Obituaries

Joseph P. Robe

Mr. Robe, 62, of the Parlin section of Sayreville, formerly of the Laurence Harbor section of Old Bridge, died Dec. 7 in Raritan Bay Medical Center, Perth Amboy division. He was a chemical operator for nine years at National Lead Inc., Sayreville, prior to entering the New Jersey State Police Academy, Sea Girt, in 1973. After retiring from the state police as a detective in 1989, he was a self-employed private investigator with J. Robe Investigations, Parlin. Surviving are his wife, Charlotte Kantor Robe; four daughters, Renee Robe Osterbye of Jackson, Darlene and Justine Robe of Parlin and Dawn Marie Sandoval of Ewing; a sister, Eleanor Stefanski of Middletown; a granddaughter; and two nieces and four nephews. A service was held at John Calvin Magyar Reformed Church, Perth Amboy. Interment was in Cloverleaf Memorial Park, Woodbridge.

Gerald Vincent Henwood

Mr. Henwood, 71, of Marlboro, died Dec. 8 at home. Born in Queens, N.Y., he had lived in Edgewater before moving to Marlboro in 1969. Mr. Henwood was ordained a deacon of the Roman Catholic Church on May 17, 1980. He served as deacon at St. Gabriel’s Roman Catholic Church, Marlboro; St. Robert Bellarmine Roman Catholic Church, Freehold Township; and St. Catharine’s Roman Catholic Church, Holmdel. He was predeceased by a son, John Joseph Henwood, in 1983; and a brother, Richard Henwood. Mr. Henwood is survived by his wife of 49 years, Virginia Mary Henwood; a son and daughter-in-law, Christopher and Lynne Henwood of Long Valley; five daughters and four sons-in-law, Elizabeth and Michael Griswold of Carmel, Ind., Dianne and Michael Torri of Jackson, Claire and Gary Gellman of Plumsted, Mary Henwood of South Brunswick, and Amy and John Kostyz of Brick; three brothers, John, James and Harold Henwood; a sister, Florence Corcoran; and 14 grandchildren. A funeral liturgy was offered at St. Catharine’s Church, followed by interment at St. Gabriel’s Cemetery, Marlboro. The Freeman Manalapan-Marlboro Funeral Home, Manalapan, was in charge of arrangements. Memorial donations may be made to the Stephen’s Fund, c/o Office of the Diaconate, P.O. Box 5147, Trenton 08638-0147.

Jean Elizabeth Bowden

Mrs. Bowden, 69, of Freehold, died Jan. 2 at Gateway Care Center in Eatontown. Born in Long Branch, she had resided in Highlands and Ocean Township before moving to Freehold two months ago. Prior to retiring in 2000, she was employed as a medical secretary for Dr. Sudhakar Kharod in Asbury Park for 15 years. Surviving are two sons, Robert Bowden of Howell and Grover Bowden of Manalapan; a daughter and son-in-law, Theresa and James Klenk of Freehold; two sisters, Jennie Ulander of Neptune and Helen Freeman of Springfield, Mass.; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. A funeral service was held at Freeman Funeral Home, Freehold, followed by interment at Bay View Cemetery, Middletown. Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, 801 Broad St., Shrewsbury 07702.

John A. Barrett

Mr. Barrett, 76, of Hazlet, died Dec. 28 at Jersey Shore Medical Center, Neptune. Born in Jersey City, he resided in Hazlet since 1959. He was an electronics technician for the F.A.A., Newark Airport, the past 30 years. He served with the U.S.. Navy aboard the USS Coral Sea from 1946-50. He was a member and past president of the Irish Federation of Monmouth County, and was its Man of the Year in 2000. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Mary Wirsing Barrett; two sons and daughters-in-law, John and Teresa Barrett Jr. of Hazlet, and Edward and JeanMarie Barrett of Keansburg; a daughter and son-in-law, Kathy and Tommy Dayback of Tinton Falls; two sisters, Edna Keating of Staten Island, N.Y., and Doris Young of Tupelo, Miss.; a brother, Ronald Barrett of Howell; and 10 grandchildren. Entombment was at Holmdel Mausoleum. Arrangements were by John F. Pfleger Funeral Home, Middletown. Memorial donations may be made to American Heart Association, 2550 Route 1, North Brunswick 08902.

