“While driving through Milltown, I noticed that you have a street named after Marshal Pétain,” it began. “I find this very disturbing, as he was head of the Vichy government in France during World War II and was responsible for deporting thousands of Jews to Auschwitz.” He urged her to change the name as soon as possible.

Image Marshal Pétain at his trial in 1945. His death sentence was commuted. Credit... Associated Press

The letter was read and forgotten until Evan Gottesman, the 15-year-old son of one of Mr. Mintz’s friends, heard about the avenue’s namesake from his father. He sent letters to the mayor and members of the Borough Council and started a Facebook group, inaccurately called “Change Pétain Street!” featuring a picture of the marshal shaking hands with Adolf Hitler. Citing Pétain’s role in the Holocaust and as a collaborator, his letter concluded: “To not change the name of Petain Avenue would be to not do the right thing.”

But one person’s idea of doing the right thing can be another’s headache and intrusion. So, the Council soon heard from Marion Servon, who has lived on Petain Avenue for almost 50 years, ever since her widowed mother bought a house there. She said her memories and family history on the seldom-visited avenue, its namesake’s history largely forgotten, should not be pushed aside to satisfy someone else.

“Petain Avenue is not a person,” she wrote. “Petain Avenue is my home, a part of my history and my family’s history. We do not want our history changed. We do not want our street name changed.”

She also cited the irritation and paperwork that goes along with a changed street address, and her own health issues in the form of heart disease that had resulted in three 911 calls. She worried that a changed address could affect the response. In an interview, she said that she admired Evan’s diligence and concern but that there were more important issues he could spend time on. “I just want to go back to being Grandma Marion,” she said.