Judith Stanley Burks

Judith Stanley Burks, devoted wife of Dr. William P. Burks, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, died peacefully at her home in Skillman, NJ, on the morning of November 29. A longtime resident of Princeton, NJ, and Madison, CT, she was 88.

Judy was born July 30, 1933, in Newark, NJ, to the late Cyril S. and Harriet Murdock Stanley. She grew up in West Orange with her brother, James S. Stanley, who predeceased her. She attended Miss Beard’s School, where she was a standout athlete and student, and Smith College, from which she graduated with honors in 1955.

That same year, Judy married Bill, the love of her life. Theirs was a love story that began in their final year of high school and lasted more than 70 years. As a young couple, when Bill was beginning his medical career, they lived in Fort Lee and Teaneck, NJ, and Fort Bragg, NC. In 1966, they settled in Princeton.

Judy loved and gave generously to her community. She served two terms on the vestry of Trinity Church, where she was a member of the Altar Guild, a discerning participant in the most recent rector search, and a volunteer for the Rummage Sale, Motel Meals, and the St. Nicholas Bazaar. Her spirit of service leadership extended to four decades on the Executive Board, Auxiliary to the Isabella McCosh Infirmary at Princeton University, membership in the Smith College Club, and participation in the Princeton Medical Center’s “Doctors’ Wives,” a group that, among other activities, made strawberry shortcake at the annual Hospital Fete.

Judy built community and made friends of all ages. A member of the Garden Club of Princeton, she delighted in sharing blooms from her garden at the local French Market to benefit outreach initiatives. As a devoted fan and sports enthusiast, she brought her savvy game sense and love of competition to sidelines and stadiums all over town. Tennis with friends was a passion, and into her 80s, she was a regular in the front row of step-aerobics classes at the gym. Every June, decked in the signature plaid of Princeton’s Great Class of ’55, Judy cheered on the P-rade.

At home, Judy fed birds and tended gardens. Her hospitality made guests feel like family with her famous brownies and hot fudge sauce, a cozy fire, and warm conversation. In the fall, she picked apples from her orchard and baked loaves of “Windrush” apple bread that were delivered to friends for the holidays.

Avidly curious about books and art and life — and, above all, people — she was always ready with a good question and a thoughtful reply.

Beloved by her children and 14 grandchildren, “Hoppy” maintained a regular and important presence in their lives. She attended decades of games, recitals, and graduations, and hosted countless holiday gatherings and family celebrations.

Judy is survived by her loving husband, Bill, as well as four children and their spouses: Katharine and William Hackett (Skillman, NJ), Elizabeth (Holly) and Paul Becker (Lawrenceville, NJ), Deborah and Michael Southwick (Old Greenwich, CT), and William Jr. (Whip) and Katrina Burks (Duxbury, VT) and their families.

A service of remembrance will be held at Trinity Church, Princeton (33 Mercer Street), on December 20, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the charity of your choice.

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Frances M. Williams

Frances M. Williams, age 91, of Yardley, PA, passed away peacefully on Friday, December 3, 2021, at Chandler Hall Hospice, Newtown, PA.

Born in Princeton, NJ, Mrs. Williams was raised in Princeton, NJ, and lived in North Carolina and several areas in Lower Bucks County before settling in Yardley six years ago.

Frances graduated from St. Paul’s Catholic Church Grammar School and attended Princeton High School. She was a lifelong equestrian, raised horses, and was a member of the North Carolina Reins Association. Frances enjoyed camping, being in the outdoors, and sailing.  She was an avid reader, with an interest in history.  Additionally, Frances was an animal advocate.

Daughter of the late Cleon and Edna (Hall) Millard, and wife of the late John Cawthorne IV and Arthur J. Williams, she is survived by five children, John (the fifth) and Donna Cawthorne of Doylestown, PA, Patrick J. and Patricia Cawthorne of Warminster, PA, William and Janine Cawthorne of Mesa, AZ, Joanne and Jack Christ of Yardley, PA, and Matthew H. Cawthorne and Marie Bare of Wayne, PA, a brother William Millard of Spring, TX, nine grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, one great-great-granddaughter, and several nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend her life celebration at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, December 8, 2021, at the J. Allen Hooper Funeral Chapel, 41 W. Trenton Avenue, Morrisville, PA 19067. Her interment in St. Paul’s Catholic Church Cemetery will be held privately at the convenience of the family.

Friends may call on Wednesday, December 8, 2021, from 10-11 a.m. at the funeral chapel.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions, in Frances’ name, may be made to Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue, P.O. Box 5741, San Angelo, TX 76902 (donkeyrescue.org).

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Edith Woodruff

Edith Woodruff, 92,  of Princeton, NJ, formerly of Willingboro, NJ, passed away on Wednesday, December 1, 2021. 

Edith was born June 23, 1929, in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia to Iona and Joseph Kerr and was the oldest of four sisters. After high school, Edith worked as a waitress and in her Uncle Al’s catering business in Philadelphia and began to hone her legendary cooking skills.  In 1956, she married Arthur Woodruff and, a year later, pregnant with twins and her 6-year-old daughter, they moved to the wilds of rural southern New Jersey.

