Search Archived Marriage Records
Anthony O. Busnardo
Retired Business Owner
Anthony O. Busnardo, 79, of Bridgeton died Thursday afternoon July 3, 2003 at S.J. Hospital – Bridgeton where he had been a patient for the last week. He had been in declining health since suffering a heart attack on May 16th.
Mr. Busnardo was born in Emeigh, PA and was the son of the late Alex and Madelena Munareto Busnardo. The husband of Mae P. (nee Beattie) Busnardo, he was the stepson of the late Jennie Busnardo. A Bridgeton area resident most of his life, Mr. Busnardo attended Bridgeton High School where he was a linebacker and running back on the varsity football team. After working briefly at Seabrook Farms and the Owens-Illinois Glass Company, he entered the US Navy. He served in Florida and South America before being discharged as a Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class in the 1946. He returned to work at Owens and worked there in the forming department until retiring on a medical disability.
He also owned and operated an air-conditioning and refrigeration repair business for several years and for the past several years worked with his son, Dan and traded as Dan’s Appliance Repair. Mr. Busnardo was also a partner with his late brother Primo in establishing Busnardo’s Sports Center on N. Pearl Street in Bridgeton.
Mr. Busnardo was a member of the Bridgeton Indians Semi-Professional Football Team in Bridgeton and played running back and linebacker until the team disbanded. He was known as the “Red Hot Jitterbug” for his shifty moves as a running back. A lifelong sportsman, he was an avid hunter and was a member and held offices in the Buckshutem Antlers Hunting Club and the Salem County Conservation Club. He also held memberships in the Shoemaker Post #95 American Legion, the Meade-Woodward Post #1795 VFW and the Fraternal Order of Eagles, all of Bridgeton. Mr. Busnardo also served as a volunteer in the Bridgeton Midget Football League and was an assistant football coach for several years.
In addition to his wife of fifty-five years, he is survived by one son, Danny Busnardo and his wife Kathy of Bridgeton, one daughter, Toni Lee Foerch and her husband John of Paramus, seven grandchildren, Anthony and Christopher Busnardo, Stephanie Knight, John Anthony Foerch, Christopher Foerch, Christina Foerch and Jamie Schuppan, one great granddaughter, Shelley Lynn Schuppan and one sister, Odessa Vasallo of Vineland. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Shelley Busnardo Schuppan in 1991, two sisters, Kathryn Tymkow and Theresa Melchiorre and three brothers, Primo, Marco and Max Busnardo.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday July 8th at 11 A.M. at the Freitag Funeral Home, 137 W. Commerce St., Bridgeton.
The interment will be made at Laurel Lawn cemetery in Upper Deerfield Township.
Friends will be received at the funeral home Monday evening from 7 until 9 and also Tuesday morning one hour prior to the services.
Memorial contributions are suggested to the Bridgeton All Sports Hall of Fame, c/o Ken Fisher, 276 Hampton Street, Bridgeton, N.J. 08302.
Richard F. Bridgeford
Retired Chief Inspector
Richard F. Bridgeford, retired Chief Inspector for the Philadelphia Police Department and consultant to former Philadelphia Mayor and Police Commissioner the late Frank L. Rizzo died of heart failure Thursday afternoon July 3, 2003 at Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital in Cape May Court House, N.J. He was 76.
Mr. Bridgeford was born in Philadelphia and was the son of the late John J. and Helen (nee Driscoll) Bridgeford. A lifelong resident of North East Philadelphia, he graduated from LaSalle High School in 1943 and from LaSalle College in 1949 with a B.A. in Education. He later attended New York University and took graduate level courses in Administration and also the University of Pennsylvania where he attended courses in human relations and statistics. Mr. Bridgeford also attended the Temple University School of Law for one year in 1957-58.
He was a US Army Veteran of World War II and saw active duty in as Sergeant Major with the 86th Division Artillery in the Philippines. He also saw active duty during the Korean Conflict, as he was recalled from reserve status as an accredited agent in the Criminal Investigation Division.
A member of the Philadelphia Police Department from January of 1949 until July of 1980, he served as a civilian clerk, policeman, detective, sergeant, lieutenant, captain and inspector before achieving the rank of Chief Inspector in 1968.
Following his retirement from the police department, Mr. Bridgeford accepted the position of corporate security director of the Lavino Shipping Company in Philadelphia. Between February and August of 1984 he served as a consultant to then Philadelphia Mayor Frank L. Rizzo on matters of police department evaluations and private industry.
From 1984 until 1992 he was employed as the security manager for Philadelphia Gas Works in Philadelphia.
Mr. Bridgeford also taught part time at Temple University’s Institute for the Administration of Justice. He developed and taught courses in Organization and Management, Juvenile Delinquency and Oral and Written Communications. Over the years he served as a guest lecturer at St. Joseph’s University, LaSalle University, the Community College of Philadelphia, Delaware County Community College and Valencia Community College in Orlando, FL.
In addition to attending major conferences on topics concerning police executives, Mr. Bridgeford was appointed and served on the Mayor’s Drug and Alcohol Abuse Executive Commission.
His organizational memberships included being a member and past president in 1972 of the Delaware Valley Association of Professional Police Officials, life memberships in the Southeastern Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police and the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge #5 of Philadelphia. He was also a life member of American Legion Post #973 of Philadelphia and a past member of the International Association of Airport and Seaport Police. In addition, Mr. Bridgeford was a member of the East Torresdale Civic Association, the Technical Forum of PGW Management Employees and the American Gas Association – Protection Management Committee.
He had been a part time and summer resident of Sea Isle City for several years.
