Carolyn Anita Ott, a cherished resident of Rumson for over 70 years, passed away peacefully at the age of 95.
Carlolyn (nee DeDecker) was born on Valentine’s Day, 1930, in North Bergen, NJ. She and her late husband, Edward, moved to Rumson to raise their family and remained deeply rooted in the community for the rest of their lives.
Patricia Kennedy, born Patricia Wegrocki, 83, of Middletown, New Jersey, passed away on Monday, February 9th.
Patricia “Grammy” Roberto passed away peacefully on February 6th with her family by her side. She was born on February 15, 1938 in New York City and moved to the Jersey shore as a young girl. She grew up in Rumson and attended the Lafayette Street School and Rumson Fair Haven Regional high school. Her love of sports developed as a child and would continue throughout her life. She never missed the chance to go to a Bulls game even if she had to fly to get there. She loved watching sports and could talk about her teams with the best of them. She always needed to know when the Yankees were on so she could plan her nights around their games.
Patty met and married the love of her life at 18 years old and remained married for 65 years. She cherished being a stay at home mom so she could always be with her children. She raised her family in Rumson and lived there until 2000 when she moved to Monmouth Beach. Patty loved her little beach cottage and living in Monmouth Beach. You could find her walking through town on any given day always in her perfectly matched outfits. Patty’s greatest accomplishment was the family that she created. She was incredibly proud of her children and loved spending time with them and their friends any chance she could. She loved her family immensely and would spend much of her life attending their practices, sporting events and recitals with great pride and joy. She worked at the grammar school when her grandchildren were little just so she could see them every day. The pride she had for her family was apparent just by seeing the joy they brought her.
Rose Marie Accardi, née Crupi, of Little Silver, N.J. passed away peacefully at home on January 31st, 2026, surrounded by her family. She was 86 years old.
Rose Marie Crupi was born in Long Branch, New Jersey on January 11th, 1940 to Dominic and Isabella Crupi after their emigration from Calabria, Italy with their three sons. She grew up in Red Bank, N.J., where she met her future husband Joseph Accardi as children through her older brother, Mario.
Before she was married, Rose attended Newark State College where she received her Bachelor's degree in education. “Mrs. Accardi” was a dedicated teacher of elementary school and later the after school program, working in schools for almost 60 years.
Dr. Daniel Morgan Ford, a scholar, dedicated community singer, and beloved wordsmith, passed away on January 9, 2026 surrounded by his loving family. He was 83.
A man of sharp intellect and lifelong curiosity, Daniel graduated from Borah High School (Boise, ID) before earning his bachelor’s degree from Oregon State University (Corvallis, OR) where he met his wife of 60 years, Anne Louise Dilworth Ford, followed by his PhD from Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). He concluded a distinguished career as a Senior Clinical Research Manager at Daiichi Sankyo, where his work contributed to the vital advancement of medical research.
James Luke Hinckley, 86, passed away on January 27, 2026. A lifelong resident of NJ, he was born in Jersey City, married and started a family in Hasbrouck Heights, and lived in Middletown and Lincroft for the past 50 years. He leaves behind his loving wife of 62 years, Elaine (nee Espinosa) Hinckley, son Andrew Hinckley and daughter-in-law Kimberly Graziano of Chalfont, PA, and daughter Elizabeth Hinckley, as well as many loving family members and friends.
Jim was a kind, loving, and supremely friendly man who loved being around people. He was a graduate of Rutgers University and worked in business, as a banker, and later as an executive recruiter until retiring two years ago. He believed in service to others, and throughout his life was continuously involved in numerous civic and service organizations. The first of these was as a member of The Order of Demolay in his youth (receiving their highest honor as a Chevelier), through which he made lifelong friends. Through Demolay’s association with The Order of Rainbow For Girls and a little bit of group matchmaking, he met and married Elaine, and became a devoted father to Andrew and Elizabeth.
Joseph Edward Sraeel, Jr., 87, passed away peacefully on January 21, 2026.
Born in Asbury Park, NJ, on October 14, 1938, Joe was a lifelong resident of the Jersey shore, happily residing in Fair Haven, Middletown, Manasquan and, finally, Red Bank. Joseph attended Mt. Carmel elementary school in Asbury Park, St. Rose high school in Belmar where he was class president, and Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. (He was the first in his immigrant Lebanese family to attend university.)
With deep sadness we announce the death of Robert Congell on January 17th, 2026 at the age of 78.
Bob was born in Hazelton, Pennsylvania on November 5th, 1947 and moved with his family to Atlantic Highlands, NJ when he was 6 months old.
He attended St. Agnes Grammar School and Henry Hudson Regional High School both in Atlantic Highlands NJ. Bob proudly served in the United States Navy from 1969 to 1971 on the USS Independence out of Norfolk, VA, and was stationed in the Persian Gulf. Always the rebel Bob chose the Navy even though his father, mother, and brother were all Army Veterans.
