Ammirata, Brenda (Rhinesmith), 63, of West Milford, NJ passed away on July 5th 2023 surrounded by family. Brenda is survived by her dedicated Husband of 34 years, Vincent Ammirata. Beloved Daughter of Arthur and Joan Rhinesmith of Ringwood, NJ. Siblings, Arthur D. Rhinesmith of Ringwood, NJ, Kevin Rhinesmith of Ringwood, NJ, Sherry and Michael Veloce of Glenwood, NJ. Children, Frank Ammirata of Vernon, NJ, Stephanie and Marc DuBois of Huntersville, NC, Tracey and Brian Menier of Highland Lakes, NJ, Rebecca Gilchrist of Huntersville, NC, Shelby Ammirata and fiancé, Kyle Manzoni of West Milford, NJ. Grandmother of Marc DuBois, Myles Menier, Samantha DuBois, Amber Menier, Quinn Menier, Paityn Gilchrist , Madison DuBois, Ava Menier and Noah Gilchrist. In addition to many Cousins, Nieces and Nephews. Brenda is preceded in death by her Brother, John Hazell. Brenda will be fondly remembered as a loving wife, daughter and mother. She was beautiful on the inside and out.

Ballard, Richard, 92, born May 4, 1931 and passed away July 13, 2023. Born in Wanaque to Willis and Anita (Fredericks) Ballard, he lived there a few years until his parents moved the family of 8 children, Richard being the youngest of 7 boys and one girl, to Ringwood. He married Gertrude Pfifferling of Vienna, Austria and they resided with their daughter Kim in Ringwood. Richard was an Army veteran of the Korean War. He worked for E.I. Dupont, Pompton Lakes as a full-time painter which he continued to do after his early retirement. Richard was also a school crossing guard in the Erskine Lakes section of Ringwood. He was a Ringwood Baseball and Softball coach for years. Beloved father of Kim Ponce of Ringwood, loving grandfather of Kaylin and Kassidy Ponce and loving son-in-law, Kevin Ponce. Predeceased by his wife Gertrude. Visiting hours Wednesday July 19, 5-8 pm at Richards Funeral Home,4 Newark-Pompton Turnpike, Riverdale.

Blake,John Vincent, Sr., age 84, of Hewitt, New Jersey passed away July 29th, 2023 in the comfort of his own home surrounded by family. John was born in Cumberland, Maryland. John was one of six siblings. His  mother, Dorothy, created a home full of love and joy. Before graduating high school, John joined the U.S. Navy and was stationed in New Orleans, LA. While serving, John worked as a Ham Radio Operator, a position that required communicating with morse code which developed into a lifelong hobby. After his service, John became an electrician at Sacred Heart Hospital in Cumberland, Maryland. He was later the Director of Maintenance at Kings Harbor Care Center in the Bronx, where he met the love of his life, Clarissa. John went on to work at Bergen Pines Hospital as Director of Maintenance for 13 years. Post retirement, John was committed to working at Agape Child Care Center where many students and teachers would know him as “Mr. John”. He really enjoyed his time there and would often tell stories about his love for the kids and teachers. John was incredibly popular in town, he took a daily trip down the mountain to ShopRite to do the grocery shopping, buy the wine, and God forbid he’d ever forget his Pick 4 numbers. John enjoyed fishing, woodworking and eating seafood; most notably crab legs. John’s love for seafood was the driving force behind the Blake family’s tradition of having a huge seafood boil on holidays and special occasions. John loved watching his daughter Elizabeth play field hockey for West Milford, and helping his son Matt build anything he could imagine. John enjoyed spending time with his son John Jr., daughter-in-law Eileen, and grandsons, Nicholas and Zachary, for barbecues and holidays. The family dogs, Cleo and Tucker were loyal and loving to him and will miss him dearly. John will be lovingly remembered for his magnetic sense of humor and his contagious smile. He was always willing to lend a helping hand to a neighbor, friend, or family member in need. John is survived by his loving wife of 31 years, Clarissa (“Ris!”), sons John Blake Jr. and Matthew Blake; daughters, Elizabeth Blake, Maria Fisco, sister, Judy, and grandchildren, Zachary Blake, Nicholas Blake, Jennifer Hymes, Danny Hymes, Michael Fisco, Joseph Fisco, and brother in-law Hugh Aird; as well as many loving nieces, nephews and extended family. John was predeceased by his daughter Peggy Hymes, and siblings, Ronnie, Dorothy, Francis and Patricia. John was a loving father, husband, brother, grandfather, uncle, brother-in-law, friend, and neighbor. John will forever be missed. More importantly, John will forever be celebrated. The best people will never be here long enough. Love you Pops, see you soon. Memorial visitation Saturday , August 5th 2-5 PM at Richards Funeral Home, 1440 Union Valley Road, West Milford 07480.

