Obituaries

Greater Media Newspapers prints obituaries as a free community service, at no charge to the families of the deceased or to the funeral homes that provide the information.

LOUIS P. CLAYTON, 82, of Howell, died Aug. 13 at Bartley Health Care Nursing and Rehabilitation, Jackson. Mr. Clayton was born in Howell and was a lifelong resident. He was a weaver at the A&M Karagheusian Rug Mill, Freehold, for 25 years before retiring in 1961. Mr. Clayton is survived by a sister, Ida B. Roe of Howell, and several nieces and nephews.

OSCAR JOSEPH HAMMOND, 48, of Freehold Township died Aug. 14 at home. He was born in New Brunswick and raised in Englishtown, moving to Freehold Township 16 years ago. He was a mechanic for the New Jersey Department of Transportation, Freehold Township, for the past seven years. He was a member of Teamster Union Local No. 701. He is survived by his wife, Lisa Meiseman Hammond; two sons, Joshua and Jason, both at home; his parents, Oscar and Dora Hammond of Jackson; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Donald and Imogene Meiseman of Freehold; a sister-in-law, Renee Meiseman of Cranbury; and several aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

HARRIET ONUSCHAK, 78, of Howell, died Aug. 26 at Jersey Shore Medical Center, Neptune. Born in New York City, she lived in Bellville before moving to Howell in 1987. Mrs. Onuschak was a homemaker. She was a member of the Howell Township Grange. She was predeceased by a daughter, Kathleen Hickey, who died in 1976. Surviving are two sons, Daniel A. McMahon and Alfred Hickey, both of Howell; two daughters, Marylin Hickey of Somerville and Patricia Hickey of Albany, N.Y.; a brother, Alfred Hyde of Spencertown, N.Y.; and six grandchildren. Funeral services were held at St. Veronica’s Roman Catholic Church, Howell.

DEBORAH A. TIKKANEN, 41, of Freehold Township, died Aug. 28 at University Hospital, Newark. She was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., and had lived in Howell before moving to Freehold Township in 1998. Miss Tikkanen was the manager at Game World, Freehold Township, for three years. She was a communicant of St. Veronica’s Roman Catholic Church, Howell. She was a graduate of Howell High School, class of 1977. Miss Tikkanen is survived by her parents, Ed and Nora Tikkanen of Howell; a brother, Edward of Edgewater; a sister and brother-in-law, Kathleen and Ray Duchnowski of Brick; and two nieces. The funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Veronica’s Church, followed by interment at St. Rose of Lima Cemetery, Freehold Township.

STEVEN SHWAHLA, of Freehold, died Aug. 30 at Bayshore Community Hospital, Holmdel. Born in Bayonne, he was a longtime resident of the Freehold area. Mr. Shwahla was a self-employed roofer before his retirement 25 years ago. He was a U.S. Army Air Corps veteran of World War II. He was a communicant of St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church, Freehold. He is survived by his wife, Theresa M. Shwahla; his mother, Anna Terpack Shwahla of Howell; a brother, Paul V., and a sister, Mary A. Shwahla, both of Howell; four sisters-in-law and four brothers-in-law, Rose Marie and Larrie Laird of Brielle, Cecil and Ignatius Valenczius of Spring Hill, Fla., Michael and Rhonda Zarnofsky of Sandy, Utah, and Agnes and Joseph Barczak of Maspeth, N.Y.; and seven nephews, six nieces, two grandnephews and three grandnieces. The funeral liturgy was celebrated at St. Rose of Lima Church, followed by interment at St. Rose of Lima Cemetery, Freehold Township.

ANN-MARIE TAGLE, 41, of Freehold Township, died Aug. 30 at home after a lengthy illness. Born and raised in the New York area, she moved to Freehold Township in 1986. Mrs. Tagle was a receptionist at Allergy and Pediatrics Specialists, Freehold Township, up until the time of her illness. She was a communicant of St. Robert Bellarmine Roman Catholic Church, Freehold Township; and a member of the Monmouth Heights Swim Club. She was also active in her children’s schools. Mrs. Tagle was predeceased by her father, Edward W. Allcock. She is survived by her husband, Robert; two daughters, Lauren and Kaitlyn, and one son, Robert; her mother and stepfather, Anna May and James Trotto of Howell; two brothers, Dr. Edward G. Allcock of Savannah, Ga., and Thomas Allcock of Belle Harbor, N.Y.; and three stepbrothers, Steven Trotto of Staten Island, N.Y., James Trotto of Farmingdale, N.Y., and Edward Trotto of Mays Landing. Memorial donations may be made to the Freehold Township PBA, the Freehold First Aid Squad, the Barkalow Middle School PTO, the Freehold Township High School PTO and the Laura Donovan School PTO.