For many years, Edith was a homemaker and was involved in the Cub Scouts, the PTA, the fire department ladies’ auxiliary (where she was infamous for being the chef for their annual venison and roast beef dinners), and the rescue squad in Hainesport, NJ. Her first aid skills came in handy at home as well as on the ambulance.

When the children were older, Edith returned to work. For many years she was the cook at Eddie’s Restaurant in Hainesport, NJ. Later in life she went to work for Burlington County Social Services as a receptionist until she retired in 2008. Edith loved her church, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Willingboro where, prior to the pandemic, she could be seen every Sunday morning sitting in her pew near the back of the church. After moving to Princeton in March of 2020 to live with her daughter and son-in-law, she continued to enjoy the service virtually on her son-in-law’s computer while sitting at the kitchen table. Edith enjoyed spending time with her family and friends, eating out, shopping, going to the theater and concerts, doing jigsaw and word puzzles, and sitting out in the backyard of Fisher Avenue reading a suspense novel on warm summer days. She is remembered for her smile, sweet nature, and for telling stories about the old days. 

Edith is survived by her daughter, Iona Harding and husband Maurice of Princeton; her son Joseph Woodruff of Conway, SC; her son Frank Woodruff and wife Diane of Willingboro; granddaughter Crystal Breland, husband Jerome, and great-grandchildren Julia and Luke; grandson Brian Woodruff, partner Kara, and great grandson Brison; sister Pauline Roche; and step grandchildren and great-grandchildren Lisa Houston and Jason, Justin, Yuriko, Mathew, Reyna, Will, Max and Lucy Harding. Edith was dearly loved by her family and friends.

Services will be held at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church at 201 Levitt Parkway in Willingboro, NJ, on Saturday, December 11. Visitation with family will be at 10 a.m. followed by a memorial service at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to St. Paul’s United Methodist Church. 

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Dale Roy Anderson

Dale Roy Anderson — who was an extraordinary light in the lives of his beloved family and many close friends — died peacefully in Saline, Michigan, after several years of living with dementia. He was an investment professional with Giverny Capital Advisors in Princeton, New Jersey. Dale was buried on a hill in his favorite town, Williamstown, Massachusetts, near Williams College, where he was a 1965 graduate and lifelong “Eph.”

Dale, who was 78, defined himself as father and grandfather, partner, teacher, and friend. He was a joyful, loving presence in the lives of his four daughters — Ariel Moore, Laura “Lucky” Anderson, Caroline “Chicky” Huy, and Emily Eldridge Hall — and his partner, Jane Hall, as well as their children and spouses, Eric Moore and Gabriel Moore; Sandor Toth, Eva Toth, Scarlet Toth, Laszlo Toth, and Agoston Toth; and Philipp Huy, Anna Huy, Ella Huy, Tessa Huy, and Peter Huy. He is also survived by his sister, Archielle “Ardy” Jones, and her husband, Robert Jones; his former wife, Margaret (Meacham) Anderson; and five nieces and nephews, Lynley Honkanen, Allison Jones, Eric Meacham, Megan Meacham, and Martha Meacham, with his niece Katy Meacham predeceased.

Dale was cherished also by Jane’s sisters and Texas family and by his many friends in Princeton and Washington, D.C. Dale was the champion of his family and all the people he loved, supporting them and celebrating them uncritically and poetically, with truly unconditional love. “I’m not a person who has a hidden agenda that I want you to become someone other than you really are,” he wrote in one letter. “Fidelity, freely given,” he wrote in another, “is at the heart of love.”

Williams professors stoked Dale’s lifelong love for literature; and, after attending the Williams program in Hong Kong and Union Theological Seminary in New York, he taught English at Hunter College High School and Village Community School in New York City. He later became a stock broker at Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, and other Wall Street firms before joining Steginsky Capital and, later, Giverny Capital Advisors in Princeton. He was with Giverny Capital Advisors from 2013 to 2018, employing Shakespeare, poet Wallace Stevens, and other poets and artists as well as his investment and financial skills in his work.

Even when he was ill and diminished by dementia, Dale’s loving spirit never died. He wrote to his family in 2019, “I love you all with the ache of absence that I hope a dream tonight will cure.” He will be deeply missed. We love you forever, dearest Dale.

Condolences and memories of Dale are welcomed at weremember.com/dale-anderson/4l0y/memories.

Donations in memory of Dale can be made to Williams College at https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/17079/donations/new.

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Kenneth Charles Scasserra

Kenneth Charles Scasserra, 83, passed away peacefully in his sleep on December 3, 2021 in his adopted home of Pompano Beach, Florida.

