Lee Nystrom

Lee Nystrom, of Boonton Township and a former long-time resident of Wayne, passed away peacefully on Friday, July 12, 2024. She was 101.

Lee Nystrom was born on January 10th, 1923, the proud daughter of Italian immigrants, raised in Kearney, NJ and was the youngest of six children (four boys and two girls.). Her parents were born in Italy and came to the United States in the early 1900’s.

She attended St. Stephens elementary school having later attended Kearny High School graduating with the Class of 1942.

Lee met the love of her life, Charles “Buddy” Nystrom, in Kearny through mutual friends. They could often be found walking on Chestnut Street hand in hand, where he proposed to her, and were later married at St. Stephens RC Church, Kearny on July 18, 1942. Buddy, inspired by patriotism after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, enlisted in the US Navy just a short time after they married. Upon returning from his US Navy service on destroyer escorts in the Pacific, they continued to live in Kearny before moving to Lincoln Park in 1950. They remained there until 1962, when they relocated to their dream house in Wayne.

After Buddy died in 1970, Lee worked tirelessly to support her six children at various jobs until she settled in as a Customer Service Representative and funds management associate for Sears Department Store in Wayne, a superb career that spanned nearly twenty years until her well-deserved retirement in 1988. As an avid traveler, she enjoyed several adventurous overseas trips to Europe visiting England, France and of course her beloved Italy with her sons.

A woman of great faith dedicated to her Catholic religion, Lee Nystrom gave generously of her time and energies as a Eucharistic Minister at Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church, one who derived great satisfaction from delivering communion to her homebound and hospitalized neighbors. In her spare time, Lee enjoyed visiting friends and extended family, painting and reading novels.

Lee Nystrom was upheld in her life by a host of family and friends, especially her late husband Charles “Buddy” Nystrom of twenty-eight years. She took tremendous pride in her six children, Donald C. Nystrom and his wife Carol of Vernon, Wayne Nystrom of Haskell, Dwight Nystrom and his wife Teresa of Pompton Lakes, Claud Nystrom and his wife Ann Marie of Chardon, Ohio, Gail Cicen of Nutley, and Keith Nystrom and his wife Lisa of Magnolia, Texas. She was the cherished grandmother of fifteen grandchildren (Craig Nystrom and his wife Spring of Dingmans Ferry, PA, Ellen Nystrom, Amy Nystrom, Sarah Wood and her husband Vincent of Hackettstown, Andrew Nystrom and his wife Nichol of Chardon, OH, Hannah Sroka and her husband Brett of Chardon, OH, Lisa Walker and her husband Chris of Mount Holly, NC, Michael Owns and his wife Johanna of Chardon, OH, Adam Cicen and his partner Jess DeMaro of Allentown, PA, Leyla Cicen and her partner Vince Marinucci of Wharton, NJ, Aylin Cicen of Nutley, Ayla Gruca and her husband Mariusz of Wayne, Zachary Nystrom, Mark Nystrom of Houston, TX and Bret Nystrom of Texas); seven great grandchildren (Ella and Zoey Gruca of Wayne, Grace Owens of Painesville, OH, Faith Miller and her husband Matt of Lansing, MI, Alyssa and Maggie Walker of Mount Holly, NC and Jolie Nystrom of Chardon, OH) and two great-great grandchildren (Leo and Lilly Miller from Lansing, MI); she was predeceased by siblings Jerry, Tom, Frank, Nichalos Cocola and one sister Teresa Livolsi.

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For those unable to attend in person, the funeral mass will also be livestreamed. To watch the livestream, please click on one of the following links:

https://www.facebook.com/StMarysPomptonLakesFunerals

https://www.youtube.com/c/StMarysPomptonLakes

Once the Mass is livestreamed, it will remain up on YouTube and Facebook for future viewings and downloads.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a memorial donation to:

Alzheimer’s New Jersey

425 Eagle Rock Avenue, #203

Roseland, NJ 07068