Survivors include, three daughters, Mary Louise Smith and her husband Paul of Strousburg, PA, Suzanne O’Donnell and her husband William of Seaville, N.J., Kathryn A. Randazzo and her husband Philip Sr. of Upper Deerfield Township, N.J., three sons, Richard F. Bridgeford Jr. and his wife Barbara of Willow Grove, PA, John R. Bridgeford and his companion Michelle of Levittown, PA and Robert A. Bridgeford and his wife Laura of Aston, PA, his companion and close friend June V. Bowman, 12 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. He was predeceased by two sisters, Catherine McLaughlin and Eileen Self and a brother, Arthur Bridgeford.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Memorial Mass at the Church of the Holy Innocents, Hunting Park Ave., Philadelphia, PA on Saturday July 12, 2003 at 11 A.M. where friends will be received between 10 and 11.
Mass Cards are preferred and would be appreciated or memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, 2550 Rt. 1, New Brunswick, N.J. 08902.
Funeral arrangements by the Freitag Funeral Home, Bridgeton, N.J.
Erna Prikals
Retired Seabrook Farms Worker
Erna Prikals, 96, of Emmaus, PA and formerly of Upper Deerfield Township, N.J. died Saturday morning July 5, 2003 at Manor Care in Salisbury Township, PA where she had been a resident and in declining health.
Mrs. Prikals was the wife of the late Peteris Prikals, who died in 1993, and was the daughter of the late Adams and Ieva Porietis. She was born in Daugavpils, Latvia and came to the United States in 1950, living in Covington, Georgia before moving to Seabrook, N.J. She had been a resident of Upper Deerfield Township for several years before moving twelve years ago to live with her daughter, Benita Kruus and her husband Jaan in Emmaus.
For thirty-two years Mrs. Prikals had been employed at Seabrook Farms in Seabrook before retiring.
She was a graduate of Gymnasium High School in St. Petersburg, Russia and became a United States citizen in November of 1994 at the age 87.
For many years she attended the Northville Lutheran Church in Upper Deerfield Township and was a member of St. John’s Latvian Lutheran Church in Philadelphia.
In addition to her daughter and son-in-law, she is survived by one son, Peteris Prikals Jr. and his wife Shirley of Oak Hill, VA, five grandchildren, Jaan Jr., Peter and Linda Kruus, Melissa Kirkedall and Peteris Prikals III, six great grandchildren, Kirsten, Nicholas, John Peteris, Darren, William and Kayleigh and one brother, Alfreds Porietis of Jekabpils, Latvia. Mrs. Prikals was predeceased by a son, Ivars Prikals in 1955.
Funeral services will be held Saturday afternoon July 12th at 1 o’clock at the Northville Lutheran Church, Old Burlington Road, Upper Deerfield Township.
Rev. Dr. Arvids Ziedoris, a Latvian Lutheran pastor associated with St. John’s Latvian Lutheran Church of Philadelphia will officiate.
The interment will be made in the church cemetery.
Friends will be received at the church Saturday afternoon between 12 and 1.
Memorial contributions are requested to the Northville Lutheran cemetery Fund, c/o Mr. August Jarve, 147 Rosenhayn Avenue, Bridgeton, N.J. 08302.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Freitag Funeral Home, 137 W. Commerce St., Bridgeton.
William R. Wranich Sr.
Retired Bridgeton News Manager
William R. Wranich Sr., 63, of Greenwich, died Thursday morning, July 10, 2003 at Genesis Eldercare of Millville after an extended illness.
He was born in Margaret, PA and was the son of the late Nicholas and Pauline (nee Best) Wranich. He was a life long resident of the Bridgeton area.
Mr. Wranich was employed for over 40 years at the Bridgeton News as a Composition Manager. He retired earlier this year.
An avid golfer, he organized and supervised the Evening News Golf Tournament for twenty-five years. He won the tournament in 1967. He was an associate member of Meade-Woodward VFW Post 1795 for over twenty years and a long standing member of the Eagles Club.
Mr. Wranich enjoyed bowling and scored 300 on a few occasions and he also loved to fish in Pennsylvania. His favorite hobby was crafting wood. He would often make replicas or use his skill as a craftsman to repair broken objects.
He is survived by two sons, William R. Wranich Jr. and his wife Amanda of Dorothy and Robert A. Wranich of Vineland, two daughters, Linda S. Schaffer and her husband James “Tiny” of Bridgeton and Kelly J. Federanko of Pennsville, two grandchildren, Lauren and Jessica Schaffer, two brothers, George Wranich and Donald Wranich both of PA, seven sisters, Dee Uber and her husband Ted of Bridgeton, Dorothy Jones and her husband Cliff of Greenwich, Loretta McCutcheon and her husband Donald of PA, Anna Perusek of OH, Helen Lucas and her husband John of OH, Christine Schall and her husband Earl of PA and Rose Reefer and her husband Emmett of PA. He was predeceased by two brothers, Albert and James Wranich.
Funeral services will be held Monday evening July 14th at 8 o’clock at the Freitag Funeral Home, 137 W. Commerce St., Bridgeton.
Friends will be received at the funeral home Monday evening one hour prior to the service.
Funeral services are also planned at the Carson Boyer Funeral Home, 724 Main St., Rural Valley, PA with interment to follow at St. Mary’s cemetery in Yateboro, PA.
Memorial contributions may be made in Mr. Wranich’s memory to HospiceCare of South Jersey, 2848 S. Delsea Dr., Vineland NJ 08360 or to the American Cancer Society, 1800 W. Landis Ave., Vineland NJ 08360.
