Barbara F. Wiederecht

Barbara F. Wiederecht (nee Fisher), age 82 of Pompton Plains, and formerly of Pines Lake in Wayne, died peacefully on Saturday, February 4, 2023.

Barbara grew up in Pompton Lakes and was among one of the earliest classes to graduate the fifth grade from St. Mary’s School. She went on to graduate from Pompton Lakes High School with the class of 1959. She began her early career with AMF in New York City, but being the benevolent soul that she was, volunteering brought her the greatest joy. She gave selflessly through the Volunteer Center of Bergen County for many years, and her generosity brought comfort to many.

To know Barbara was a blessing in and of itself. Her essence seemed to exude kindness, love, caring, and generosity with a high level of enthusiasm. Her middle name might as well have been “Charity,” as she simply loved to help others. There are countless organizations and worthy causes that she devoted herself to through the years, and no one is really sure how she found the time to do it all, but she did. While living at Cedar Crest Village in recent years, she ran their bereavement group despite being a recent widow herself. Her children especially recall how their mom was sort of like the ‘community mom,’ nurturing countless kids from the neighborhood. Their home always had an ‘open door’ policy where everyone was welcomed with open and loving arms.

Barbara met her husband, George, several years before they became romantically involved. They commuted to New York City on the same bus and often shared the morning newspaper. They had lost touch when Barbara began working locally at a bank, until one fateful day that George entered the bank. They immediately recognized one another, and conversation ensued. Barbara learned that George had recently lost his wife to illness, and he was raising four children on his own. In short time, their romance blossomed, and they were married on April 5, 1975 at St. Mary’s Church in Pompton Lakes. After a memorable honeymoon to Hilton Head, South Carolina, they settled into their home in the Pines Lake section of Wayne. Together, they welcomed two more children to their family. Raising six children could easily bring most people to the brink of exhaustion, but Barbara seemed to make it look easy. She was always well put together, with her hair and makeup done just right, looking beautiful each and every day. She welcomed each day with purpose and found enjoyment in everything she did. Her children recall how magical the holiday parties were at their home, when family would all come and gather. Barbara simply had a wonderful way of making everything, and everyone, feel special. She was, herself, very special and the world will miss her.

Barbara is survived by her six children: David and his wife Barbara of Westport, CT, Jonathan and his wife Nur of Naples, FL, George, Jr. and his wife Cathey of Plano, TX, Sally Wiederecht of Westport, CT, Aimee LaSala and her husband Andrew of Butler, and Holly Levantino and her husband Joseph of Old Brookville, NY, eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild, and her four siblings: Richard “Dick” Fisher and his wife Jane, Jack Fisher and his wife Anna, Liz Fisher and her husband Malcolm Walters, and Cathy Rambusch and her husband Bob. Barbara was predeceased by her husband George in 2019.

Donations in Barbara’s memory would be appreciated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial Processing, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959, www.stjude.org.

Or to the Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758516, Topeka, KS  66675, www.WoundedWarriorProject.org