New Jersey gets a bad rap. Sure, we here in Philadelphia treat the southern part of The Garden State as a suburb of our city. Sure, the folks in northern New Jersey are tired of being the punch line of jokes served up by New York City. But, although it’s a long way from the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, New Jersey is the final resting place of some well-known celebrities… and some unsung ones, as well. So, there’s that.
In the shadow of MetLife Stadium and the massive American Dream Mall (the second largest shopping mall in the country) is the tiny New Zion Cemetery. Interred along the main entrance route is punk legend Joey Ramone.
Born Jeffrey Hyman, the awkward, gangly outcast was a big fan of rock and roll. He formed The Ramones with friends John Cummings and Douglas Colvin, all adopting the last name of “Ramone.” They drove audiences into a frenzy with their hard-hitting, rapid-fire style and proved influential in the New York City punk movement that would follow. In 2003, two years after his death, a block of East 2nd Street was renamed in Joey’s honor.
Scotch Plains is a small community in north-central New Jersey, considered part of the New York Metropolitan area, despite being 29 miles away from The Big Apple. Nevertheless, a number of famous names can be found at Hillside Cemetery in Scotch Plains. I drove through the entrance gates, passing the watchful eye of a parked security vehicle, and started on my quest.
In section A-5, near the front, is the plot of the Lowry family. Buried beneath the main monument is Robert Lowry.
Robert Lowry was born in Philadelphia and began writing hymns as a teenager after leaving the Presbyterian Church in favor of the Baptist Church. After a move to Brooklyn for a teaching position, he continued to compose hymns, his most famous being “Shall We Gather at the River.” The music for this hymn is engraved on his grave marker. Over his lifetime, Robert is believed to have written over 500 hymns, including “How Can I Keep from Singing?” and “Nothing But The Blood Of Jesus” and the Easter favorite, “Low in the Grave He Lay.”
Just beyond the Lowry plot is the grave of Julian Scott.
Julian Scott served as a drummer in the Civil War and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his efforts in The Battle of Yorktown. He was also a prolific painter, his most famous work being the “The Death Of General Sedgwick” painted in 1887. The painting has been reprinted countless times in reference books.
In the same section, I found the plot of…well…. an interestingly named family.
Okay. We can move on now.
Deeper into Hillside is the grave of actor-comedian Dudley Moore.
Dudley Moore got his show business start in his native England with his partner Peter Cook. In the 70s, he was cast in a supporting role in the film Foul Play and later achieved “star status” with his starring role in Blake Edward’s sex comedy 10. His follow-up, the raucous comedy Arthur, made Dudley a household name. Unfortunately, Dudley’s fame was fleeting. His subsequent films were less and less successful. His later roles were universally panned. An accomplished pianist and composer, he began to refocus on his music. In 1999, Dudley was diagnosed with a Parkinson’s-like disease, whose symptoms were often mistaken for drunkenness. The disease quickly progressed and he was confined to a wheelchair. He moved to New Jersey to live with his friend music critic Rena Fruchter. As his final days loomed, Dudley made a specific request that his estranged wife (his fourth) be prohibited from attending his funeral.
Further down in the same section is the grave of Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman.
Mary was an author who wrote in a variety of genres including children’s books, accounts of life in New England and even ghost stories and tales with a darker lean. An opera based on one of her short stories premiered nearly 50 years after her death.
In 2008, my family and I attended a Memorial Day barbecue and concert at the Scotch Plains home of new wave singer-songwriter Pat DiNizio, leader of the band Smithereens. Pat opened his backyard up to fans who, for a small admission fee, could stuff themselves with hot dogs and beer and be treated to live performances from Pat and several of his bandmates who also showed up. Over the next few years, we ran into Pat at concerts (both Smithereens shows and ones at which he was merely a spectator) as well as browsing through the memorabilia at the Chiller horror movie convention in North Jersey. Plus, my son, who is an on-air host on a Philadelphia radio station, crossed paths with Pat on numerous occasions. Each time we saw Pat, we had to explain who we were.
Well, after a series of health issues, Pat passed away in 2017. He is buried at Hillside Cemetery.
In Section V-8. Somewhere. Allegedly.
I wandered around Section V-8 for a good long time. The usually reliable GPS directions that had helped me locate other graves, led me in circles until finally depositing me in front of a grave marked “Jonas” and cheerfully announcing “You have arrived at your destination!” I walked up and down that section. I walked down and up that section. I even made my way into an adjoining section… just in case. I know Pat is there. I’ve seen pictures of his grave marker — complete with a carving of a guitar — online. But, I’ll be goddamned if I could find it. Perhaps one day. Perhaps Pat has become my new “white whale.” I found this whole incident to be odd.
Oh, that I found, but not Pat.
I turned my attention to another musician, this one buried at the far back of Hillside.
Eddie Hazel was a guitarist who joined up with funk master George Clinton to form the backbone of the band Funkadelic. Eddie’s frenzied and infectious guitar work can be heard on Funkadelic’s early recordings including the iconic ten-minute solo on the title song on 1971’s Maggot Brain. Eddie also worked with The Temptations and contributed sporadically to Funkadelic’s later releases. Troubles with the law and drug abuse forced George Clinton to replace Eddie in the band. Eddie passed away from liver failure in 1992. He was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. Maggot Brain was played at his funeral.
