Hundreds of people went to southern New Jersey synagogue to bid their last farewell to New Jersey’s former Rep. John Adler; and to join his family in their grieving. Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, and Gov. Chris Christie were the dignitaries who attended the funeral service, Wednesday, in Cherry Hill.

John Adler, died Monday at the age of 51, as confirmed by one of his spokespeople. He had been staying in the University of Pennsylvania Hospital since last month after contracting an infection in the tissues surrounding his heart; or in medical terms, bacterial endocarditis. The congressman also underwent emergency surgery in the same hospital.

Adler grew up in a town in New Jersey. He went to Harvard and then proceeded to Harvard Law School. At 28, and as a young lawyer in New Jersey, he won as a councilor in Cherry Hill. In 1991, he became a State Senator. During that election, he was the only Democrat who defeated a Republican in New Jersey. He was re-elected five times while he continued to work as a lawyer.

In 2008, he decided to run for Congress and one won after Jim Saxton, long-time Republican representative, decided to retire. Two years later, Adler lost to a very popular Republican opponent, Jon Runyan.

John Adler left behind his wife Shelley, and four sons.