Sister Rita Tassinari, MPF, former teacher at St. Peter School in Merchantville, died Sept. 25, at the age of 70. From 1999-2001, she taught sixth grade at St. Peter Elementary School in Merchantville. Born in Somerville, Mass., she entered the Religious Teachers Filippini on July 14, 1951. She received the religious habit on Aug. 31, 1958, and made her religious profession on Aug. 27, 1961. Sister Rita began her teaching ministry in 1957 at Holy Rosary in Jersey City. She also taught and served as principal at other numerous schools in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

John (Jack) T. Plasket, III passed away on June 6, 2012 at the age of 86. He was a resident of Strathmere, NJ, formerly of Merchantville, NJ and Ocean City, NJ. He is pre-deceased by his wife of 54 years Dorothy (nee: Rugg), and his daughter Judi. He is survived by his wife Gloria Carpenter Plasket, his son Larry, his daughter Donna,

Geri Tabako, president of the
Woman’s Club of Merchantville and
former mayor of Pennsauken, was the
recipient of the Cecilia Gaines-Holland
Award at the New Jersey State
Federation of Woman’s Clubs’ (NJSFWC)
118th annual Convention. The
Cecilia Gaines Holland Award, established
in 1944, is the highest honor the
NJSFWC can bestow upon a New
Jersey clubwoman. The award, named
after the second president of the NJSFWC,
is given annually to a clubwoman
who demonstrates her commitment to
her community by performing outstanding
civic and volunteer work that
extends above and beyond her service
to her club.
Presently, Tabako is president of the
Pennsauken Library Board. She is active
in her church, Mary Queen of All Saints,
serving as a lector, as well as a member
of both the Pastoral Committee and the
Alter and Rosary Society. She also volunteers
at the Cathedral Kitchen and
the Food Bank of South Jersey.
In the past, Geri served as St. Cecilia
PTA president, and coached and
ran the girls basketball team. Tabako
was also a girls softball coach for
PYAA and a Girl Scout leader. Before
becoming the first female mayor
of Pennsauken, she served on the
Township Committee and was deputy
mayor.
Tabako is a long time member of

he NJSFWC, first joining the
Merchantville Junior Woman’s Club
and then the Merchantville Evening
Membership Department and Mer -
chant ville Woman’s Club. She has
served on the Evening Membership
State Board as state chairman, as well
as on the NJSFWC State Board. Geri
is presently the Woman’s Club of
Merchantville president.
The Woman’s Club of Merchantville
is a member of the New Jersey State
Federation of Woman’s Clubs, which
was founded in 1894 and has been headquartered
on the Douglass Residential
Campus, formerly Douglass College
in New Brunswick since 1966. The
Federation is a member of the General
Federation of Women’s Clubs, the oldest
and largest nonpartisan, nondenominational
women’s volunteer service organization
in the world. Opportunities are
provided to women in education, leadership
training and community service
through participation in local clubs,
enabling members to make a difference
in the lives of others, one project at a
time. For information about the club or
any club projects, please contact Jean at
856-663-4843

On May 30, 2012. Beloved wife of the late John. Devoted mother of Peter, Donna (Bill Mervine), John (Valerie), Cheryl, Fabian (MaryEileen), Darryl (Teresa), Helena, Francis (Theresa), Shawn (Stephanie), Chester (Jen) and special son in law John. Dear sister of predeceased Charles Patrick II and also survived by many loving grand and great grandchildren.