Dorothy “Dot” Faber

Dorothy M. “Dot” Faber, 91 of Haledon, died peacefully at home on Friday, December 28, 2018.

Dot was born in Gibraltar, Pennsylvania and spent her early years in the areas of Birdsboro, Seyferts and Reading.  Tragically, her father died when she was just thirteen years old.  A few years later, her mother remarried and moved the family to New Jersey, settling in Prospect Park.  Dot began working in the office at the Faber’s Laundry in Haledon, which is where she met Jacob Faber, Jr.  “JR” Faber was smitten and the two of them were married on November 19, 1948 at the Bethel Christian Reformed Church.  Their strong faith in the Lord Jesus Christ served as a solid foundation for their marriage and family.  Dot supported her husband in 1955 as he and his brothers started “Faber Brothers” in Haledon, where they sold broadloom carpeting and retail furniture from their large store.  She served as bookkeeper at Faber Brothers for more than fifty-five years.  Dot and JR's home was in close proximity to the store, and every day, without fail, she opened her doors at 10 AM for ‘coffee and’ to anyone who wished to join them.  This was a decades-long tradition that Dot proudly maintained.

Dot and JR enjoyed traveling over the years.  They visited Holland and Alaska, cruised the Caribbean Islands, and vacationed in Mexico.  Most of all, they enjoyed relaxing at “the farm” in Matamoras, Pennsylvania and the condo in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  They had a very loving and strong marriage for sixty years before JR passed in 2008.  Dot was devoted to JR and she has missed him dearly ever since.

Dot’s hobbies included crocheting blankets and afghans, decorating her home with countless pictures of her family, and playing the organ.  She liked to cook and had a lot of fun playing dominoes.  She was especially fond of all animals and had horses, dogs, cats, and pet mice; she cared for any creature her children brought home.  She was not, however, particularly fond of the monkey that her son received in the mail one day.  She was most concerned that someone might contract a rare and incurable disease from him, so Dot quickly found him a new home!  Dot was one of the most kind and considerate souls you could ever have the pleasure of knowing, and surely she is present with the Lord today.

Dot is survived by her two children; Grace Vermeulen and her husband Jon of Haledon, Jacob G. Faber and his wife Rosalinda, five grandchildren; Ligen Vermeulen and his wife Deanne Somers of Sparta, Gavin Vermeulen and his wife Melissa Miley of Kentucky, Kendra Macaluso and her husband Jeff of W. Caldwell, Jackie O’Brien and her husband Tim of Hawthorne, and Darlene Murphy and her husband Robert of Haledon, five great-grandchildren; Shelby Vermeulen, Jacob Macaluso, and Kyle, Joshua, and Zachary Gillespie, a sister-in-law; Julia Mae Martin and her husband Ray, a step-niece; Joy Lavin of N. Haledon, a step-nephew; Richard Plaatsman and his wife Jackie of Florida.  She was predeceased by her husband Jacob “JR” in 2008, her step-brother; Aris Plaatsman, and her daughter-in-law, Jacalynn (Lynn) Faber.