Obituaries

Paul Pincus

Mr. Pincus, 87, of Old Bridge, died Oct. 23 at Raritan Bay Medical Center, Old Bridge division. Born in Bayonne on Nov. 21, 1917, he lived in Brooklyn and Long Island, N.Y., before moving to Old Bridge nine years ago. Mr. Pincus was a clarinetist. He began playing the clarinet at age 9 and attended The Juilliard School, New York City, on a scholarship. He worked from 1943 to 1960 as a Broadway pit musician, playing in many shows and appearing on a number of original cast albums. He performed in a number of Ethel Merman shows, including "Call Me Madam," and "Annie Get Your Gun," and concluded his Broadway career with "Flower Drum Song." In the 1950s, Mr. Pincus recorded an album of klezmer music titled "Music for Happy Occasions." He became an internationally known klezmer clarinetist and toured with the Epstein Brothers Orchestra and other groups. He instructed younger musicians for a number of years at KlezKamp. In 2002, he toured American and European cities with the Yiddish Radio Project, re-creating Yiddish radio programs from the 1930s and '40s. Mr. Pincus was predeceased by his wife, Roslyn, in 1977. He is survived by his sisters, Florence Dolber and Harriet Nemeth, both of Old Bridge; several nieces and nephews, including Ellen and Barry Glenn, Debbie and Mark Efron, and Amy and Russell Rosen, all of Manalapan; and several grandnephews, grandnieces, and friends. Services were held at the Bloomfield-Cooper Jewish Chapels, Manalapan.

Helen L. Key

Mrs. Key, 80, of Freehold, died Oct. 13 at Kimball Medical Center, Lakewood. Born in Freehold, she was a lifelong resident. Mrs. Key was a member of the New Beginnings Agape Church, Freehold. She was the widow of McKinley Key. Surviving are three stepchildren, Pearlie Richardson of the Morganville section of Marlboro, Ollie Davis of Howell, and Vernell Bellinger of Piscataway; four brothers and a sister-in-law, William A. Conover Jr. of Lakewood, David E. Conover, John H. and Chrysteen Conover of Bordentown, and Raymond A. Conover of the Tennent section of Manalapan; and three sisters and a brother-in-law, Margaret E. Conover of Freehold, Elizabeth Conover of Port St. Lucie, Fla., and Julia M. and David Jones of Neptune Township. Funeral services were held at the New Beginnings Christian Center, Freehold, followed by interment at Maplewood Cemetery, Freehold Township. The Higgins Memorial Home, Freehold, was in charge of arrangements.

Robert T. Jones

Mr. Jones, 78, of North Brunswick, died Oct. 14 at St. Peter's University Hospital, New Brunswick. Born in Hackensack, he had resided in the Colonia section of Woodbridge before moving to North Brunswick 46 years ago. Mr. Jones taught driving at New Brunswick High School for 25 years, retiring in 1983. He served with the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He was a communicant of St. Augustine of Canterbury Roman Catholic Church, Kendall Park section of South Brunswick, and a member of the New Jersey Education Association. Mr. Jones is survived by his wife, Irene Tietz Jones; four sons, Douglas Jones of Bel Air, Md., Thomas Jones of Howell, Steven Jones of Hoboken, and Christopher Jones of Chesapeake, Va.; two sisters, Gladys Van Langen of Glen Rock and Betty Dates of Hasbrouck Heights; a brother, Walter H. Jones Jr. of Simsbury, Conn.; and four grandchildren. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St. Augustine's Church, followed by interment at Holy Cross Burial Park, South Brunswick. Arrangements were by the Selover Funeral Home, North Brunswick. Memorial donations may be made to American Cancer Society, 846 Main St., Fords 08863.

Edwin Sierra

Mr. Sierra, 46, of Middletown, died Oct. 16 at home. Born in Florida, he had resided in New York City and Northvale, Bergen County, before moving to Middletown in 1980. Mr. Sierra was the owner/operator of Absolute Audio, Middletown, the past 10 years. He was a member of Calvary Chapel Church, Old Bridge. Mr. Sierra is survived by his wife of 25 yeas, Miriam Ortiz Sierra; his parents, John and Luz Sierra of Howell; a daughter, Angela Emanuele of Middletown; a son, Edwin Sierra Jr. of Middletown; two brothers, John Sierra and David Sierra, both of Middletown; and a sister, Elizabeth Lepard of Howell. A funeral service was held at First Assembly of God Church, Shrewsbury, followed by burial at Fair View Cemetery, Middletown. The John F. Pfleger Funeral Home, Middletown, was in charge of arrangements. Memorial donations may be made to Calvary Chapel-Old Bridge, P.O. Box 567, Old Bridge 08857.

