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Page 16 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • August 21, 2013
Obituaries Mildred T. Barbera
Mildred T. Barbera of Mahwah, formerly of Barnegat
and Haworth, died Aug. 9. She was 89. Before retiring, she
worked at Western Electric for 42 years. She is survived
by her siblings Dominick Barbera of Paramus, Joseph
Barbera of Longboat Key, Florida, and Lucy McGuire of
Barnegat. She is also survived by 12 nieces and nephews,
25 great-nieces and nephews, and three great great- nieces
and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents Joseph
and Theresa Barbera, and her sister Ann Johnson. Arrange-
ments were made by Van Emburgh-Sneider-Pernice Funeral
Home in Ramsey.
Mary Louise Beresford
Mary Louise Beresford of Allendale died Aug. 14. She
was 91. She was co-owner of Old Tappan Travel in Old
Tappan before retiring. For many years, she was the editor
of the “Here’s Allendale” publication. She was a member of
Trinity Episcopal Church in Allendale, where she served as
a member of the Altar Guild and taught Sunday school. She
is survived by her husband C. Ogden Beresford of Allen-
dale and her daughters Christianne Gerken of Randolph
and Jean Johnson of New Fairfield, Connecticut. She is also
survived by three grandchildren and three great-grandchil-
dren. Arrangements were made by Vander Plaat Funeral
Home in Wyckoff.
Michael John Thomas Connolly
Michael John Thomas Connolly of Bethania, North Car-
olina, formerly of Saddle River, died Aug. 8. He was 80. He
was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War. He was vice
president of sales for Wheels, Inc. of Chicago before retiring
in 1994. He also owned Action Auto Leasing in Ringwood.
He was a parishioner of Saint Gabriel’s R.C. Church in
Saddle River. He is survived by his wife Carol A. Connolly
(nee Forbes) of Bethania, and his children Diane M. Coger
of Bethania, Michael W. Connolly of Butler, Jennifer A.
Connolly of Franklin Lakes, and Scott J. Connolly and Pat-
rick T. Connolly, both of Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
He is also survived by eight grandchildren, and his sisters
Theresa Womelsdorf and Rita Caloni. Arrangements were
made by Vander Plaat Funeral Home in Wyckoff. Memo-
rial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association,
400 Morris Avenue, Suite 251, Denville, NJ 07834.
Howard ‘Cobb’ Dean
Howard “Cobb” Dean of Rochelle Park, formerly of
Ridgewood, died Aug. 13. He was 50. He was a graduate of
Ridgewood High School, and had been manager at Roberts
& Son in Garfield. He is survived by his wife Kim, his son
Christopher, and one grandson. He is also survived by his
sisters Maria Curran, Cheryl Criscullo, and Erin Curran,
and a niece and nephew. Arrangements were made by C.C.
Van Emburgh Funeral Home in Ridgewood. Memorial
donations may be made to the American Cancer Society,
P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718.
Eugene H. Fenn
Eugene H. Fenn of Franklin Lakes died Aug. 12. He was
83. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran of the Korean War. He
graduated from Bowling Green University in Ohio with a
bachelor’s degree in marketing. He was a member of the
Sigma Chi fraternity. He was president of Fenn & Fenn,
Inc., a New York City-based lithography concern that was
established in 1917 by his father and uncle. He retired from
the company in 2011. He was a member of the Ridgewood
Country Club and the New York Athletic Club. He is sur-
vived by his wife Thelma Fenn, and his daughters Kathleen
McBryde, Nancy Fenn, and Ellen Rickenberg. He is also
survived by four grandchildren and five great-grandchil-
dren. Arrangements were made by Vander Plaat Funeral
Home in Wyckoff. Memorial donations may be made to the
National Multiple Sclerosis Society, P.O. Box 4527, New
York, NY 10163 or to the New York-Presbyterian/Weill
Cornell Office of Development, 525 East 68th Street, New
York, NY 10065.
Otto R. Groel Junior
Otto R. Groel Jr. of Wyckoff, formerly of Bloomfield,
died Aug. 6. He was 93. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of
World War II. He had worked for PSE&G in crew and
management positions prior to his retirement. He earned
a business degree from Upsala College and was a member
of Bloomfield Presbyterian Church on the Green. He was
a member of VFW Post 711, the Destroyer Escort Sailors
Association, and Tin Can Sailors. He is survived by his
daughters Lynn Groel-Lynch, Charlotte Williams, Christy
Murphy, and Esther Asilo. He is also survived by 10 grand-
children and eight great-grandchildren. He was predeceased
by his wife Priscilla, his son David Kinsey Groel, and his
brother Robert. Arrangements were made by Vander Plaat
Funeral Home in Wyckoff. Memorial donations may be
made to the Bloomfield Presbyterian Church on the Green,
Building Fund, 147 Broad Street, Bloomfield, NJ 07003.
