Search Archived Marriage Records
Mary Oliver, 77; civic leader and trailblazer
Dated Tuesday, November 7, 2006
Mary Louise Oliver, a civic leader who in 1982 became the first African-American woman to run for mayor of Paterson, died Wednesday.
Ms. Oliver, a Paterson resident for more than 50 years, was 77.
"She was a strong advocate for justice, women and liberation who took her responsibilities almost as a calling from God," said the Rev. Albert Rowe, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, where Ms. Oliver worshiped.
The city of Paterson and the Paterson Rotary awarded Ms. Oliver the Rosa Parks Award in February for her civil rights leadership.
Ms. Oliver entered the 1982 mayoral campaign after more than two decades of community involvement. From 1961 to 1965, she was president of the Passaic County section of the National Council of Negro Women; from 1966 to 1979, she was a social caseworker for the Paterson Department of Human Resources; and from 1979 to 1981, she served as ombudsman for the institutional elderly, an appointment made by the Passaic County Freeholder Board. She also was co-founder and first president of what is now Eastside High School's Home School Council.
Ms. Oliver squared off against state Sen. Frank X. Graves -- a former Paterson mayor -- and Councilman Raymond Cassetta. Graves won in a landslide, with 82 percent of the vote. Ms. Oliver finished third, with just over 8 percent.
Four years later, Ms. Oliver unsuccessfully sought a City Council seat.
The defeats did not diminish her community and political activism.
"Mary Oliver was a great, brazen woman," said Elease Evans, Passaic County freeholder director. "She tread where women dare not go early on.
"It's a great loss for the city of Paterson," Evans added.
Ms. Oliver, a native of Greenville, N.C., was a longtime member of the Passaic County Democratic Organization and a member of Passaic County African American Women 100 Plus.
She is survived by her husband, Thomas; a son, Craig Edward Oliver of Paterson; a daughter, Wanda Stephanie Oliver of Paterson; a brother, Phennel Preddy of Raleigh, N.C.; a sister, Harris Mae Preddy-Fox of Durham, N.C., and a granddaughter.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon at Calvary Baptist Church, 575 E. 18th St., Paterson, followed by the funeral service. Burial will be at Cedar Lawn cemetery in Paterson. Carnie P. Bragg Funeral Home, 256 Rosa Parks Blvd., is handling arrangements.
Robert O. Adams, 80, of Clifton died Saturday. Before retiring in 1988, he was a steel roller for the Athenia Steel Division of National Standard Co., Clifton, where he worked for 44 years. He was a Navy veteran of World War II and a member of Disabled American Veterans Chapter 2 and American Legion Post 347, both in Clifton. He was a parishioner of St. Andrew the Apostle R.C. Church, Clifton. He was a former bandsman for the St. Francis Drum and Bugle Corps, Clifton. Arrangements: Allwood Funeral Home, Clifton.
Dated Monday, November 6, 2006
FRANCES KELLY BARR, 74, of Hackensack died Tuesday. She was a member of Community Baptist Church, Englewood. Arrangements: Nesbitt Funeral Home, Englewood.
Dated Monday, November 6, 2006
MARY FEALEY BERGEN, 81, of Ringwood died Saturday. She was a parishioner of St. Catherine R.C. Church, Ringwood, and a member of its Seniors Club. She also was a member of the Ringwood Seniors Club, the Red Hat Society and the Erskine Lake Property Owners Association. Arrangements: D'Agostino Funeral Home, Haskell section of Wanaque.
Dated Monday, November 6, 2006
JEANETTE SYTSMA BOONSTRA, 87, of Wyckoff, formerly of North Haledon, died Sunday. She was a charter member of North Haledon Christian Reformed Church. Arrangements: Vander Plaat Funeral Home, Wyckoff.
Dated Monday, November 6, 2006
CATHERINE GABACCIA, 84, of Woodcliff Lake, formerly of Fair Lawn and River Vale, died Saturday. Before retiring, she worked for Alexander's department store, Paramus, for 33 years. She was a parishioner of Our Lady Mother of the Church R.C. Church, Woodcliff Lake. Arrangements: Becker Funeral Home, Westwood.
Dated Monday, November 6, 2006
CATHERINE L. GRAY, 87, of Beech Creek, Pa., formerly of Emerson, died Saturday. She had worked for Woolworth's department store. She was a former member of Emerson Bible Church, where she was a Sunday school teacher. She was a member of Romola Bible Church, Marsh Creek, Pa. Arrangements: Yost-Gedon Funeral Home, Lock Haven, Pa.
Dated Monday, November 6, 2006
STEPHEN HOVAN, 69, of Cliffside Park died Saturday. Before retiring in 1995, he was a machinist for Blickman Equipment, where he worked for 30 years. He was an Army veteran. Arrangements: McCorry Bros. Funeral Home, Cliffside Park.
Dated Monday, November 6, 2006
THEODORE H. MAYS, 80, of Clifton died Wednesday. Before retiring, he was a mill supervisor for Bay State Milling Co., Clifton. He was a Navy veteran of World War II. He was a member of Wallington Presbyterian Church. Arrangements: Bizub-Quinlan Funeral Home, Van Houten Avenue, Clifton.
