Obituaries

Jason A. Mistretta

Mr. Mistretta, 24, of Edison, died June 21 at home. Born in Mineola, N.Y., he had lived in North Brunswick and Old Bridge before moving to Edison five years ago. A 1999 graduate of North Brunswick High School, he had been employed by Chris Price Construction Inc., Edison, for the past five years. He was also a disc jockey at local clubs such as Banditos in South Brunswick and Glow in New Brunswick, and worked private parties in the area as well. Mr. Mistretta was predeceased by his mother, JoAnn Morse Mistretta. Surviving are his father and stepmother, Glenn and Kathy Mistretta of North Brunswick; a sister, Kaitlyn Mistretta of Old Bridge; and a stepbrother, Dan Page of North Brunswick. Cremation was private, with Selover Funeral Home, North Brunswick, in charge of arrangements.

James M. Venditti

Mr. Venditti, 60, of Freehold Township, died June 25 at Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center, Plainfield. Born in the Bronx, N.Y., he had lived in Jackson before moving to Freehold Township 23 years ago. He was a controller for the J.M. Huber Corp., Edison, for 22 years. He was also a U.S. Army veteran who served in Vietnam. Surviving are his wife, Susan M. Venditti; a son, James J. Venditti of Bryn Mawr, Pa.; two daughters, Melissa Schwartz of Arlington Heights, Ill., and Alysan Okerson of Farmingdale; a granddaughter, Keira Schwartz; and a cousin, Thomas Venditti of Ephrata, Pa. A funeral Mass was offered at St. Robert Bellarmine Roman Catholic Church, Freehold Township, followed by interment at Evergreen Cemetery, Farmingdale. The Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home, Freehold Township, was in charge of arrangements.

Mayor Frank G. Pelzman

Mayor Pelzman, 71, of the Avenel section of Woodbridge, died June 29 at home. He had been the mayor of Woodbridge since Jan. 7, 2002, which was his full-time job. Born at Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark to Frank and Anna Kreutzer Pelzman, he had resided in Irvington before his family relocated to Avenel in 1940. While growing up, he attended Woodbridge Township schools and was a 1952 graduate of Woodbridge High School. He also took various work-related courses at Rutgers University, New Brunswick. Mayor Pelzman was employed by Security Steel Corp. (now General Dynamics), Avenel, for 14 years and then at Stacor Corp., Newark, for 28 years as vice president of manufacturing. Prior to retiring in 1999, he was the financial-aid officer at Middlesex County Vocational-Technical High School, East Brunswick. A U.S. Army veteran, he served in Okinawa, Japan, from 1955-57. Mayor Pelzman was a communicant of St. Andrew's Roman Catholic Church, Avenel, where he served as a lector, Eucharistic minister and member of the financial board. He was a third-degree member of St. Andrew's Knights of Columbus Council 5088, Avenel, and a fourth-degree member of the Rev. John J. Griffith General Assembly 857, Woodbridge. In addition, he was involved in many civic, religious and political organizations. He was a coach for and an executive board member of the Fords Clara Barton Boys Baseball League, and served as committee chairman for Cub Scout Pack 73 in Avenel. Mayor Pelzman expressed interest in politics in 1986, and two years later became a member of the Woodbridge Township Council. Surviving are his wife of 48 years, Dorothy Ruyak Pelzman; a son, Frank A. Pelzman of Avenel; two daughters and sons-in-law, Anne and Frank Longenhagen of the Colonia section of Woodbridge, and Patti and Jim Mulrooney of Avenel; a sister, Rose Mirkovich of Avenel; seven grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. A funeral liturgy was celebrated at St. Andrew's Church, with private entombment planned. The Costello-Koyen Funeral Home, Avenel, was in charge of arrangements. Memorial donations, to be used toward charitable and educational efforts, may be made to the Mayor Frank G. Pelzman Charity Fund, 895 Green St., Iselin 08830.

