Johanna Wilbert

Johanna Wilbert (nee Metzler), age 93 of Wayne passed away peacefully on Friday October 23, 2020 while receiving the loving care of her family.

Johanna was born in Bockenau, Germany in 1927 and was the middle child of three children to Karl and Johanna Metzler.  As a young girl in the midst of the Second World War, Johanna left the eighth grade to go to work and help her family.  She was employed as a bookkeeper at a hardware store in Germany named Eckenroth, which would be the equivalent to an establishment such as Home Depot in the United States.  Later, after arriving in the United States in 1954, Johanna continued to work as a bookkeeper at various businesses. She worked at Bosland’s Hardware for nine years and Godwin Tool and Hardware Supply in Midland Park for about ten years.

As a young woman while living in Germany, Johanna would take the bus to work every day.  While standing at the bus stop, she met a handsome young man by the name of Hans Wilbert.  Johanna sat next to Hans on the bus so as to talk with the girls sitting in frontof her and Hans.  However, Johanna never got to speak with the girls due to the fact that she and Hans talked the entire ride.  Later, Hans invited Johanna to hear him play the violin, as he was an accomplished violinist.  As fate would have it, they fell in love and were married on May 24, 1952 in Bad Kreuznach and then honeymooned in Bavaria.

Johanna and Hans immigrated to the United States in 1954 in search of a better life and the American Dream.  They settled in Brooklyn where Hans and Johanna found work quickly.  Johanna and Hans welcomed their first daughter, Linda, in 1959.  The company that Hans was working for moved from Brooklyn to Paterson and the family moved.  The couple had one of the first homes built in the Lions Head Lake section of Wayne.  In 1965, after living in Wayne for a number of years, they welcomed their second daughter, Susan.  Johanna and Hans remained in Wayne for the rest of their lives together.

Johanna was a dedicated mother and grandmother.  She was also dedicated to her Lutheran Faith.  She and her family were members of St Timothy’s Lutheran Church in Wayne for many years.  Johanna was also a member of the Golden Age Group of Wayne for many years as well.   From a young age, Johanna loved sports.  She loved soccer and kept pictures of the entire New York Cosmos soccer team in her home.  She also enjoyed watching golf on TV mainly because of its illustrious and colorful backgrounds.  She loved gardening, growing vegetables and flowers all year round.  She also loved to sew and read, particularly autobiographies and about history mostly.  Aside from all of Johanna’s interests, hobbies, and talents, her greatest passion was for her family.  Nothing in the world meant more to Johanna than providing for and spending time with her family.  She and Hans cherished an amazing fifty-nine years of loving and loyal marriage until Hans’ passing in 2011.  Johanna was a truly special person who touched the lives of many people and will be sincerely missed by her family and friends alike.  

Johanna is survived by her two daughters; Linda Sopko and her husband John of Wall Township, and Susan Phelan and her Husband Chris of Wayne, four grandchildren; Brian Phelan, Jake Sopko, Kevin Phelan, and Maxxi Sopko, she was predeceased by her husband Hans Wilbert in 2011, she was also predeceased by her sister Elfrieda Metzlerand her brother Loda Metzler.

Flowers are most welcome, however in lieu of flowers, donations in Johanna’s name may be made to St Timothy’s Lutheran Church, 395 Valley Rd, Wayne, NJ 07470.