Boyd, Maude J., 69, a homemaker of Hewitt, NJ, passed away on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. Beloved wife of Peter L. Boyd. Born in Wyckoff, NJ to the late Rose (Burckley) and Roger F. Sherman. Surviving are a daughter, Jessica Lee of Newton, NJ and a son, Peter A. Boyd of Waldwick, NJ. Also surviving are two brothers, Roger Sherman of Fairfield, CT and William Sherman of Cincinnati, OH, and a sister, Candice Fitzpatrick of Waldwick, NJ; and, two grandchildren, Austin and Mackenzie Boyd. Joanne, as most her friends knew her, was a loving and dedicated mother, wife, sister and friend to those closest to her. She especially enjoyed spending time at the beach, LBI, NJ and Ponte Vedra Beach, FL were her favorites. Friends may call at Richards Funeral Home, 1440 Union Valley Road, West Milford, NJ 07480 on Friday, July 28 from 4 to 7 PM. Entombment on Saturday, July 29 at 1 PM at George Washington Memorial Park, Paramus, NJ.

Carpenter, Keith M., 78, of West Milford, NJ, passed peacefully away on Saturday, July 8, 2023. He was a longtime resident of West Milford. Keith is survived by his beloved wife, Theresa, married for 59 years; his son Mark Carpenter and his wife, Siobhan Carpenter, along with his grandchildren, Ava and Keith Carpenter. Keith is also survived by his brother in-law Edward Schroeder, along with his niece Rosemary Reno and husband Charles, niece Sue Zucnick and husband Mark, nephew Edward Schroeder and wife Judy, along with his 8 great nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his loving sister, Gail M. Schroeder, and his son Brett Carpenter Keith was born in Suffern, NY to Rosemary and Marvin Carpenter. He grew up in Ramsey, NJ before moving to San Mateo, CA. Keith married Theresa Jean Emerson on April 18, 1964 in Burlingame, CA. They moved back to NJ and settled in West Milford in 1967. Here they raised their two sons Mark and Brett Carpenter. Keith Carpenter was a Plumber who owned his own family business in West Milford. He worked alongside his nephew, Edward Schroeder for 7 years, and his son, Mark Carpenter for 25 years. Keith was a longtime member of the Meadowbrook Gun Club. He was an avid hunter and fisherman. Keith was an active community member who served as a football and baseball little league coach, as well as booster club member. He always made himself available to help others in need throughout his community. Keith was loved by all those who had the good fortune to know him. His family’s hearts are broken by his passing. May he rest in peace. A private service will be held at Richards Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to NJ Special Olympics (www.sonj.org) or Camp Marcella (https://campmarcella.org/), summer camp for children and adults with disabilities, located in Rockaway, NJ.

Colfax Jr., Thomas W., 78, lifelong resident of Wanaque passed away July 31, 2023. Thomas was a retired union carpenter, Local 253, Hackensack. Beloved husband of Alma (Goritski) Colfax. Loving son of Eleanor (Van Orden) Colfax. Beloved father of Sherrie Gould and husband Darren, and Tommy Colfax. Brother of Lee Colfax. Also survived by four grandchildren, Darren Jr., Jamie, Dylan and Devin. Predeceased by a son Richard. Visiting hours Wednesday, August 2, 4-6 pm at Richards Funeral Home, 4 Newark-Pompton Turnpike, Riverdale. Funeral Thursday 10 a.m, Midvale Cemetery, Wanaque. Please meet at the cemetery

