Obituaries - Thompson Memorial Home

Rachael Twigg

Rachael Twigg, 42 of Highlands, NJ born June 3, 1980 passed away Thursday July 28, 2022 of Breast Cancer. She is survived by her husband, Christopher Moran, and their children Scottie and Clancy. She was the daughter of Barbara Johnson Twigg of Red Bank, and the late Robert Scott Twigg of Little Silver. Rachael is also survived by siblings, a sister, Jennifer Spagnuolo of Monmouth Beach; brothers, Lee Hoagland of Long Branch; Shawn Hoagland of Fair Haven, along with 5 nieces, 1 nephew, a bunch of aunts, uncles and first cousins.

Rachael was born in Miami Beach, FL although lived most of her childhood in Avon-by-the-Sea, NJ. Rachael attended Red Bank Regional H.S. and was a starter on the Girls Basketball 1998 D3 State Champion Team that was later inducted into the RBR Hall of Fame in 2018. In 2003 she graduated UNC, Charlotte with a BA degree in Literature. Rachael went on to Patterson Teaching Academy 2004-2006, then taught at Lakewood High School 2006-2012, then at Neptune City Middle School from 2012-2022. During her tenure Rachael coached girls basketball. Rachael had a strong passion for reading and writing. She is described as a teacher who gained respect from her students through being an active listener to their specific needs for them to be able to learn.

Anthony Thomas Bruno

Anthony Thomas Bruno, age 85, died peacefully Friday, July 22, 2022 at Opis Bridgeview Center in Ormond Beach, Florida. He was born at Riverview Hospital in Red Bank, NJ to Thomas and Lucia Bruno and resided in Little Silver for most of his life. After graduating Red Bank High School (RBHS) in 1951, Anthony attended the University of Notre Dame where he graduated with magna cum laude honors in 1960 and completed law school in 1961. While at Notre Dame, Anthony met his beloved wife, Claudia, and they were married on September 28, 1963.

Over the next 35 years, Anthony built his law practice at the firm of Reussille, Mausner, Carotenuto, Bruno, Barger Esq. During that time, Anthony volunteered in multiple capacities for Little Silver including councilman, mayor, and as a life member of the Little Silver Volunteer Fire Co. He served on various boards including the Monmouth County Mental Health Association, the NJ Association for Mental Health and the Center for Vocational Rehabilitation. After serving Little Silver’s local government for decades, Anthony was appointed in May 1996 to be a New Jersey Administrative Law Judge until his retirement in 2005.

Patrick J. Farmer

A certain sparkle on this good earth dimmed on July 26^th when Patrick J. Farmer passed on while under Hospice at Riverview Medical Center. He was born in the living room of his newly immigrated parents’ Newark, NJ home on April 22, 1944. Pat’s 78 years brought to many his unselfish gifts of laughter, kindness, enthusiasm, song, dance and knowledge. Pat, a graduate of Walsh College in Canton, Ohio, personally brightened thousands of lives within his 44-year tenure as a teacher of Spanish at Red Bank Catholic High School. Not only did he instruct the language, but conveyed his first-hand knowledge of the many facets of Spain and Mexico to his students. He had studied the history and cultures, in addition to extensive travels in the countries. His grateful former students are now living around the world.

Pat had a curious side to him which prompted his life-long learning of the English language, and the many gifts of nature found in flowers, the sea, and birds, about which he had an extensive knowledge of species.

Mary Torrisi Cole

Mary Torrisi Cole, age 75, passed away peacefully at her home in Neptune, NJ on July 25, surrounded by her family.

Mary was born in New Brunswick on July 23, 1947 to the late Angelo Torrisi and Jennie Anastasi Torrisi. In addition to her parents, Mary is predeceased by her son Jonathan Cole.

Mary received a St. Elizabeth’s Nursing School degree, and later continued her studies at Georgian Court, graduating Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Psychology. She combined these studies in her passionate work as a Psychiatric Nurse, serving the Monmouth County community for many years until her retirement.

Stephen Surico

Stephen Surico, 71, beloved husband of the late Sandra Abouzeid Surico, passed away at their home in Little Silver on July 21, in the loving care of his grand-daughter Lucia Abouzeid and her partner Josh Kim. Although he had no children of his own, he was cherished as a father and grandfather to the many members of his extended family and will be deeply missed by all.

He was born in Italy, and grew up in Syosset, New York, with his brother John and sister Margo. He was a professional electrician and loved to tell stories of the grand buildings in New York City that he helped to wire. Stephen’s passion, however, was art. He was an accomplished sculptor and painter, and an avid art historian. He credited his high-school art teacher with encouraging him to pursue what turned out to be a life-long journey of creativity that touched everyone who met him.