Carolyn H. Cocuzza

Mrs. Cocuzza, 77, of Port Monmouth, died Dec. 25 at home. Born in Newark, she had lived in Holmdel before moving to Port Monmouth. Before her retirement, Mrs. Cocuzza was a lab technician for Charles of the Ritz, Holmdel, where she worked for 10 years. She is survived by her husband, Charles; her mother, Rose Palmeri of Atlantic Highlands; a son and daughter-in-law, Rodney and Jodi Cocuzza of Manahawkin; two daughters and sons-in-law, Louann Cocuzza and John Morgan of Tinton Falls, and Charlene and Al Courter of Middletown; a sister, Rosemarie Nigro of Lakewood; a brother, Paul Palmeri of Atlantic Highlands; and six grandchildren. Entombment took place at the Holmdel Mausoleum, Holmdel. The John F. Pfleger Funeral Home, Middletown, was in charge of arrangements.

Martin T. Browne

Mr. Browne, 46, of Manalapan, died Dec. 19 at CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township. Born in London, England, he came to the United States in 1960 and lived in Jersey City and Jackson before moving to Manalapan four years ago. Mr. Browne was a mailer in the production department of The New York Times in Edison for the past 29 years. He is survived by a son, Christopher Browne of Manalapan; a daughter, Tarrah Browne of Jackson; his parents, Martin P. and Bridget Browne of Manalapan; a brother, Joseph Browne of Jackson; two sisters, Kathleen Donato of Marlboro and Mary Zamarra of Manalapan; and several nieces and nephews. A funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Gabriel’s Historic Church, followed by interment at St. Gabriel’s Cemetery, both Marlboro. The Michael Hegarty Funeral Home, Old Bridge, was in charge of arrangements.

Retired Brig. Gen. Frank B. Holman Jr.

Gen. Holman, 75, of Jackson, died Dec. 2 at Kimball Medical Center, Lakewood. Born in Lakewood, he was a lifelong Jackson resident. A 1948 graduate of Lakewood High School, he earned a bachelor of science degree in education from Villanova (Pa.) University in 1952, and received a master of business administration in 1958 from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. He began his professional career as a history and English teacher for the Lakewood Board of Education, for which he also coached football. Mr. Holman served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War, eventually retiring from its reserve as a brigadier general. He joined the Air Force in 1952 as a second lieutenant and was a pilot for 37 years in the Air Force, the Air Force Reserve and the Air National Guard. He received USAF basic and primary flying training at Bartow Air Force Base in Florida (1952-53) and combat crew training at Randolph Air Force Base in Texas (1953). Holman’s performance in combat earned him the Combat Readiness Medal; the National Defense Service Medal; the Air Force Longevity Service Award with seven oak leaf clusters; the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with two hourglass devices; and the Small Arms Expert Pistol/Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon. In 1980, he attended the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He was a former mayor of Jackson (1960-64), as well as a township committeeman and a Republican County committeeman. In addition, he served as Ocean County’s employee relations director from 1974-77, and as the county administrator from 1977-82. In 1982, Holman was named by then-Gov. Thomas Kean as chairman of the Republican State Party, a post he left in 1988 when Kean appointed him executive director of the N.J. Turnpike Authority. Two years later, he formed Frank B. Holman Associates in Jackson, his own public relations firm dedicated to government liaison, political consulting and campaign management. Mr. Holman served as political consultant to the gubernatorial campaign of Christine “Christie” Todd Whitman, and at the time of his death was still an owner of the firm, which became part of The Holman Group in 2001, with another office in Trenton. He was an avid fisherman and a member of the Whitesville Volunteer Fire Company, the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the Air Force Association. Mr. Holman was predeceased in 2004 by his wife of 51 years, Margaret Egan Holman. Surviving are four sons and two daughters-in-law, Frank B. Holman III and Kathleen Covone of Jackson, retired Sgt. George and Cindy Holman of Barnegat, Louis Holman of Jackson and his girlfriend, Julie Strout, and Sgt. David Holman, also of Jackson; two daughters and a son-in-law, Mary Jean Wickward of Chatsworth, and Theresa and Alex Vives of Jackson; a sister, Lola Claire Ohlsten of Trumansburg, N.Y.; nine grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. A funeral gathering was held at the George S. Hassler Funeral Home, Jackson, followed by the funeral liturgy at St. Aloysius Roman Catholic Church, Jackson, with the Rev. Scott Shaffer officiating. Interment took place at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Lakewood, with full military honors.