Fitzsimmons, John M., 82, of West Milford, passed away July 9, 2023. Born in Glasgow, Scotland, John worked for Verizon as a fiber optic installer. John was an Army veteran serving in the Vietnam War. Upon retirement he was a bus driver and driver trainer for the West Milford school system. John also was an instructor for flying, as well as sailing and was often referred to as Captain. Not only was he respected as a patient, thorough instructor, but more importantly revered as a friend to his students. A humorous, adventurous yet gentle spirit, John is survived by his companion Imogene and his son John Fitzsimmons Jr. A memorial visitation will be held Thursday July 13, 5-8 pm with a funeral service at 7:30 at Richards Funeral Home, 1440 Union Valley Road, West Milford.

Held, Julia, a longtime West Milford, NJ, resident, a community historian, and a volunteer of the year, died on July 8, 2023. She was 89. The daughter of Emma and Andrew Buchalla, Mrs. Held grew up in Secaucus, NJ, but spent her summers swimming, berry picking and exploring the Parklands of the newly established Upper Greenwood Lake community, where, in 1935, her parents built a cold-water bungalow. She attended Union Hill High School, in Union City, NJ, where she was class valedictorian in 1950, and earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from New York University, where she met her husband of 62 years, Samuel K. Held; She later received a master’s degree in education from Rutgers University. The couple married in 1954 and over the next two years welcomed a daughter, Andrea, followed by a son, Richard. Their third child, Heidi, arrived later. The family moved to West Caldwell, NJ, in the early 1960s, where Mrs. Held served for 10 years as president of the West Caldwell Residents Association, volunteered with the Junior Women’s League, and was, for many years, a troop leader with the Girl Scouts. An inquisitive problem solver whose wide-ranging interests and sense of fun and outdoor adventure fueled a steady stream of hands-on projects and detailed travel itineraries both domestic and abroad, Mrs. Held spent her early years teaching Algebra, Geometry and Trigonometry classes at Mount Saint Dominic Academy in Caldwell, NJ. She gained her greatest satisfaction, however, in fabricating- and finding creative solutions to fix- things for her home and family; from sewing Halloween costumes and soldering intricate stained glass lamps, to laying brick patios and installing skylights in their home. Her basement workshop housed both a circular and a reciprocating saw. In the early 1980s, Mr. and Mrs. Held moved to West Milford and, for four years, owned and operated The Pine Arch Inn, which served family-style continental fare. Simultaneously, the couple completed a full renovation of Andrew and Emma’s original summer cottage at Upper Greenwood Lake, and moved there in the mid-1990s. She remained active in the Upper Greenwood Lake Property Owners Association and at West Milford Presbyterian Church, where she served as a deacon and sang in the choir until her passing. Mrs. Held was predeceased by her husband. In addition to the couple’s three children, she is survived by their six grandchildren, a great grandson, brothers- and a sister in-law, and several nieces and nephews. She is greatly loved and missed.

Herman, Matthew, 41, of Haskell, passed away July 24, 2023. Matthew is survived by his brother Joshua Herman, niece Brooke Herman, grandfather James Herman, step-father Gerard Tomaiko, Aunt Susan Rivenes and family, Aunt Tracey and Uncle Ron Herman and family. Matthew is predeceased by his mother Diane Tomaiko. Matthew was a loving brother, son, grandson, and uncle. He will be dearly missed by those who knew and loved him. Visiting hours Thursday July 27, 3-7 pm at Richards Funeral Home, 4 Newark-Pompton Turnpike, Riverdale. Those who wish to join the funeral procession can meet at Richards Funeral Home Friday at 10 am. Graveside service Friday 11 am at Laurel Grove Cemetery, Totowa.