FRANCINE LUCAS, 63, of Jackson died Aug. 31 at CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., she had lived in Freehold Township for 33 years before moving to Jackson four years ago. She was a communicant of St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church, Freehold, where she served as a Eucharistic minister and was a member of the Altar Rosary Society. She was predeceased by her husband, George, who died in 1996. She is survived by a son, Steven; two daughters, Denise and Susan Lucas; and four grandchildren. The funeral liturgy was celebrated at St. Rose of Lima Chapel, Freehold, followed by interment at St. Rose of Lima Cemetery, Freehold Township.

HENRIETTA M. BOEHM CREAMER, 87, of Sayreville died Aug. 29 in Claremont Care Center, Point Pleasant. Her husband, James T., died in 1983. Surviving are a daughter, Sister Carol Creamer, R.S.M., of Lakewood; three sons, James of Temecula, Calif., Michael H. of Southampton Township and Thomas J. of Point Pleasant; two brothers, Harold and Benjamin Boehm of Sayreville; two sisters, Catherine Borak of South River and Joan Sweeney of Sayreville; six grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. A Mass was offered at Our Lady of Victories Church, Sayreville. Interment was in New Calvary Cemetery, Sayreville.

AUGUST E. GRAFJE, 84, of Whiting died Aug. 22 in Whiting Health Care Center, Whiting. Born in Jersey City, he lived in Metuchen before moving to Whiting in 1993. He was a communicant of St. Cecilia’s Church, Iselin. He was a U.S. Army veteran, serving during World War II, and was awarded the Bronze Star. He was a warehouse supervisor for Acme Markets, Kearny, for 32 years, retiring in 1980. His wife, Carmella, died in 1983. Surviving are two daughters, Josephine Dunn of Whiting, and Marielena Scott of Howell; a brother, William Grafje of Howell; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. A Mass was offered at St. Robert Bellarmine Church, Freehold. Interment was in St. Gertrude’s Cemetery, Colonia.

WILLIAM H. LASHLEY, 81, of Howell, died Aug. 25 at home. Mr. Lashley was born in Everett, Pa., and lived there until moving to Howell in 1946. He was a mason for Walter M. Ostrander Inc., Howell, for 34 years, retiring in 1980. After retirement he was employed as a court attendant at the Monmouth County Courthouse, Freehold, for 20 years, retiring in 2000. Mr. Lashley was a member, former elder and former superintendent of the Sunday school at the Pierce Memorial Presbyterian Church, Farmingdale. He was a 50-year member of the American Legion Post No. 166, Lakewood. He was also a member of the Olive Branch Lodge No. 16 F&AM, Freehold. Mr. Lashley was a World War II Army veteran. Surviving are a son and daughter-in-law, William H. Jr. and Barbara Lashley of Jackson; a daughter and son-in-law, Donna and Dr. Byron Marriner of Manasquan; a brother, L. Peter Lashley of Largo, Fla.; two sisters, Ruth Smeltzer of Dover, Pa., and Dolly Shimer of Levittown, Pa.; and a grandson and his wife. Interment was in Evergreen Cemetery, Farmingdale.

MINA KASINOW, 79, of Lakewood, died Aug. 8 in Kimball Medical Center, Lakewood. Mrs. Kasinow was born in Yugoslavia and came to the United States in 1956. She was a member of St. Alexander Nevsky Russian Orthodox Church, Howell. She was a nurse’s aide at the Tolstoy Foundation, Spring Valley, N.Y., for 20 years, retiring in 1991. Surviving are two nieces and many friends. A Mass was offered at St. Alexander Nevsky. Interment was in St. Vladimir’s Russian Orthodox Cemetery, Jackson.

MARGARET "PEGGY" BRUNETTE, 67, of Howell, died Aug. 28 at home. Mrs. Brunette was born in Linden and had lived most of her life in Rahway before moving to Howell in 1995. She was a graduate of Rahway High School and attended Newark State College. She was a former communicant of the Church of the Assumption, Roselle Park. She was the office manager for Dr. Leonard Harris, Roselle, for 10 years, retiring in 1992. Her daughter, Nancy Marie Brunette, died in 1992. Surviving are her husband, Frank Brunette, former superintendent of Rahway Public School System; one son and daughter-in-law, Frank "Skip" and Terri Brunette of Hampton, N.H.; two daughters and one son-in-law, Meg Brunette of Brielle, and Tammy and Frank Horneck of Freehold; seven grandchildren; and her dearest friends Kyle Lepree and Judith John. A Mass was offered at Church of the Assumption, Roselle Park. Interment was in St. Gertrude’s Cemetery, Colonia section of Woodbridge.