Jay Comeforo died peacefully on June 15, 2010, at Sunrise Reminiscence Unit, Marlboro, N.J. He was a longtime Raritan Township resident.
Born in Staten Island, N.Y. on Aug. 3, 1922, the only child of Joseph Comeforo and Eugenia Occinio Comeforo, he grew up in Staten Island and was graduated with the New Dorp High School class of 1940. He attended Rutgers University where he received a bachelor of science degree and a master of science degree in ceramics engineering in 1944. Two years later, he received his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois. In the 1970’s, Jay received a master of business administration degree from Rider College (now Rider University).
In 1944, Jay met his future wife, Jean Raff, on a blind date while she was a student at what is now Douglass College at Rutgers. The date was set up by one of Jay’s friends who also knew Jean from Metuchen High School. They were married one year later on July 11, 1945, in the Douglass Chapel. They enjoyed a very strong and happy marriage, during which they made the perfect team for 65 years until Jean’s death on March 28. They had lived on Fox Grape Road in Raritan Township for nearly 50 years.
Jay was an accomplished bowler, tennis and baseball player, and golfer. In his early years, he was offered a golf scholarship to Princeton University. He also enjoyed the outdoors and canoeing on local rivers. He was an avid history buff, especially concerning the Civil War period. Jay and his wife Jean both belonged to several historical organizations, including the Union Township Historical Society, the Hunterdon County Bicentennial Committee, the Red Mill in Clinton and the Holcombe-Jimison Farmstead Museum.
Jay and Jean were historians for their Douglass and Rutgers classes, and were involved in the initiation of the Rutgers Oral History Archives. Jay was inducted as a Loyal Son of Rutgers in 1999, and served as a trustee for the Hunterdon Occupational Training Center, a member of the board of directors of the Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce and a member of the North Hunterdon Rotary Club of Rotary International. Jay was a Fellow of The American Ceramic Society.
Working in the ceramic microwave tube and semiconductor industries for many years, he founded Consolidated Ceramics and Metalizing Corp. in Union Township. After many successful years, Jay retired from Consolidated Ceramics in 1977. Shortly thereafter, he formed a new venture called the Accuratus Ceramic Co. After six productive years, Jay sold Accuratus in 1983 and retired again. Accuratus is still thriving under new ownership in Phillipsburg.
Jay is survived by his two daughters, Jean Comeforo of Media, Pa. and June Curtis of San Carlos, Calif. and her husband, Frank. Jay is also survived by his granddaughter, Lee Curtis Eaton of Manalapan and her husband, Gary.