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George Bacso, 68
Was Tennis Coach; Served As Physical Education Teacher
George Anthony Bacso, 68, of
Highland Beach, Florida, died on
Sunday, November 22, 1998 at home.
Born in Trenton, he had lived for
over 20 years in Westfield.
Mr. Bacso was a physical education
teacher at Livingston High
School. He also established his own
tennis academy, the North Jersey
Tennis Academy.
He taught tennis near his home in
Florida. He served as a testing director
for the United States Professional
Tennis Association, (USPTA) where
he later became regional and national
president.
Surviving are his ex-wife Nancy
Bacso of Boca Raton, Florida; two
sons, George Bacso, Jr. of Atlanta,
Georgia and Michael Bacso of Boston;
two daughters, Delia Bacso of
Portland, Oregon and Uma Bacso of
Boulder, Colorado, and two grandchildren.
A Funeral Service was held on
Wednesday, December 9, at The Boca
Raton Resort and Club, Boca Raton,
Florida.
Memorial contributions may be
made to the George Bacso Memorial
Fund, C/O USPTA 3535 Briarpark
Drive, Houston, Texas 77042.
Nancy Scarpignato, 89
Nancy Scarpignato, 89, of
Westfield died on Monday, December 7, 1998 in Overlook Hospital in Summit.
Born in Motta Camastra, Sicily,
Italy, she lived in Westfield for 45
years.
Mrs. Scarpignato had been employed
by the Somerset Laundry
Company in Plainfield for 12 years
before retiring in 1970.
She was predeceased by her husband,
Carmelo Scarpignato, in 1992.
Surviving are a son, Paul
Scarpignato of Westfield; a daughter,
Jenny Pafumi of Westfield; seven
grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
A Funeral Liturgy will be held
today, Thursday, December 10, in
the Holy Trinity Roman Catholic
Church in Westfield, following the
funeral from the Dooley Colonial
Home, 556 Westfield Avenue in
Westfield.
Interment will take place in
Fairview Cemetery in Westfield.
Margaret Leist
Margaret C. Fitzpatrick Leist died
Saturday, December 5, 1998 at Genesis
Eldercare in Westfield.
Born in Elizabeth, she had lived in
Westfield for more than 60 years.
Mrs. Leist worked at Bell Labs in
New York City for more than 10
years and retired after working at
Children's Specialized Hospital in
Mountainside for 18 years.
She was a member of St. Helen's
Roman Catholic Church in Westfield.
She was predeceased by her husband,
Lester Leist, in 1966.
Surviving are a daughter, Janet A.
Maragni of Tewksbury; a brother,
John Fitzpatrick of Westfield, and a
grandson.
A Memorial Mass will be offered
today, Thursday, December 10, at St.
Helen's Church.
Funeral arrangements were
handled by the Dooley Funeral Home,
556 Westfield Avenue in Westfield.
Ruth Coulbourn, 90
Active in Politics; Charter Member of Women's Club
Ruth Coulbourn, 90, of Scotch
Plains, died Monday, November 30, 1998
at home.
Born in Baltimore, she had lived
in Queens before moving to Scotch
Plains in 1935.
Mrs. Coulbourn worked as a reporter
for The Courier News in
Bridgewater for 30 years, before
retiring in 1970.
She was also a writer with the
National Foundation for Infantile
Paralysis in Westfield.
Mrs. Coulbourn was a member of
the Scotch Plains Republican Club
and a committeewoman in Scotch
Plains District No. 4 for many years.
She was also a charter member of the
Scotch Plains Women's Club.
Surviving are two daughters, Mary
Jane Haiback and Nancy C. Ike; six
grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.
A private funeral service was held.
Funeral arrangements were
handled by the Rossi Funeral Home
in Scotch Plains.
John Byrne, 37
Had Local Law Practice; WHS Athlete Lettered in Four Sports
John Matthew Byrne, 37, of
Annandale died on Thursday, December 3, 1998 at home.
Born in Summit, he had lived most
of his life in Westfield before moving
to Annandale a year and a half ago.
Mr. Byrne maintained his own law
practice in Westfield for several years
and was a member of the New Jersey
Bar Association,
A 1979 Westfield High School
graduate, he lettered in four sports and
was Co-Captain of the football team.
In the final game of 1977, when Mr.
Byrne was a starting cornerback, the
team defeated Barringer High School
of Newark to capture the state
championship. He received All Area honors
in 1978.
During his high school athletic career,
was also a key player for the
baseball and basketball teams, as well
as lettering in track.
Mr. Byrne was a cornerback for the
University of Richmond in Virginia
and for Villanova University in
Pennsylvania. He played the same position
at Lafayette College in Easton,
Pennsylvania, where he was awarded a
bachelor's degree in 1983.
He was awarded his law degree from
the Seton Hall University School of
Law in 1986.
Mr. Byrne spearheaded the establishment
of the Paul Jackson Fund to
benefit a former high school football
teammate suffering from a debilitating
spinal tumor, and also raised moneys
for the Valerie Fund of Overlook
Hospital in Summit.
He was a member of the Knights of
Columbus in Westfield and a former
member of the Friendly Sons of St.
Patrick in Union County. Mr. Byrne
was also a member of the Immaculate
Conception Roman Catholic Church
in Annandale.
He was predeceased by his father,
Thomas J. Byrne, Sr., and a sister,
Monica Ditomasso.
Surviving are his wife, Jill E. Dimeck
Byrne; three daughters, Grace E. Byrne,
Monica M. Byrne and Catherine M.
Byrne; his mother, Monica L. Byrne of
Lawrenceville; five brothers, Thomas
J. Byrne of Flemington, Fredrick P.
Byrne of Maiden, North Carolina, Paul
J. Byrne of Woodenville, Washington,
Robert E. Byrne of Wyckoff and
William M. Byrne of Gilroy, California;
three sisters, Mary-Jo Armstrong of
Lawrenceville, Teresa Baldwin of
Woodbury, Connecticut, and Eileen
Ruth of San Jose, California.
A Mass was offered on Monday,
December 7, at St. Helen's Roman
Catholic Church in Westfield, following
funeral services at the Higgins and
Bonner Echo Lake Funeral Home in
Westfield. Interment took place at
Fairview Cemetery, also in Westfield.
In lieu of flowers, memorial
contributions may be made to the
Paul Jackson Fund, Inc., 50 North
Livingston Avenue, Livingston, 07039.
Dorothy Reiter, 100
Dorothy Reiter, 100, of Towson,
Maryland died on Saturday, December 5, 1998 at Genesis Health Care in Towson.
Born in Brooklyn, she had lived in
Hillside and Westfield before moving
to Towson 19 years ago.
Mrs. Reiter was active in politics
and the Parent-Teacher Association in
Hillside for many years.
Surviving are two daughters, Zelda
Kahn and Lucille Nass; four grandchildren,
and four great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held on Tuesday,
December 8, in B'nai Abraham
Memorial Park in Union.
Funeral arrangements were handled
by the Bernheim-Apter-Goldsticker
Suburban Funeral Chapel in Maplewood.
