I graduated from St. Mary\’s Catholic High School in 1943. The same year, I received notice that I was drafted in the U.S. Army.

Sister sent a letter to the draft board asking that I could graduate before entering the army. As long as I kept up my grades and maintained good averages, I was allowed to graduate. If I failed, I had to report to the draft board.

I was able to graduate in June. Sister Maria DeChantal gave me a medal and made me promise to wear it at all times. I taped it to my dog tags.

Having being wounded, and serving in the Battle of the Bulge, I retuned home.

I showed Sister the medal, which she had given me.

I have many happy memories of St. Mary\’s now called Gloucester Catholic. It truly is a sad day for Gloucester. I am sorry to hear of this plan to leave Gloucester City.

Charles W. Bastien

Class of \’43 St. Mary\’s

Related: Bills Point of View

Related: Gloucester Catholic

photo by Bill

Looking south towards National Park from Freedom Pier(the old Coast Guard Base) in Gloucester City.

Weather forecast for today calls for a high of 88/real feel 96 degrees, mostly cloudy and humid with a strong thunderstorm. Tonight a low of 69. Heavy thunderstorms, rather cloudy warm and humid. There can be flooding in some areas.
Information provided by Accu Weather/see five day forecast

Raymond Cooney, age 77, of Gloucester City passed away on July 22. Raymond was born in Philadelphia and was a resident of Gloucester City for over 44 years. He proudly served our country in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. After his retirement from PLYGEM, Raymond worked many years for the Gloucester City Board of Education and the Gloucester City Highway Department Streets Division. Ray enjoyed the time he spent coaching football with Billy Flynn and baseball with Mr. Casey.

Loving and devoted husband of 54 years to Theresa Mary Cooney (nee Coons). Beloved father of Terry and husband Ed Severance and the late Raymond Cooney who died in 1997 (Surviving wife Eileen). Loving grandfather of Tracy, Raymond, Danielle, and Dean and great-grandfather of Jimmy and Angela Rae. Dear brother of Mary (Pat) Jablonowski, Alma (Peter) Mecchella and Eileen (Ron) Zacconi. Predeceased by his brothers Elmer and Alfred. Raymond is also survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend his viewing on Friday morning from 9 to 11 am at McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME: 851 Monmouth Street, (at Brown Street) Gloucester City. Episcopal Service 11 am in the funeral home.

Interment with Military Honors in Eglington Cemetery, Clarksboro. There will be no evening viewing. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations in Raymond\’s memory to Samaritan Hospice: 5 Eves Dr., Suite 300, Marlton NJ, 08053.

Please write Raymond Cooney in the memo of the check. Expressions of sympathy can be e-mailed to the family through our funeral home website www.mccannhealey.com under online obituaries of Raymond Cooney.

By Paula Carlton

NEWS Correspondent

If a picture is worth a thousand words, photographs of Gloucester City\’s veterans are priceless.

That is why Mayor William James, his advisory committee, and several of the town\’s numerous and extraordinarily dedicated veterans of foreign wars are putting out the hue and cry for pictures of the approximately 68 townsmen who gave their lives defending the United States and its allies.

Their campaign intends to bring 2 feet by four feet banners with photos and other relevant details for each lost veteran to existing poles along Broadway during the months of May and October, when the nation celebrates Memorial Day and Veterans\’ Day, respectively.

Project Leader Ted Howarth Jr., a Vietnam veteran who ran the town\’s Memorial Day parade from 1978 to 1998 and currently organizes Brooklawn\’s memorial services, said the genesis of the banners was a general idea to breathe life back into the town\’s Memorial Day events, to better honor what Howarth calls \”those who made the supreme sacrifice.\”click link below to read more

AGENDA

1. Call to Order:
2. Pledge of Allegiance:

3. Roll Call:

4. Sunshine Law: This meeting is being held in conformance with the New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act, otherwise known as the \”Sunshine Law\”. It has been legally noticed in accordance with the law and copies have been given to those requesting the same.

5. Public Comment Period: The Governing Body, in accordance with P.L. 2002, c. 80, have adopted the following guidelines relative to the Public Comment Period (PCP) at Caucus, Worksession, Special and Emergency Meetings of the Mayor and Common Council of Gloucester City: The PCP shall occur at the beginning of each meeting; it shall be no longer than one half-hour in length; every person wishing to speak may do so once during the period for no longer than five minutes. No changes have been made for the PCP of the regular monthly meetings.

6. Minutes of the Previous Meeting(s): June 19, 2008, June 26, 2008 distributed; July 7, 2008 (pending)

7. Reports: I. Departmental Reports

II. Committees of Council:

1. Celebrations

b) Finance & Administration

c) Fire

1. Housing
2. Licensing
3. Police

g) Public Works

8. Licenses: None

9. Resolutions:

R193 Authorizing Refunds on the Planning and Zoning Board Escrow Accounts

R194 Authorizing Adjustments on the Planning and Zoning Board Escrow Accounts

R195 Authorizing Placement of Municipal Charges On Tax Properties for Service Work

R196 To Correct Billing Charges on Utility Records

10. Ordinances:

for second reading and public hearing to be held on July 17, 2008

O14 Amending the Ordinance Regulating the Salaries of the Employees of the City of Gloucester City, County of Camden, State of New Jersey

11. Old Business:

a) Final Decision: GRC – Gorman v. Gloucester City

b) Request by BOH for recognition of service of Mike Hainsworth

12. New Business:

a) The Earth Machine – composter program

b) Draft rules – Senior and Community Center

c) Energy Conservation suggestions

d) 2007 Audit received and distributed, please review particularly findings and determinations section.

13. Communications:

a) \’Memorial\’ Operation Run for the Fallen – 08/24/08 – 1 mile

b) Request use of Martin\’s Lake park – Sunday, Aug 3, 2-4PM

14. Round Table:

15. Closed Session: Resolution #R -2008 to enter into closed session for discussion of:

16. Adjournment