Barbara G. Ruziska of Somerset passed away peacefully after a long illness on January 12 at the Garden Terrace Nursing Home in Chatham. She was 81.Born in Orange, she grew up in South Orange as part of a close-knit Irish Catholic family. The second of five siblings, Barbara was a tomboy, loving all sports especially basketball. She attended high school …

Harry E. Martyn passed away peacefully on January 14 at Parker of River Road at the age of 96. Born in New Brunswick to Walter and Margaret Fanning Martyn, he spent his youth in Franklin Township, graduating from Bound Brook High School with honors where he competed in track and field. Upon graduation, Harry enlisted in the U.S. Navy and …

CONTEST WINNERS – Winners of the “Inspirational Women” essay contest were recently honored at a Somerset County Board of Commissioners meeting. Shown left to right are: Somerset County Commissioner Sara Sooy; Somerset County Commission on Status of Women, Chair Karen Thomas, granddaughter Samora Williams and Vice Chair Liz Graner; Essay contest winners Molly Hunziker, 7th Grade, Bernardsville Middle School; Aditya …

Clifford M. Davidson, formerly of Somerset and most recently of Holmdel and Boca Raton, Florida, passed away on January 14 at the age of 63. Cliff was a prominent patent attorney known for his legal acumen and creativity, particularly in the pharmaceutical sciences, and for his warmth, charisma and wit.Born in Yonkers with a short residence in the Bronx, Cliff …

KEYNOTE SPEAKER – Dr. Francine Conway, Chancellor of Rutgers University – New Brunswick, speaks at the annual Community Breakfast. Transformation through psychological health was the keynote theme of the 26th Dr. Martin Luther King Community Foundation’s annual community breakfast at the DoubleTree Hotel on January 15. That theme, tied to the teachings of Dr. King, was delivered by the event’s …

WHIRLING DERVISH – A Sufi whirling dancer performs during the inaugural Muslim Heritage Month celebration at the Senior/Community Center. The inaugural Muslim Heritage Month celebration in the township – called Noor Night – attracted hundreds of people to the Senior/Community Center in the Municipal Complex on January 14. Gov. Phil Murphy signed the legislation designating January as Muslim Heritage Month in …

GEARING UP – Riders get ready to embark on the 34th annual Tour de Franklin charity ride in April, 2023. (File Photo.) The 35th Annual Tour de Franklin Charity Bike Ride benefiting the Franklin Food Bank is set for April 28 at the Franklin High School. The Tour de Franklin is the Franklin Food Bank’s largest annual fundraising event and …

Norma A. Rosa of Somerset passed away at home on January 9. She was 93. Born and raised in Newark, she lived in Westfield before moving to Somerset in 2021. She was a homemaker. Norma enjoyed listening to music, particularly Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and various oldies, and most of all spending time with her family and loved ones. She …

Our dad, Vincent P. Simpson, died on January 10 at the age of 88 with family at his side. He was a humble, hardworking man who loved to laugh. He was our expert at math homework and life.Born and raised in Millvale, Pennsylvania, he lived in Kansas City, Missouri and Levittown, Pennsylvania before moving to Somerset in 1965.Vincent enlisted in …

DRAWING A BEAD – Lady Warrior Iyanna Cotten prepares to collect one of her three points from the foul line during Franklin’s January 11 game against Gil St. Bernard’s. The Franklin High School girls’ basketball team’s difficult season continued January 11, when the Lady Warriors fell to Gil St. Bernard’s 68-42. Gill controlled the game from the start, building a …