Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Calls outside of office hours? No worries! Our team will respond within 10–15 minutes.
January 27, 2014
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Saturday, March 15, 2014 from 12 noon to 2:30 PM. A Memorial Service celebrating Elli’s life will follow the time of visitation and begin at 2:30 PM.
Elli Margaret Cleerdin, age 92 of Wayne and formerly of Washington Township and Hoboken, died peacefully on Monday, January 27, 2014.
Elli was born in Wernigerode, Germany, the daughter of Paul and Anna Rakowski. As a little girl, her parents left her in the care of her aunt while they immigrated to the United States to begin the process of establishing a better future for Elli and themselves. Those early years of Elli’s life were spent on a farm in the Harz Mountains, the highest mountain range in Northern Germany. Living on a mountain, Elli regularly skied to school. When she was eleven years old, she was reunited with her parents, coming by boat to the USA, landing in Hoboken. She immediately enrolled in Hoboken Schools and, while it took a little time to acclimate to a new language and surroundings, she eventually grew attached to her knew homeland. Elli became a U.S. Citizen in 1938.
Elli met her husband Richard while attending high school in Hoboken. Elli went to work for Hoboken’s Schoening’s Bakery (now home of the famous Carlo’s Bakery of Cake Boss fame). Richie, as Elli called him, went off to serve in the U.S. Army/Air Force. They corresponded by love letters until Richie’s four years of service were complete. When he returned, he asked for Elli’s hand in marriage, and even though her father wanted her to marry a German man, Elli eagerly accepted. So on Tuesday, September 3, 1946, instead of going downstairs to sneak out the front door of her parents’ apartment building, Elli climbed up the stairs onto the roof and jumped from building to building all the way to her girlfriend’s apartment building where she ran down the stairs and out the door to meet Richie on the corner. The two love birds headed straight for the courthouse where they were united in marriage by the justice of the peace!
Following marriage, Elli and Richie settled into an apartment in Hoboken and, nine months later, they welcomed their first-born, a baby boy which they named Thomas. A few years later the family grew to four as they welcomed a baby girl which they named Carol and a year later they welcomed another daughter which they named Patricia. Elli was fully devoted to her role as wife, mother and homemaker while Richie worked for American Can Company in Hoboken. In 1960, they moved with their children from Hoboken to Washington Township.
Elli loved to cook and crochet making countless afghans, sweaters for Richie, blankets and baby clothing for her friends and neighbors, and later on for her grandchildren. She happily served as a member of Richie’s VFW hall’s Ladies Auxiliary where she helped with parties and fundraisers. In 1971 Elli took a job at Prentice Hall, a book publishing company, where she served food in the company cafeteria and ran the coffee wagon in the warehouse. She enjoyed that job and worked there until retiring. In 1980, after saving up for many years, Elli and Rich took their dream vacation to Hawaii!
Elli was sweet, kind and had a humorous nature and was always willing to lend a helpful hand to her friends and neighbors. She will be forever remembered and admired for her tireless, loving devotion to her family.
Elli is survived by her two dear daughters: Carol Tylutki and husband Edwin of Wayne, and Patricia Ahearn and husband William of Humble, Texas; four adored grandchildren: Dawn Koenning and husband Jeremy, William Ahearn and wife Erin, Katelyn Harris and husband Keith, and Peter Tylutki; and five cherished great-grandchildren: Christine, Gavin, Aubrey, William “Liam”, and Harper. She was predeceased by her beloved husband Richard F. in 2001 and her son Thomas in 1989.
In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Elli’s name are asked to consider the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P.O Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148-0142 (www.stjude.org), or the Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675 (www.WoundedWarriorProject.org).
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Saturday, March 15, 2014 from 12 noon to 2:30 PM. A Memorial Service celebrating Elli’s life will follow the time of visitation and begin at 2:30 PM.
January 27, 2014
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Saturday, March 15, 2014 from 12 noon to 2:30 PM. A Memorial Service celebrating Elli’s life will follow the time of visitation and begin at 2:30 PM.
Elli Margaret Cleerdin, age 92 of Wayne and formerly of Washington Township and Hoboken, died peacefully on Monday, January 27, 2014.
Elli was born in Wernigerode, Germany, the daughter of Paul and Anna Rakowski. As a little girl, her parents left her in the care of her aunt while they immigrated to the United States to begin the process of establishing a better future for Elli and themselves. Those early years of Elli’s life were spent on a farm in the Harz Mountains, the highest mountain range in Northern Germany. Living on a mountain, Elli regularly skied to school. When she was eleven years old, she was reunited with her parents, coming by boat to the USA, landing in Hoboken. She immediately enrolled in Hoboken Schools and, while it took a little time to acclimate to a new language and surroundings, she eventually grew attached to her knew homeland. Elli became a U.S. Citizen in 1938.
Elli met her husband Richard while attending high school in Hoboken. Elli went to work for Hoboken’s Schoening’s Bakery (now home of the famous Carlo’s Bakery of Cake Boss fame). Richie, as Elli called him, went off to serve in the U.S. Army/Air Force. They corresponded by love letters until Richie’s four years of service were complete. When he returned, he asked for Elli’s hand in marriage, and even though her father wanted her to marry a German man, Elli eagerly accepted. So on Tuesday, September 3, 1946, instead of going downstairs to sneak out the front door of her parents’ apartment building, Elli climbed up the stairs onto the roof and jumped from building to building all the way to her girlfriend’s apartment building where she ran down the stairs and out the door to meet Richie on the corner. The two love birds headed straight for the courthouse where they were united in marriage by the justice of the peace!
Following marriage, Elli and Richie settled into an apartment in Hoboken and, nine months later, they welcomed their first-born, a baby boy which they named Thomas. A few years later the family grew to four as they welcomed a baby girl which they named Carol and a year later they welcomed another daughter which they named Patricia. Elli was fully devoted to her role as wife, mother and homemaker while Richie worked for American Can Company in Hoboken. In 1960, they moved with their children from Hoboken to Washington Township.
Elli loved to cook and crochet making countless afghans, sweaters for Richie, blankets and baby clothing for her friends and neighbors, and later on for her grandchildren. She happily served as a member of Richie’s VFW hall’s Ladies Auxiliary where she helped with parties and fundraisers. In 1971 Elli took a job at Prentice Hall, a book publishing company, where she served food in the company cafeteria and ran the coffee wagon in the warehouse. She enjoyed that job and worked there until retiring. In 1980, after saving up for many years, Elli and Rich took their dream vacation to Hawaii!
Elli was sweet, kind and had a humorous nature and was always willing to lend a helpful hand to her friends and neighbors. She will be forever remembered and admired for her tireless, loving devotion to her family.
Elli is survived by her two dear daughters: Carol Tylutki and husband Edwin of Wayne, and Patricia Ahearn and husband William of Humble, Texas; four adored grandchildren: Dawn Koenning and husband Jeremy, William Ahearn and wife Erin, Katelyn Harris and husband Keith, and Peter Tylutki; and five cherished great-grandchildren: Christine, Gavin, Aubrey, William “Liam”, and Harper. She was predeceased by her beloved husband Richard F. in 2001 and her son Thomas in 1989.
In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Elli’s name are asked to consider the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P.O Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148-0142 (www.stjude.org), or the Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675 (www.WoundedWarriorProject.org).
Guestbook