BLAIRSTOWN HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI
Blairstown High School Alumni Association
Ruth O Jones '50
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In Memoriam
Classmate Obituaries
Ron Edward Pittenger '63
Ronald “Ron” Edward Pittenger, lovingly known to his grandchildren as “Munga,” passed away on Thursday, January 8, 2026, at the age of 81.
Ron was born on October 6, 1944, in Newton, New Jersey. He was known throughout his life for being adventurous, hard-working, kind-hearted, and fiercely loyal, as well as for his deep knowledge and passion for American history.
Raised in Newton until 1947, Ron's family purchased and moved to their farm, Dark Moon Farm near Johnsonburg. He attended Frelinghuysen Elementary School and later graduated from Blairstown High School. Ron furthered his education by earning his Land Surveyor and Professional Planners License at the Newark College of Engineering.
Ron spent his professional career as a licensed Land Surveyor and Professional Planner and was co-owner of Pittenger & Keith Land Surveyors & Planners. In addition to his surveying work, he was an avid antique collector and dealer specializing in American antiques and militaria. Alongside his wife, Sharon, he co-owned Dark Moon Antiques, a reflection of his lifelong love of craftsmanship and history.
In 1966, Ron married his childhood best friend, the love of his life, Sharon Lambert. He was a dedicated family man embracing every adventure his family took on to include; moonlit trail rides, roller coaster surfing, badminton matches, soccer games, spelunking, golfing, auto restoration, woodworking, archery, tomahawk throwing, annual family trail and shooting competitions, and any other adventures that were presented to him.
Ron’s personal interests were as rich as his professional life. He served as President of the New Jersey Antique Dealers Association, was a board member of Yellow Frame Cemetery, a member of the Johnsonburg Historical Society, and a Constable of Frelinghuysen Township. Known for his exceptional talent in antiques restoration, Ron was a skilled craftsman, woodworker, and blacksmith.
His passion for American history was a defining part of his life. Ron was a member of the Brigade of the American Revolution, first joining the First Pennsylvania Rifle Regiment and later Knowlton’s Connecticut Rangers. He was often seen on the reenactment field with a musket or rifle and was a highly decorated black powder marksman. Ron generously shared his expertise by helping coach the United States Olympic Shooting Team.
Among his most prized shooting achievements was earning the J. M. Bucheimer Champion Rifleman Trophy, along with several Pennsylvania and Maryland Governor’s Awards for exceptional marksmanship, Daniel Boone Homestead rapid-fire team awards, and many other accolades. Ron was truly a force to be reckoned with as a black powder shooter.
Ron leaves behind his beloved wife, Sharon; his daughters, Sarah Pittenger and Rebekah Keller (Mike); and his grandchildren, Nicole Sherwood (Chris), Erin Franchino, Adrian Keller, and Alexis Keller. He was predeceased by his parents, Roy and Regina (DeGroat) Pittenger.
A visitation will be held from 4 pm to 7 pm on Friday, January 16, 2026, at the Smith-McCracken Funeral Home, 63 High St., Newton, NJ. A Time of Sharing will be held at 10 am on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at the funeral home. Following which the procession will pass Dark Moon Farm on the way to Yellow Frame Cemetery, 2 Yellow Frame Rd, Fredon Township, NJ where he will be laid to rest.
Ron dearly loved his family as his family loved him. The world was a better place with him in it. Ron will be adoringly remembered by his family, friends, and community for his adventurous spirit, hard work, incredible talents of his trades, witty and quick sense of humor, and extremely kind-hearted nature.
Online condolences may be offered to the family at www.smithmccrackenfuneralhome.com.
( Note: Deceased classmate records were compiled as of 2017.
If you would like to share other names, please contact us)
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Blairstown High School
Deceased
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Doris Hill Osterberg '35
Helen Gaisler Earl '36
Florence Savacool Gouger ’38
Jennie Uhorchak Black ‘38
Frances M. Newcamp '38
Clarice Bertholf Bobin '39
Frank Squeri ‘39
Pauline Thomas Cebulka ’39
Ernest Billow ‘40
Freda M. Cook '40
Marjorie Hendershot Cook '40
