Thomas W. McGrath Sr., of Gloucester City passed away on May 1, 2007 at the age of 78.

Born in Camden, NJ, Tom was aresident of Gloucester City for over 50 years. He was a candy foreman for Whitman Chocolates in Philadelphia before serving in the US Army as a cook during the Korean War. After his military duty, he worked for over 23 years as a stone mason and carpenter for his brother in law at Baldyga Construction. He then went to work as an electrician with McGrath Electric for many wonderful years.

Tom was a former member of the Church of the Ascension in Gloucester City where he also spent time serving on the vestry; presently he is a member of Christ Episcopal Church in Woodbury. Tom dedicated his life to helping others, especially with the Fire Department, Rescue Services and Ambulance services where he served close to 50 years and shared his expertise with building construction skills.

Tom was an active member of the Highland Park volunteer Fire and Rescue Association and worked his way up through the ranks, became Fire Chief of the Gloucester City Fire Department, retired in 1990 and made a life member.

Even though he retired in 1990, he was still extremely involved and on the Board of Directors for the Camden County Fire Chief Assn where he was also active in the Annual Golf Tournament that raised money for burn victims at Krozer and St. Agnes Burn Centers.

Tom was a wonderful cook, enjoyed baking and loved to spend time with his grandchildren. He was a hardworking, compassionate and loving man who had the ability to ease everyone\’s pains or fears with his humor.

Beloved Husband of 54 years to Mary (nee Hughes); Devoted Father of Thomas W., Jr, Gerald Paul and his wife, Carol, Nancy and her husband, Arthur Close; Loving Grandfather of Jonathan, Jeffrey, Nicholas and Timothy McGrath, Garrett and Caitlin Close and great grandfather of Angelina and Nicholas McGrath; Dear Brother of Dorothy and her husband, Henry Baldyga.

Visitation on Sunday, 6:30-9:00 PM and Monday, 9:15-10:15 AM at the McGUINNESS FUNERAL HOME, 34 Hunter Street, Woodbury, NJ. Burial Office and Holy Eucharist Monday, 11 AM at Christ Episcopal Church, Delaware St.,Woodbury, NJ. Interment Lakeview Memorial Park, Cinnaminson, NJ.
Tributes and memories may be shared at: www.mcgfuneral.com

College Softball:Rider 3 Niagara 1 / Niagara 6 Rider 5

On a day which saw Rider looking back in order to see what the future could hold, the Broncs split a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader against Niagara on Saturday. \”I really think we fought hard in both games,\” said head coach Tricia Carroll. \”But the second game in particular summed up what we’ve been dong all season. We were aggressive but made mistakes and Niagara was one hit better than we were. We took a lead, got down, battled back, lost the lead and then almost won the game.\”

Down 1-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning of game one, Rider (9-36, 3-11 MAAC) senior Ashley Boulden (Brooklawn, N.J./Gloucester City High School) had an RBI single to left field to give the Broncs a 2-1 lead with Rider adding another run courtesy of a Niagara error on the same play. A fielder’s choice by sophomore Lauren Brunner (Chino, Calif./Chino) scored senior Desiree Harbaugh (Frederick, Md./Gov. Thomas Johnson) who led off the inning with a single. Harbaugh’s hit broke up a no-hit bid by Niagara’s Brooke Viola who allowed only two walks and retired 12 of the first 14 batters she faced. Viola finished with a complete game three-hitter.

\”We’ve just worked hard to get better,\” said Boulden. \”Even when we heard that we were out of the running for MAAC’s, we continued to work hard, to make ourselves better and to enjoy what we were doing. We play softball because we love the game and we are out there trying to upset some teams as they try for MAAC’s.\”

\”A ball game is a ball game,\” added Boulden who along with Harbaugh will complete their collegiate careers on Sunday. \”We go out and try to win every game and play every game like it could be the last. For Des and I, we’re kind of sad thinking about it but when we step out on the field, we not seniors, we’re ball players and we’ve been taking that approach.\”

In the second game, Brunner pitched a complete game allowing no earned runs as Rider made four errors in the 6-5 loss.

