
12 minute read
Obituaries
All obituaries must be submitted by email by 10 a.m., Mondays, to obituaries@ theobserver.com. Payment is due at submission.
LT. COL. JOHN F. SMITH JR.
Lt. Col. John F. Smith Jr., 84, died Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021, in St. Michael’s Medical Center, Newark, with his loving daughter and sons by his side.
The funeral was from the Thiele-Reid Family Funeral Home, 585 Belgrove Drive, Kearny. A funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Cecilia Church, Kearny. Cremation was private.
Born in Jersey City, Lt. Col. Smith was a 60-year resident of Kearny and was a volunteer of the Little League and Pioneer Boys
Lt. Col. Smith attained his bachelor’s degree from Bloomfield College and continued to earn his master’s degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Lt. Col. Smith was honorably discharged from the United States Air Force in 1997 after 42 years of service to his country. He was an active member of the NRA, American Legion and Air Force Association.
Lt. Col. Smith was a quality assurance engineer for Lockheed-Sanders and Wager Electric during his 40-year career.
Lt. Col. Smith is survived by his three children, Diane Greco and her husband Mike, Christopher Smith and his wife Cathie and John F. Smith III and his wife Marisa. He also leaves behind five grandchildren Ian, Sean, Briana, Morgan and Taylor and one greatgrandchild Mason.
Lt. Col. Smith was predeceased by his loving wife of 60 years Linda Ann Smith and his parents John F. Smith Sr. and Theresa Rose Smith.
In lieu of flowers, contributions to the Wounded Warriors or Tunnel to Towers foundations in Lt. Col. Smith’s honor would be appreciated.
WILLIAM G. DEEHAN
William G. Deehan, 86, died in the early evening of Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021.
Bill was born June 19, 1935, in Christ Hospital in Jersey City, to the late Andrew Joseph Deehan and Catherine Margaret (Callahan) Deehan.
Bill grew up in Kearny, and attended Newark College of Engineering, graduated from Fairleigh Dickenson University and Stevens Institute of Technology earning is master’s degree in engineering.
Bill worked for Western Electric until coming to Lexington to work for IBM
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Holiday smiles...Holiday smiles...
It’s no wonder Thanksgiving brings out so many smiles—we get to spend time with our families! As a family ourselves, we know just how important that is. We’d like to wish you joy throughout Thanksgiving and the holiday season.



www.thiele-reid.com


585 Belgrove Drive | Kearny, New Jersey 07032 (201) 991-3344 | (201) 991-1031
See OBITS, Page 15
Mulligan Funeral Home
331 Cleveland Avenue, Harrison
Arrangements may be made in Spanish, Portuguese or Polish Frank X. Mulligan III, Manager, NJ Lic. 4221 Frank X. Mulligan, Jr. Inactive
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WILFRED ARMITAGE & WIGGINS FUNERAL HOME
Mark G. Wiggins, Manager N.J. Lic. #3916
You will feel as if friends of family have taken over when you entrust funeral arrangements to the Wilfred Armitage Funeral Home. The family-owned firm has been in business for 100 years, serving generations in West Hudson and South Bergen. Its beautiful facilities, in a setting reminiscent of a colonial mansion, reflect the graciousness and tact of its understanding personnel. Wilfred Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home 596 Belgrove Dr. • Kearny, NJ 07032 (201) 991-0657
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Mobile MVC returns to Kearny

Photo by Kevin A. Canessa Jr.
The state’s mobile MVC unit was back in Kearny Nov. 19, allowing a significant number of residents to perform license and registration-related transactions without having to go to an MVC office. This was the second such visit in two months.
MCNAIR
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coordinator.
From 2011 to 2014, McNair served Hackensack Meridian Health/Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen as director of Hospital Public Health Initiatives, implementing a cardiac care intervention strategy; and from 2014 to 2021, she served as health officer/director of health management for Union County.
In coordinating the county’s response to the pandemic, McNair set up a database tracking the incidence, distribution and control of COVID-19 cases, oversaw contact tracing and investigation of cases of those who tested positive for the virus, supervised a call center that updated the community on new developments with the pandemic and daily vaccination clinics including planning for mobile vaccination centers — all in addition to her regular duties as health officer.
For any Kearny residents still undecided about whether to take the vaccine and/or the booster, McNair recommended they confer with their health care provider or staff at the North Hudson Community Action Corp. Federally Qualified Health Center if they don’t have a doctor.
In the meantime, McNair will be keeping residents updated with statistics on local COVID-19 cases via the Health Department website, along with availability of vaccines, boosters and testing.
Kearny is relying on eight contact tracers to follow through with people who’ve tested positive for the virus to ensure they’re isolated for 10 days and to find people they’ve come into contact with to arrange for 14-day quarantines.
Names of both those who test positive and their “contacts” are fed into a confidential state database.
As of Nov. 17, 2021, Kearny has reported 7,415 COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic March 15, 2020, and 152 COVID-19-related fatalities. Updates are reported on the N.J. COVID-19 Data Dashboard which shows 74% of Kearny residents have received at least one jab and 66% are fully vaccinated.

