Obituaries
David Thaler

Mr. Thaler, 63, of Naples, Fla., died Nov. 15. Born in Belleville, Thaler grew up there, then resided in Marlboro and Freehold Township. He was a former publisher of Greater Media Newspapers, which publishes the News Transcript, and a former vice president of the printing and publishing division of Greater Media Inc., the parent company of Greater Media Newspapers. Thaler founded the Bayshore Independent in 1970 and published it for 17 years until it was purchased by Greater Media Newspapers in 1987. The weekly newspaper focused on community news in the Bayshore area of Monmouth County — Keyport, Aberdeen, Hazlet, Keansburg and parts of Middletown. Thaler continued to work for Greater Media for five years. He became general manager of the Home News Tribune, East Brunswick, in 1996. At the Home News Tribune, he was responsible for advertising, circulation and news. He retired to Florida in 1999. Thaler was a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism. He was an avid sports fan who loved to play and teach tennis. He especially loved watching the New York Giants play football. He competed in area tennis tournaments and gave private tennis lessons at his home in Freehold Township. He enjoyed the time he spent coaching the Freehold Borough High School boys tennis team for several years in the early 1990s. Surviving are his wife, Sondra; two sons, Philip and Ian; a daughter, Fern; two sisters, Tina and Debbe; his mother, Ida; and his grandchildren, Renee and Ross. Services were held Nov. 18 at the Freeman Funeral Home, Manalapan. Interment was at Beth Israel Cemetery, Woodbridge.

Edward M. Blake

Mr. Blake, 87, of Jackson died Nov. 10 at The Orchards at Bartley, Jackson. Born in Chicago, he lived in Pasadena, Calif., Ridgewood and Manchester before moving to Jackson. For 35 years he was an executive at Lederle Laboratories/American Cyanamid Corp. in Pearl River, N.Y., retiring in 1981. He was predeceased in 1996 by his wife, Mary Jane. Surviving are a son, Edward Thomas Blake of Wichita, Kan.; two daughters, Mary Lencses of Freehold and Bonnie Blake of Oakland; a brother, Jack Blake of Point Pleasant; seven grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. A funeral Mass was offered at St. Aloysius Church, Jackson, followed by interment, which was private. The C.H.T. Clayton & Son Funeral Home, Adelphia section of Howell, was in charge of arrangements. Memorial donations may be made to the New Jersey Foundation for the Blind, P.O. Box 929, Denville 07834.

Lorraine Campbell

Mrs. Campbell, 57, of Howell died Nov. 16 at Meridian Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Brick. Born in Passaic, she lived in Garfield and was a 1964 graduate of Garfield High School. In 1969, she moved to Freehold, where she resided before moving to Howell nine years ago. For the past nine years, she worked as a financial aid officer for the Concorde School of Hair Design in Ocean. She is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Laura and John Perkins of Barnegat and Christie and Bruce Kaplan of Freehold; and seven grandchildren. A funeral Mass was offered at St. Veronica’s Roman Catholic Church, Howell, followed by interment at St. Rose of Lima Cemetery, Freehold. The Waitt-Nelms Funeral Home, Morganville section of Marlboro, was in charge of arrangements. Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, 801 Broad St., Shrewsbury, 07702; or to Meridian Nursing and Rehabilitation at Brick, Hospice Unit, Attn.: Administrator, 415 Jack Martin Blvd., Brick, 08724.

Susan Gravatt

Mrs. Gravatt, 85, of Farmingdale died Nov. 17 at Meridian Nursing and Rehabilitation, Brick. Born in Elizabeth, she was a lifelong resident of Farmingdale and a member of both the First United Methodist Church of Farmingdale and the Farmingdale-Howell First Aid Auxiliary. A homemaker, she was predeceased by her husband, William R., in 1991, and a brother, W. Edward Farry. Surviving are two sons and daughters-in-law, Thomas W. and Mary Lou Gravatt of Wall and Jeffery W. and Elaine Gravatt of Brick; a brother, Robert Farry of Farmingdale; a grandson; and three granddaughters. A funeral service was held at the C.H.T. Clayton & Son Funeral Home, Adelphia section of Howell, with the Rev. Dr. Wayne Richard officiating. Interment followed at Evergreen Cemetery in Farmingdale.

