Archives for June 2015

Rev. Msgr. William J. Koplik

Koplik Photo 001

“The heart that stops beating does not stop loving.”Msgr. William J. Koplik

Rev. Msgr. William J. Koplik’s earthly life ended on Monday, June 29, 2015 in the compassionate care of those who ministered to him at Villa Marie Claire Hospice in Saddle River.   Devoted son of the late William and Rose Koplik; beloved brother, uncle, priest, friend, counselor, author and colleague, Monsignor Koplik is survived by his sister and brother-in-law:  Rosemarie & Frederick Patrizio; niece, nephews, and their spouses:  Judi & Michael Feinberg, Mark Patrizio, William & Nancy Patrizio; and three grand- nieces and three grand-nephews.

Born Feb. 22, 1936 in Union City, New Jersey he spent the early years of his life there before his family moved to Ridgefield. After graduating from Seton Hall Prep, South Orange, he entered Immaculate Conception Seminary (Darlington) and was ordained to the Roman Catholic priesthood in the Archdiocese of Newark on May 26, 1962. His love of God and dedicated service to God’s people is evidenced in a variety of ministries throughout the past 53 years. In addition to his parochial assignments, Monsignor was a gifted author. He collaborated with Joan Brady in writing Religious Education Programs for Baptism, Reconciliation and Confirmation and co-authored a 3 part Lenten series with Richard Haffey.

His first parochial assignment was at St. Margaret of Cortona, Little Ferry. It was here and at St. Anthony’s, Northvale that he served as Parochial Vicar. His next ministry was as Temporary Administrator at Our Lady of Lourdes, Mountainside. Monsignor also served as Chaplain at Jersey City State College while residing at Our Lady Queen of Peace, North Arlington. In 1981 he was assigned to St. Matthew’s, Ridgefield, where he served for 14 years as pastor and Dean of Bergen/Southeast Deanery. His next assignment as pastor was at Holy Trinity, Hackensack.  During this time he served as Director of Evangelization for the Archdiocese of Newark and was invested as a Prelate of Honor. He returned to St. Anthony’s, Northvale, as pastor, and retired from there in 2002. In retirement he resided at St. Matthew’s, Ridgefield until he moved to The Jewish Home at Rockleigh where he was well cared for and lovingly referred to as ‘the pope of The Jewish Home.’

Monsignor Koplik will always be remembered as a loving, gentle, generous, humble, kind man who always kept his sense of humor. His greatest passion was to serve God and God’s people as a priest.

In lieu of flowers:  donations may be made in memory of Msgr. Koplik, to Priests’ Retirement Fund, Archdiocese of Newark and The Judeo-Christian Studies Department at Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ.

Viewing at St. Matthew’s, 555 Prospect Ave., Ridgefield, NJ on Thursday, July 2, 2015: 4 – 7 P. M and

Friday, July 3, 2015: 9 – 10 A.M.

Prayer Vigil at St. Matthew’s, Thursday, July 2, 2015: 7:30 P.M.

Funeral Mass at St. Matthew’s, Friday, July 3, 2015: 10:30 A.M.

Burial at Maryrest Cemetery

Arrangements by Pizzi Funeral Home, Northvale.

www.pizzifuneralhome.com

Trevor A. Fennell

Trevor A. Fennell, 76, of Pearl River, passed away on Wednesday, June 24, 2015. He was the beloved husband of Theresa (nee Viglietta); the loving father of Trevor Fennell II and his wife Nicole of Hohokus, NJ; the cherished grandfather of Trevor III and Olivia; the dear brother of David Fennell and his wife Theresa of Teaneck, NJ and Frances Fennell of Miami, FL. He is survived by many loving relatives and dear friends who will most surely miss his warm company, quick sense of humor, and World Famous Rice & Peas. Trevor worked as a self-employed tile installer and owned Total Floor Service; he took great pride in his work and even greater pride in his family. He will be missed dearly. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday, 10:00 am, at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart church in Tappan, with a burial to follow at Rockland Cemetery in Sparkill. Visiting hours are Sunday, 3-6 pm, at Pizzi Funeral Home, 120 Paris Avenue, Northvale, NJ (201-767-3050). In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Trevor’s memory be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at www.stjude.org.