Ingravallo, Anthony was born in Paterson, NJ, to his loving parents, Gina and Pietro Ingravallo. They instilled in him the values of love, compassion, and hard work, which guided him throughout his life. Anthony was predeceased by his beloved parents and his niece, Lisa M Iozia, whose memory he held dear. Throughout his journey, Anthony was surrounded by the love of family. He is survived by his cherished sisters, Francesca Poyner (husband John Poyner) and Filomena Berdan (husband Richard Berdan), who were a source of joy and support to him. Anthony was a proud and loving uncle to his niece, Christie Shauger, and nephews, Alex Berdan and Jason Berdan. He cherished the time spent with his family and valued the bonds they shared. Professionally, Anthony found fulfillment and success in his work as a skilled chef at the Mason Jar in Mahwah, NJ. His culinary expertise, creativity, and love for his craft shone through in every dish he prepared, leaving a lasting impression on the restaurant's patrons and fellow colleagues. Beyond his professional achievements, Anthony's warm and caring nature made him a cherished presence in the lives of his family, friends, and coworkers. His welcoming smile and friendly demeanor brightened the atmosphere, making everyone feel at home. A memorial service to honor and celebrate the life of Anthony Ingravallo, who resided in Hewitt, NJ, will be held at Richard Funeral Home in West Milford, NJ, on August 3rd from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Family, friends, colleagues, and all those whose lives were touched by Anthony are invited to come together to pay their respects and share their cherished memories of a remarkable individual. The family requests those who wish to express sympathy to consider making a donation to the American Diabetes Association in Anthony’s name. As we gather to say farewell to our dear Anthony, let us hold onto the love he shared and the beautiful memories he gifted us. Though he may no longer be with us in person, his spirit and the love he shared will forever be present in our hearts. May we find solace in the memories of Anthony's love and the legacy of goodness he leaves behind. May he rest in eternal peace, reunited with his parents and niece Lisa, knowing that he will be deeply missed and forever loved by his family and friends.

Mertrud, Robert R. was born in a two story rental house in Nutley, New Jersey on August 15th 1928 to parents Victor A. Mertrud and Bertha Appleby-Mertrud. He was raised in the town of Haskell where he attended grammar school, and was a Boy Scout. On June 10th 1946 Robert graduated Butler High School. two months later, August 28th 1946, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corp. Robert finished his service in WWII as a Corporal in July f 1948. He then attended Lycoming College in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. There, he graduated on June 1st 1952 with a Bachelors degree in Science. From then on he used his knowledge and experience to be a true “Jack of all trades,” but most notably an engineer having worked on many projects through the years. He wore several other hats in his lifetime, too: A fire fighter, a Deacon at the First Reformed Church in Pompton Plains, he was a Mason, and a Shriner where he was part of a string band and preformed as “Peanuts The Clown” in The Shrine Circus. The hat he wore first and foremost, though, was that of “Family Man.” On September 25th 1954, Robert married the love of his life Estelle Olsen. They remained married till the day he died on July 18th 2023. They have five children: Deborah, Robert, Donna, Eric, and Douglas; Eight grand children: Sarah, Jaime, Robert, Zachary, Erika, Garrett, Bridget, and Lauren; and seven great-grandchildren: Ayden, Misha, Gabriel, Phoenix, Loxley, Harper, and Remy. He is also survived by three of his sisters: Nora, Bertha, and Barbara. Robert joins their deceased siblings Victor, Richard, Mae, and Dorothy in heavenly love and bliss. A service will be held honoring and celebrating the 95 years of life and legacy of Robert R. Mertrud on Sunday September 3rd from 11am - 4pm at The Butler Fire House 28 Carey Ave, Butler New Jersey with eulogy at 12noon. We hope all can attend, as further ceremonies and honors will be announced as they become finalized.

Pieroni, Jane Arline, age 97, passed away July 14, 2023. Arline was born in North Bergen, NJ to the late Lilly Mae and Peter Joseph Pieroni. She graduated from Union Hill High School. Arline owned and operated Arline’s bar before moving to Hewitt, where she worked at Wanaque Valley Inn for many years. She then moved to Sarasota, FL where she worked for Nielsen Ratings in Venice, FL. Upon her retirement she loved to go to Siesta Beach to search for shells and feeding the ducks and birds in her yard. Arline moved back to Hewitt when her health started to fail. Arline is survived by her niece Lynda Naccara and husband Steve. Her Great nephews Brent Naccara and wife Jana, Douglas Naccara and wife Joanna and Matthew Naccara and wife Stacey. Along with 8 Great Great nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her parents Lilly and Pete, her sister Muriel VanOfferen and husband George. Services will be held at Richards Funeral Home in West Milford, NJ Thursday, July 20 from 5 pm to 8 pm. Private disposition will follow at Warwick Cemetary. Donations can be made to West Milford Animal Shelter.

