Norma K. Babjak

Norma Joan Kath Babjak, age 92, of Pompton Plains, previously of Pines Lake in Wayne, N.J. passed away peacefully on Wednesday, December 18, 2024.

Norma was born to Francis and Harriet Kath on July 12, 1932 in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. Her parents and younger sister Marcia, lived in Woodbridge, N.J. for many years, eventually settling in Westfield, N.J. when Norma was in the 10th grade. They lived in a beautiful house with a large yard, a giant willow tree and a beautiful fragrant rose garden planted by her father. She graduated from Westfield High School in 1950 and first attended Montclair College and then attended William Paterson College (now University).

Norma’s childhood life was very good and full of many adventures near and far as her parents liked to travel around the United States. Her parents moved to Woodbridge, N.J. where they owned a grocery store, which they eventually sold. Norma’s family then moved to Westfield. Her father went to work for S&W Foods and her mother went to work as the secretary to the mayor of Westfield. In Westfield, Norma and her friends like to swim in the Tuscan Farms swimming hole and sleigh ride there in the winter. Her sister said she also liked to help the boy next door do his math homework through their open windows. She told her parents it was strictly platonic. Her parents took her and her sister to many beaches, mountains and to Niagara Falls. They also went on long train rides across the United States to Pasadena, California to visit her father’s brothers. Norma really did not enjoy the train trips as it made her “train sick”. Another time they took Norma and her sister to see the Grand Canyon but getting there proved difficult as they had to take a bus from the train station when a blizzard struck. The bus could not follow the road and ended up driving through a snow-covered field filled with cows. When the bus got stuck the driver told the passengers to get off and carry their luggage, following the bus tire tracks, until they found a road.

Norma met her beloved husband Walter Babjak on a blind date set up by mutual friends. On that first night out together, a nervous Norma spilled her drink on Walter. Despite the mishap, they fortunately continued to date and eventually married on December 6, 1952 at the Westfield Presbyterian Church. Norma’s parents were married twenty-five years earlier on this same date.

While Norma started out as a basic cook, like most of us, she worked diligently to expand her variety and gained excellent skills in the kitchen. One of her biggest challenges was to adjust to the cultural food differences between her and Walter. He loved Ukrainian food such as liver, chicken gizzards and perogy, while she ate Swiss/German food such as yogurt, cottage cheese, fresh vegetables, fish oil and sardines. Fortunately, especially for their children, they both loved fresh fruit.

Norma’s specialties were soups such as clam chowder and fancy wonderful deserts. She also made delicious lasagna (especially the spaghetti sauce), fancy appetizers, and a large variety of delicious cookies every holiday season.

After the wedding, Walter’s job transferred him to Utica, New York, where their first child Kathie was born in 1954, before moving back to New Jersey. Norma and Walter decided to take a risk, be adventurous and move to the country rather than remain in the city life of central N.J. In 1956, they had the foresight to purchase their first home in Pines Lake in Wayne, N.J., in a beautiful log cabin resort lake community, where their second child Kevin and third child Tim were born in 1956 and 1964 respectively.

After her first 2 children were born Norma went back to William Patterson College to finish her undergraduate degree and eventually went on to complete her master’s degree in education. No small feat when you have 3 children. During this time, they also moved across the lake to a larger home for their growing family. Norma worked for the Oakland school system for 25 years. She was a much-loved and very hard-working elementary school teacher who taught in a regular classroom for many years and eventually became the schools math specialist teacher, before retiring.

After raising their children and finishing her teaching career, Norma moved to the Stoneybrook section of Sarasota, Florida in 1998 with Walter. Norma loved living in Florida. She also followed in the footsteps of her parents who also moved to Florida after they retired. Norma loved meeting new people and volunteering to help others. She volunteered at Shelby Botanical Gardens, Women’s Exchange, and tutored non-English speaking children at their Church. She loved doing water aerobics and going to the beach at Sarasota. They remained in Florida for the next fifteen years before moving back to New Jersey and settling at the Cedar Crest Village in Pompton Plains, where they joined many old friends from Pines Lake.

Norma and Walter had a very active social life and many friends. They enjoyed time with many families with young children like themselves. Walter and Norma’s children will also always look back and remember the social gatherings at their house. There were many parties, Bridge games/groups throughout her life, tennis games, swimming, boating, ice skating, and so much more. For the 4th of July parades, Norma made the costumes for her children, while Walter built the parade floats. Norma was also an active member of the Pines Lake Garden Club. It was really a wonderful place to live and grow a family. Norma loved being busy, keeping active and playing games. The family had so much fun playing games together both cards, board games and tennis, among others.

When her children were young, Norma and Walter took the family on wonderful camping vacation adventures with other families and friends. They went down to the Jersey shore camping in Cape May, Stone Harbor, Sea Isle City, as well as up north to East Orleans and Wellfleet in Cape Cod Massachusetts and on down to Washington, DC, camping by the side of the Potomac River. Norma and Walter also loved to go antiquing especially at the Jersey shore, much to the dismay of her children who did not like waiting in the car and wished they were at the beach (but who now appreciate the antiques). They also loved to take their children to craft shows up and down the east coast. Later in life Norma and Walter traveled to Europe and to the Panama Canal.

Besides cooking Norma loved to sew, quilt, knit, crochet make crafts and garden. She perfected everything she taught herself. When Walter started doing craft shows up and down the east coast from Massachusetts to Virginia to sell his hand carved decoys, Norma decided she needed to also sell something she made. So, she learned to quilt and then sold the beautiful detailed handmade quilted blankets and pillows that she made, as well as stuffed toys. She also sewed many wonderful pieces of clothing for her children. Norma loved all the antiques Walter restored and the furniture that he built, and which she displayed proudly throughout their house. Norma also developed a love and appreciation for local artists and their artwork. The first artist she loved was Ruth Nielssen from Pines Lake. Later in life she collected paintings by local Sarasota artists and Cape Cod artists, displaying their beautiful watercolor paintings in her home.

Norma loved being with her family, going with us to visit her parents and Walters parents, every other weekend, for wonderful family gatherings and dinners. When we went to Norma’s parent’s house, the family had picnics on a blanket under the weeping willow tree and also played croquet. There were many fun times. When the blessings of grandchildren came into their lives, Walter and Norma looked forward to their visits at their home in Florida and she helped care for her grandchildren when needed. Norma and Walter were very active members of the St. Michaels Church in Wayne for more than 16 years, where Norma taught Sunday School. They also attended Preakness Reformed Church for over 20 years, and when they moved to Florida, they were members of and regularly attended and served at the Church of the Palms.

Norma was the beloved wife of Walter; loving mother of 3 children: Kathie Babjak Genge of Fairfax, VA (husband George Genge, daughter Nicole McConnell, her husband Ian Mc Connell and children Charlotte, Coleman and Caroline) of Fairfax, VA and son Jason (and his daughter Freya) of Fairfax, VA; Kevin Babjak of Topeka, KS (and his son Sean, Sean’s wife Heather and their children Connor, Cooper and Collin) of Wichita Kansas, and Tim Babjak (wife Dena, and their children Austin and Ashley) of Wayne; Norma, was the dear sister of Marcia Prevost of Hobe Sound, FL and dear Aunt of Bruce, Mark, Gary and Danny Prevost. Norma dearly loved her husband, sister, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren;

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Norma’s name are asked to consider a gift to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America , American Heart Association and  American Cancer Society.