Obituaries

John K. Keenan (Jack), 88, of Little Silver passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, August 4 after a short stay at Riverview Hospital.

A Navy veteran, Jack circled the globe twice and saw naval combat during the Korean War. After an honorable discharge, he worked as a fireman at NWS Earle for several years before joining the US Postal Service where he worked for over forty years, first in Red Bank and then in Little Silver. He loved talking with patrons and knew everyone in town, although he jokingly referred to himself as “Oscar the Grouch”.

After his retirement, Jack kept busy, and in touch with the community, through several part time jobs (including working as an usher for Thompson Memorial Home) and volunteer work. He was an usher at St. James RC Church in Red Bank and did volunteer food delivery for The Center in Asbury Park for many years.

Joseph T. Walsh, III, 61, of Shrewsbury, died suddenly at home on Monday morning, August 2. He was a graduate of Red Bank Catholic High School and Northeastern University. A resident of Shrewsbury since 1991, Joe was on the town Zoning Board for 10 years, and also served as an integral member of the Shrewsbury Recreation Committee and the Shrewsbury Youth Athletic Association.

Joe has worked for J. Fletcher Creamer and Son for 26 years, becoming the first non-Creamer family member to hold the position of president, was named COO in 2016, and then CEO in 2020. He grew the company by creating a culture rooted in his strong work ethic and selfless approach to customer service. In 2016 he facilitated the sale of Creamer to API Group and was subsequently selected by API to lead their Specialty & Industrial service segments, overseeing 15 companies throughout North America. Joe served as president of the Utility and Transportation Contractors Association (UTCA) of New Jersey in 2012-2013 and 2018-2019, and was an executive member on the association’s board for many years. He started the NJ Chapter of the National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA) in 2020 and served as its board president. He was also a trustee for the Heavy Highway Laborer’s Fund Local 172/472.

Stella Rohrmann (neé Chirchillo) was born on October 18, 1923, and grew up in Elizabeth, NJ. Her lifetime wish was to be a nurse, but though her dream was unattainable, she always tried to make sure her children respected the education she was unable to complete and spent her life as nurse/caretaker to her 5 children and 6 grandchildren, inviting anyone brought home through the years to eat at her table, stay in her home, and become part of the family. 

As a young woman, she sang in operettas, played badminton, rode horses, survived tuberculosis, worked at the Singer factory as a bookkeeper, and fell in love at age 18 with a German-born machinist, also at Singer, who decided to join the US Army in 1942 to help defeat a German named Hitler. Her new husband brought Mom to Germany after the war; she set up household while he interrogated Nazi war criminals at Nuremberg. Mom learned a new language and culture, made lifelong friends, and began her life as an army wife, with two of her children born in the country her husband helped liberate. Her German skills never left her, but her children are grateful that her kitchen remained Italian. 

Raymond John Chrisner passed away peacefully at home on July 22, 2021. He was born August 10, 1942, to Frances and Michael Fill, later adopted by Marlen Chrisner. Ray was raised in Youngstown and Detroit. In 1968, he graduated second in his class from Wayne State University with a BS in electrical engineering and received his Masters in electrophysics from the Polytechnic Institute of New York. Ray’s career ranged from studying the effects of nuclear fallout on computers for Booz Allen to overseeing the installation of underwater fiber-optic cables for AT&T and Tyco. His work brought him around the globe on countless international business trips.

Joyce E. Scanlon (nee Nelson) passed away on 7/20/21. She was born in Kearny, New Jersey and graduated from Kearny High, where she was the drum majorette leading the ‘Kardinal’ marching band at every parade. After high school she attended Bucknell University, focusing on creative writing and a general pursuit of greater knowledge as a member of Delta Zeta sorority. After school, she worked for Blue Cross in Newark before marrying Martin J. Scanlon in 1957, who moved in across the street from her on Stuyvesant Ave. They relocated to Fair Haven and immersed themselves in the community, while raising four children. Joyce worked in the Fair Haven school system for many years, coached girls’ softball, and volunteered in any way she could. She also was an avid participant in Boy Scouts, beginning as a den mother, then working endless summers at Quail Hill Camp as the Arts & Crafts Director until she was awarded scout’s highest honor from the Monmouth County Council.

