Madison Nurse Who Served In World War I Honored By Morris Co.

MADISON, NJ — A nurse from Madison who served in France during World War I, was honored Wednesday during the Morris County Annual Memorial Day Observance ceremony.

“We do not forget our heroes in Morris County, especially those who fall in combat or during their military service,” Commissioner Director Stephen Shaw said.

Amabel Scharff Roberts was born in 1891 and died in 1918 at the age of 26.

“It is traditional for us to remember at least one of them by name at our Memorial Day Observance, and because of the turmoil America suffered this past year with the COVID-19 pandemic, we thought it fitting to look back on the selflessness and heroism of Amabel Scharff Roberts,” Shaw said.

During the ceremony, which happened on the County Courthouse lawn in Morristown, the County Board of County Commissioners also presented six veterans with Distinguished Military Service Medals.

Veterans and commissioners were joined by U.S. Congressman Thomas Malinowski, senator Anthony Bucco, New Jersey Assemblywoman Aura Dunn and a veteran representative from the office of U.S. Congressman Mikie Sherrill, Willy Talbo.

They all presented the veterans with honors.

“We are fortunate to finally gather in-person to properly honor the more than 1.3 million American men and women who have given – as Lincoln termed it at Gettysburg – ‘the last full measure of devotion,’” Shaw said.

Since 2000 more than 10,000 of these medals, which are unique to Morris County, have been presented to veterans.

“If not for them, we very well might not be standing here enjoying this beautiful day with our colleagues, friends, and neighbors. Their sacrifice made possible our freedoms, our values, our very existence,” Shaw said.

These were this year's honorees:

Sara L. Vasso of Morris Township
Served in the U.S. Army from 1985 to 1994, both active duty and in the U.S. Army Reserves. She is the first woman in her family to have served in the military.

George M. Macchia of Chatham
Served in the Air Force, active duty, from September 1986 to December 1992.

Joseph W. Ellis of Lake Hopatcong
Served in the U.S. Army and U.S. Army National Guard.

Evan M. Ruggiero of Parsippany Township
Served with the U.S. Army National Guard, with the rank of sergeant, and is currently serving with the U.S. Army National Guard as a Section Chief with C Battery 3-112th Field Artillery.

William J. O’Connor of Morristown
Served in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve after enlisting in August 2000 and was called to active duty on 9/11 in response to the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Christopher W. Anderson of Mount Arlington
Served as a U.S. Navy firefighter during the Vietnam War on the USS Spartanburg County (LST-1192), an amphibious combat troop carrier with 300 U.S. Marine Corps personnel.