Obituaries

Obituary: Anthony W. Schannel, 74

Funeral services will be held on Thursday.

Anthony W. Schannel, age 74, passed away peacefully in his home in Lawrence Township with family and friends by his side, on Dec. 28, after a courageous battle with cancer.

Tony was affectionately known by family and friends as “Brother, Babe and Poppie.”

Tony was born and raised in Princeton, N.J.. He was the son of the late Carmen and Rosemary (Sculerati) Schannel.

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He attended grammar school and served as an altar boy for St. Paul’s Catholic Church. After graduating from Princeton High School, Tony began his career at Thorne’s Pharmacy on Nassau Street. He soon after became a member of the campus police for Princeton University. He was pleased to be one of the first and oldest officers to join the bike patrol. He retired after 28 successful years of service.

Tony did work for a period of time after retirement as a crossing guard for Lawrence Township schools.

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Tony was a true believer in giving back to his community beginning with his early years of service with the National Guard. He was a member of the Italian American Sportsmen’s Club and the Elks of Princeton.

Later in life, he became a member of the Fire Police and First Aid Squad of Lawrence Township. Tony was passionate about and enjoyed spending countless hours volunteering as an EMT.

He made so many wonderful friends that he truly considered family. He became a life time member of the First Aid Squad.

Tony also loved spending time with his family, traveling to Maryland, North Carolina, Vermont, Maine and the Jersey Shore. His favorite place was his garden that he tended with Pat. He could often be found sitting there with Pat, family and friends listening to music. He also dearly loved his cat, Steffie.

Tony celebrated 50 years of marriage with his beautiful wife Pat, who recently passed away in 2010. He has now gone to rest in heaven with the love of his life.

He is predeceased by his brother Donald Schannel. He is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Teri and Doug Rhodes, Missie and Ernie Parrey, and daughter, Kelie Schannel; six grandchildren, Samantha (Rhodes) and her husband Kyle Rutherford, Liana Rhodes, Stephen and Brielle Parrey, Joshua and Olivia McMaster; and great grandchild Kaylee Rutherford.

He is also survived by his sisters-in-law, Jeanne Smith, Kathleen LemMon, and Grace LemMon; brother-in-law John LemMon; and nephews Scott Trayah and wife Jennifer, Sean Michael LemMon and Erik LemMon and his wife Kim; nieces Lisa Edgerly and her husband Tim, and Christine LemMon; grandnephew George LemMon; grandniece Jewel Trayah; and many other relatives and friends.

Tony will be missed by so many people whose lives he touched with his generosity, funny, cranky, kind and sweet disposition.

Visiting hours will be Wednesday, Jan. 2, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Kimble Funeral Home, 1 Hamilton Ave., Princeton, NJ 08542.

Funeral services will begin on Thursday, Jan. 3, at 9 a.m. at the funeral home, followed by a funeral mass at 10 a.m. at The Church of St. Ann, 1253 Lawrence Rd., Lawrence Township. A private cremation will follow.

Tony’s remains will be committed to the earth on Friday, Jan. 4, at a private service at Princeton Cemetery.

Memorial contributions can be made in Tony’s memory to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at http://www.stjude.org/SJFile/MemHonorForm.pdf.


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