Obituaries
Concetta Palmieri

Mrs. Palmieri, 91, of Manalapan died March 5 at CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., she had lived in Howell before moving a year ago to Manalapan, where she was a communicant of St. Thomas More Roman Catholic Church. A homemaker, Mrs. Palmieri was predeceased in 1980 by her husband, Frank. Surviving are a son and daughter-in-law, Joseph and Ann of Englishtown; three daughters and two sons-in-law, Marie and Cipriano Rivieccio of Jackson, Dolores Zwirz of Mahopac, N.Y., and Linda and Steven Elias of Freehold; a brother and sister-in-law, Joseph and Grace Farino of the Bronx, N.Y.; and a sister-in-law and her husband, Lucy and William Sforza of North White Plains, N.Y.; 13 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren. A funeral liturgy was offered at St. Thomas More Church, followed by interment at St. Denis Cemetery, Hopewell Junction, N.Y. Freeman Manalapan-Marlboro Funeral Home, Manalapan, was in charge of arrangements.

Clara Baskerville McGhee

Mrs. McGhee, 74, of Howell died March 11 at CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township. She had resided in Freehold for most of her life before moving to Howell in 1983. She was a member of Second Baptist Church, Freehold, and had attended the Freehold area school system. She later attended Patterson Army Community Hospital, Fort Monmouth, through which she became a licensed practical nurse (LPN). She was employed for 48 years at Marlboro State Hospital as an LPN and also served as a shop steward for a union local of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Freehold. She was a former member of both the St. Mary’s Chapter of Order of the Eastern Star and the Lee B. Gibson Temple No. 1014, Freehold. She was predeceased by her husband, George; her parents, Bertha and Joseph Baskerville; and four sisters. Surviving are two sons, George and Reginald; two daughters, Cheryl Hagood and Adria Gardner; a daughter-in-law, Theresa; two sons-in-law, Alphons Hagood and Henry Gardner; a brother, Eugene Baskerville; four brothers-in-law and two sisters-in-law; eight grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Services were held at the Bethel A.M.E. Church, Freehold, followed by entombment at Maplewood Cemetery, Freehold Township. Freeman Funeral Homes, Freehold, was in charge of arrangements.

Charles Gerlt

Mr. Gerlt, 87, of Freehold Township died March 9 at Care One at Holmdel. Born in Rahway, he had lived in Livingston for many years before moving to Freehold Township four years ago. A U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, he had served aboard the USS Europa and the USS Leyden and was awarded the American Theater, Victory, and European Theater medals. A graduate of Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, he was an engineer for Bell Labs, Whippany, for more than 30 years, retiring in 1978. Mr. Gerlt was the holder of 27 patents, which included work on the ground equipment for the Titan and Nike Missile systems, as well as the Whippany Centrifuge. He was a communicant of St. Philomena’s Roman Catholic Church, Livingston; a member of the Livingston Lions Club; and a charter member of Knights of Columbus, Our Lady of the Mountain Council No. 3533, Livingston. He was also a sports writer for the West Essex Tribune, where his column "Livingston Spotlight on Sports" appeared. He was predeceased in 2000 by his wife, Mary Gerlt. Surviving are a son, James Robert Gerlt of Northwood, N.H.; a daughter, Kathleen Ann Falcon of Freehold Township; a brother, Raymond Gerlt of Connecticut; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. The funeral liturgy was celebrated at St. Robert Bellarmine Roman Catholic Church, Freehold Township, followed by interment at Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle Veterans Cemetery, Arnytown. Higgins Memorial Home, Freehold, was in charge of arrangements.

Teresa H. Bokman

Mrs. Bokman, 75, of Freehold Township died March 14 at The Manor care center, Freehold Township. Born in San Bernardino, Colombia, South America, she had lived in Philadelphia before moving 22 years ago to Freehold Township, where she was a communicant of St. Robert Bellarmine Roman Catholic Church. She was a homemaker and a 1952 graduate of the University of St. Catherine, Minneapolis, where she earned a bachelor of arts degree. An avid bridge player and golfer, she was also a supporter of the St. Robert Bellarmine Golf Outing since its inception, as well as a member of the Spring Meadow Golf League, Farmingdale, and the Molly Pitcher Ladies’ Club, Red Bank. Surviving are her husband, Thomas P.; a son, Charles M. of Geneva, Switzerland; two daughters, Catherine vonAmeln of Ringwood and Caroline Kocornik of San Francisco; two sisters, Cecilia Schell of Las Vegas and Ethel Heredia of Orlando, Fla.; and four brothers, Carlos Heredia of Houston, Armando Heredia of West Palm Beach, Fla., and Cesar Heredia and Nestor Heredia, both of Orlando. A funeral Mass was offered at St. Robert Bellarmine Church, followed by interment, which was private. C.H.T. Clayton & Son Funeral Home, Adelphia section of Howell, was in charge of arrangements.

Concetta M. Ferrante Sakowski

Mrs. Sakowski, 83, of Holmdel died March 20 at Bayshore Health Care Center, Holmdel, following a lengthy illness. Born in Madison Township, she resided in Matawan for 60 years before moving to Holmdel five years ago. Mrs. Sakowski was a homemaker. She was a communicant of St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, Keyport, where she was a member of the St. Joseph’s Seniors. She enjoyed time with her family. She was predeceased by her husband, Peter J. Sakowski Sr., in 1988; and four brothers, Pasquale, Joseph, Daniel and Louis Ferrante. Mrs. Sakowski is survived by four sons and daughters-in-law, Joseph and Suzanne Sakowski, and Peter and Maria Sakowski Jr., all of Matawan, Daniel and Priscilla Sakowski of Marlboro, and Dominic and Shelley Sakowski of Ohio; a daughter and son-in-law, Sophie and Frank Grabowski of Keyport; a sister, Nicola Granato of Hazlet; a brother, Thomas Ferrante of Keyport; 13 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. A Mass of Christian Burial will be March 24 at 9:15 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Church. Entombment will follow at St. Joseph’s Mausoleum, Keyport. The Day Funeral Home, Keyport, is in charge of arrangements.

Margaret M. Regan Leonard

Mrs. Leonard, 94, of Matawan died March 15 at Bayshore Community Hospital, Holmdel. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., she resided in Matawan for several years. She was a teacher for the Marlboro school district before her retirement at age 65. Mrs. Leonard was predeceased by her husband, Frederick A. Leonard, in 1961; and two brothers, Joseph Regan and John Regan. She is survived by two brothers, Jim Regan of Palm Harbor, Fla., and Richard Regan of Middletown, N.Y.; and several nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. A Mass of Christian Burial was offered at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, Keyport, followed by interment at Resurrection Cemetery, Piscataway. Arrangements were by Day Funeral Home, Keyport.

Harold "Butch" John Potosky

Mr. Potosky, 55, of Matawan died Feb. 26 at his parents’ home in Matawan. Born in Red Bank, he resided in Matawan most of his life. He was an auto mechanic at Stillwell Garage, Matawan, before his retirement. He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and received a Bronze Star. Mr. Potosky is survived by a son, Steven Potosky of Keansburg; his parents, June and Harry Potosky of Matawan; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Karen and Kevin Bonafide of Monmouth Beach, and Janet and Carmen Centimole of Farmingdale; and a brother, Russell Potosky of Marlboro. A funeral service with military honors took place at Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle Veterans Cemetery, Arnytown.