John Joseph Duffy

John Joseph Duffy died peacefully in his sleep on July 12, 2022 at age 87. John was born April 26, 1935 in Newark, New Jersey to Josephine Zwigard Duffy and Charles Duffy and grew up in Short Hills. He graduated from St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark and went on to Villanova University in Pennsylvania, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering. He then went to work for Englehardt Industries in Washington, DC. John met the love of his life, Marcella Gail O’Neill in 1960. They married in 1962 and had two children before moving back to New Jersey in 1964 where they had three more children. John and his family lived in West Orange and South Orange prior to settling in Locust in 1978 and then Red Bank in 2020.

In New Jersey, John joined the family business, John Duffy Fuel Company in Newark, which was started by his grandfather. There, John worked alongside his father and brother, Charles Sr. and Charles Jr., providing fuel services to the surrounding community. John was a member and past president of the Essex County Fuel Dealers Association and a member of the NJ Fuel Merchants Association.

The Honorable Benedict Robert Nicosia

The Honorable Benedict Robert Nicosia, 101, passed away peacefully at home on July 9, 2022. Judge Nicosia was born to Robert and Anna (Carotenuto) in Brooklyn, New York, and he lived in Red Bank since 1923. He attended the Red Bank school system and earned a reputation as a lightweight boxer in his teenage years. In 1942 he enlisted in the U.S. Army Signal Corp and served in England during World War II. After the war, he graduated with a B.A. from Rutgers University and an LL.B. from Rutgers School of Law. Thereafter, he was admitted to the New Jersey Bar, and he joined the Quinn, Doremus, McCue, and Russell law firm.

Judge Nicosia was a member and trustee of the Monmouth County and New Jersey Bar Associations and the County Legal Aid Society. He served as Mayor of Red Bank for two terms from 1962-1965. In 1978 he was appointed by-then Governor Brendan Byrne to the Superior Court of New Jersey and sat in the Family, Civil, and Criminal Divisions for 10 years, the last three years as the presiding judge of the Criminal Division.

Maryann Crowley (nee Zuchowski)

Maryann Crowley (nee Zuchowski), 79, of Tinton Falls, passed away on Saturday, July 08, 2022 at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center, in Neptune City, NJ. She was born in 1942, in Bayonne, NJ, to John and Anna (Messina) Zuchowski. She married Charles Crowley, in September of 1972, who preceded her in death in 2021.

Surviving are her daughter Jennifer; her grandson Grayson, one brother John; nieces and nephews, Jonathan, Tracey, Jason, and Amy. Her Father and Mother preceded her in death.

Diane Letcher Shaw

Diane Letcher Shaw of Fair Haven, NJ, died peacefully attended by her two daughters, on Thursday, June 30, 2022. She was 93.

Diane was born on March 7, 1929, in Interlaken, NJ. She was the daughter of the late Vyvyan Paul Letcher and Elsie Judd Letcher. Diane graduated from Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts. After traveling abroad Diane settled in New York City working in advertising.

She was married to Edward Benedict Shaw for twenty-six years and had three children, Frederick, Barbara and Elizabeth.

Diane was an active member of St. George’s by the River for over 60 years. She served on the altar guild and chaired the Cantebury Fair. She was on the board of the Monmouth County ASPCA and the Auxiliary League. Di was the life of the party, an avid gardener, a passionate animal lover, a competitive bridge and tennis player, opera buff, crossword puzzle whiz and a worldwide traveler.

Karl D. Kolarsick II

Karl D. Kolarsick II of Daniel Island, SC passed away on June 26, 2022 at the age of 70 surrounded by love. Karl was born in 1952 to Dr. Albert J. and Patricia Kolarsick and raised in Shrewsbury, NJ. He was proud to have graduated from St. James Grammar School (‘66), Christian Brothers Academy (‘70), and the Daniels College of Business at University of Denver (‘75). In 1980, after years of managing other independent restaurants, Karl and his brother, Albert, purchased Eggimann’s Tavern in Spring Lake Heights, NJ, which Karl proudly owned and operated until his retirement in 2006.

James F. Butler Jr.

James F. Butler, Jr. passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family on July 3, 2022. He was a life-long resident of Fair Haven, recently relocating to Rumson. Jim was a second generation Fair Havenite whose grandparents settled there in the 1890’s. He was a proud “Casey” graduating from Red Bank Catholic in 1954. He served in the Army Reserves in the late 1950’s. In 1961 Jim married Josephine Phillips of Red Bank and raised their 3 children in Fair Haven. Jim was employed by the Red Bank Register where he worked in the press room and after retiring, started his own painting business.

Jim’s dedication to Fair Haven was demonstrated in many ways throughout his life. He served on the Recreation Commission, coached baseball for many years, volunteered at the annual 6^th Grade Stokes trip and ushered at The Church of the Nativity for over 40 years. He was most proud to be part of the Fair Haven Fire Company, where he was a member for 56 years and was given the distinguished honor of being named a Life Member. He held many offices including past President, President of the Relief Association, Chairman of then Fireman’s Fair personnel and many other committees.