Obituaries

Bonnie McKee Tortora, a resident of Fair Haven NJ passed away to eternal life at the age of 83. Bonnie was born to Nancy Boecking and Carlisle McKee MD in Pittsburgh PA.

She is survived by her husband of 34 years, John J. Tortora D.D.S. Her brother, Carlisle Emerson McKee and her two nephews, Dustin McKee and Erin McKee and her two stepsons Brandon Tortora and Jeremy Tortora. Bonnie was inspired to the Art of painting throughout her youth by the painting of her Grandmother, Mother and Aunt.

Brian Morgan Duddy Jr. passed peacefully on Sunday April 30^th 2023 surrounded by his adoring mother, Kelley, and father, Brian. Brian was born on September 28^th, 1994 in New York City and spent the last 27 years in Fair Haven, NJ. He was a brilliant, sweet, sensitive boy who loved sailing, skiing, golf and spending time at our beach club.

Brian was an exceptional student graduating Rumson Country Day School in 2009, Rumson-Fair Haven High School in 2013 and Lehigh University in 2017.

Eileen A. Sprake, 90, of Middletown, NJ, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Sunday April 30, 2023. She was born and raised in Jersey City, graduating from St. Paul’s Grammar School and Snyder High School. Eileen was a devoted wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend. With her lifelong focus on family, she was the one that you went to in times of trouble and the one you called when you needed a laugh. In her early years, Eileen moved with the family to Newark, NJ, Littleton, MA, Bay Village, OH, and Lincroft, NJ. Upon retirement with her husband, she moved to Toms River, NJ, and then finally back to Middletown, NJ where she received the very best support and care from a new community of friends at Abor Terrace.

Bradley Charles Smith, 58, of Fair Haven, New Jersey, passed away peacefully at his home on April 25, 2023.

Brad grew up in Lake Oswego, Oregon, and Greenwich, Connecticut. He graduated from Greenwich High School and Central Connecticut State University. In February 1997, he married Laurie Meredith, and they would go on to have two children, Teddy and Robby. Over the course of his successful career, Brad held various positions in financial wealth management, most recently at BCS Private Wealth Management in Rumson, New Jersey.

Brad was a talented woodworker, a talent that was generationally passed down from his father and grandfather. His handmade wooden bowls were always the most coveted gifts at Christmas, and people remember what Christmas it was by who was lucky enough to receive Brad’s bowl that year. When not in his woodshop, Brad could be found in the great outdoors, either paddle boarding on the Navesink River, fishing, hiking with family and friends in the Adirondacks, or enjoying a quiet morning under an umbrella at Sea Bright Beach Club. Brad loved taking long walks at the beach with the love of his life - his wife, Laurie.

Paul J. Kimmins, 77, of Shrewsbury, died April 18th at Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank.  Paul was born in Atlantic City and lived in Pennsylvania and California before returning to New Jersey where he resided in Little Silver and Shrewsbury over the last 28 years.

Irene G. Miller, 99, of Oceanport, New Jersey, passed away peacefully on April 17, 2023. Irene was born August 29, 1923 in Clune, Pennsylvania and grew up in Manville, New Jersey. She graduated from Manville High School and worked at Johns Manville as a time keeper.

During WWII she made plane armatures for the government. She went to the Traphagen School of Fashion in New York City for Cartier Dress Making and upon graduating she worked at Main Bouche, New York as a dressmaker for two years. She also worked for Elizabeth Arden for three years as a dress maker.

On Sunday, April 16, 2023, Jean Haviland Denise Rue, mother of three sons, grandmother of ten and great-grandmother of five, passed away at age 90. She was preceded in death by her husband, former mayor of Fair Haven, William Conover Rue, Sr.

Jean was born at Riverview, during the depth of The Depression in 1933, on the day of the first presidential fireside chat by FDR. She was the only child of Edgar Vanderveer Denise and Dorothy Katherine Haviland. Jean was born prematurely weighing in at only 3 lbs and 14 oz. Doctors told her father that neither she nor her mother would survive; both women would live into their 90s.

Jean grew up in Fair Haven. She was a fount of Fair Haven history. Her father served 17 years as the mayor and her husband, Bill, would later serve as mayor and borough administrator. She grew up on the banks of the Navesink River, loved the area and lived all her life there. Jean was a proud graduate of Rumson High School (before it became regionalized) and furthered her education at Centenary College, graduating in 1953.

Ione left us as she wanted. Surrounded by family, bathed in a sea of love, safe in the knowledge that we would be o.k. ! Sad…but ok.

Born and raised in Red Bank, Ione was the second of 4 children to Edith (Albert) and Charles Blake. Family was very important to Ione and she always made sure family knew they were loved. She met and married the love of her life, Ernest (June) Perry. They were married on March 17th 1962. They settled in Tinton Falls and raised 3 boys.

Ione was known all over for her amazing cakes and cookies. She often told stories of the assembly line she set up in her tiny kitchen to make sure everyone in the family got a box of holiday cookies! Weddings, baby showers, birthdays, anniversaries, it didn’t matter the occasion Ione would make a cake……..and not just any cake ! The best cake you EVER tasted!