Births
The University Medical Center at Princeton has announced the following births:
A daughter was born to Plainsboro residents Stephanie and Michael Ravaschio, October 25.
A son was born to Plainsboro residents Paige and Ken Topolewski, October 25.
Daugthers were born to West Windsor residents Susanne Hart and William Rood, October 17; and Seetha and Raja Visvanathan, October 22.
Deaths
Major General Harley L. Pickens, 81, of Somerset died October 30. A former longtime resident of West Windsor, he was actively involved in the community and was a member of numerous committees and organizations, including the West Windsor Parking Authority, Shade Tree Committee, and the West Windsor Lions Club.
Born in Baldwin, New York, he graduated with a degree in industrial engineering from Lehigh University, Class of 1950. He was a computer systems manager at RCA and Hertz corporations for 28 years.
Pickens began his military service during the Korean War, and after years of distinguished service in the Army Reserve was promoted to Major General of the 78th Division Army Reserve from which he retired in 1985.
Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Eleanor; his daughter and son-in-law, Linda and Victor Lopez-Balboa; grandchildren, Andrew, William, Claudia, and Matthew Lopez-Balboa of New York City; son, Donald Pickens of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; daughter and son-in-law, Janet and Robert Cole, and grandchildren, Sarah and Robert III of Readington. Donations may be made to the American Lung Association, 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20004.
Rose Lydia Alexander Walker, 56, died October 17 at home. Born in Creswell, North Carolina. she moved to Plainsboro five years ago. She was lead supervisor at Davlyn Industries of Cranbury for more than 20 years.
Survivors include her husband, Cornell Sherman Walker of Plainsboro; her daughter, Chaunice Alexander of Plainsboro; her son, Kendall Alexander of Trenton; two grandchildren, Janique and Arianna Alexander; brothers and sisters-in-law, Edgar and Mary Liz Alexander Jr. of Augusta, Ga., James and Willie Faye Alexander and David and Rosa Alexander, both of Poughkeepsie, New York, Ernest and Murtis Faye Alexander of Trenton, Johnnie and Barbara Alexander of Snellville, Georgia, Joseph Alexander of Creswell, Calvin and Lorraine Alexander of Loganville, Georgia, Melvin and Theresa Alexander of Hampton, Virginia, and Roger and Brenda Alexander of Williamston, North Carolina; two sisters and brother-in-law, Earnestine Spruill of Plymouth, North Carolina, and Beulah and Fred Bryant of Hamilton; stepchildren, Crystal and Mike Grosslin of Houston, Texas, and Carl and Tee Walker of Hamilton Township; and her mother-in-law.
Madeline W. Biache, 89, of Yardley, Pennsylvania died October 18. Survivors include daughter and son-in-law, Madeline F. and Edward Skarpetowski Jr. of West Windsor. Donations may be made to the Felician Sisters Retirement Fund, 260 South Main Street, Lodi 07644.
Delores Theresa Nicholson, 63, of Marietta, Georgia died on October 18. She was a former West Windsor resident. Born in Brooklyn, she received her bachelor’s degree from Brooklyn College, and worked for John LIndsay, mayor of the City of New York.
Survivors include her mother, Mary; a brother,William; a sister, Jeanna; and a niece, Theresa. A guest book is at www.TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.
Patricia ‘Pat’ Tryon Tindall, 84, of Teaneck died on October 21. A longtime resident of West Windsor, her paintings of the town’s historical sites were featured in the township’s 1997 bicentennial calendar.
A graduate of Mercer Community College, with an associate in arts degree she received her bachelor of arts degree from Thomas Edison College. An artists since childhood she studied at Corcoran Galleries, Abbott Art School, and Pratt Institute. She maintained Countryside Studio for her commercial and fine art works.
She had solo shows, participated in many exhibits, and her work is in numerous private collections, both home and abroad, as well as in Mercer County businesses. A member of Princeton Art Association, Garden State Watercolor Society, Trenton Artists’ Workshop, and West Windsor Historical Society, she was appointed to the Mercer County Cultural and Heritage Commission. Tindall retired from Princeton University’s department of art and archaeology in 1991.
Survivors include a daughter, Claudia J. Tindall of Teaneck; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Gordon C. and Val Tindall III of Lanesboro, Minnesota, and Timothy W. Tindall of Jersey City; four grandchildren, Courtney Tindall of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Ian Tindall of Decorah, Indiana, Christopher Mooney of Northvale, and Myla Mooney of New York City; and her brother and sister-in-law, Richard R. and Anne Tryon of Frankfort, Michigan.
A memorial will be held Saturday, November 27, at 1 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Dutch Neck, 154 South Mill Road, West Windsor. Donations may be made to the USO (United Services Organization) at uso.org.
Elizabeth “Bettieann” A. Kos Baker of Mountain Top, Pennsylvania, died October 28. Survivors include granddaughter Kari Baker Lenhart and her husband Ryan of Plainsboro. Contributions may be made to American Cancer Society or Hospice Community Care, 601 Wyoming Avenue, Kingston, PA 18704.
Lyle Grossmann, 76, of West Windsor, 76, died October 31, Arrangements were by Riverside Memorial Chapels, 1310 Prospect Street, Ewing.
John Dando Sias, 71, of Monroe died on October 29 at University Medical Center at Princeton. He lived in Plainsboro from 1986 to 2008.
Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he received his Ph.D. from Penn State, where he was a professor for 17 years. He was also a professor at Mercer Community College, and taught English at Hillside High School in Hillside. During his time with the Peace Corps he worked on the Borneo I. Project in Borneo, Malaysia.
Survivors include his wife, Janice Sias; his daughter, Malia Sias of Brooklyn, New York; his son and daughter-in-law, Jim and Laura Sias of Somerset; and his sisters, Gayle Sefzikand and Joan Terrell. Donations may be made to the Leukemia Society, the American Kidney Fund, or to Cancer Care.
