February 4, 2010
John L. Lutz III
John L. Lutz III, 49, of Maplewood died Jan. 24 in The Center For
Hope Hospice, Scotch Plains. Born in Elizabeth, Mr. Lutz was the
owner/operator of Essex County Trikes, Maplewood. He was a former
member of the Kingwood Township Rescue Squad. Mr. Lutz is survived
by his wife, Anne Kaplan; two children, Amanda and Ondrea Lutz; two
stepchildren, Emily and Benjamin Kaplan, parents, Margaret and John
Lutz Jr.; and three sisters, Patricia Barabas, Margaret Zimmerman
and Mary Ann Lutz.
Helen Freedman
Helen Freedman, nee Kay, 89, of Maplewood, died Jan. 27 at St.
Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston. Born in New York City, Mrs.
Freedman resided in Newark before moving to Maplewood 42 years ago.
Mrs. Freedman is survived by her husband, Martin; a daughter, Roni
Parlin; and a sister, Sylvia Fisher.
Howard Berko
Howard Berko, 80, died Jan. 30 at Daughters of Israel in West
Orange. Mr. Berko was born in Newark and resided most of his
married life in Maplewood. A Korean War veteran, he spent the
majority of his career as a kitchen designer working for Sam
Gordon’s in Madison. Mr. Berko is survived by his wife of 45 years,
Helen; two children, Gladys Canter and Craig Herold; four
grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
James Russell Brant
James Russell Brant, 45, of Milleville, formerly of Maplewood, died
Jan. 10 at Atlantic City Trauma Center. Mr. Brant worked at the Taj
Mahal Casino where he held a supervisory position. He graduated
from Columbia High School, attended Essex County College and was a
computer technical graduate of a school in South Jersey. He had
formerly worked as a supervisor of security at AT&T, Morris
Plains and at the AT&T Learning Center. Mr. Brant is survived
by his wife, Roxann Fraley Cope Brant; two stepchildren; a foster
child; former wife, Kimberly Lansing Brant; his mother, Virginia
Passarelli Brant; and two siblings, Anthony and Robbin Brant.