Howard Mott ‘41
Olena Jadick '41
Walter Ramond Vass '41
Earle Jones ‘42
Verna VanSyckle Shuster ‘42
Elizabeth Hezel Johnson ‘42
Vida Trapani Burdge ’42
Elizabeth Crisman Zenock ’42
Elmer T. Stoffels '42
Lillian L. Sydrock '42
Frederick Belet ’43
William J. Beegle '43
Sophia Szalobryt Silva ’43
Elizabeth May Beegle '43
Robert Beegle ‘43
Patricia Ringleben '43
Jean Chamberlain Zanetti ‘43
Vivian Hendershot Dickerson '44
Jane Szalobryt ’44
Victoria Kozimor Perini ‘44
Grace Rich Range ‘44
Doris Chamberlain Bair ‘45
Alice May Erd '45
Joseph Smolha '45
Doris Burham Weber '45
Dorothy J. Winters '45
Audrey K. Boglioli '46
John B. Foley '46
Mildred Cowell Kise ‘46
Gertrude Walker Polhemus ‘46
Shirley Newbaker McCracken ‘46
Gordon Beegle ’46
Olga Bailey Guiler ’46
Norma Pennell Hill ’46
M. Maria Woodruff '46
Anne Duimstra Beegle ’47
Virginia Wester Cooke '47
Eleanor Bostwick Crownfield ‘47
Thelma “Tilly” McPeek,'47
Anna Mae Robertson Raesly ’47
Mildred Sipley Shaftic '47
Lawrence Vass ‘47
Greta Hezel Crisman ‘48
Henry Kozimor ‘48
David Keyser '48
Nancy Malon Hickey '48
Blanche Titman Kelly'48
Anna Mae Cowell Eber 49'
Lorraine Skow Everett '49
George D. Hall '49
​Barbara DePuy Smolha ‘49
M. William Berry '50
Josephine Drake '50
Leon Kot ‘50
Joan Pilewski Cook ‘50
Norma J. Cowell '50
Ruth Olschewsky Jones '50
Raymond K. Ward '50
Rhonda Westervelt '50
Hazel Nemeth Angle '51
Mary Burham Hayes '51
Teresa J. Heines '51
Melita Stickle Hurd ‘51
Lyman Lawson '51
John C. Sipley '51
Louise Sprague Lambert ‘52
Alex Malon '52
Donald Meshach ‘52
Shirley Huff Moore ‘52
Michael Joseph Bufis '52
Marie Sipley '52
George Fee ‘53
Irene M. Litz '53
Gayle Lambert Salamone '53
Carolyn Biles Simonetti '53
Allen Zanetti '53
Margaret Henderson Kernan ‘54
Bennett Van Der Wal ‘54
Charles Rowe ‘54
Marcus Drake ’54
Carolyn Litts Elston '54
George William Transue '54
Walter Jones ’55
Ross Marshall '55
Helen Gramberg Winters '55
Jean Belcher '56
Joan Roof Clark '56
Howard Cowell ‘56
Jessica Huttick Gately '56
Elaine Bozzuffi Hoover '56
Ralph Nemeth '56
Shirley Shaffran '56
Robert Walters ’56
June Whitworth '56
Charles Catalano ‘57
Barbara Chammings '57
Cedric Rhinesmith ’57
Ann Noordenbos Smith '57
Nancy J. (Brown), (Torok), Psyhojos '57
Gerald R. Bufis (aka Jeffrey Allen) '58
Eloise Cecile Gebhart Foreman '58
Mary Jane Katzenstein Nemeth '58
Duane A. Nolder, Jr. '58
Robert J. Sandberg'58
James Sprague'58
Roger Whitford, Sr. '58
Diana Shipps Demund '59
Barbara Semken Rydell ’59
Barbara Ann Brady '60
Lena Meshach Keyser ‘60
Josephine Labar '60
Diana M. Lowman Middleton '60
Joseph Murphy '60
Harry K. Rush '60
Earl M.H. Burge '61
Carl Darst ‘61
Della Mae Gulick Darst '61
Frederick Grandin '61
Andrew C. Foley '61
Joan Helen Ostrowski '61
Elizabeth Ann Shotwell '61
Bruce Woodruff ‘61
Frank "Hank" Cook '62
Phillip H. Zabowski '62
Catherine A. Bacon, '63
Fred Brown '63
Michael Pryslak '63
Rebecca Meagher Bender '63
Ronald Cook ‘63
Edmund Hagopian ’63
Kathleen Murphy '63
Ronald E. Pittenger '63
Richard Skow ’63
Wieka DeBoer Dykstra ‘64
Barry W. Rusweiler '64
Kenneth R. Tims '64
John Klaver ‘65
Raymond Edgar Schwind '65
William Andrew "Andy" Tims '65
Thomas A. Sawyer '65
Carla Vitale '65
Michael Anthony Cook '66
Marilyn Heitmann Grandin ‘66
Brenda G. Lenkey Maxman '66
Delmar A. Paul '66
Howard Schwarz ‘67
G. Richard Cook ‘67
Linda Eckrode Tigner ’67
Glenn Barry ’68,
Sara L. Budd '68
Charles Cowell '68
Robert Mikkelson '68
Robert Volpe ’68
Jon Thomas Cramer ‘68
William Hashagen'68
(died in Vietnam in 1971)
Gary Barker ‘69
Thomas Bennett '69
Nancy Burdge Drake ‘69
Marlene Bennett Lothian '69
Henry Natyzak '69
David L. Cooper '70
Lauren Chianese Cowell ’70
Robert Lewis Depuy Jr. '70
Elaine Hellwege Hawes '70
Paul Meagher (Marr)
Mayme Vivian Nemeth, '70
Gary Neil Sandberg '70
Warren Keith DePuy '71 (NWR)
Henry C. (Buddy) Kozimor '71 (NWR)
William M. Reay '71 (NWR)
Robert Karl Andres '72 (NWR)
Carole Chrusz '72 (NWR)
Drexel Simonson '72 (NWR)
Becky Jennings Erd ’73 (NWR)
Linda Schwarz Bisbing’73 (NWR)
Arthur Haney '73 (NWR)
Robert Stout ‘74 (NWR)
Kenneth J. Bertholf, Jr. '74 (NWR)
Onalee Cramer '74 (NWR)
Howard "Bill" Phillips '74 (NWR)
Deborah Louise Wittschiebe '74 (NWR)
Sharon VanAuken Steen, 1975 (NWR)
Thomas Gross, Former Teacher
Bequests:
Please consider a bequest in your Will to
the Blairstown High School Alumni Association to help us continue our scholarship program which currently awards a $2000 scholarship each year to a graduating senior who is a direct descendant of an alumni.