Kathleen Strall

Kathleen Strall (nee Kempton), age 90 of Pompton Plains, died peacefully on Saturday, January 9, 2021. She had been a resident of Cedar Crest Village since 2016, living in Florida and Texas prior.

Kathy grew up in Lyndhurst, NJ and graduated from Lyndhurst High School with the class of 1948. After high school she worked as a legal secretary in Manhattan. She was a wonderful dancer and often attended the local CYO dances.  It was at one of these CYO dances that she met Bob Strall. They had their first official date on New Year’s Eve. At the stroke of midnight, Bob and Kathy exchanged their first kiss, and never looked back. Within two months, Kathy knew she would marry him, and on October 8, 1955 they exchanged vows. After a honeymoon to Miami, Florida, they embarked on a marriage that most people only dream of. They loved each other dearly, did everything together, and always put the other first. During their fifty-six years of marriage, they went on many cruises, visiting much of the United States, and vacations in Hawaii, Costa Rica, Bermuda and St. Thomas. Their children hosted a fiftieth wedding anniversary party for both of them on Hilton Head Island in 2005, where the whole family gathered to celebrate their milestone. They made wonderful memories throughout all their years together. Sadly, Bob passed away in 2011 and Kathy has missed him terribly ever since.

Kathy had lived in many places, as a result of Bob’s employment with IBM.  After marrying, they raised their family in West Milford, NJ before relocating to Roswell, Georgia, and then later to Hudson, Florida. Kathy didn’t mind all the moving around, and with her extroverted personality and expert Bridge playing skills, she made new friends at each new place.  She and Bob were very social and fit in everywhere, joining local clubs and making friends quickly. They also enjoyed entertaining in their home, and hosting holiday dinners. They ended up with a huge circle of friends, and maintained many of those relationships throughout the years.

Kathy was devoted to her family. Her children recall that she was a very involved mom, teaching CCD, volunteering as ‘class mom’ at their schools, and she always made sure that each of them felt special and loved. Kathy would often surprise them on holidays with a little treat, or special gift, and she was simply a great mom to each of them. That love and devotion naturally extended to her grandchildren as they came along, and she didn’t allow the long distances between them to keep them apart. She would travel to visit and spend a few weeks at a time with her grandchildren in Georgia, Texas, and New Jersey. They will all miss her dearly.

Kathleen is survived by her three children; Patricia Ludwig and her husband Bill of Wayne, NJ, Robert Strall and his wife Donna of Texas, and Douglas Strall and his wife Tracy of Georgia, eight grandchildren; Alexis Moakley and her husband Bill of Wayne, Samantha Strall of Texas, Billy Ludwig and his girlfriend Jessica Quazza of Totowa, Kathleen Hixon and her husband Jake of Texas, Collin Strall of Georgia, Miranda Campbell and her husband Chase of Georgia, Chandler Strall of Georgia, Knox Kenerly of Georgia, four great-grandchildren; Ava and Aria Moakley of Wayne, Addison Beatty of Texas, and Emerson Campbell of Georgia, and a brother; Allan Kempton and his wife Kitty of Paramus. She was predeceased by her beloved husband Bob in 2011, and by her brother Irwin in 2014.