Obituaries

Jeffrey Hall Dobken, MD, MPH, age 77, passed peacefully Tuesday, October 26th, 2021, surrounded by his beloved family, after a 6-year battle with Multiple Myeloma. Jeffrey would be described by many as a renaissance man of the highest caliber— Doctor, Certified Bioethicist, Professor, Writer, Public Health Expert, Lifelong Athlete and Ultramarathon Runner. Loving father, husband, brother and healer… A true intellect and community leader, Dr. Dobken’s Asthma, Allergy & Immunology Practice “The Respiratory Group” is where he poured his heart and soul, caring for the beloved residents of Monmouth County (and beyond, some traveling 2 hours each way, weekly) for 35+ years. He was a deeply caring, kind, and witty physician who is accredited with saving a number of lives. His thorough attention to detail and desire to heal left his patients feeling fulfilled and deeply attached. Nothing stopped him from doing the right thing. He extended the same compassion and wisdom to his family. 

On Sunday, October 24, 2021, Suzon (Suzi) Ziegler Mathis passed into eternal rest. Suzi was born to the late Samuel J and Kathleen S Ziegler at Chestnut Hill Hospital, Philadelphia, PA in 1940. She was raised in Ocean Grove, Ocean Township and Interlaken, NJ.

Suzi graduated from Long Branch High School in 1958 and Glassboro State College (Rowan University) in 1962. In 1974 she married Lester H. Mathis and they made their home in Little Silver since that time.

She taught first, second and third grades at the Garfield School in Long Branch, NJ, retiring in 1994 after 32 years of dedicated service to her students. An avid devotee of cross stitch and needlepoint the walls of her home were filled with her work. She also was an amazing jewelry creator. But her main joy in retirement was the collecting of Dolls and stuffed animals which graced the entire home. Her emphasis was on Lee Middleton and Laura Tuzio Ross creations. Many pleasant hours were filled with attending to the care of her dolls.

Judith D. Wolf (Nee Barrett) “Judy” of Rumson, NJ passed away peacefully at home on October 23, 2021. Born in Perth Amboy, she was raised in Keyport with her seven siblings and two loving parents. Judy graduated from Keyport High School in 1964.

Judy married the love of her life; William in 1975, they spent 38 amazing years together. Together they raised their two sons in Shrewsbury before moving to Rumson in 1995. Judy was a constant help and companion to her husband in the early days of their company, Motion Systems Corporation.

Judy was a homemaker, amazing gourmet cook and enjoyed traveling with her family and friends. She was especially fond of the New York Times Crossword puzzles. In fact, she was a near professional placing first in The American Crossword Puzzle Tournament in 2017. She was also an avid reader of personal family history, and enjoyed leisure reading. Judy loved spending time with her children, grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. “Grammy” will be dearly missed. She is now laughing and dancing with her husband in heaven.

Dr. Frederick Charles Blades, a much beloved ophthalmologist in Red Bank, NJ, for over 40 years, passed away Friday, March 26, 2021. He was 78 years old. To honor this man, a Memorial Gathering will be held at Thompson Memorial Home, 310 Broad St, Red Bank, NJ, on Saturday, October 30th from 9am-12pm.  All visitors must wear facial masks.  

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Royalda Theresa (Boadway) Parany on Sunday, November 8, 2020 at Riverview Hospital, Red Bank, New Jersey at the age of 95. During her final day, Royalda was surrounded by her loved ones, including her children and their families, including talking to family members via Facetime.

Royalda was born in Malone, New York on August 4, 1925 and she graduated from Franklin Academy in 1944. While visiting her sister in Passaic, New Jersey, she met the love of her life Michael K. Parany through a blind date. They were married on December 27, 1947 during the Great Blizzard of ‘47. Mike and “Roy” as they were affectionately called,by their many longtime friends, were very active in the Boy’s club of PassaicClifton, hosting many trips and Christmas Parties for the boys, they were also very active in the Local VFW often volunteering for fundraisers throughout the year, and were active in the local Democratic Party Organization helping with campaigns and on election night Mike assisted people to get polling places and Roy helped at the polls. She was also very active in the Rosary Society at St Claire’s Church in Clifton, New Jersey.

Patricia Grignard, 82, passed away peacefully on Monday, October 11, 2021, after a 3-year battle with Leukemia.

Pat was born in Worcester, Mass, to the late James Patrick Loughlin and Annette Amy Dubuc. She was the oldest of six children. She went to St. Peter’s High School and attended Clark University. She shared her father’s passion for the democratic party as he was a long-time labor leader.

She married Emile Grignard and moved to Colts Neck, NJ in 1969 but never lost her Massachusetts accent. She was a great mother, wife, sister, and friend to many. She cherished family time above all. She loved preparing holiday dinners. She was a great listener and was therefore the first person many would call. She had a very keen sense of intuition and provided great advice. She always kept up on current events in the daily paper and on CNN, MSNBC and loved a good political debate.

Dorothy A. Dalton (Dottie), 75, passed away unexpectedly on 10/10/21. She grew up in Red Bank, NJ and was a graduate of Red Bank Regional HS in 1964 and Monmouth County Vocational School for practical nursing in 1965.

In her 50-year career as a dedicated nurse she first worked at Riverview Hospital, Red Bank, and then in the CCU at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch. Before retiring from MMC in 2015, she worked as a Heart Monitor Tech there.

Carmel DeFabio (nee D’Alessandro), 97, previously of Short Hills, NJ, and Sanibel, Florida, passed away peacefully at her home in Silver Beach, NJ, on October 6^th.

Born in Newark, NJ, she was the eldest daughter of Orazio and Aida D’Alessandro. She attended Westside High School and graduated from Douglas College in 1945.

She married her husband of 69 years in 1948 and together; they raised their four sons in Short Hills.

Affectionately known as Nana by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, she loved sharing pictures from her college yearbook, telling stories about her summers in Massachusetts, and watching old movies. She was a talented baker, wonderful bridge player, avid theater fan, loved reading, and she always saved room for dessert! She was a parishioner of St. Pio in Lavallette.

John Oliver Byren, 88, of Rumson, NJ and Jensen Beach, FL died peacefully at home on October 1st, 2021, surrounded by his family in Rumson, NJ.  “Pop Pop”, as he was known to his grandchildren, was raised in Germantown, PA and Ocean City, NJ.  He attended the William Penn Charter School and Lehigh University before serving in the United States Army, where he was a company commander in Germany. 

Ryan Patrick Martin of Shrewsbury, NJ, passed away suddenly on September 28, 2021. He was born in Red Bank, NJ, and resided in Shrewsbury for most of his life. Ryan was a graduate of Shrewsbury Boro School, Red Bank Regional High School and St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA. Ryan was employed as Director of Recruiting for Fusion Recruiting Labs in Middletown, NJ. Prior to that Ryan acquired his Series 7 and 66 licenses and was a financial planner for Merrill Lynch in Baltimore, MD.

Ryan leaves behind his parents, Kenneth and Cathy Martin of Shrewsbury; his sister Katelyn Moliver and brother-in-law Harrison Moliver of Atlantic Highlands, NJ; his sister Kelly Martin and future brother-in-law Austin Dam of Neptune City, NJ and his younger brother Corey Martin, also of Shrewsbury; as well as several aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and his longtime girlfriend Sharon Zitzman.