Dated Monday, November 6, 2006
Mary L. Harris Oliver, 77, of Paterson died Wednesday. Before retiring, she was a social worker for Passaic County. She was a member of Calvary Baptist Church, Paterson, and a former member of its Chancel Choir. She was past president of the National Council of Negro Women, a Passaic County ombudsman, founder of New Jersey Community Forum and a member of the Passaic County African-American Women 100-Plus Inc. She also was a member of the Passaic County Democratic Organization, past president of the Board of Directors of Passaic County Planned Parenthood, co-founder and charter president of the Eastside High School Parent, Teacher and Student Association and a member of Passaic County Counseling and the Passaic County Commission on the Status of Women. She had been the first African-American woman to run for mayor of Paterson and received the Rosa Parks Award in February 2006 from the City of Paterson and the Paterson Rotary Club. Arrangements: Bragg Funeral Homes, Paterson.
Dated Monday, November 6, 2006
RUSSELL A. READ, 58, of Hawthorne died Saturday. Before retiring last year, he was a meter reader for Public Service Electric and Gas Co. in Paterson, Passaic and Hackensack, where he worked for 37 years. He was an Army veteran of the Vietnam War and a member of the American Legion, Hawthorne, and the Vietnam Veterans Association. He was a parishioner of St. Anthony R.C. Church, Hawthorne. Arrangements: Browning-Forshay Funeral Home, Hawthorne.
Dated Monday, November 6, 2006
JULIA SAFRAN, 75, of Fair Lawn died Thursday. She had been a saleswoman for Gucci America Inc., Secaucus. Arrangements: Robert Schoem's Menorah Chapel, Paramus.
Dated Monday, November 6, 2006
RHEA UNGER SPIEGEL, 85, of Edgewater died Sunday. She had been a ward clerk at Mountainside Hospital, Montclair, where she worked for 28 years. Arrangements: Eden Memorial Chapels, Fort Lee.
Dated Monday, November 6, 2006
THERESA PERRY ALBRECHT, 71, of Ridgefield Park, formerly of North Bergen, died Friday. Before retiring last year, she was a supervisor of crossing guards and previously a meter maid, both in North Bergen. Arrangements: Lawton-Turso Funeral Home, Hoboken.
Dated Sunday, November 5, 2006
THE REV. BLASɠBURNISTON, 84, of Ringwood died Friday. He was a Catholic priest in the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement, who entered the order in 1940 and made his final profession of vows in 1951. Arrangements: D'Agostino Funeral Home, Haskell section of Wanaque.
Dated Sunday, November 5, 2006
JAMES J. BURNS III, 69, of Kingston, Pa., formerly of Hawthorne, died Friday. He had been an auto mechanic for Chet Decker Dodge, Hawthorne. He was an Air Force veteran. Arrangements: Browning-Forshay Funeral Home, Hawthorne.
Dated Sunday, November 5, 2006
ROBERT F. CHANNELL, 83, of Washington Township died Thursday. He had been supervisor of the cabinet shop at Rockefeller University, where he worked for 40 years. He was an Army veteran of World War II and a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6192, Washington Township. Arrangements: Becker Funeral Home, Westwood.
Dated Sunday, November 5, 2006
FRANCES GULINO CIELO of Boca Raton, Fla., formerly of Maywood and Hackensack, died Thursday. She was a parishioner of Our Lady Queen of Peace R.C. Church, Maywood. Arrangements: Trinka-Faustini Funeral Home, Maywood.
Dated Sunday, November 5, 2006
PETER A. COLEMAN, 52, of River Vale died Friday. He had been a chauffeur for Westwood Taxi and Limousine Service. He was a member of Mount Zion Baptist Church, Westwood. Arrangements: William G. Basralian Funeral Service, Oradell.
Dated Sunday, November 5, 2006
CATEINA COLOMBO, 56, of Paterson, formerly of Haledon, died Saturday. She was born in Italy and came to the United States in 1971. She had been a self-employed housekeeper. She was a parishioner of St. Gerard R.C. Church, Paterson, where she was a member of the Padre Pio Club. Arrangements: DeLuccia-Lozito Funeral Home, Haledon.
Dated Sunday, November 5, 2006
MARY A. ANTONELLO CURCIO, 85, of Ridgefield, formerly of North Bergen, died Thursday. She was born in Italy. She was a parishioner of St. Matthew R.C. Church, Ridgefield, and a member of its Rosary Society. She was a member of the Ridgefield Park Senior Citizens and the American Legion Auxiliary, and was a Cub Scout den mother. Arrangements: Frank A. Patti & Kenneth Mikatarian Funeral Home, Fort Lee.
Dated Sunday, November 5, 2006
ANDREW J. GARVEY, 90, of Highland Lakes, formerly of Kearny, died Friday. Before retiring in 1981, he was a machinist for Ragan Machinery, North Arlington, where he worked for 20 years. He was an Army veteran of World War II. He was a member of the North Arlington Masonic Lodge. Arrangements: Kamienski Funeral Home, Wallington.
Dated Sunday, November 5, 2006
MICHAEL J. GERRIS, 39, of Dumont, formerly of Bogota, died Friday. He was in the technical support training program of Subaru of America. Previously, he was parts manager of Morristown Subaru. He was a former member of the Hawthorne Caballeros and a certified diving master. Arrangements: Browning-Forshay Funeral Home, Hawthorne.
Dated Sunday, November 5, 2006
FLORENCE M. HOYT of New Fairfield, Conn., formerly of Leonia, died Saturday. She was a parishioner of St. John the Evangelist R.C. Church, Leonia. Arrangements: Lazear-Smith & Vander Plaat Memorial Home, Warwick, N.Y.
Dated Sunday, November 5, 2006
