William Francis Zimmermann, 19

William F. Zimmermann laid to rest on Tuesday.

Editor's note: The following obituary information and photo is courtesy of the Higgins Funeral Home in Watchung. William “Billy” F. Zimmermann, 19, of Far Hills, NJ, tragically passed away on March 7, 2013, while on Spring Break with his friends from his beloved Villanova University. Billy grew up in the Basking Ridge area and was a member of the Seton Hall Prep Class of 2011. He was a talented athlete and was an integral player on the Prep soccer team which won the State Championship in 2009 and the Essex County Championship in 2010. He received the Dr. Richard Grady award in 2010 which is given to “the unsung hero, the player who does all the things a team needs done to win and often does it with little fanfare or notoriety. He is the …

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Former Music Teacher in Bernards Schools Laid to Rest

Visting hours, funeral for Robert Van Wageninge, former music teacher in multiple Bernards schools.

Robert Van Wageninge, 59, of Wayne, died unexpectedly on Monday, July 2, according to an online obituary for the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home in Wayne. Van Wageninge was a school teacher in Basking Ridge, before retiring just one year ago, the obituary said. Updated information added that he also conducted the school band for several years. The Board of Education accepted his resignation as a music teacher in May, 2011, according to board minutes. The minutes said that during that last school year, he was music teacher at the Mount Prospect, Cedar Hill and Liberty Corner elementary schools. Other information from the obituary said: Bob is survived by one cousin; Marilyn "Joy" Cotton of California and was predeceased by his sister…

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Jersey Newspaper Pioneer Dead At 99

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Memorial Reception Planned for Legendary Ridge Coach

Daughter seeks memories of Harry Bush, a longtime Ridge teacher and coach, who died at 87.

A reception to honor and remember a Ridge High School teacher and football coach for 23 years who died last week is planned at the Olde Mill Inn on Saturday, June 30. Harry Bush, who was a teacher and football coach at Ridge from 1965 to 1988, died at his home in Berlin, Md. at the age of 87. "We will be holding a gathering to celebrate his life, where family, friends, former students, players and colleagues are welcome to come share or listen to fond memories of Harry," said his daughter, Laura Bush. The reception is scheduled to be held June 30 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Grain House Restaurant at the Olde Mill Inn, 225 Route 202, Basking Ridge. Charles Harry Bush, a well-known resident of Basking Ridge for 45 years, died on June 13 …

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Saturday Memorial for 'Gentle Giant' Bernards Officer

Former officer and longtime treasurer at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, who died last week, is remembered here by his fellow officers.

Retired Bernards Township Police Officer James Keirstead, who passed away on March 29 at age of 70 at his home in Tennessee, will be honored on Saturday with a memorial service at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Basking Ridge, the township informed his fellow officers on Monday. Kierstead had been a police officer in Bernards Township from 1968 through 1993. He continued to serve as a special duty officer from 1994 through 2001, according to the township and a detailed obituary at knoxnews.com in Tennessee. "Jim was known as the 'gentle giant' who always kept his cool," said Bernards Township Police Chief Brian Bobowicz. "He was always 'there when you needed him for back-up,' which is a core trait in policing among the officers." The chief …

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Whitney Houston Laid to Rest in Westfield

Procession arrived at noon Sunday for burial ceremony at Fairview Cemetery. Nearly 100 fans shouted 'We love you, Whitney' as hearse turned into the cemetery.

The vigil at Fairview Cemetery began at first light Sunday morning. There were no mourners, just reporters and photographers mingling congenially as they staked out a good spot for their reports back to the network morning shows or a position for the perfect photo of the funeral procession bringing Whitney Houston to the cemetery for her burial. Police officers arrived before daylight, at 6 a.m., to secure every possible corner of the Fairview property, from the Cranford border along Union County College to the south and E. Broad Street to the north. At the western end of the cemetery, Gallows Hill Road was closed to prevent any neighborhood street from messing up any potential route in which the procession of hearses and limos that would …

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shirrone spivey

5:12 pm on Tuesday, November 27, 2012

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Colleagues Shocked By DeCroce's Death

Local, state officials react to sudden loss of Assembly minority leader.

This story will be updated throughout the day: Local officials and former colleagues expressed shock Tuesday morning after learning Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce (R-Parsippany) collapsed and died suddenly late Monday night at the Statehouse. "I was totally shocked, that was totally unexpected," Butler Mayor Robert Alviene said. "He did what he could for us while he was in power. I'm sure his heart was in the right place all the time for the county here. Im sure he'll be missed." As a result of DeCroce's death, Gov. Chris Christie will postpone his State of the State address, originally scheduled for Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m. He is expected to deliver a eulogy to DeCroce instead. Patch will stream Christie's remarks live at 1 p.m…

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Obituaries: Kevin L. Herron, Thomas E. Ekberg

Funeral information on two Basking Ridge residents.

Editor's Note: The following information was taken from the Gallaway & Crane Funeral Home website:  Funeral and obituary information for Kevin L. Herron Home: Basking Ridge, N.J.    Place of Birth: Queens, N.Y. Date of Death: November 28, 2011    Birthdate: August 14, 1991 Age: 20 Mass Service: Saturday, December 3, 2011, 11 a.m., St. James Church, 184 S. Finley Ave., Basking Ridge, N.J. Visitation: Friday, December 2, 2011, 4 to 8 p.m., only at St. James Church, Basking Ridge, N.J. Interment: Holy Cross Cemetery, Basking Ridge, N.J. Biography: Kevin Lynch Herron, age 20, of Basking Ridge, N.J., passed away on November 28, 2011. Kevin graduated from Ridge High School in 2010 and was a student at Raritan Valley Community College. Kevin …

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Photos: Family, Friends Mourn Pete Biondi

Former Hillsborough mayor, county freeholder and state assemblyman died of cancer.

Mourners gathered Monday at United Reformed Church in Somerville to pay their respects to Pete Biondi, the Hillsborough resident known for loving his town. Biondi died Thursday after a bout with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, just two days after winning his re-election bid to the state assembly's 16th district. He was 69, having been born in Newark June 23, 1942. He was raised in Union and lived in Hillsborough for 35 years, according to the funeral program. He is survived by his wife, Joan, his son and daughter, Peter and Jennifer and two grandchildren. His passion for politics and for Hillsborough led him to run for the Township Committee in 1983, and serve as mayor from 1986 to 1993. He is remembered for helping to construct the Hillsborough …

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Obituary: 'American Visionary' Had Family in Basking Ridge

Submitted obituary for John Mark Wehner III.

Editor's Note: The following obituary was submitted by funeral director Marshall Donnelly Combs, 201 25th Ave., North, Nashville, Tenn., 37203. Americana visionary John Mark Wehner, III, died peacefully at home surrounded by family and friends on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011, after a brief illness. He is survived by beloved wife, Mary Leland (Henry), children Amanda Atterbury Wehner, John Phillip Wehner, John Wallace Kinloch, Camille Loitte Kinloch and William Wallace Kinloch, and sister Meredith Wehner Luckewicz (Michael T.) of Basking Ridge, NJ. Wehner is preceded by his parents, Margaret Louise Kline Wehner and John Mark Wehner, Jr. A loving and devoted husband and father, Mark graduated from Radnor High School and Wesley College where he …