OBITS
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where he retired in 1993. He was a member of the American Institute of Industrial Engineers, Blue Grass Kiwanis, Spindletop Club and the Cathedral of Christ the King.
Bill’s knowledge of history was incredible, and one could always find him reading some type of history book. He also enjoyed playing tennis and his trips to the YMCA to work out where he made numerous friends over the years.
Bill leaves behind his beloved wife of 51 years, Roena Martin Deehan and daughter, Catherine Mattie Rasner (Jerod); three grandchildren, Madeline Callahan, Liam Henry and Anna Cate Rasner, and four nephews, Drew, Timothy, Robert and Michael Deehan. In addition to his parents, his brother, Andrew Deehan, predeceased Bill.
Milward Funeral Directors are entrusted with Mr. Deehan’s services in Lexington.
A graveside service will take place in Holy Cross Cemetery, 340 Ridge Road, North Arlington, at 11 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 24. New Jersey arrangements have been entrusted to the Condon Funeral Home, 684 Kearny Ave., Kearny.
LUCILIA AMARAL
Lucilia Amaral died at home Nov. 13, 2021.
She was 77.
Born in Valega-Ovar, Portugal, she lived in Newark before moving to Kearny, where she resided for 48 years.
Visiting will be Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2021, at the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home, 596 Belgrove Drive, in Kearny, beginning at 8:30 a.m. Mass will be that same morning at 11 a.m. at St. Cecilia Church, Kearny. Entombment will be in Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington.
She retired from St. James Hospital, Newark, where she held several positions over her 26 years of service. She had a passion for cooking and enjoyed hosting family gatherings and also loved to travel and visit her homeland of Portugal.
Wife of the late Manuel Amaral, she was the loving mother of Paul Amaral (his wife Linda) and her brother Manuel Amaral (his wife Dulce). Also surviving are her beloved grandchildren; Katelyn and Nicole. In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a charitable contribution to the Alzheimer’s Association, 225 North Michigan Ave., Floor 17 Chicago, Ill. 60601 or act. alz.org in Lucilia’s memory.
JOHN KENNY
John Kenny of Kearny died Nov. 16, 2021.
He was 81.
Arrangements were by the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home, Kearny. John’s funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Stephen’s Church, Kearny. Burial was in Holy Cross Cemetery in North Arlington.
John was a finance clerk for the Kearny Post Office. He was a member of the Elks. Earlier in his life, he served in the U.S. Army from 1959 until 1962.
He is survived by his sister Dolores Kenny, now residing in Florida.
In lieu of flowers, John’s request was that you consider a donation to the Salvation Army in Kearny.
MICHAEL CZESLOWSKI
Michael Czeslowski of Neptune, formerly of Harrison, died Nov. 18, 2021.
He was 58.
Visiting was at the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home in Kearny. Graveside prayers were offered in Holy Cross Cemetery in North Arlington.
Michael worked at Stop & Shop in Middletown.
Son of the late Stanley and Frances (Eckert) Czeslowski, he was the brother of Stephen Czeslowski, Julie Murtha and Amy Stacevicz. Also surviving are his loving nieces and nephews Andrew, Amanda, Christine, Lisa, Alexandria, Erin and Stephanie along with his great-nephew Patrick.
BRONISLAWA BYCZKOWSKI
Bronislawa Byczkowski (nee Cielesz), 89, died peacefully at her home Nov. 16, 2021.
Born in Milkowce, Poland, she had lived in Kearny since 1972.
Before retiring in 1997, she worked for many years in the packaging department of Otto Roth and Company Cheese Factory in Moonachie.
She was the beloved wife of the late Stanley, the cherished mother of Kristine Stasiak and her husband Boguslaw, the adored aunt of Leon Toloczko and his wife Bozena, the devoted grandmother of Stephen Stasiak and his wife Alexis, Julia DeAngelis and her husband Guissepe, Magdalena Toloczko and Michael Toloczko, the great-grandmother of Sofia, Matteus, Thomas, Avery and Cameron, the dear sister of Genowefa Czubska and the loving aunt of many nieces and nephews.
The funeral was from the Parow Funeral Home, 185 Ridge Road, North Arlington, Monday, Nov. 22 with a funeral Mass at St. Michael’s Church, Lyndhurst. The interment followed in Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington.

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