Obituaries

Lucia Badt (Shrewsbury, formerly Morristown) 

Lucia Margherita Giacomini Badt, 81, passed away on August 28th at the Brandywine Sycamore in Shrewsbury.

Born in Udine, in the Fruilian region of Italy, Lucia grew up in the small village of Tomba di Mereto, daughter of Alfonsina and Domenico Giacomini.  She was known for her vivacity, humor and wit, her sense of style, her love of friends, her sharp intelligence and her radiant beauty.  In 1961, while on a break from her work as a secretary, she met the love of her life, Milton Badt, Jr. in a café in Piazza Liberta.  As Milton would often say, “I lit her cigarette and we have been on fire ever since.”  Lucia and Milton married, and in the first years, lived in Italy and Germany, eventually moving to the United States, where they settled in northern New Jersey, raising their three children in Parsippany.

You were mine for a moment in time and though you left before your time, your memory will live on forever to those of us you have left behind.  One day our souls will join together again until the end of time.

Jonathan James Fontanetta, 2 mos, of Red Bank, passed away on September 7, 2019.  He was a beloved son, grandson, nephew and cousin.  Jonathan is survived by his adoring parents Michael R. Fontanetta and Gina M. Fontanetta; brothers Michael V. Fontanetta (11) and Christian J. Fontanetta (4); grandparents Vincent J. Soviero and Elaine M. Soviero; as well as numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.  He will be loved and remembered eternally in our hearts and in our minds.

Selina Ann Ferriso (the bear), 54, of Holmdel, passed away on September 10, 2019.  Selina was born in Queens, NY, to Robert and Teresa Ferriso.  She was a graduate of DeVry University and was an Auditor and Analyst for Hackensack Meridian Health in Tinton Falls.

She enjoyed her vacations in the sun with drink in hand and toes in the sand.

Selina is predeceased by her parents.  She is survived by her partner of thirty years Mark Bates of Holmdel; her son Glenn Ferriso of Hazlet; her brother Michael Ferriso and his partner Thomas Brazil of  CA; her sister Lisa Ferriso of Middletown; her nephews Jake and Luke Bruno; her grandnephew Chase Bruno; her many friends  and her dog Petey.

She was loved by many and will be dearly missed.

Margaret Wilson Richards of Tinton Falls, originally Lincroft, passed away peacefully Tuesday, September 10, 2019. She was born in Kearny, NJ to the late John Wilson and Felicia Ballantyne Wilson.

Margaret was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, Glenn A. Richards and her brother David Wilson.  

She is survived by her daughter Marjorie Murphy of Townsend, TN, and her daughter and son-in-law Jane and Joseph Sole of Red Bank. Margaret is also survived by her grandchildren, Christopher Sole and wife Tiina Magi-Sole of Mt. Pleasant, SC and Amanda Reuter and husband Richard Reuter of Lincroft, and three great-grandchildren, Kristjan and Kajsa Sole and Charlotte Reuter.  Also surviving are Margaret’s brother and sister-in-law, Alexander and Bridget Wilson of Little Egg Harbor, a sister-in-law, Helen Wilson, Latham, NY, and many nieces and nephews.

Howard Heinsius was born in Union City, New Jersey on June 3, 1925 and lived in Rumson for over 40 years before moving to Thornbrooke in Shrewsbury.

Howard had a distinguished career in the hotel and travel profession. After graduating from the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University in 1950, he worked in various capacities in two major New York City hotels until 1952, when he moved to Red Bank to become the Sales and Marketing Director of the Berkeley-Carteret Hotel in Asbury Park and later become part of the overall management group.

In 1956, he joined Needham and Grohmann, the largest advertising agency in the country specializing in hotel, resort and hospitality accounts with offices in 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York. He personally oversaw many prestigious accounts including Hilton Hotels, all Rockefeller resorts, the islands of Nassau and Trinidad, the Greenbrier, the Homestead, and many others.

Howard become president and CEO of the agency in 1971, overseeing a staff of 50 and accounts in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, South America, the Philippines and Europe. In 1978 he purchased the company. In 1991, he merged the agency with another travel advertising agency in Orlando and become president of the New York division.