Maria Aimee Kovacs

Mrs. Kovacs, 62, of Colts Neck, died Oct. 20 at Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch. Born in Laredo, Texas, in 1943, she had lived in West Long Branch before moving to Colts Neck. Mrs. Kovacs graduated from the University of Texas with a bachelor of science degree in physical education, and served as a health and physical education teacher at Neptune Township High School during the 1960s. She then attended Friends International Christian University, California, and received a master's degree in biblical counseling and later received a doctor of philosophy degree in religious studies. She was founder and pastor of the Bride of Jesus Christ Church, Howell. She also founded Kingdom Glory International and oversaw churches in Africa, Argentina, India, Brazil and Paraguay. She also authored a book titled "Dancing into the Anointing: Touching the Heart of God Through Dance." Mrs. Kovacs is survived by her husband, James P. Kovacs; four sons, James P. Kovacs Jr., Glenn Kovacs, Wayne Kovacs and Brandon Kovacs; three daughters; Jamie Routhier, Donna Golden and Lara Whitehead; a daughter-in-law, Katherine Kovacs; and seven grandchildren. Funeral services were held at Monmouth Worship Center, Marlboro, followed by interment at the Old Tennent Cemetery, Tennent section of Manalapan. The Higgins Memorial Home, Freehold, was in charge of arrangements.

Sylvia A. Predale

Mrs. Predale, 75, of Colts Neck, died Oct. 4 at JFK Medical Center, Edison. Born in Allentown, Pa., she had lived in Newark and Atlantic Highlands before moving to Colts Neck in 1965. Mrs. Predale was a 1952 graduate of Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, N.Y. She was a member of the Colts Neck Reformed Church and the Colts Neck Senior Citizens as well as treasurer for Atlantic Cemetery, Colts Neck. She was also a knitting and crocheting instructor at the Manalapan Senior Center for many years. Mrs. Predale was predeceased by a son, Robert, in 1986. She is survived by her husband, Vito Predale; two sons and daughters-in-law, John and Nancy Predale of Blairstown, and Thomas and Pam Predale of Howell; a daughter and son-in-law, Susan and Bruce Smith of Kentucky; two brothers, William Heberling of West Caldwell and John Heberling of Downey, Calif.; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. A funeral service was held at the Colts Neck Reformed Church, followed by interment at Atlantic Cemetery, Colts Neck. The Freeman Funeral Home, Freehold, was in charge of arrangements. Memorial donations may be made to the Colts Neck Reformed Church, 72 Route 537, Colts Neck 07722.

Herbert J. Schwarz

Mr. Schwarz, 71, of Aberdeen, died Oct. 6 at home. Born in Richmond Hill, N.Y., he resided in New York City prior to moving to Aberdeen 43 years ago. Following retirement, he was employed at St. Mary of the Lake, Lakewood, and St. Benedict's Roman Catholic Church, Holmdel. Prior to that, he was a facilities manager at Time Inc., New York City, for 30 years. He was ordained to the Deaconate - Diocese of Trenton, and was a deacon at St. Benedict's Church. He was a past chaplain and fourth-degree Knight of Columbus, a member of the Matawan Planning Board, and founder of Matawan Little League. He is survived by his wife, Mildred "Teens" Tuffy Schwarz of Matawan; three sons, Herbert H. Schwarz and William T. Schwarz, both of San Jose, Calif., and Thomas C. Schwarz of Doylestown, Pa.; three daughters, Patricia S. Lee of Hamilton, Kathy Sisti of Marlboro, and Jean M. Munning of Hazlet; 11 grandchildren; and a cousin. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St. Benedict's Church. Interment was at Holmdel Mausoleum. Arrangements were by Day Funeral Home, Keyport. Memorial donations may be made to Council of Deacons, St. Stephen's Fund, Diocese of Trenton, Deaconate Office, P.O. Box 5147, Trenton 08638-0147.