A twenty-minute drive took me from the quaint town of Scotch Plains to the equally quaint town of Westfield, where Fairview Cemetery sits on 105 acres at the corner of Broad Street and the ominously named Gallows Hill Road. The entrance gates were wide open and welcoming. I guided my car through and headed for the first stop on my homemade map.
At the edge of Section E is the grave of Dr. Virginia Apgar.
A prominent and respected physician and obstetrical anesthesiologist, in 1952, Virginia developed the 10-point Apgar score to assist physicians and nurses in assessing the status of newborns. Given at one minute and five minutes after birth, the Apgar test measures a child’s breathing, skin color, reflexes, motion, and heart rate. A friend of Virginia’s said, “She probably did more than any other physician to bring the problem of birth defects out of back rooms.” Virginia was also a staunch advocate for women’s rights. Interestingly, she never married and never had children.
Behind a row of marble-fronted wall crypts is the final resting place of Claydes “Charles” Smith.
Charles, along with colleagues Ronald Bell , Ronald’s brother Robert “Kool” Bell, George Brown, Dennis Thomas and Robert “Spike” Mickens, formed the R & B band Kool and the Gang in 1968. The band, mixing funk, rock, jazz, disco and pop, released over two dozen albums in a career that spanned seven decades. Charles was the lead guitarist until illness forced him to stop touring in 2006. He was inducted, posthumously, along with his bandmates into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024.
Heading to the rear of the property, I passed a monument to Union County, New Jersey’s soldiers who fought in the Civil War.
This monument is unique in that white and African-American service men are buried together, a practice certainly not usual in the time of the Civil War.
Towards the back of the property is the grave of the List family.
On November 9, 1971, bank vice president John List murdered his wife Helen, his mother Alma and his three children, Patricia, Frederick and John. The murders were so well-planned by List that the crime was not discovered until a month after the fact. By this time, John List had disappeared without a trace. He eluded authorities for almost 18 years, during which he assumed a different identity and remarried. A segment on the TV series America’s Most Wanted recounted the crime. This prompted a former acquaintance to identify his one-time co-worker “Bob Clark” as John List. After he was arrested, List denied his former life, but after military records revealed his true identity, he confessed. List was sentenced to five consecutive life terms. He died in prison in 2008. He is not buried here with his family.
Along the back section of Fairview is its most famous residents.
Whitney Houston was a singer and international superstar. Known as “The Voice” (as displayed on her modest grave marker), Whitney was one of the best-selling music artists of all time, selling an estimated 220 million records worldwide. She was nominated for 25 Grammy Awards, winning six. She branched out into films, receiving accolades for her work in 1992’s The Bodyguard. On February 11, 2012, Whitney was discovered submerged in the bathtub in her room at the Beverly Hills Hilton. Paramedics found her unresponsive and she was pronounced dead after CPR was unsuccessful.
Next to Whitney is her daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown.
Bobbi Kristina was thrust into the spotlight as the daughter of Whitney Houston and singer Bobby Brown. She attempted a singing career, but understandably, faced comparisons to her mother. Bobbi Kristina was featured in the Bravo Network reality series Being Bobby Brown, which focused on her father and other members of her family. Three years after her mother’s death, Bobbi Kristina was found in an eerily similar situation — unresponsive in a bathtub. This time, CPR resulted in a return to breathing and Bobbi Kristina was transported to a hospital. She was put into a medically-induced coma and passed away six months later — never regaining consciousness.
Next to Bobbi Kristina is her grandfather and Whitney’s father, John Houston Jr.
John ran an entertainment company and served as manager for Whitney and for his then-wife, singer Cissy Houston. Prior to his death, John sued Whitney for one hundred million dollars, claiming unpaid fees for record contract negotiations.
Next to John is the still fresh and currently unmarked grave of Cissy Houston.
Cissy began her illustrious singing career in 1938 at the age of 5. In the 1960s, she joined up with her nieces — singers Dionne Warwick and Dee Dee Warwick — and singer Doris Troy (known for her 1963 hit “Just One Look”) to form The Sweet Inspirations. The group provided backing vocals for Aretha Franklin, Jimi Hendrix and Van Morrison. As a soloist, Cissy recorded the original version of “Midnight Train to Georgia.” Cissy passed away in October 2024 (just two months before my visit) at the age of 91.
Although not buried here, Westfield, New Jersey holds a special place for one of its most beloved residents.
Cartoonist Charles Addams was born in Westfield, New Jersey and the town fully embraces his fame and macabre sense of humor. Every year since 2018, Westfield celebrates AddamsFest with activities and public displays honoring the late artist. In 2021, the walls of the Central Avenue overpass were decorated with murals inspired by Addams’ beloved quirky characters.
Addams grew up on Elm Street (left) but drew inspiration for his famous cartoon (and later TV sitcom) family from a home across the street (right).
Addams regularly skipped school in favor of spending time at the Presbyterian Church Burial Ground, where he found further inspiration for his future creations. Charles lived in a mansion on Long Island, New York, which he dubbed “The Swamp.” His cremated remains were scattered on the grounds upon his death in 1988.
After snapping a few photos of the Addams-inspired murals, I made my way to the Garden State Parkway and found my way home.
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