Schmits, Henry, R., 68, passed away July 11, 2023. Born in Paterson to the late Henry and Annabel Schmits he resided in Pompton Lakes his entire life. Henry was a self-employed handyman, an avid fisherman and outdoorsman. He is survived by his loving family, sister Barbara Coss and husband John, brother James Schmits and wife Kathy, and his four nieces, Annabel, Christine, Kathy and Allison. A memorial visitation will be held Thursday July 13, 6-8 pm at Richards Funeral Home, 4 Newark-Pompton Turnpike, Riverdale.

Wiggins, Rosemary, 82, of West Milford, NJ on Saturday, July 29, 2023. Born in New York City to the late Joseph and Julia (Wolff) Padham. Beloved wife of the late James Wiggins. Rosemary was a resident of West Milford for 70 years and employed as a bank teller for Bank of America in West Milford. Surviving are three daughters, Sharon Yuhas (husband, Mike), Linda Wiggins and Catherine Free all of West Milford, one brother, Michael Padham (wife, Eileen) of Warwick, NY, two sisters, Teri Galovic of Budd Lake, NJ and Julianne Fox (husband, Jim) of Lebanon NJ, three sister-in-laws, Lee Padham, Evelyn Compton-Padham and Noreen Wiggins. Proud to be called Gramma Rose by her surviving are five grandchildren, Nate and Zane Yuhas, Sam Yuhas (wife, Le) Jessica Free and Daniel Free (wife, Emily) and two great grandchildren, Logan and KC. Pre-deceased by son-in-law Tony Free and two brothers Joe and Tom Padham 

Wilson, Linda, it is with heavy hearts we announce that Linda Marie Wilson (Carlo), 65, of Hewitt, NJ died on Sunday, July 2nd, 2023. Linda was born to the late Lawrence Carlo and currently surviving Frances Pinto and grew up in Hawthorne, NJ where she was surrounded by a large network of extended family. Linda dedicated her professional life to public education as a teacher in the District of Paterson, NJ for 36 years before retirement. In addition to her mother, Linda is survived by her loving husband of 35 years, Robert Wilson, whose devotion and attentiveness goes unmatched; her daughter Shannen Murphy, the pride of her life, who she raised to have her same fiery heart and gentle touch; her son-in-law Ryan Murphy, who promises to carry on her love of candied fruits and crème filled chocolates; her grandson, Liam, who already shares her love of storybooks; and her granddaughter, Maeve, for whom she fought so hard to stay with us long enough to know she was born and healthy. Linda is also survived by her siblings Larry, JoAnn, and Johnny and their families who lovingly supported her through all of her health challenges. There is a long list of cousins, extended family, in-laws, nieces & nephews, and great nieces & nephews that Linda cherished deeply. While Linda suffered more than her fair share of chronic illness in her final years, those that love her choose to remember her for the tenacity she had all her life. We picture her on the beach, toes in the sand with a mixed drink and stack of mystery novels; we hear her in the basement running 6 miles on the treadmill so she could eat as much pasta as she wanted – guilt free; we smirk as she goes to battle on the phone with whatever poor soul happens to be the customer service representative who slighted her; we see her on her belly rubbing noses with her beloved dogs, or any dog for that matter; and now more than ever we feel her tight embrace and hand on our cheek as she uses terms of endearment that combine some Italian-American dialect and gibberish. We will protect all of these memories, and so many more, as her legacy. Services will be held at Richards Funeral Home in West Milford, NJ on Thursday, July 6th from 2:00pm to 4:00pm and 6:00pm to 8:00pm and on Friday, July 7th with 10:30 AM mass at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church in Hewitt, NJ. Private disposition will follow. . In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Pl. Memphis, TN 38105-9959 or www.stjude.org.