\”We had bases loaded twice, but were a big hit away and that’s been how it has been going,\” said Carroll. \”It’s frustrating but Niagara was just a hit better and sometimes that is going to happen. We took things away from Niagara because we were playing aggressive but in the end, some of that aggressive play led to the runs that were posted in the late innings.\”

The Broncs jumped out to a 2-0 lead scoring single runs in the first and second innings on a Niagara error and a Boulden RBI double. Boulden had four hits on the day, including three in the second game.

Down 3-2 in the third inning, the Broncs tied the score on a home run by freshman Derrin Minunni (Cohoes, N.Y./Shaker), the first of her collegiate career. Minunni had two hits in the second game.

Rider hosts Iona in the final MAAC doubleheader of the season at 1:00pm on Sunday.

The Broncs will celebrate senior day between games, honoring May graduates Ashley Boulden and Desiree Harbaugh. \”It’s sad thinking about the final games,\” Boulden added. \”I had the benefit of going through a senior day in field hockey but then being able to play softball so it might be a little different on Sunday when it is my final collegiate athletic event at Rider. I have great memories of just being out here with my teammates and being one with a team.\”

-RU-

• Click Here for Box Score – Game 1
• Click Here for Box Score – Game 2

A special web site has been set up for Olivia Pierman, of Gloucester City, New Jersey who is suffering from a condition called Arnold Chiari Malformation. it is a touching story about an eight old suffering with a terrible condition. Read on.

Welcome to Angels for Olivia. This site has been created in the hopes of assisting a special young girl, Olivia Pierman, just 8 years old, from Gloucester City, New Jersey get the help she desperately needs to treat a condition that has taken control of her life. Olivia collapses without warning, over and over, throughout the day. We hope you will spend some time getting to know her and her story. We hope more than anything that you will find it in your heart to help us get her to the doctors in New York that can give her back her young, carefree life.

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From Active.com Team Sports

Incumbents

Mayor Michael Reader, Commissioner Suzanne Gaglianone , newcomer Chuck Mihalik

Challengers–

Joseph Wolk, Andrew Gilmore, Bruce Greenwald

MOUNT EPHRAIM

Work crews were installing decorative street lights along Kings Highway in the borough\’s small business district on Tuesday.

Soon, they\’ll return to put in new sidewalks, curbing, a town clock and a gazebo.

The three candidates running on the Working Together for Progress slate in the May 8 borough election consider the streetscape improvements to be a sign of positive change in the borough and a promise of more to come.

\”We want to continue rebuilding things that haven\’t been touched in 20 years,\” said Mayor Michael Reader, who\’s campaigning for re-election and heads the ticket that includes incumbent Commissioner Suzanne Gaglianone and political newcomer Chuck Mihalik.

The group wants to revamp the borough\’s antiquated sewer system and the commercial corridor along its stretch of the Black Horse Pike.

But Teamwork Improving Mount Ephraim, the opposing three-man slate led by former Mayor Joseph Wolk, believes local elected officials must first focus on budget basics before starting ambitious projects.

He and running mates Andrew Gilmore and Bruce Greenwald, both political neophytes, note the current commission is late in introducing the borough\’s 2007 budget and hasn\’t applied for state extraordinary aid — money given by the state in excess of normal state aid because of extraordinary circumstances — since taking office in 2003. It\’s also had three different chief financial officers within the past year, which Wolk described as \”alarming.\”

\”We want to have stable taxes, implement proper budget practices and file timely for state aid,\” said Wolk, who held borough office from 1987 to 2003, when he lost his re-election bid for a fifth consecutive term. \”I think there is some instability now.\”

Candidates on the competing tickets are vying for three open seats on the borough\’s three-member commission, which governs the approximately 4,500-person community wedged between Gloucester City and Haddon Heights. The borough\’s government is nonpartisan.

The elected positions are low-paying — $3,750 per year for mayor and $3,500 annually for the two commissioners. The three commissioners vote among themselves for who will serve as mayor.