Charles H. Mayhood
Charles H. Mayhood of Pompton Plains, formerly of
Allendale and Mahwah, died Aug. 4. He was 82. He was
a U.S. Air Force veteran. He graduated from Hackensack
High School and the State University College of Forestry at
Syracuse University. He was a pulp and paper engineer and
paper salesman based in Allendale, New York, Atlanta, and
Dayton and Columbus, Ohio. He was a 50-year member of
the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry.
He was an accomplished birder, butterflyer, dragonflyer,
and amateur wildlife photographer and member and leader
of a number of naturalist clubs and organizations. He was
an Eagle Scout and Scoutmaster. He is survived by his sons
Clay of Richmond, Virginia and Kevin of Worthington,
Ohio, and five grandchildren. He is also survived by his
18-year companion Betty Aiken; her children Lloyd Fricker
of New Rochelle, New York and Leslie Bec of Kassel, Ger-
many; and Aiken’s seven grandchildren. He was prede-
ceased by his wife, the former Lynne Seaman, his sister
Judith, and brother-in-law Edward Marolda. Memorial
donations may be to the Fyke Nature Association, P.O. Box
141 Ramsey, NJ 07446, for expansion of a viewing plat-
form at the Celery Farm Natural Area in Allendale, or to
the North American Butterfly Association, c/o Deedee
Burnside, 18 John Dow Avenue, Waldwick, NJ 07463 to
fund a memorial at the National Butterfly Center in Mis-
sion, Texas. A memorial service will be held at noon on
Sunday Aug. 25 at the Cedar Crest Village Chapel, 1 Cedar
Crest Drive in Pompton Plains.
Richard J. Obrotka
Richard J. Obrotka of Mahwah, formerly of Oakland and
Franklin Lakes, died Aug. 13. He was 69. Before retiring,
he was an accountant for Saint Clare’s Hospital in Denville.
Prior to that, he worked at Saint Mary’s Hospital in Pas-
saic. He attended Immaculate Heart of Mary R.C. Church
in Mahwah. He was a member of Chrysanthemum Soci-
ety of New Jersey, and the Bergen County Anglers Club.
He was foster parent to many children over two decades.
He is survived by his wife Mary (nee Binder) Obrotka of
Mahwah, his children Michele Bach of Greenwood Lake,
New York, Jennifer Huh of Secaucus, Richard Obrotka of
Warwick, New York, and David Song of Palisades Park.
He is also survived by four grandchildren, and his broth-
ers Dr. Thomas Obrotka of Wayne and James Obrotka of
Warwick, New York. Arrangements were made by Vander
Plaat Funeral Home in Wyckoff.
Renate Sherwin
Renate Sherwin, nee Hausmann, of Palm Coast, Florida,
formerly of Mahwah, died Aug. 13. She was 63. She was
born in Wurzburg, Germany and came to the United States
1955. She was a 1972 graduate of SUNY New Paltz in New
York, and received her master’s degree from Middlebury
College in 1976. She was employed by the North Rockland
School District in Stony Point, New York until her retire-
ment. She was a member of the Sweet Adelines Chorus in
Florida. She is survived by her husband Jean Douglas, her
daughter Nicole Leonardo of Montclair, and two grand-
children. She is also survived by her mother Tatjana Haus-
mann and her brother Arno Hausmann, both of Mahwah.
Arrangements were made by Vander Plaat Funeral Home in
Wyckoff. Memorial donations may be made to the Ameri-
can Cancer Society, Bergen Unit, 20 Mercer Street, Hack-
ensack, NJ 07601.
Ann Suydam
Ann Suydam, nee Ignacz, of Midland Park, formerly
of Clifton, died Aug. 14. She was 86. Before retiring, she
was employed as a customer service representative with
Shulton Corp. in Clifton. She was a parishioner of Saints
Peter and Paul Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Passaic. She
is survived by her children Andrea Billard of Fair Lawn
and Robert M. Suydam of Ellicott City, Maryland, and
five grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband
Robert V. Suydam and her brother John Ignacz. Arrange-
ments were made by Bizub-Quinlan Funeral Home in Clif-
ton. Memorial donations may be made to Saints Peter and
Paul Russian Orthodox Cathedral, 200 Third Street, Pas-
saic, NJ 07055.