Page 2 • Wednesday , December 6 , 2023 • The Hammonton Gazette
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Hammonton Gazette
OPINION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 BUSINESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 NOTICIAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 OUR TOWN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 FAITH FOCUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 CIVIC NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 HAMMONTON ’ S HISTORY . . . . . . 23
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT . . . . . . 31 WHAT ’ S HOT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 MIND GAMES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 REAL ESTATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 SCORECARD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
SPORTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 hammontongazette . com
The Hammonton Gazette ( USPS 018984 ) is published weekly , Hammonton Gazette Publishing LLC , 14 Tilton St ., Hammonton , NJ 08037 . Periodicals Postage Paid at Hammonton , NJ . Subscriptions are available for $ 40 per year for New Jersey addresses & $ 50 per year for residents for out-of-state addresses . 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
Sarah N . DeCicco
HAMMONTON FAMILY EYECARE
Complete Eye Care For All Ages
www . hammontonfamilyeyecare . com 80 S . White Horse Pike • Hammonton • Tel : ( 609 ) 567-7479
Sarah N . DeCicco ( nee Aquino ), 96 , of Hammonton , N . J . passed away peacefully on Friday , December 1 , 2023 at her residence . Born in Winslow , N . J . she was a lifelong area resident . Sarah retired as a manager from Sears Roebuck in Hammonton after 40 years of service . She was the former treasurer for MainStreet Hammonton , past president of the Hammonton Soroptimist Club , Kessler Hospital Auxiliary and the St . Martin ’ s Rosary Altar Society . Sarah was a volunteer at Kessler Memorial Hospital ’ s Gift Shop for 30 years and was the local Blood Bank Coordinator . She was a former treasurer for the Hammonton Chamber of Commerce where she also served as the first female trustee . In 2006 , Sarah was named as their Nice Going Award Honoree .
She was predeceased by her husband , Joseph ; her siblings , Anna De- Lucca , Dolly Oliva , Millie Berenato , Carrie Sacco , Mary Lancetta , Rose Codario , Frank Aquino and Michael Aquino . Sarah is survived by several nieces and nephews .
A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Saturday , December 9 , 2023 , 10 a . m . in St . Mary of Mount Carmel Parish Church of St . Joseph ’ s 226 French St ., Hammonton , N . J ., where a visitation will be held from 9:30 a . m . - 10 a . m . Memorial Donations may be made to the Barbara Ann Sbarra Scholarship Fund , 270 Messina Ave ., Hammonton , N . J . 08037 .
Arrangements entrusted to Carnesale Funeral Home .
Diane DiNatale Fitzpatrick
Photos Courtesy of Candice Atwell
Richard Curcio , wearing a sleeping cap and a nightgown , performed “ A Visit From Santa Claus ” also known as “‘ Twas the Night Before Christmas ” during the Tree Lighting on Dec . 2 . For more photos , see Page 14 .
Philadelphia Boys Choir at Kathedral
Diane DiNatale Fitzpatrick , 79 , of Atco , NJ passed away suddenly on Monday , November 27 , 2023 at home . Born in Hammonton , she moved to Atco as a teenager . Diane was a proud 1961 graduate of Hammonton High School and a devout member of the Catholic Church . Diane worked at Jimmy ’ s Chrysler- Plymouth in Egg Harbor , N . J ., Empire Savings and Loan in Hammonton , N . J ., and for 21 years , the Sands and Claridge Casinos in Atlantic City , where she rose to Supervisor . She was a Sunday School teacher and Co-Director of the Youth Group at St . Anthony of Padua in Hammonton .
She was predeceased by her parents , James ( Jimmy the Brute ) and Antoinette ( nee Lombardo ) DiNatale ; her sister , Marie DiNatale and her brother-in-law Eddie Coia . Diane is survived by her loving daughter , Kellyanne Conway ; her sisters , Rita DiNatale and Angela Coia ; her adoring grandchildren , George Anthony Conway , Claudia Marie Conway , Charlotte Rita Conway and Vanessa Elizabeth Conway ; and their father , George T . Conway , III . She is also survived by her nieces and nephews , Renee and Ron Adamucci and James and Angel Coia ; her great nieces and great nephews , Alexa and Michael Siligato , Astin and Bryn Estlack , Giovanna and John Pence , and Jimmy Coia and his fiancé Katie ; her great-great niece and nephews Fabrizio and Sofia Siligato , Weston and Hudson Estlack , and Jack Pence ; and many cousins , relatives and friends .
Family was everything to Diane . She loved to spend extended visits with her grandchildren ( whose friends also called her “ MomMom ”) in both New Jersey and Washington D . C ., play hours of card games with her sisters and friends , and make her signature Sunday gravy and meatballs .
Memorial Donations may be sent to St . Jude Children ’ s Research Hospital 501 St . Jude Place , Memphis , TN 38105-9959 or to St . Joseph ’ s Academy , 328 Vine Street , Hammonton , NJ 08037 .
Robert K . “ Bob ” Piperata
Robert K . “ Bob ” Piperata passed away peacefully on November 16th in Las Vegas , Nev . Bob was born on March 21st , 1934 in Hammonton , N . J . After graduating from Hammonton High School , Bob joined the Air Force where he trained as an air traffic controller , and he served at several bases in the United States and in Holland . After his honorable discharge from the Air Force , he pursued a career as an air traffic controller with the Federal Aviation Administration ( FAA ). After controlling traffic at several airports near his hometown of Hammonton , he earned the opportunity to work controlling traffic at Los Angeles International Airport back when it was the busiest airport in the United States . Approval to serve at such a busy facility involved a grueling training period , and two thirds of those who started the training program washed out . But Bob completed the training in near record time , to serve in both the tower and the radar room and this is where he finished his career . After his retirement , Bob eventually settled in Las Vegas . Bob was very dedicated to his family , remembering birthdays and wedding anniversaries of all his nieces and nephews and their children and he always called each of them on their special days to offer them his best wishes . One can hardly think of Bob without remembering that he was always quick with a joke and he seemed to have an endless supply of them . He could come up with a joke about any situation and he always had a new joke when anyone talked to him .
He was predeceased by his parents , Mary and Fank Piperata ; his sisters , Victoria Piperata , Anna Marie Centurione and her husband Cardy , Edna Messina and her husband Bill ; his brother , Frank ; former wives , Carol Clay of California , and Helen Merlo of Hammonton , N . J . Bob is survived by his sister-in-law , Bess Piperata of Rhode Island and many loving nieces , nephews and cousins . Bob / Uncle Bob will be missed by his remaining family members , and they will all remain forever grateful for his love and support .
The Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale performed at Kathedral Event Center on December 3 .
Kristin Guglietti / THG