Page 2 • Wednesday , October 20 , 2021 • The Hammonton Gazette
TAB LE OF CONTE NTS
The Hammonton Gazette
OPINION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 BUSINESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 OUR TOWN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 FAITH FOCUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 CIVIC NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 HAMMONTON ’ S HISTORY . . . . . . 27 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT . . . . . . 47
WHAT ’ S HOT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 MIND GAMES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 HOROSCOPES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 REAL ESTATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 SCORECARD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 SPORTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 www . hammontongazette . com
The Hammonton Gazette ( USPS 018984 ) is published weekly . The Hammonton Gazette is located at 14 Tilton St ., Hammonton , NJ 08037 . Periodicals Postage Paid at Hammonton , NJ . Subscriptions are available for $ 25.00 per year for New Jersey addresses & $ 30.00 per year for residents for out-of-state addressess . POSTMASTER : Send address changes to The Hammonton Gazette , 14 Tilton St ., P . O . Box 1228 Hammonton , NJ 08037 . Call ( 609 ) 704-1940 for more information .
OBITUARIES
Allan Ralph Grasso
Allan ralph Grasso , 73 , of Hammonton passed away peacefully Sunday , October 10 , 2021 .
Allan was born and raised in Hammonton , and later moved to Michigan , where he worked as a counselor to Wayne County Community College ’ s foreign student body and was later the Assistant to the Director of the Detroit Opera House . Allan graduated from Hammonton High School in 1966 and later from Atlantic County Community College .
All those who knew Allan loved to hear him play the piano and sing . There were many cheerful Sundays growing up when extended family and friends would gather around the piano after enjoying one of his mother ’ s famous large Sunday dinners . Allan , a self-taught piano virtuoso who played by ear , amazed all who heard him play . He also enjoyed decorating the inside and outside of the family home on Second Street each Christmas in the 1960s and early 1970s , making it a truly Griswold Christmas each year . He would enlist the aid of his brother Gary in these hijinks , and they would traipse around the woods of South Jersey in search of greens and holly , a chore they both loved to do . ( Or at least that ’ s what Allan said !) His mother secretly loved the decorations , but maintained her usual exasperated persona as they spent days getting the house into the Holiday Spirit . All those who remember him from high school , knew that he loved to perform in school plays . His highlight was his 1966 senior year starring performance in “ Bye , Bye , Birdie ” and then singing “ it Was a Very Good Year ” at his graduation .
Allan moved to Michigan and lived there from 1972 to 2006 . in 2007 he returned to Hammonton to care for his mother during her last two years , and he remained in town for the rest of his life . His brothers were always grateful that he was able to provide constant care and comfort for Mom during that time . finally , his family would like to thank Don and Karen Ogle for providing care and support for Allan in recent years , and especially in what unexpectedly turned out to be his last few months . He is predeceased by his parents , Albert and Martha ( nee De Stefano ) Grasso . Allan is survived by his brothers , Albert in Hammonton and Gary ( Barbara ) in Virgina , as well as an aunt in elm , numerous cousins , nieces , nephews , grandnieces and grandnephews here in Hammonton and in Virginia .
May Allan rest in peace . Burial will be at the convenience of the family . To share condolences please visit www . marinellafuneralhome . com .
Arrangements made by Marinella funeral Home .
Rita M . Williamson
rita M . Williamson ( nee Tomasello ), 87 , of Hammonton N . J ., passed away peacefully on Wednesday , October 13 , 2021 . rita was a lifelong Hammonton resident , graduating from Hammonton High School in 1951 , where she was a member of many sports teams . She was a member of the Bell Telephone Lady Pioneers , working for Bell in Hammonton and for the Golden Nugget as a telephone operator . rita was an avid Phillies fan and enjoyed local high schools sports . She was very active with the St . Mary of Mt . Carmel festival and volunteered many hours . rita also held positions at Collective Bank and the local thrift shop .