Nicholas J. Vallone

Mr. Vallone, 77, of the Cliffwood Beach section of Old Bridge, died June 14 in Bayshore Community Hospital, Holmdel. His wife, Ida Cancro Vallone, died in 1999. Surviving are a son, Paul V. Vallone of Houston, Texas; two daughters, Cathy McAleer of East Brunswick and Lisa Pankiewicz of Freehold; a sister, Maryann Lubrano of North Bergen; and four grandchildren. A Mass was offered at St. Lawrence Church, Laurence Harbor. Interment was in Holy Cross Burial Park, East Brunswick.

William E. "Billy" O'Leary

Mr. O'Leary, 66, of Heritage Pines, Hudson, Fla., formerly of South Amboy, died June 15 at home. Surviving are his wife, Linda Kojzar O'Leary; three sons, Patrick of Williams, Ariz., William of Sayreville and Michael of East Brunswick; a daughter, Eileen; a brother, Edward of Nevada; three sisters, Anne Marie Cronin, Peggy Wahler and Mary Chodkiewicz, all of South Amboy; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Services were held at Gundrum Service Home for Funerals, South Amboy. Interment was in Christ Church Cemetery, South Amboy. Memorial contributions may be made to the Sayreville Association for Brain Injured Children.

Walter G. Tardy

Mr. Tardy, 73, of Old Bridge, died June 11 in Raritan Bay Medical Center, Old Bridge division. His wife, Geraldine, died in 2004. Surviving are a son, Paul of East Brunswick; a daughter, Catherine M. Coposky of Englishtown; and three grandsons. A funeral service was held at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Old Bridge. Cremation was private. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38173-0704.

Florence Grace DiSalvo

Mrs. DiSalvo, 74, of Old Bridge, died June 16 in Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick. Prior to her retirement in 1990, she was employed as a family daycare provider in Old Bridge. Her husband, Michael, died in 1989. Surviving are a son, Michael of East Dover Township; three daughters, Roseann Thompson of the Cliffwood Beach section of Old Bridge, Trish Palehonki of Old Bridge and Maria Puopolo of Jackson; a brother, Vincent Passarelli of Freehold; a sister, Yvonne Cusanelli of Jackson; nine grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter. A Mass was offered at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Old Bridge. Interment was in St. Rose of Lima Cemetery, Freehold Township. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38173-0704.

Claire Jankowski Berecsky

Mrs. Berecsky, 53, of Sayreville, died June 18 in Raritan Bay Medical Center, Old Bridge division. Prior to her retirement, she was employed for five years as a supervisor at Home Depot, Milltown. Surviving are her husband, Frank Berecsky; four sons, Frank and Dominick, both of Keansburg, Steven of Monroe and James of the Parlin section of Sayreville; two brothers, Frank Jankowski of Florida and Stephen Jankowski of Howell; seven sisters, JoAnn Gonzalez of Florida, Susan Gioffre of Parlin, Carol Underwood of North Carolina, Donna Jankowski of Middletown, Melodee Jankowski of Carteret, Rose Trilone of High Bridge and Deborah Hyle of the Forked River section of Lacey; and 10 grandchildren. Services were held at Carmen F. Spezzi Funeral Home, Parlin. Cremation was private.

Erna Feuchtwanger

Mrs. Feuchtwanger, 96, of Freehold, died June 28 at Bartley Manor, Jackson. She was born in Darmstadt, Germany, and had lived in Freehold for many years. Mrs. Feuchtwanger was employed at the Washington Forge Co., Englishtown before her retirement. She was a member of Temple Beth Shalom, Manalapan, and the Deborah Auxiliary. She was the widow of Arthur Feuchtwanger, who died in 1964. Surviving are a son and daughter-in-law, Albert and Betty June Feuchtwanger of Monroe; a grandson; a niece; and a grandniece. Funeral services were held at the Higgins Memorial Home, Freehold, followed by interment at Congregation Sons of Israel Cemetery, Englishtown.