Michael A. Erni

September 3 , 1948 - September 10, 2026

Michael A. Erni, 78, of Lumberton, NJ, passed away peacefully on Thursday, September 10, 2026, at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Camden, NJ.

Born and raised in Trenton, Michael was a graduate of St. Mary’s Cathedral High School. Throughout his career, he worked in the printing and newspaper industry, spending most of his career at MacCrellish & Quigley Printing (18 years), and the The Trenton Times, where he provided more than 20 years of dedicated service until their relocation to Piscataway. After the Times he worked for Dow Jones and lastly at Mercer Machine, alongside his brother Thomas Erni.

In his spare time, Michael was an avid Philadelphia Phillies and Eagles fan and always enjoyed cheering on his favorite teams. He also had a wonderful love of music and performing. A talented singer, Michael performed for many of his earlier years in opera and musical theater, sharing his voice and love of music with others. He was easy going, had a great sense of humor, and made friends everywhere he went.

Predeceased by his parents, Michael J. and Mary J. (Sabo) Erni; sister, Kathleen Negron; and brother-in-law, Thomas Negron; he is survived by his wife of 48 years, Francine Papero; 3 daughters, Chris (Dennis) Coyle, Cassandra Erni and Francesca Erni; a brother, Thomas (Dana) Erni; two grandsons, Michael and Matthew Coyle; as well as many nieces, nephews, other relatives and dear friends.

A Gathering for family and friends will be held on Saturday, October 3, 2026  from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the Buklad-Merlino Memorial Home, 2141 South Broad Street, Hamilton, NJ 08610. A prayer service will begin at 4:00 p.m. with local clergy officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Michael’s name to the Chordoma Foundation, PO Box 2127, Durham, NC 27702-2127 or online at https://www.chordomafoundation.org

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