Engaged
John Mavraganis and Heidi Whittington are planning a spring, 2015, wedding.
Mavraganis graduated from High School South in 2000, and studied at Penn State University, Mercer College, Thomas Edison College, and Mercer County Flight School. He earned a bachelor’s degree in applied science and aviation and is a pilot with American Eagle Airlines, based at LaGuardia Airport in New York. He is the son of Peter and Elizabeth Mavraganis of East Windsor.
Whittington received her associates degree with high honors from Wor-Wic Community College and is certified as a licensed practical nurse. She is enrolled in an accelerated nursing program to complete studies for registered nurse later this year. She is the daughter of Arthur and Lila Whittington of Willards, Maryland.
Deaths
Walter A. Wortelman, 85, a former West Windsor resident, died April 9 in Haines City, Florida. A mason, carpenter, and craftsman, he owned W. A. Wortelman Builders. He was a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne.
Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Claire; his sons and daughters-in-law, Gary and Gia, and their son Weston, of Hamilton; Guy and Kathy, and their son Michael, son and daughter-in-law, Bryan and Breanna, and their son, Jeremiah, all of Haines City, Florida; and Bruce and his son Brandon and daughter Lauren of Wilmington, North Carolina. Donations may be made to a charity for Parkinson’s disease.
Phillip DeSheplo, 45, of Allentown died April 26. He worked in human resources for pharmaceutical companies in the region. Survivors include the love of his life, Michele Daitz, of West Windsor; and her daughter Rebecca.
Dr. Gabriel Bayes, 91, of Monroe died April 27. An Army veteran, he was a orthodontist in New York for nearly 40 years. Survivors include a daughter, Deborah Bayes Ziment of West Windsor. Donations may be made to WNET-TV New York Public Media, WWFM Radio of New Jersey, American Heart Association, or Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.
Eileen Robertson Kocheisen, 100, of Shohola, Pennsylvania, died April 28. Survivors include great grandchildren, James and Marilyn Stoddard; and great-great grandchildren, Nicole and Daniel, all of West Windsor. Donations may be made to St. Patrick’s Church, Building Fund, 111 East High Street, Milford, PA 18337.
Dr. Paul Woodrow Brown, 94, of Fairfield, Connecticut, died May 4. He served in the Army during World War II and the Korean War. After being promoted to colonel, he was the chief of orthopedics at Fitzsimons General Hospital until his retirement from the Army in 1969. Brown instituted the country’s first skiing and horseback riding programs for the rehabilitation of amputee soldiers returning from the Vietnam war and was awarded the Legion of Merit for his efforts.
Survivors include his daughter and son-in-law, Cindy and Richard Coppola of West Windsor. Donations may be made to the Fairfield Audubon Society at www.ctaudubon.org, or Alzheimer’s Association, Box 96011, Washington, D.C. 20090.
Richard E. Wagner, 88, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, died May 7. He served in the Navy during World War II, and was a supervisor for Bethlehem Steel’s engineering department for 31 years. Survivors include son and daughter-in-law, John F. Wagner and Nancy Baran of West Windsor. Donations may be made to Westminster Village Activities Fund, 801 North Wahneta Street, Allentown PA 18109.
Jean A. Conley Bergen, 89, of West Windsor died May 8. Raised in Highland Mills, New York, she met her husband while attending NYU. She taught in the Garfield elementary schools and moved to West Windsor 20 years ago.
Survivors include her husband of 67 years, George Bergen; sons Terry and Chris; daughters Sally Bergen, Barbara Andercheck, and Mary Dampier; her sister, Mary Meany; 13 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Jacob C. “Jake” Battaglia, 74, a former West Windsor resident, died May 8 at his home in Hamilton. A life member of the West Windsor Volunteer Fire Company, Battaglia served as an assistant fire chief, fire commissioner, and financial secretary. He was also a member of the West Windsor Lions Club.
Born in Trenton, he graduated from the Bordentown Military Institute in Bordentown, and New Mexico Military College in Rosewell, New Mexico. He managed his family’s business, Frank’s Bar & Grill in East Trenton, and later owned and operated his own company, Jack’s Four Wheel Drive Supplies in West Trenton.
Survivors include his son and daughter-in-law, Louis C. and Hanna Battaglia of Robbinsville; his daughter and son-in-law, Lisa M. and Paul Karlik of Hamilton; his stepson, Geoffrey McDermott and his wife, Toni, of Boyds, Maryland; and his grandchildren, Samuel Battaglia, Leanne and Louis Karlik, and Christopher and Danny McDermott.
Donations may be made to the West Trenton Volunteer Fire Company, 40 West Upper Ferry Road, West Trenton 08628; or the Flat-Coated Retriever Foundation at www.FCRFoundation.org.
Michael J. Komishane, 76, a former Plainsboro resident, died May 8 at Greenwood House in Ewing. Born and raised in Newark, he was a pharmacist and owner of Komishane’s Pharmacy in Vailsburg, and then of Boro Drugs in Kenilworth.
Survivors include his children and their spouses, Stacey and Michael Mann, Harris and Lauren Komishane, and Cathy and Scott Richman; and grandchildren. Donations may be made to Greenwood House, Refurbishing Project, 53 Walter Street, Ewing 08628.
Amelia “Emily” Ferrari, 103, a former West Windsor resident, died May 9 at the Bayshore Community Health Care Center in Holmdel. She was born in Union City.
Survivors include her daughters and sons-in-law, Marilyn and Gerry Legato of Gillette and Judy and Wendell Smith of Holmdel; her son and daughter-in-law, David and Carol Ferrari of Deerfield Beach, Florida; four grandchildren, Marianne Legato Pasenko, and Mark, Steve and Nancy Legato; four great-grandchildren, Sam, T.J., Amelia, and Aiden Legato, and 15 nieces and nephews. Donations may be made to Monastery of St. Clare, 150 White Pine Road, Chesterfield 08515-1732.
Lorraine L. Hubbs, 86, of Atco, died May 11 at Kresson View Center. Born in Plainsboro, she moved to South Seaside Park in 1988. She was a statistical analyst for Educational Testing Service.
Survivors include her two sons and a daughter-in-law, Robert J. Hubbs and John L. and Patricia Hubbs; her two grandchildren, Matthew R. Hubbs and Danielle Nicole Hubbs; her brothers and sisters-in-law, Clifford and Patricia Luther, and George and Edna Luther; and her sister-in-law, Irma Lou Hubbs. Donations may be made to Arc of Middlesex, 219 Black Horse Lane, North Brunswick 08902.