She is predeceased by her parents , William and Anna Tomasello ( nee Tomasco ) and her brother , Norman T . Tomasello . rita is survived by her sisters , frances Shea of Pleasantville , N . J . and Anna Marie Hunter of Little egg Harbor , N . J . She will be sadly missed by many nieces and nephews . family and friends are attended her Mass of Christian Burial on Monday , October 18 , 2021 11 a . m . at St . Mary of Mt . Carmel Parish - St . Joseph Church 3rd & french Streets Hammonton , N . J . Burial was private . in lieu of flowers , donations may be made to St . Vincent De Paul Society food Bank 226 french Street Hammonton , NJ 08037 . To share a condolence , please visit marinellafuneralhome . com . Arrangements made by Marinella funeral Home .
Dorothy A . “ Pixie ” Filomena
Dorothy A . “ Pixie ” filomena ( nee Vitalo ), 62 , of folsom and Ocean City , N . J . passed away peacefully in Ocean City on Sunday , October 17 , 2021 .
Born in Hammonton , she was a lifelong South Jersey resident . Dorothy was a laboratory specialist and adjunct professor of mathematics at Atlantic Cape Community College . She also formerly worked in the Academy of Culinary Arts .
Dorothy is predeceased by her daughter , Heather Marie filomena and her father , Daniel J . Vitalo .
She is survived by her two sons , Jeremy filomena and Justin filomena both of folsom ; her long-time companion and life partner , John Stratton of Ocean City ; her mother , Dorothy Vitalo of folsom ; her three brothers , Daniel J . Vitalo Jr . of Chichester , N . Y ., David Vitalo ( Lisa ) of Ballston Lake , N . Y . and Darren Vitalo ( Terry ) of folsom ; one sister , Diane rice ( Dave ) of South Carolina ; and her three nieces , Stephanie Logan ( Jim ), Bev Dekerguelen ( Beau ) and Amy Papaneri ( James ).
A Memorial Visitation will be held , Saturday , October 23 , 2021 from 4 p . m . to 6 p . m . at the Carnesale funeral Home , 202 S . Third St ., Hammonton , N . J . Burial will be private and at the convenience of the family . in lieu of flowers , donations in Dorothy ’ s name may be made to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center , P . O . Box 5028 , Hagerstown , MD 21741- 5028 . for everyone ’ s health and safety we are requesting masks be worn while indoors .
Arrangements made by Carnesale funeral Home ( www . carnesalefuneralhome . com ).
Jersey Shore
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Martin George Blaskey Jr .
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THG / Joseph F . Berenato . To purchase photos in The Gazette , call ( 609 ) 704-1940 .
Robinn Mikalic and Anita Hall ( second and third from left ) of Weyerbacher Brewing Co . posed with ( l to r ) Hammonton Police Chief Kevin Friel , Lt . Donald Kunen and Ptl . Dalton Scola at Witch-Craft . Saturday , Oct . 16 , 5 p . m .
Martin George Blaskey Jr ., 86 , passed away on October 13 , 2021 with his family by his side . Martin was born December 16 , 1934 and raised in South Philadelphia . He attended St . Aloysius grade school and graduated from Southeast Catholic High School in 1952 .
Martin served in the United States Air force during the Korean War . He completed his basic training at Sampson Air force Base , N . Y ., April 10 , 1953 , flight 2524 , 3657 Training Squadron . He went to technical school at Chanute Air force Base , ill ., September 1953 until february 1954 . He was a mechanic on the C-124 Globemaster ii , nicknamed “ Old Shaky .” He was stationed at Westover Air force Base , Mass ., from february 1954 to April of 1955 . Martin was then stationed at Dover Air force Base , Del ., until his discharge December 12 , 1956 .
