Classmates D
D’Amato, Sam

Daneski, Ronald
Deceased.

FLORIDA—Ronald Victor Daneski, 70, of Port Charlotte, Florida, formerly of Belmont, NH, passed away on Tuesday, June 16, 2020.

Ronald was raised in Livingston, NJ. In high school he took a job as a caddy that began a lifelong love of golf which he passed on to his three grandchildren. He attended the University of Rhode Island, then served in the United States Air Force and finished his degree at the University of Maryland. He had a career in the surety industry and then later as a cable installer before retiring in Port Charlotte, Florida.

Ronald enjoyed golf, swimming, woodworking, crafts, cooking, classical music, playing cards and spending time with his grandkids. He was known to have a wonderful sense of humor and he gave sound advice. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

Ronald is survived by his son Brian Daneski, his daughter Jennifer Michaelsen, her husband Gregory and their children Jake, Owen and Sara, his sister Joann Kinney and her husband Charles, his sister Carol Daniels and her husband Ernie, and numerous nieces and nephews and grand nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his parents Victor Daneski and Norma Daneski.

Davidson, Donald
I stayed single all these years, and I just retired from the IRS as an LMSB Agent for 33 years. Some of my Rutgers friends moved to California 30 years ago, and I just spent two months this winter visiting them. Life is going to be relaxing with tennis, bridge, and many movies. I am thinking of writing some short stories this year. (Last update 3/21/07) 40th Reunion attendee.

De Angeles, Frank
DeBear, Elliot
I live in Westchester County, NY with my wife Carol. I have two children, Jesse 18 who just finished his freshman year at Ithaca’s Park School of Communication, and my daughter Hannah who is 15 and completing her freshman year in high school. Still love golf and play every chance I get. I spent many years in the advertising and communications planning business. My current position is Senior Vice President, Director-Account Management for Active International, a global financial solutions organization, specializing in corporate trade and barter transactions. I’m responsible for managing client trade strategies to maximize value creation for non-performing corporate assets.While I eventually graduated from Newark Academy, my heart is still with the LHS class of ’68. Still great friends with Andy Ferber.(Last update 6/17/08)
Deering, Jean
40th Reunion attendee.
DeFuria, Denise
Near-40th Reunion attendee. (She really wanted to be there!)

Del Cioppo Lightig, Delores

Still crazy after all these years. (Last update 4/15/07) 40th Reunion attendee.

Delia, Roseann
Della Valle, Jacqueline
Deceased.

(From Hilary Hoffman)
Do you remember Jackie? Jackie was highlighting her hair in 1963…. I think she was 12. I was wearing pancake makeup then… Jackie was the most sophisticated girl, she was beautiful, she knew it all, and she was fun. She made me laugh, I made her laugh and I loved being around her. We met in the summer of 8th grade. We became friends because we were into the Stones, we made our own skateboards and we started wearing Levis. By ’65 Jackie was completely blonde or whatever you call that color. It had alot of orange in it. I wanted to hang out with her more often but she made herself scarce on the weekends. She had to clean house on Saturday mornings and spent the remainder of the weekend in South Orange with her childhood friend, Angela. Oddly, Angela was like a mother to her.

From 10th grade on, Jackie and I walked to school together every morning. Sometimes after it snowed, on the way to school, we’d make angels in the snow. We walked, talked, acted cool and smoked my mother’s cigarettes all the way. You’d think that with Jackie’s father being a musician he’d be really cool too, but he was very strict, very severe. Jackie was the wild one. She feared nothing.

The Della Valles lived in the dark brown house across from the fire station on Hobart Gap Road. Once when I was there around dinner time, Jackie got me to stick my head out her bedroom window just as the six o’clock whistle went off. It was insanely loud. I could see her laughing but I couldn’t hear her. She had a great sense of humor. After high school Jackie left home and lived in New York. She said she told her father she was going to the movies and she didn’t come back for over a year. She said she kept in touch with her mother during that time but no one else. She came back to Livingston again in the early 70s and we used to go out to discos and party together. We had fun, to put it mildly. She introduced me to several celebrities. Then she started dating a guy and spent most of her time with him. And we lost touch. I moved to California in 1977, but when I was about 40 a friend told me Jackie had died in a hospital in New York. It terrifies me to associate death in a New York hospital with Jackie. If all time is now and it is possible for me to travel back along its line and lessen any loneliness or pain Jackie may have suffered in death by sending my love, good thoughts and green lights to her now, I hereby send them to you, my dear.

Dempsey, Patricia
Deceased.

Denes, Wendy
Right after High School I had a recording contract with a major label in NYC. Sang here and there throughout the years. I’ve lived in NY, Ft. Lauderdale, Boca Raton, outside Philadelphia, in Colorado Springs, Portland, Oregon and San Francisco; now in the capital of the state of Florida, beautiful Tallahassee, known for its historic canopy roads and universities… just minutes south of Georgia. Divorced years ago, I helped raise my hubby’s son, enjoyed 15 years with boyfriend musician, and now, over the last six years, a new man friend. I’ve ministered (interfaith) in three states, taught for Borders Books, and had newspaper columns on spirituality and astrology. Even radio shows, and television feature segments done about my positive empowering spiritual consulting. Worked in TV, radio, resorts and newspapers also, in top executive admin, copywriting, promotiions or sales positions. In October last year, I moved to Sedona, Arizona, one of the most beautiful places in the world, and I love it. I do spiritual counseling full time at the Center for the New Age, and go by my middle name, Rachel. Visit my website to see what I’m up to. (Last update 5/15/10) 40th Reunion attendee.

