Obituaries

Li-Chieh “Li” Szema, 88 years, died on November 16^th at Millennium Memory Care in Holmdel, NJ.

Born on January 3, 1930, in Hunan, China, to the late Hsiang‐Shin Szema and C.Y. Lee, he was the youngest of five children and was predeceased by his 3 brothers Li-Wan “Yung Pien”, Li-Wu, Li-Gin, and sister, Li-Chen.

Li fled to Taiwan in 1948 on a ship with his oldest brother’s family during the Communist Revolution and served in the Taiwanese Air Force before graduating from Taiwan Provincial Cheng Kung University. He came to the United States and earned master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering from New Mexico State University and Applied Mechanics from Drexel University and attended Columbia University.  In NYC, he met and married his wife of 54 years, Alice Hsiu-Yun Liu, a doctoral student at NYU, on June 6, 1964.

Milton Badt, Jr., 90, passed away peacefully on November 2, with his beloved wife Lucia by his side.

Milton was born in Elko, Nevada, where he excelled in science, languages and music as a young student, passions that stayed with him throughout his life.  He won the prestigious Westinghouse Science Award, achieved the rank of Eagle Scout and spent memorable summers working as a cowhand at his beloved Uncle Selby’s ranch. He attended Harvard University and Stanford University, where he studied engineering and languages and then went on to serve in the United States Navy during the Korean War as an officer aboard the USS Helena. His knowledge of radar, electrical systems, gift for teaching and ability to speak fluent French, German, Spanish and Italian led him to a 32-year career with AT&T Bell Labs, Western Electric and Lucent Technology, including a stint at the 1980 Summer Olympics where he was a technical translator for the international press corps.   It was his fluency in Italian that brought him to Udine, Italy as part of the NATO Alliance, where - while on a lunch break from teaching NIKE radar systems at the Aviano Air Force Base -  he met the love of his life, Lucia Margarita Giacomini.

Phyllis A. D'Alessandro, 90, passed away peacefully in her sleep on November 9, 2018, just days short of her 91st birthday.  Born the middle child to Edith and Orazio D'Alesssando in Newark, New Jersey, she spent most of her life living in Manasquan. She graduated from St. Elizabeth's College, Convent Station, New Jersey and worked in civil service. 

She was lovingly known by her family as "Auntie" and was a talented artist and lover of cats. Her genuine kindness and generosity touched the lives of everyone who knew her.

She is survived by her sister, Carmel DeFabio, and brother, Edward D'Alessandro, as well as many nieces and nephews and their families too. She will be missed and always remembered as a very special, one-of-a kind Auntie.

Visitation will begin at 9 a.m. at Thompson Memorial Home, 310 Broad St, Red Bank, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, November 14 at the Church of the Nativity, Fair Haven. Interment at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in East Orange immediately following the Mass.  

Matthew Callahan, 23, of Little Silver, NJ, succumbed to his heroic battle with ALS on Thursday, November 8, 2018. He was born in Long Branch, NJ, and was a graduate of the Ranney School in Tinton Falls in 2013. He attended Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development at New York University studying music technology. By trade, Matthew was an audio engineer working as an independent contractor for various sound design and production companies. Most recently, he was also employed at Pulse Stage Lighting in Union, NJ.

Matthew was an accomplished musician, with a passion for writing, playing, and recording music. His great love of the ocean was reflected in all of his favorite activities. Matthew’s beautiful and inspired saltwater fish tanks were reflections of his love for aquatic life. Matthew traveled extensively to places such as the Galápagos Islands, Fiji, and the Mediterranean, and in each location, his vigor and enthusiasm for being on and in the water was exhibited through activities such as scuba diving, jet skiing, and swimming. His great creativity was most evident in his train displays. Matthew found joy in model railroads and designing intricate towns and communities surrounding both garden and indoor train sets.

Richard Canneto, age 80, passed away on November 2, 2018.

Richard was born in Long Branch, NJ in 1938 to the late Vincenzo and Letizia Canneto.  The youngest of eight children, he was predeceased by his brothers Frank, James, John and Samuel as well as sisters Louise Foggia and Mary Petro.  Surviving is his sister Anna Payne of Texas.

Richard retired in 1995 as Deputy Chief of The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office. Prior to his career at the Prosecutor's Office, Richard served as a police officer for the Little Silver Police Department and was a member of the U.S. Army National Guard, Fort Dix.  Many friends and coworkers considered him "a true friend, a good detective and a great man."

