Obituary of Gertrude Arends
Gertrude Arends, 94, peacefully passed away on Wednesday, June 8, 2022 at home.
Born in Passaic, Gertrude grew up in Clifton and lived in Maplewood where she met the love of her life Bill. They were married for 70 years before his passing in 2018. They bought their first house In Scotch Plains and lived there for 10 years before settling to South Plainfield in 1961.
Always eager to be active and hands on, at an early age she worked in her father's butcher shop, Rettberg’s Market in Garfield where she would wait on customers and make deliveries. Upon exiting the family business, Mrs. Arends continued in the workforce. She worked at Forstner Chain Corporation making jewelry. After her children were in school she went back to work as a Crossing Guard in South Plainfield for several years, then employed by Revlon as a line worker, Kresge's as a sales person, a waitress at Bell Labs and her last place of employment was at Macy's in Menlo Park.
Gertrude was known to always try everything and anything at least once but didn't have just one hobby. She loved to entertain, enjoyed playing the organ and simply loved having her family around the table.
Her faith was her passion. A lifelong member of the New Apostolic Church, the last 70 years in the Plainfield congregation, Gertrude was a prayer warrior who devoted her whole heart and entire life towards giving to and serving others.
Predeceased by her husband, William Arends Sr., surviving are her son, William Jr., and his wife Marisol of Kitchener, Ontario, Canada; her daughter, Nancy Lee Carlson and her husband Bill of South Plainfield; four grandchildren, Robert Carlson and his wife Caitlin, of Parkville, MD., Dr.
Cindy Carlson of East Norriton, PA., Emily Penalba and her husband Edgar of Kitchener, Ontario, Canada and Gabriel Lopez also of Kitchener, Ontario, Canada and three great-grandchildren, Penelope and Nathaniel Carlson and Iggy Penalba.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, June 18, 2022 from 3-7pm in the McCriskin - Gustafson Home for Funerals 2425 Plainfield Ave, South Plainfield, NJ 07080 and on Sunday, June 19, 2022 at the New Apostolic Church, 929 Putnam Ave, Plainfield, NJ 07060 beginning at 2:00pm followed by a 4pm funeral service.
Gertrude will be laid to rest alongside her husband William Sr. at Hillside Cemetery, Scotch Plains, NJ.