www.pizzifuneralhome.com

Andrew S. Uveges

Andrew S. Uveges, 89, of Northvale, passed away at home on Monday, June 22, 2015. Beloved husband of the late Catherine T. (nee Breslin). Cherished father of Celine Benedetto and husband Thomas of Charlottesville, VA, Alice Setteducati of Northvale, Jeanne Chapman and husband Scott of Lake Worth, FL, Andrew Uveges of Monroe, NY and Stephen Uveges of Phoenicia, NY. Adored grandfather of Kim, John, Brianne, Shannon, Lyndsay, Catherine, Caitlin, Brandy, Drew and Sara and great-grandfather of Alicia, Andie, Riley, Brendan, Jaylyn, Breslin and Estella Rose. Dear brother of the late Jack, Alice Skinta and Robert.

Andrew was a US Navy veteran of World War II and belonged to the Northvale American Legion Post 162. Before retiring he was a self-employed model maker machinist. He was a member of the Rockland County Radio Controlled Airplane Club in New City. He also enjoyed boating on Lake George and collecting model trains and building train layouts.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday 9:30 AM at St. Anthony’s RC Church, Northvale with interment to follow at Oak Hill Cemetery, Nyack, NY. Visiting hours are Friday 2-4 and 7-9 PM at Pizzi Funeral Home, 120 Paris Avenue, Northvale.

www.pizzifuneralhome.com

Philip Maneri

Philip Maneri, 76,of Tappan, passed away Friday Morning, June 19th at Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, with his loving family by his side. A beloved husband, father and grandfather, he leaves behind his wife of 54 years Mary (Hudgins) Maneri, his two sons Philip Maneri of Tappan, and Geoffrey Maneri and his wife Patricia of Hopewell Junction, his daughter Maryalice Maneri of Nyack, daughter Lisa and her husband Barry Van Sise of Spring Valley, daughter Alexis and her husband Stephen Maloney of Tappan, and his youngest daughter Nancy and her husband Todd Miller of Congers. A loving Grandfather, he had 11 grandchildren, Laura Siragusa, Samantha Siragusa, Matthew Siragusa, Alyson Siragusa, Eric Maneri, Michael Van Sise, Alexandra Maloney, Connor Maloney, Jack Maloney, Jake Miller and his newest granddaughter Morgan Miller. In addition, he had two great grandchildren Brysin and Mahayla Philip was born in the Bronx on June 22, 1938. He was the son of Philip and Alice Maneri. Philip was a graduate of Fordham University and became a Pharmacist. He later met and fell in love with his wife Mary in the Bronx and they married on May 27, 1961. Together they raised their family in Tappan. Philip was a lifelong New Yorker devoted to his city and a huge fan of his teams, the New York Yankees, the New York Rangers and the New York Giants. Philip leaves behind a legacy that will live on in the hearts of all those that truly knew and loved him. He will be deeply missed. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Wednesday 11:00 AM at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart RC Church, Tappan. Visiting hours are Tuesday, June 23rd from 2-4pm and 7-9pm at Pizzi Funeral Home, 120 Paris Ave, Northvale.

In lieu of flowers please make a donation in honor of Philip’s life to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church, 120 Kings Highway, Tappan, NY 10983.

www.pizzifuneralhome.com

George A. Vossler

George A. Vossler, 89, of Norwood, passed away on Saturday, June 20, 2015. Beloved husband of the late Carol (nee Dilba). Loving father of George C. and wife Maryse of Payson, AZ, Paul and wife Joann of Northvale and Dawn Conklin and husband Kevin of Warwick, NY. Adored grandfather of John Paul, Barbara Jean, George M., Kristin, Laura and Stephen and great-grandfather of Mark Joseph, Gabriella Rose, Alivia Madeline and Landon. Dear brother of the late Pauline Barmann.

