A funeral service was held Feb. 24 for Florence M. Ely,91, of Forked River, formerly of Jersey City and Bayonne. She passed away Feb. 21. Born in Jersey City, she had lived there most of her life before moving to Bayonne and Forked River for a number of years. Florence was a senior service clerk for New Jersey Bell Telephone Company for 20 years prior to her retirement in 1987. She was a member of the Young At Heart and Old Ireland, both of Bayonne, the Friendship Club of Forked River and the Telephone Pioneers of American. Florence was also a licensed clown.

Mrs. Ely was predeceased by her husband Edward Ely; brothers, Leander, Louis, Harry and George Skinner; daughter-in-law, Deborah Ely. She is survived by her children, Barbara Clause and her husband Joseph an George Ely; grandchildren, Nicole Tadddeo and her husband Patrick, Danielle and Michele Clause, George Ely and his wife Julie, Tara Ely, Jill Rago and her husband Anthony and Joseph Clause; great grandchildren, Cameron, Sara, Abigayle, Jared, Nicholas, Victoria, Riley and Christina. Services arranged by the Dzikowski, Pierce and Levis Funeral Home, Bayonne.