Ruth J. Heitzman

Ruth Heitzman of Pompton Plains peacefully passed away on Saturday, March 5, 2022 in the loving embrace of her family at the age of 89. She was the daughter of Felix and Helen Jablin of Jersey City and attended St. Aloysius School from kindergarten through sixth grade. She and her sister Janice moved with their parents to Rutherford where Ruth attended public school beginning in sixth grade and graduated from Rutherford High School.

Ruth went on to earn a teaching degree from Paterson State Teachers College in 1954, and then she taught Business Education and worked as a guidance counselor at East Rutherford High School. She also earned her master’s degree in School Guidance from Rutgers University.

In 1957, she married the love of her life, Joe, after meeting him at Paterson State Teachers College where they both studied Business Education. After college while Joe was serving in the Army in Europe, he bought her engagement diamond in Amsterdam and rarely did you ever see Ruth not wearing her ring. They shared 64 years of marriage; building a life and family filled with joy and compassion.

Ruth was a devoted mother to her only child, Elizabeth. Some of her happiest times were spent in Saddle Brook where she created a warm home with a filled candy dish always at the ready.

A testament to Ruth’s patience and creativity was her love of quilting and cross stitching. She enjoyed selecting fabrics, designing quilts, and hours of quiet meditation as she quilted. She was an active member of the Brownstone Quilters Guild and thoroughly enjoyed the friendships she formed. Ruth also was an avid reader and especially loved reading Danielle Steele novels.

Ruth and Joe enjoyed years of traveling the world and educating themselves about the places and people they met. Some of her favorite trips were to Ireland and winter cruises in the Caribbean to escape the cold New Jersey winter. They enjoyed exploring the world and laughing about the mishaps of their travels. Later in life they enjoyed dancing to the big band music of their youth.

Ruth was a devout Catholic who rarely missed Sunday mass. She was a parishioner of St. Philip the Apostle Parish in Saddle Brook from 1959 until 2013 when she moved to Cedar Crest in Pompton Plains. Ruth and Joe quickly found spiritual homes at the Cedar Crest Chapel and Our Lady of Good Counsel in Pompton Plains.

She was the loving wife of 64 years to Joseph Heitzman. Loving mother of Elizabeth Sponenburg and her husband, Jeff, of Wayne, NJ. Cherished grandmother of Joseph and Kathryn Sponenburg of Wayne. Beloved sister of Janice Glock and dear godmother to Helen Hallberg. She will be missed by many nieces, nephews, and friends whose lives she touched over the years.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Ruth’s name may be made to:
Cedar Crest Resident Care Fund
1 Cedar Crest Drive
Pompton Plains, NJ 07444