Martin met the love of his life , Joyce , when she was attending nursing school at Cooper Hospital in 1956 . They were married October 4 , 1958 at Saint Anthony ’ s Church in Waterford Works , N . J . Together they built their dream home and raised their children in Winslow Twp . Martin and Joyce were active members of Christ the redeemer Parish . Martin worked for Gulf Oil as a sales-rep with territories on the east coast . Martin is a former member of the Waterford Volunteer fire Company where he served as the secretary and president . He later became an exempt fireman . Martin chaired the bingo committee and brought bingo to the fire company . When Martin was employed at the Gulf Oil Company , Gulf Oil donated a tanker truck to the fire company . Martin and then Assistant fire Chief Philip iannaco Sr . went to Lakewood to retrieve the tanker . This truck was refurbished by iannaco Garage and became known as Big Ben . The Truck was used for many years to supply additional water for the fire trucks .
Martin graduated from Pierce School of Business in 1962 with a degree in accounting . Martin was a licensed realtor and had an office in Sicklerville , N . J .
Martin was active in the Democratic Party . He was elected to the Winslow Twp . School Board in 1962 and served on the building committee . He was directly involved with the building of Winslow School Number 1 and Winslow School Number 2 . His name still appears on the dedication plaques in both of these buildings . Martin was elected to the Winslow Twp . Committee and served from 1968 to 1981 . He was on the committee responsible for changing the Winslow Twp . Police Department from a part-time district into the capable police force it is today . Martin also served on the building committee which built the Winslow Municipal Complex in Cedarbrook . His name appears on the dedication plaque . He was the first Deputy Mayor of Winslow Twp .
Martin was employed as the Camden County Tax Administrator from 1975 until his retirement in 2002 . He supervised all 37 municipalities and was responsible for billions of dollars of property assessments . Martin was a member of the Wagon Wheel Gun Club . He hunted in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey . Martin was an avid golfer who had a membership for decades at the Pineland Golf Course in Winslow Twp . He played in many tournaments and enjoyed playing with his friends .
One of Martin ’ s favorite places to visit , with his family , was Walt Disney World . He and his family visited the resort dozens of times . During one of the many visits to the “ Hoop-Dee-Doo review ,” Martin had the honor of portraying Davey Crockett ’ s Angel . He received a certificate for his participation in the play which he proudly had framed . Martin and Joyce have been Disney Vacation Club members since 1996 . They were selected to join the Disney advertising department where they were featured on the Disney television network promoting The Old Key West resort . This commercial was broadcasted 24 hours a day for years . Martin and his wife were winter residents of Clear Water florida allowing them not only easy access to Disney but also Philadelphia Phillies preseason games .
Martin is predeceased by his parents , Martin G . Blaskey Sr . and Mary elizabeth Blaskey ( née Versack ); his father in-law and mother inlaw , Phil iannaco Sr . and Helen iannaco ( Chickachop ); his brothers-in-law , Philip C . iannaco Jr . and robert Carbrey ; and many other beloved family members .
Martin is the beloved husband of Joyce ( née iannaco ) for 63 years ; loving father of Susan ( Paul ) Sigloch and Martin ( Marie-Louise ) Blaskey iii ; grandfather of Paul raymond Sigloch , Connor Martin Sigloch and ryan Joseph Sigloch ; brother to Marion Carbrey ; brother in-law to Margie iannaco , Kenneth ( Marion ) iannaco and Glenn ( Tuttie ) iannaco ; and loving uncle to many nephews and nieces . Martin will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him , especially his loving family . relatives and friends are invited to attend his viewing on Wednesday morning October 20 , 2021 from 9 a . m . to 11 a . m . at the Costantino-Primo funeral Home , 231 W . White Horse Pike , Berlin , NJ 08009 . Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:30 a . m . at Christ the redeemer Parish Assumption Church , 318 Carl Hasselhan Dr ., Atco NJ 08004 . interment with military honors will follow in Sacred Heart Cemetery , Cedar Brook N . J . Visit costantinoprimofh . com for lasting condolences .
Arrangements made by Costantino-Primo funeral Home .
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