“Kenny” was born in Princeton, NJ, and attended Princeton Country Day School, The Canterbury School, and Princeton University, graduating in 1961. While at Princeton, he managed the Men’s Hockey team, an affiliation that would last over 50 years as he helped found and manage the Friends of Princeton Hockey and the Princeton University Hockey Association. In 2010, the “Friend’s Room” at Baker Rink was dedicated and named in his honor. Ken’s love of “the University” and his classmates was borne out by his commitment to the Class of 1961, for years leading 1961 reunion and other committees, and attending every “’61” reunion for over 50 years, until his health prevented it. He was also inducted into the Princeton Day School Athletic Hall of Fame. He spent his recent years, keeping up with ’61 classmates in Florida, watching the Florida Panthers, playing Trivial Pursuit, reading, and attending the sports and activities of his grandchildren, whom he adored.

Ken was predeceased by his parents, Dr. and Mrs. Benedict Scasserra; sisters Marilyn Scasserra and Judith Cinciripini; and niece Karen Stewart. He is survived by his sisters Carol Stewart, Linda Masada, and Andrea Scasserra; son Martin and daughter-in-law Melissa; grandchildren William, James, Daisy, Charles Kenneth, Virginia, and Penelope Scasserra; nieces Celia Shafer, Alison Batman, Emily Kissinger, Rosa Jennings, and Theresa Cinciripini.

Burial will be in the family plot at Rocky Hill Cemetery on a date to be determined. A celebration of his life will take place in Princeton during PU reunions in 2022. In lieu of flowers, donations in Ken’s memory may be made to the Princeton University Hockey Association, The Princeton Class of 1961, Princeton Day School, or the Canterbury School.

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Carolyn E. Banks-Leeuwenburgh

Carolyn E. Banks-Leeuwenburgh, 90, of Princeton passed away Friday, December 3, 2021, at Princeton Medical Center surrounded by her loving family and friends. Born November 2, 1931, in Baltimore, she was a daughter of the late Eva Elizabeth Manger and Virginus Hobson Banks, and the wife of the late Helge Leeuwenburgh.
Carolyn grew up in Baltimore and attended St. John’s College in Annapolis, where she was a member of that school’s first class of women. Carolyn was a singer with the New York City Metropolitan Opera, and on her European tour, she met her future husband Helge Leeuwenburgh in Amsterdam; they married in 1957. In addition to singing, Carolyn taught English as a second language, gave singing performances at a local venue, and led many St. John’s seminars at her house. She loved spending time with her family and friends, and stayed involved in the arts and politics.

She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law Mark and Joanne Leeuwenburgh of Seekonk, Mass.; daughter Erika Leeuwenburgh of Allendale, N.J. and son Todd Leeuwenburgh of Arlington, Va.; as well as grandchildren Zach, Alexandra, Sophia, and Emma; brother Hobson Banks; and many extended family members and dear friends.

A celebration of Carolyn’s life will take place Saturday, December 11, 2021, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton, 50 Cherry Hill Road, Princeton, NJ 08540. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. John’s College Johnnie Scholarship Fund in memory of Carolyn Banks-Leeuwenburgh, St. John’s College Advancement, P.O. Box 715905, Philadelphia, PA 19171-5905 (https://community.stjohnscollege.edu/give/johnnie-scholarship-fund).

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Carmella Fowler Cruser

Carmella Fowler Cruser, 79, lifelong resident of Princeton, NJ, died Saturday, November 27, 2021.

“Mella” was born and raised in Princeton where she was a graduate of Princeton High School, Class of 1960.

She retired from Princeton University Purchasing Dept. after 37 years of service.

She was a former member of the Princeton Fire Company #1 Ladies Auxiliary, the American Legion Post 76 Ladies Auxiliary, and often volunteered for the Princeton First Aid Ladies Auxiliary.

In her leisure time, Mella enjoyed crossword and jigsaw puzzles, reading, knitting, crocheting, baking, and cooking for her family.

Mrs. Cruser was predeceased by her parents Emma and Norman Fowler, sister Marie Fowler, brothers Buddy Fowler and Norman Fowler Jr., and sister-in-law Susan Fowler. She is survived by two daughters: Sharon Cruser of Princeton, NJ, and Kathy Cruser of Trenton, NJ; six grandchildren: Shara (Rashad), Erica (Tavaris Sr.), Erin, Ryan, Damien, and Kyle, eight great-grandchildren: Nevaeh, Creed, Hendrix, Tavaris Jr., Crew, Nova, Tyson, and Kali; three sisters-in-law: Diane Williams of Ewing, Barbara Stalcup of Longview, WA, and Mary Skarzenski of Bloomsburg, PA; two dear friends Micky Ryan and Kim Allshouse; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and a long list of friends. Also survived by her loving friend Goncha Ozbay and loving caretaker Avis Doyley.

A memorial gathering will be held on Friday, December 10, 2021 in the Kimble Funeral Home, 1 Hamilton Avenue, Princeton, NJ, beginning at 2 p.m. followed by a prayer service at 3 p.m. Burial will be in the family plot at St. Paul Church Cemetery, Princeton, following the conclusion of the service.

Memorial contributions, in her name, can be made to Princeton First Aid & Rescue Squad, PO Box 529, Princeton, NJ 08542-0529 or Princeton Healthcare Ministry, PO Box 1517, Princeton, NJ 08542-1517.

Extend condolences and share memories at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.