DePalma, Ralph
Deceased.

By: Angel Falcone DePalma
Most of you remember Ralph as the Class Clown. He was a very funny and fun loving guy. We started dating in our senior year, married in 1974 and were married for 16 years. We have a daughter, Stephanie. It was not always easy being married to Ralph. He died at the age of 52. Stephanie made a beautiful documentary about his struggle called “Ralph: Someone To Me,” which won Best Directorial Debut at the New York International Film Festival. He has left a void in the hearts of friends and family, all of whom have many “Ralph” stories. I hope you all have fond memories of Ralph as we do.

DePoto, Donald
De Roulet, Maribeth
DeSantis, Diane
Deceased.

Desch, Peter
40th & 50th Reunion attendee.

 

DeYoung Martin, Jacquelyn
Wandered a bit after college, but eventually settled permanently in Michigan. Enjoy living within walking distance to work or to Michigan State (even if the weather rarely permits actually walking anywhere). Both sisters and parents live nearby. Work in insurance and husband works at Childrens Hospital. Have traveled extensively, but most enjoy escaping to our log cabin on a lake “up north.” Raised an awesome son, now 25 and living in Chicago. (Last update 11/27/07)

Di Franco, Robert

Dinkel Wood, Barbara Jo
After college, I moved to SF and married Robert whom I knew before my LHS tour. Although we have no children, we managed to raise 20 cats during 33 years of marriage. We currently have three stay-at-home cats. I have steadily worked in IT since graduating from Rutgers. I do look forward to retirement — that overgrown garden needs some TLC and the violin needs dusting off. We live in the beautiful and foggy coastal community of Montara, CA. So if you’re passing though the SF bay area, come on by! (Last update 4/23/07)

Dollinger Greenwald, Reesa
I’m still in NJ, living in Roseland, with my husband Marty. I have a family of educators: my daughter teaches first grade at Riker Hill School (yes, in Livingston), my son is a professor at Marymount Manhattan and my husband is a professor at Montclair State. Best of all, I have 4 grandchildren, ages 14 (OMG!), 8, 7 and 3. I’m still working full time as director of Seton Hall University’s Career Center — because I can’t figure out what the next chapter should be. Still having fun working on the reunion — just can’t believe it’s 50 years!! (Last update 10/2/18) 40th & 50th  Reunion attendee.

Donadio, Robert

Dotto, Myles
I’m a medical doctor, practicing Ob-Gyn in Bergen County for 25 years. I have three kids, one still in college, two out of college. Bad golfer but still enjoy it, and would love to see everybody at the reunion. (Last update 3/3/07) 40th & 50th  Reunion attendee.

Dowd, Joanne
Doyle, Kent

Dudek, Luke
Deceased.

(This is the Star Ledger’s account of Luke’s life and death.)
By day, Luke A. Dudek was an executive — the food and beverage controller for Windows On The World atop One World Trade Center. By night, Mr. Dudek worked at his own business, Coqui Design Inc. of Cedar Grove, a well-known flower shop he and his partner, George Cuellar, started 15 years ago. On weekends, the Livingston resident shed the corporate suit and tie for jeans or a jogging suit to deliver flowers for weddings or floral displays. “This was his hobby that he really loved,” said Cuellar, Mr. Dudek’s partner for 20 years. “He would set up weddings and parties and do everything that you could think of. After work he would stop by the shop and do the books.” Cuellar said his partner loved the business so much that after years of renting space, this year they bought their own property for the business. He said Mr. Dudek spent a week of vacation in September completing renovations. His first day back to work in New York was Sept. 11. Mr. Dudek, 50, died in the attacks on the World Trade Center. A Mass of Resurrection was offered Monday in Our Lady of The Lake church in Verona. “He finally had his dream come true, but he never returned to it,” Cuellar said. “I owe part of my life to him,” Cuellar said. “Part of who I am today is from sharing my life with him.” Mr. Dudek was born in New York and grew up in Livingston, where he graduated from Livingston High School in 1968. He graduated from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 1973 with a degree in psychology. His major was organizational management and quantitative analysis. He also did post-graduate study in accounting and computer technology. In 1985, Mr. Dudek and Cuellar opened the flower shop. Over the next 15 years, the store’s reputation grew and its designs have been featured in bridal magazines and displayed at upscale stores like Bloomingdales, Louis Vuitton and Gucci. Mr. Dudek traveled extensively on business, having gone to the United Kingdom, Mexico, Canada and Spain. When he was home, Cuellar said Mr. Dudek found it therapeutic to tinker with cars and was handy around the house. “He could take a car apart and put it back together, “Cuellar said. “There was a Lincoln Continental in the driveway waiting for him to put back together.” Mr. Dudek, a connoisseur of fine wine, foods and Cuban cigars, loved his two Dalmations — Barney and Gypsy, Cuellar said.

Dufford, Craig
I remained in Livingston after graduation. Working for the Town, became Fire Chief in 1990 and held that position until I retired in July 2003. After a week vacation I was rehired by the Township to do inspection work as well as be the Township’s Emergency Management Coordinator. They just couldn’t see a good person leave. I was married in September 1979 to Susan Bohri, have two sons, Keith 22 and Matt 20. Also have a grandson who will be one year old in May. We have a summer home on Long Beach Island in Beach Haven. (Last update 4/23/07) 40th Reunion attendee.