Woodbridge DPW Worker Dies, As Does Colonia Father Of Three

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — Two well-known Woodbridge residents have now passed away due to coronavirus/covid-19: The victims are both 48-year-old men; one was a Woodbridge public works employee and the other a high school principal who lived in Colonia.

The total covid-19 death count in Woodbridge is now four residents. The other two people who died were elderly; one was an 85-year-old woman.

The principal has been identified as James Brown, the principal of Grover Cleveland Middle School in Caldwell, according to the Caldwell Patch.

On Friday, administrators in the Caldwell-West Caldwell School District confirmed that Brown died from COVID-19 complications. Brown was described as "a natural leader of people."

"He leaves behind a wife and three school-aged children," said Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac. "This young man was an educator known not only throughout our Township, but also in the town where he was an amazingly popular school principal. Please also keep and his wife and kids in your daily thoughts and prayers."

The Woodbridge Public Works employee who died is also a 48-year-old man. He did not live in town, and passed away Thursday from the coronavirus. He was not named.

"His last day of work was March 10 and once we found out about his illness his work crew was quarantined for 14 days," said McCormac. "They recently returned to work and none of them have shown symptoms. His assignment was on the pothole repair crew so he did not typically have direct interaction with members of the public."

"Please keep him and his family in your prayers," he added.

There are now 194 positive coronavirus cases in Woodbridge, and the latest batch of cases includes a 19-year-old, six people in their 20s, three in their 70s and two in their 80s. Everyone else was between 30 and 69.

"There continues to be no obvious clustering in any particular section of town," said McCormac.

"Everyone said this was going to get worse before it got better and they sure got that right," said McCormac. "We have had many people diagnosed from early to mid March tell us that they are symptom free, which is great news."