Merry Suzanne Youssouf

Mrs. Youssouf, 55, of Freehold Township died Nov. 3 at Jacob Perlow Hospice at Beth Israel Medical Center, New York City. Mrs. Youssouf was born in Hackensack and lived in Layton before moving to Freehold Township 34 years ago. She was a graduate of Grier Academy, Pennsylvania, and Heidelberg College, Tiffin, Ohio. Mrs. Youssouf was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, Freehold. She was a social worker for the Monmouth County Board of Social Services, Freehold, for 17 years. She was predeceased by her parents, Howard and Mary Elizabeth Harper Burchell. Surviving are a son, Andrew Joseph Youssouf, Philadelphia; a daughter and son-in-law, Elizabeth Ann and Nicholas Marchica, New York City; and many cousins. Memorial services were held at the First Presbyterian Church, Freehold, followed by interment at Old Tennent Cemetery, Freehold. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center at www.mskcc.org (Special Occasion Gifts), or by calling (646) 227-3546. Higgins Memorial Home, Freehold, was in charge of arrangements.

Margaret A. O’Connor

Mrs. O’Connor, 84, of Wall died Nov. 18 at Bayshore Health Care Center, Holmdel. Born in Philadelphia, she lived in West Bristol, Pa., from 1953 until 1977 and in Southampton from 1977 until April, when she moved to Wall. She was a former communicant of Holy Eucharist Roman Catholic Church, Tabernacle. She was predeceased by her husband, James Regis O’Connor, in 1986. Surviving are a daughter and son-in-law, Marcy and Luke Stango of Marlboro; a sister, Mary McGovern of Philadelphia; and three grandchildren. A funeral liturgy was celebrated at St. Gabriel’s Roman Catholic Church, Marlboro, followed by interment at St. Gabriel’s Cemetery, also in Marlboro. Memorial donations may be made to the Salvation Army, 210 Fifth Ave., Asbury Park, 07712.

Carmela Dolores Palladino

Mrs. Palladino, 87, of Marlboro died Nov. 18 at CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township. Born in Newark, she lived in West Orange and Cedar Grove before moving to Marlboro 18 years ago. She was a homemaker and a communicant of St. Gabriel’s Roman Catholic Church in Marlboro. Surviving are her husband of 65 years, Domenick John; two sons and daughters-in-law, John and Diane Palladino of Bridgewater and Robert and Barbara Palladino of Florham Park; two brothers, Anthony Denice of Arlington, Va., and Michael Denice of Toms River; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. A funeral liturgy was offered at St. Gabriel’s Church, followed by interment at St. Teresa’s Cemetery, Summit. Freeman Manalapan-Marlboro Funeral Home, Manalapan, was in charge of arrangements.

Angelo Caccioppoli

Mr. Caccioppoli, 69, died Nov. 18 at CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township, after a long struggle with illness. Born in Italy, he came to the United States in 1967 settling in Brooklyn, N.Y. He moved to Freehold Township in August. For 30 years he was the owner of Paramount Shoe Repair, Brooklyn, retiring in 1998. He served in the Italian army and was a lifetime member of the St. Anthony Society of Brooklyn, N.Y. Surviving are his wife of 42 years, Lucia; a son and daughter-in-law, Joseph and Lisa Caccioppoli of Howell; two brothers, Thomas Caccioppoli and Frank Caccioppoli, both of Italy; two sisters, Rosaria Casalino and Rosetta Faulisi, both of Brooklyn; and two grandsons. A funeral service was held at the First Assembly of God Church, Freehold Township, with the Rev. Jeffrey Philhower officiating. Entombment followed at Maplewood Mausoleum, Freehold Township.

Ellen T. Poyer Burns

Mrs. Burns, 70, of Hazlet died Nov. 17 at Bayshore Community Hospital, Holmdel. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., she resided in Queens, N.Y., prior to moving to Hazlet 32 years ago. She worked at ShopRite, Middletown, retiring in 1993. She was a communicant of Holy Family Roman Catholic Church, Union Beach. She is survived by her husband, George Burns of Hazlet; five sons, John Burns of York, Pa., Brian Burns of Freehold, Robert Burns of Berkeley Heights, George Burns of East Brunswick, and Richard Burns of Stroudsburg, Pa.; three sisters, Dorothy Herlihy of Lynd­hurst, N.Y.; Joan Breen of Brooklyn, N.Y.; and Carol Sesny of Staten Island, N.Y.; and 13 grandchildren. Arrangements were by Day Funeral Home, Keyport. A Mass of Christian Burial was offered at Holy Family Roman Catholic Church, Union Beach. Inter­ment was at Fair View Cemetery, Middle­town.