Edward H. Acosta, of Middletown, passed peacefully to Eternal Life on November 6^th, 2018 at Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank. He was the only child of Meta and Eduardo Acosta. Edward was born in New York City. He attended Stuyvesant High School. He served in the U.S. Army and Army Reserve. He graduated from Pace University.

After living in the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens he moved his family to Middletown, New Jersey. Before retiring he worked in the banking industry at Franklin Savings Bank, American Savings Bank  where he was always a huge hit playing Santa Claus and then finally at First Union Bank (as he called it the “FU” bank).

Elizabeth Miller Ellwood peacefully passed away on November 1, 2018 at the Atrium at Navesink Harbor at the age of 84. She was born in Elizabeth, NJ and was a graduate of The Vail-Deane School, Bradford Jr. College, and Katharine Gibbs, Boston. She married Richard S. Ellwood in 1958 who passed away in 2011  She was predeceased by her parents Alan and Margaret Miller, her two brothers, Alan and Edwin Miller and her two children, Deborah and Alexander Ellwood.  Her brother, David Miller, her daughter Sarah Ellwood Opler and her son-in-law, Eddie Opler all survive her.  In addition she is survived by seven grandchildren Arthur Ellwood, Benjamin and Natalie Ellwood and Sophie, Chloe, Phoebe and Teddy Opler.

Marion DiVestea passed peacefully to Eternal Life on October 31, 2018 at Bayside Manor in Keansburg.  Born Marion Jean on January 9, 1925 at Monmouth Memorial in Long Branch, she was the daughter of the late Lester and Julia (Lynch) Davis.

Marion lived in Red Bank and attended St. James Grammar School until her dad passed away and she and her mom moved to the Bronx where she met the love of her life Daniel DiVestea playing stick-ball in the street outside their apartment building.  After she graduated from Evander Childs High School in the Bronx, Marion was a clerk at American Express in Manhattan and then a secretary at the Singer Sewing Machine Company in their Latin American department for eleven years.  Daniel served in the Navy during WWII and they were married on September 4, 1949.  In 1960 Daniel was stricken with MS and in 1963 they moved back to her beloved hometown of Red Bank with their two daughters where Marion lovingly cared for him until his death in 1979.  Marion went back to secretarial work after Danny died; first for a Red Bank law firm and eventually for the Communication Media Department at Brookdale Community College where she retired in 1997 to care for her mother Julia and stepdad Theodore Tolendino until their passing in 1997 and 1998.  Marion lived for six years at Applewood Estates in Freehold before moving to Bayside Manor in 2013.  Marion was always a kind loving caregiver and we were privileged to have her in our lives for so many years. 

Elizabeth “Betty” Shuster Kiely, age 89, of Little Silver, NJ and most recently of Charlottesville, VA passed away on October 30, 2018.  Betty was born in Morrisville, PA on August 26, 1929 and spent her childhood years there.  She later moved to Plainfield, NJ and attended Plainfield High School. She graduated from Centenary College 2-year program and continued her education at Bucknell University and graduated from the University of Miami.  She forever considered herself a Bucknellian.

While attending Bucknell she met William Russell “Ed” Kiely, whom she married in 1951.  They wed at Crescent Presbyterian Church in Plainfield, NJ. Betty was married to Ed for 58 wonderful years.  She spent the majority of those years living in Fair Haven while raising their four children.  Later she moved to Little Silver and resided there for 15 years.  She moved to Charlottesville to live with her daughter, Beth, and family in 2015.  Betty was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.  She was a member of Rumson Presbyterian Church where she served as a Deacon. She volunteered for the American Cancer Society, was a member of Navesink Country Club, and loved the game of golf.  She was proud of her family lineage from William Rittenhouse, America’s First Papermaker, and was a member of The Daughters of The American Revolution. 

Hamilton (Peter) Shippee, 85, of Rumson, NJ, passed away peacefully on October 28, 2018, at his Rumson home.  Peter was born in New York, NY; son of the late Winsor Shippee and Elizabeth Hamilton Hurd. He was raised in Fair Haven and Rumson, NJ. He attended Rumson Country Day School, Vermont Academy, and graduated in 1951 from Rumson Fair Haven Regional High School.  He briefly studied at Duke University, soon to leave in 1952 to serve as an Army Sergeant in the Korean War as a member of the United States Army Heavy Mortar Company. After receiving an honorable discharge in 1954, he resumed his education graduating from Duke University in 1957 and later graduating from Dartmouth College Graduate School of Finance in 1968.