princeton University Museum. She also did volunteer work with Princeton Hospital, the Visiting Nurses Association, the United Way, Girl Scouts, Princeton YWCA, Princeton Women's College Club, and Present Day Club.

She traveled the world with her husband, visiting more than 100 countries.

Predeceased by her husband, Elmer Timby, she is survived by many caregivers and special friends.

A graveside service was held on May 15 at Newtown Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of the donor's choice.

Theresa J. Van Zandt

Theresa J. Van Zandt, 69, of Belle Mead, died May 8 at the University Medical Center at Princeton, surrounded by her family and loved ones. The cause of death was a brainstem stroke.

Born in Metuchen, she lived her whole life in New Jersey.

She was self-employed as a bookkeeper.

Her interests were serving and ministering to others, working particularly with those in addiction recovery. She also enjoyed gardening and beachcombing.

She was a member of Westerly Road Church and the 24 Club.

She is survived by her husband, Bill; three step-children, Richard Van Zandt of Rathdrum, Idaho, and Laura Van Lake and Jennifer Ehlen, both of Canyon Country, Calif.; and 11 grandchildren.

The funeral service was May 14 at the Westerly Road Church. Burial was in Blawenburg Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Westerly Road Church, 25 Westerly Road, Princeton 08540; or the 24 Club of Princeton, 1225 State Road, Princeton 08540; or The Good News Home for Women, 33 Bartles Corner Road, Flemington 08822.

Arrangements were by the Cromwell-Immordino Memorial Home, Hopewell.