Jennie L. Krystoff

Mrs. Krystoff, 95, of the Adelphia section of Howell, died Dec. 14 at CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township. Born in Bridgehampton, N.Y., she had lived in Adelphia since 1945. Mrs. Krystoff was employed at the Brockway Glass Co., Freehold, for 22 years before retiring in 1977. She was predeceased by her husband, William C. Krystoff, in 1984; a daughter, Carol Trojan, in 1997; two sons-in-law, Frank J. Trojan and Daniel R. Bailey Jr.; four brothers, Frank, Charles, Edward and Anthony Kominski; and a sister, Constance Glowacki. Mrs. Krystoff is survived by a daughter, Doris A. Bailey of Adelphia; four grandsons; and four great-grandchildren. A funeral liturgy was celebrated at Our Lady of Poland Church, Southampton, N.Y., followed by interment at Sacred Heart Cemetery, Southampton, N.Y. The Higgins Memorial Home, Freehold, was in charge of arrangements.

Stephen Polukard

Mr. Polukard, 34, of Wescosville, Pa., died Dec. 11 with his brother, Michael, following a motor vehicle accident in Wescosville. Born in Livingston, he resided in the Belford section of Middletown before moving to Wescosville four months ago. He was employed in network operations at AT&T, Bedminster, the past eight years. Mr. Polukard is survived by his wife, Melissa Newton Polukard; his parents, Eileen and Stanley Polukard of Belford; a son, Chase, and daughter, Michayla, both at home; a brother and sister-in-law, Daniel and Holly Polukard of Jackson; his father-in-law, Thomas Newton of Keansburg; his mother-in-law, Kathy Dalton of Port Charlotte, Fla.; a brother-in-law, Thomas R. Newton Jr. of Punta Gorda, Fla.; and a niece. A funeral liturgy was celebrated at St. Catherine’s Roman Catholic Church, Middletown, followed by burial at Fair View Cemetery, Middletown. The John F. Pfleger Funeral Home, Middletown, was in charge of arrangements.

Michael Polukard

Mr. Polukard, 32, of the Belford section of Middletown, died Dec. 11 with his brother, Stephen, following a motor vehicle accident in Wescosville, Pa. Born in Livingston, he resided in Belford most of his life. Mr. Polukard was a dock builder at Phoenix Marine, Keyport, the past five years. He was a member of Teamsters Local 731, Keyport. Mr. Polukard is survived by his parents, Eileen and Stanley Polukard of Belford; a brother and sister-in-law, Daniel and Holly Polukard of Jackson; a sister-in-law, Melissa Polukard of Wescosville, Pa.; and a niece and nephew. A funeral liturgy was celebrated at St. Catherine’s Roman Catholic Church, Middletown, followed by burial at Fair View Cemetery, Middletown. The John F. Pfleger Funeral Home, Middletown, was in charge of arrangements.