George was a US Navy veteran of World War II and belonged to the Norwood American Legion. Before retiring he owned and operated George P. Vossler and Sons Landscaping in Norwood. He was a member of the Men’s Club of the Zion Lutheran Church of Westwood.

Visiting hours are Monday 12 – 2 PM at Pizzi Funeral Home, 120 Paris Avenue, Northvale. A Funeral Service will be held at 2 PM with interment to follow at Westwood Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations in George’s memory may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project at www.woundedwarriorproject.org.

www.pizzifuneralhome.com

Catherine McGirl

Catherine McGirl (Ellis) died June 12th, 2015 at age 101. Catherine was pre deceased by her husband John and son Brian. She was the loving mother of John, Margaret and Catherine. Grandmother of Kevin, Carey, John, Kaitlin, Jenny, Kevin, Caitlin and Bridget. Great grandmother of Dylan, Kailey, Kate, Rachel and Sarah. Mother in law of Eileen, Patricia and Kevin. The family will receive friends at Pizzi Funeral Home; 120 Paris Ave. Northvale, NJ. Tues 2-4 PM & 7-9PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Weds. at Sacred Heart Chapel , Sparkill, N.Y. at 10am. Burial at Calvary Cemetery, Queens, N.Y. In lieu of flowers please send a donation to The Domincian Sisters, Sister Mary Murray , Dominican Convent 175 Route 340, Sparkill, NY 10976.

 

Louis Sheffler

SHEFFLER OBIT PIC

Louis Sheffler of Harrington Park, NJ died on June 14th. He was 65 and is survived by his loving wife Nancy (nee McGuire) and his cherished daughter, Cara Marsh Sheffler of Manhattan.  He is also survived by his sister Rose Price of Queens, and the extended McGuire clan:  Kathleen and Ted Gershon of Princeton Junction, NJ; Louise and Tom Quinn of Sparta, NJ; E. Barrett Prettyman of Washington, DC; and James McGuire and Stephen Coy of Boston, MA, as well as four nephews, four nieces, seven great-nephews, two aunts, numerous cousins, his TEP brothers, the ever-faithful “Mounties”, and a multitude of friends with whom he shared his love of wine, music, and the beach throughout his life.

After earning a degree in Hospital Administration from Long Island University, Lou was an innovator in the medical field, leaving his position as an Administrator at Englewood Hospital in 1980 to form his own medical consulting company.  Recognizing the need for specialized treatment outside of a hospital setting, he was a founding partner of American SurgiSite Centers, Inc., which owns and operates nine ophthalmic facilities in the United States.  Lou secured Medicare certification for the first free-standing eye surgery clinic in New Jersey and went on to become an original member of the Outpatient Ophthalmic Surgical Society (OOSS) and has been nationally recognized as a pioneer in the field of outpatient surgery. Earlier this year, OOSS honored Lou with its first lifetime achievement award for his contributions to the field of outpatient surgery, recognizing his commitment to educational and advocacy initiatives and quality care.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that tax deductible donations be made in Lou’s name to Works & Days Quarterly, Inc, 139 Eldridge Street, Suite 2,  New York, New York 10002 (www.works-and-days.com), The Harrington Park Volunteer Ambulance Corps, 15 Kline Street, Harrington Park, NJ 07640, or the PROCURE Cancer Foundation (http://www.proton-therapy.org/)  c/o 103 Cedar Grove Lane, Somerset, NJ 08873, which provides support to proton radiation therapy patients in need of financial assistance by funding non-medical expenses associated with proton therapy treatment.   