James M. Weil, Jr. (known as Michael or Mike), age 87, died peacefully on August 31^st.  He spent his childhood in Rochester, NY where he attended The Harley School, graduated in the class of “49 from Phillips Exeter Academy, and attended Oberlin College. After serving in the US Army at Fort Monmouth, he earned his degree from Columbia School of Engineering. With three other partners, Michael started a business in Red Bank, Seals Eastern, Inc., where he worked for fifty years.

Michael was active in the community, serving as Chairman of the Board of the Count Basie Theater during the early years of its revitalization. He was on the Board of the Oceanic Library and the Sea Bright Lawn Tennis and Cricket Club, and a member of the Seabright Beach Club. He especially enjoyed being with family and friends, playing tennis, boat rides, traveling on music cruises, and “fixing things” at which he was an expert. His puns were legendary.

Catherine Guarna, 80 of Henderson, NV passed away on August 12th, 2019, one day before her 81st birthday. She was born, married and raised three children in Brooklyn, NY before moving to Henderson in 2000.

Catherine is survived by her Loving Husband of 52 years, Gino; Her son Anthony, wife Debra and their children Gregory and Lauren of Brewster, NY;  Her son Salvatore, wife Lindsey and son Luca of Long Branch, NJ; and her daughter Gina Marie of Henderson, NV. She is also survived by her beloved sisters-in-law, brother-in-law, nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends who will all miss her dearly.

On August 26, 2019, Doris J. Carter, loving mother, grandmother, and great grandmother died at the age of 91. Doris was born in Newark, NJ and lived most of her life in Eatontown, NJ. She was married to Harold “Bud” Carter for 54 years. She was the mother of Glenn William Carter, Navesink and Deborah Lynn Schmidt, Little Silver.

Doris was known for her quick wit right until the end, keeping her caregivers laughing. She always had a vegetable garden and was an excellent cook, canning what she grew. She adored her two grandchildren and would spend hours on end playing games and baking with them. She couldn’t draw to save her soul, which kept her grandchildren in stitches.

Lisa Raimondo-Nowell of Tinton Falls passed away suddenly on August 30, 2019. She was born in Jersey City, NJ to Daniel and Rose Raimondo and raised in Edison, NJ. Lisa was a true free spirit who lived a life of adventure. She graduated Kean University and became an entrepreneur at the early age of 23 starting her first business, a salon and spa. She went on to create a jewelry packaging company, RaGar, in Ocean Township. Her clientele ranged nationwide with factories in Thailand and inland China. She sold her company in 2016, only to have a successful career in real estate with Gloria Neilson in Ocean Township.

William Arthur Gemmel Jr. (“Bill”), of Oceanport, New Jersey, passed away suddenly on Monday, August 26, 2019, at the age of 76, with his loving wife of 55 years by his side.  Born in Brooklyn, New York, Bill was the son of William Arthur Gemmel Sr., and Corrinna Vernon Gemmel.

Bill was predeceased by his parents.  Surviving are his wife and high school sweetheart, Jill Hammersley Gemmel, his three children, Patti Tait of Rumson, NJ, Pam Chandler of Rumson, NJ, and Bill Gemmel III, of San Francisco, CA, as well as his brothers, Charlie Gemmel of Egg Harbor Township, NJ, and Doug Gemmel of Victor, ID.  Bill was a wonderful uncle to seven nieces and nephews, Lisa, Rob, Laurie, Alexis, Jim, JC, and Taylor. A beloved “Grampy,” he also was blessed with nine grandchildren, Spencer, Bradley, Jillian, Morgan, Brooks, Hayden, Zoe, Wills and Becks.

Bill grew up in Linwood, NJ where he had an idyllic childhood on the beach and the ball field. He played shortstop for Brighton Farms during the inaugural Linwood Little League game, followed by a successful career, in the same position, as an Ocean City High School Red Raider.  Bill graduated in 1961 from Ocean City High School, where he met and fell in love with his wife Jill. They married on November 11,1964 and moved to New York where he attended Wagner College and New York University.