Joseph F. Hegner of Little Silver, died on Sunday, July 18^th, 2021 at Jersey Shore University Hospital. He was born in Arlington NJ, the son of Joseph & Alice Hegner, and he is survived by his wife of fifty years Maryleigh Hegner; his son, Andrew (Rachel); and two daughters Allison and Lauren (Alex), as well as his beloved grandchildren, Wyatt, Amelia, Reese and Abigail. 

Joe was raised in Arlington, NJ. He attended St. Benedicts Preparatory School and went on to graduate from Rutgers University. After serving in the US ARMY, he began his career at United Airlines. Loving both the airline industry and traveling, he remained with United for the next 45 years, which included executing all travel arrangements for the New York Giants.

Besides being an avid Giants fan, he loved Jazz, Big Band music, traveling and the beach.

David Charles Gray was a Navy Vietnam Veteran and a Registered Nurse.  He passed away on July 13, 2021.

David was President of the Class of 1985 of the Charles E. Gregory School of Nursing at Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy.  He was Board Certified in General Nursing Practice by the American Nurses Credentialing Center in Washington, DC and was a graduate of the Monmouth County Vocational School as a C.N.A. in 1973 and as an L.P.N. in 1980 through a full State Scholarship.   He dedicated his entire life to the care and wellbeing of others. As a child it was said if he didn’t straighten out, he would end up in Marlboro or in Prison.  As it turned out, he was head nurse at both facilities.

He worked at Marlboro from 1977 until 1988.  He worked in corrections at the Monmouth County Correctional Jail from 1990 until his retirement in 2013.  He was night Charge Nurse on 3 East at Bayshore Community Hospital from 2005 to 2009.

Rita Anne Ulan (nee Pribula), 94, of Middletown, formerly from Little Silver, NJ, passed away peacefully Sunday July 11^th. Born and raised in Perth Amboy, NJ, she graduated from Perth Amboy High School and Ohio University. She formerly worked as a medical technician at St. Mary’s Hospital, Orange, NJ and the Perth Amboy Medical Center.   She served as president of the Little Silver PTA, Junior Women’s Club and Evening Membership Department. She was an active member of the Church of the Nativity Rosary Altar Society, Nifty Fifties and Folk Choir. She was also instrumental in raising money for several Monmouth County charities. She had a love for reading, gardening, travel and most importantly, spending time with close friends and family.

Theodore J. Reiss, 87, of Rumson, died on July 7, 2021, from pneumonia. Born and raised in New York City, he graduated from Loyola School, NYC (’51) and Georgetown University (AB ‘54). After college, he joined Reiss Corporation and never once considered retiring. The third generation to lead the family firm, he worked there tirelessly for 67 years, while also actively serving on numerous professional and charitable boards. In 1960, Ted settled in Rumson, where he helped to raise his four children.

Ted was predeceased by his son, Theodore Kransz Reiss (‘72), and daughter, Ruth Margaret Reiss (‘97); his parents, Raymond and Ruth; his brother Raymond, Jr. and sisters, Rita Gorman and Ruth Barrett. Surviving are his wife, Cornelia Riker Chehab Reiss and her children and grandsons Randa, Carina, Eric (Lynn), Christina (deceased), Kyle, JJ and Will Chehab; sister, Lucy Mullen; mother of his children, Beverly Blanchet, daughter, Heidi M. Reiss, son, Carl A. (Anne) and grandsons Carl and Jack.

James Flagg Ingle (“Jim”) passed away on July 5, 2021 after a protracted struggle with a bone marrow disorder.  Jim was an engineer who devoted himself to making his family, community, and country a better place.  He was born in Rochester, NY, on June 22, 1933 to Dorothy Flagg Ingle and Mark James Ingle, and he graduated from West High School (now Wilson Magnet School) in Rochester, NY, in 1951. Jim entered Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in the fall of 1951 and joined the Air Force ROTC.

He graduated from RPI in 1955 with a BS in electrical engineering and joined Bell Telephone Laboratories in Murray Hill, NJ.  He was called to Air Force duty in 1956 in Washington, DC, with the 6970th Support Group that provided engineers to work on cryptography.  While serving in the Air Force, he  “volunteered” for one week of detached duty during the 1957 Cherry Blossom Festival as the designated escort for the Cherry Blossom Princess from Mississippi and was honorably discharged later that year.