Laurel Hyacinth Rainford Grant, 77, of Plainsboro died June 23 in St. Peter’s University Hospital. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, she came to the United States in the 1960s. She worked as a secretary and a nurse.
Survivors include a son, Eugene Grant Sinclair of Somerville; and sisters, Ruth Timins of West Windsor and Julliet Perrine of Scotch Plains; three granddaughters, Brittany, Cate, and Georgina Laurel; nieces, Nicole Hilton of Somerset, Jennifer Timins of Chicago, Illinois, and Karli Perrine of Scotch Plains; and a nephew, Daniel R. Perrine of Scotch Plains.
Nona McCalpin Kuhlman, 85, of California died June 24. Survivors include son and daughter-in-law, David and Martha Esch of West Windsor. Donations may be made to the Assistance League of San Mateo County at www.sanmateocounty.assistanceleague.org.
Paul Raffiani, 85, of West Windsor died June 25 at University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro. Born in Lodi, he lived most of his life in Fair Lawn, before moving to West Windsor 20 years ago.
An Army veteran, he served during the Korean War . Over the years he owned and operated PJ’s Florist in Fair Lawn, appraised and sold real estate, and was the tax assessor in Edison.
Survivors include his wife, Joan R. Dambach Raffiani; sons, Greg Raffiani, Marc, David, and Anthony Centrelli; stepson, Richard Dambach; eight step ªgrandchildren; a brother, Joseph Raffiani; his cat, Bella; and several nieces and nephews.
Reverend Robert R. Strohl, 81, of West Windsor died June 30 at University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro. Born in Philadelphia, he graduated from Muhlenberg College and earned a master of divinity from Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia and a master of theology from Princeton Theological Seminary.
Strohl served as a minister for many Lutheran congregations in New Jersey since 1956, worked at the National Church Office of the ELCA in Philadelphia for 14 years, and continued to serve churches as needed.
Survivors include three daughters and their husbands, Ruth Strohl-Palmer and Ken Palmer, Carol and Howard Barina, and Janet Strohl-Morgan and James Morgan; his grandchildren, Kyle Robert and Anna Sage Palmer, Emily Ann and Jocelyn Rose Barina, and Alex Strohl Gerber; his step grandchildren, Kevin Morgan, Darren and his wife Alyson Morgan; and two step great grandchildren, Hazel and Zetta Morgan.
Donations may be made to the NJ Synod ELCA General Fund, 1930 State Highway 33, Hamilton Square 08690.
Mary Florence Paproski, 94, of Trenton died June 30. Survivors include her daughter and son-in-law, Joyce and Gordon Thomas of West Windsor. Donations may be made to Lifetree Community Church (designated for Children’s Ministry), Box 516, Windsor 08561-0516.
Margaret Ann Yackowski, 66, of Bound Brook died July 2. A former assistant treasurer for the Township of Plainsboro, she retired in 2013.
Survivors include her daughters and a son-in-law, Denise and Ulysses Molina of Somerville and Desiree Yackowski of Bridgewater; grandchildren, Robert O’Brien III, Desiree C. O’Brien, and Isabella Molina; and her sister-in-law, Patricia Burda of Freehold.
Ellen P. Geary, 95, of Valatie, New York, died July 3. Survivors include daughter and son-in-law, MaryEllen and John Blette of West Windsor. Donations may be made to St. John Baptist Church, Route 9, Valatie, New York 12184.
