Shirley Vander Stad

Shirley I. Vander Stad, age 85, of Pequannock, passed into eternity on Monday, June 6, 2022.

Born on July 21, 1936, she was raised in Northern New Jersey and graduated from Butler High School with the Class of 1956.

During her high school years she met Cornelius (Neil) Vander Stad, a brother of her dear friend Ruth.  They were married at his parent’s home in Oak Ridge, New Jersey on September 24, 1956.  They honeymooned in Nova Scotia and have been married for sixty-five years by the grace of God.

Shirley was a loving mother and devoted wife.  She had a very generous heart, and was often giving gifts of time and presents to her children, grandchildren and people she met near and far.  

Because of her gifts of sewing and a desire to help others, Shirley founded and managed the Cloth Cabin in Newfoundland, New Jersey, where she sewed clothing, sold fabric, notions, and patterns, and made many long-term friendships.  Later she worked at the Rag Shop in Wayne.  An expert seamstress, she could craft gorgeous clothing seemingly without thinking, and often without patterns.  Shirley regularly made wedding gowns and outfits for entire bridal parties, including wedding gowns for her own children.  It seemed her Singer sewing machine was busy night and day.

Shirley was dedicated to her Christian faith and was a faithful member of the Ebenezer Netherlands Reformed Church in Haledon, the Netherlands Reformed Congregation in Clifton, and more recently the Heritage Reformed Church in Kinnelon.

Shirley was the loving mother of John Vander Stad and his wife Mary of Oak Ridge, Sue Rose and her husband Allan of Wayne, Brenda Vander Valk and her husband Steven of Pompton Plains, Lisa Sniegocki and her husband Michael of Leesburg, FL, Ada den Hollander and her husband Reverend Henry of Fort Macleod, Alberta, Canada, and Ruth Tanis and her husband William of Bloomingdale.  She was the cherished grandmother of twenty-seven grandchildren and sixty-two great-grandchildren.

Those wishing to make a memorial donation in Shirley’s memory are asked to kindly omit flowers, but consider making a donation for the furtherance of the gospel to the Trinitarian Bible Society, 927 Alpine Commerce Park NW STE 100, Grand Rapids, MI 49544 or at  www.tbsbibles.org under “Donate”.

“For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass.  The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever.  And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”  1 Peter 1:24-25