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BOULTON, MARGARET CAROLINE
(nee Mohollen) Age 86, of Audubon, NJ died Tuesday May 1, 2007 at home.
She was the beloved wife of the late William C. Boulton and devoted mother of Joyce (James) Curran of Washington Twp; loving grandmother of Jimmy and Jeffrey Curran and great grandmother of Jimmy Curran and Keeley Curran. She was also the dear sister of Bertha (Armand) Damiani of Pennsauken and Helen Roche of Haddonfield; and sister-in-law of Dorothy Mohollen of Cherry Hill and Arthur (Doris) Boulton of FL.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend her viewing and funeral Friday morning after 8:30AM in the ALLOWAY FUNERAL HOME 315 E. Maple Ave., Merchantville, NJ. Funeral Mass 10:00AM St. Peter Church Merchantville. Interment Calvary Cemetery.
Should friends desire, donations may be made to Samaritan Hospice 5 Eves Dr., Suite 300 Marlton, NJ 08053.

FRAZIER
Patricia A.
(nee Hoolahan), of Deptford, NJ, died on May 1, 2007 at the age of 74 years.
Beloved wife of Rufus Frazier. Loving mother of Deborah Keenan (Gary) of Clayton, NJ, James Frazier (Darlene) of Laurel Springs, NJ, Patricia Porteous (John) of Deptford, NJ, Regina Knestaut (Martin) of Dept-ford, NJ, Mary Mullin (Frank) of West Deptford, NJ, Sandra Durflinger (Paige) of West Deptford, NJ, Lisa Kelly (Bernard) of West Deptford, NJ, the late Joan Frazier, the late Thomas Frazier, and the late Catherine Frazier. Patricia is also survived by: her brother David Hoolahan of Franklinville, NJ, sisters Margaret Klaiber of Chalfont, PA and Joan Hoolahan of Salem, NJ. Beloved grandmother of 21 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.
Pat was a retiree of the Deptford Twp. Public Schools, where she worked for many years. She dedicated her entire life to her husband, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Viewing will be Thursday evening 6:00 – 8:00 PM at the EARLE FUNERAL HOME, 122 W. Church St., Blackwood, NJ 08012, where a prayer service will be at 8:00 PM. A Memorial Mass will be at St. John Vianney R.C. Church, 2901 Good Intent Road, Deptford, NJ 08096 on Friday at 2:00 PM.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory would be appreciated to the Lupus Foundation of South Jersey, 1873 Route 70 East, (Suite 110F), Cherry Hill, NJ 08003, or to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (South Jersey Chapter) 1415 Route 70 East (Suite 502), Cherry Hill, NJ 08034. Condolences may be viewed/posted at www. earlefuneralhome.com

On April 30, 2007, age 75, of Mount Ephraim, NJ.
Beloved husband of Sarah E. (nee Beebe) for Fifty-Two years. Devoted father of Leslie (Zina) Buete of Winslow, NJ and Steve Buete of Mount Ephraim, NJ. Loving grandfather of Bridget, Les, Alysha, and Christopher. Loving great grandfather of Alexia, and Mekenzie. Dear brother of the late George Buete. Also survived by many nieces and nephews.
Mr. Buete was a Marine Sargeant during the Korean Conflict. Also a long-time parishioner at Sacred Heart Church.
Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend his viewing Friday evening 7 to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 7:30a.m to 8:30 a.m.
MAHAFFEY-MILANO
FUNERAL HOME
11 E. Kings Highway
Mount Ephraim, NJ
856-931-1628
Mass of Christian Burial Saturday 9:00a.m. at Sacred Heart Church, Kings Highway, Mount Ephraim, NJ. Interment New St. Mary\’s Cemetery, Bellmawr, NJ. Family requests in lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Sacred Heart Church, 11 N. Black Horse Pike, Mount Ephraim, NJ 08059 in Leslie\’s memory. Expressions of sympathy and condolences may be sent to www.milano funeralhome.com