Services and burial are private.  The family will receive visitors at their home from 5PM-9PMTuesday and Wednesday.

www.pizzifuneralhome.com

Irene Maher

Irene Maher, 80, a resident of Old Tappan for nearly 42 years, died peacefully in her home on Friday, June 5th.  She was born April 22, 1935 in New York City,the daughter of German immigrants John and Johanna Adelmann. Irene was married for 54 years to her husband, Jim, predeceased in 2012.  She was a devoted and loving mother to Michael, married to Barbara; Kevin, married to Maria; Mary Hill, married to Gregg; Anne LaMastra, married to Steve; and Matthew, married to Molly. Irene was survived by fourteen grandchildren: James, Christopher and Sabrina Maher; Chloe, Hope and Erin Maher; Christian, Johanna and Jessica Hill; Gwyneth, Connor and Phineas LaMastra; and Allie and Megan Maher, as well as her three siblings: Albert Adelmann, married to Maria; Helen Hunter, married to John; and John Adelmann, married to Sheila.

 

Transplanted to Old Tappan in 1973, Irene was the epitome of “the woman behind the man,” managing the household and raising the children in unfailing support of her husband Jim. When his health declined later in life, she selflessly cared for him until the end.

 

Irene served her community tirelessly by volunteering with the Old Tappan First Aid Corps for over 40 years.  She was a faithful Catholic and member of St. Pius X Church since 1973, serving in many capacities, including Eucharistic minister and lector.  Most recently, she enjoyed participating in the Old Tappan Seniors Club, the Harrington Park Gardening Club, and Friday yoga and movies at the Old Tappan Library.  Irene loved Old Tappan and cherished the meaningful life-long friendships she developed with other residents of the town.

Irene was honest, loving, empathetic, and hard-working, with an iron will but a weakness for chocolate.  She was a small woman with a big laugh and, at 5 feet tall,  served as a  yardstick for comparison for her growing children and grandchildren.  Known as “Oma” to her grandchildren, she was very proud of her German heritage.  She prepared countless family meals over the years, cultivating a welcoming and joyous gathering place in her home.  Independent and active until the end, she loved to work outside in her yard, even continuing to mow her own lawn into her 80th year after breaking her hip. She was a dependable and loving constant, and a one-of-a-kind whose generous spirit will continue to live on within the hearts of all that had the good fortune to know and love her.

 

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Thursday at 11 AM at St. Pius X R.C. Church, Old Tappan with interment to follow at Old Tappan Cemetery. Visiting hours are Wednesday 2-4 and 7-9 PM at the Anthony R. Pizzi Funeral Home, 120 Paris Avenue, Northvale, NJ.

 

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Old Tappan First Aid Corps at 4 Russell Avenue, Old Tappan, NJ 07675.

 

www.pizzifuneralhome.com

E. Vincent O’Brien

E. Vincent O’Brien, 78, of Old Tappan, passed away suddenly on Wednesday, June 3, 2015. Loving husband of Linda (nee Watson). Cherished father of Ned O’Brien of Washington DC, Elizabeth O’Brien married to Stephen Schiller of NY, NY, and David O’Brien of NY, NY. Adored grandfather of Christopher and Samantha. Dearest brother of Adrienne O’Brien of Teaneck. Also survived by his beloved grand-dogs, Riggins and Watson. 

“Vince” was an internationally recognized attorney and pioneer in the Alcoholic Beverage Industry for many years, most recently in the New York office of Nixon Peabody.  He was overly fond of his family, his decades of service to his clients and friends (usually one in the same), and the unmatched beauty he found in Hawaii, his favorite place on Earth. 

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Tuesday11:00 AM at St. Anthony’s RC Church, Northvale.  The family will receive friends Sunday3-6 PM and Monday 2-4 and 7-9 PM at Pizzi Funeral Home, 120 Paris Avenue, Northvale (201-767-3050).

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Vince’s memory to the charity of your choice.

www.pizzifuneralhome.com