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June 18, 2014
Services
Friends may visit with the family on Saturday morning, June 21, 2014 from 9:00 to 10:30 AM at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne. A Funeral Service will follow in the funeral home at 10:30 AM. Interment will be in Laurel Grove Cemetery, Totowa.
Vera Besso, age 94, of Wayne, passed peacefully into glorious, eternal rest on Wednesday, June 18, 2014. Her oldest son Bruce and the family at Chelsea at Brookfield Assisted Living home were lovingly at her side at the time of her passing.
Born at home on 168 Putman Street in Paterson, shortly thereafter Vera’s parents, Albert and Ida Siersma moved her and her four older siblings to Totowa. It’s in Totowa that Vera grew up. She was attending the local high school when her father’s life was suddenly and tragically ended due to an auto accident in his milk delivery truck. Vera’s brother Albert was also injured in the collision. So with two less bread-winners in the house, Vera was forced to quit school and go to work. She and her sister Connie got jobs sewing in a women’s underclothing factory.
When she was a young lady, Vera’s two brothers were into riding motorcycles. The boys had a friend that they often road with named Verviers Besso. Yes, he was Italian, but his signature-red hair gave everyone the impression that he was Irish. That hair color earned Verviers the nickname “Pat” and the nickname stuck! Vera’s brothers introduced Pat to her and it didn’t take long for the two to realize they were made for each other. They fell in love, marrying on January 1, 1943 - New Year’s Day! Pat liked to kid that Vera had to get him a bit inebriated the night before to get him to the alter. The newlyweds settled in Wayne eventually purchasing Pat’s parent’s home on Central Avenue where they enjoyed many years and cherished many memories together. In 1946, Vera and Pat were blessed with their firstborn – a son named Bruce. Vera stayed home to take care of him, returning to work when he was old enough, only to quit work and stay home again when her son Stephen and daughter Janice were born in 1952 and 1954. Five years later when Janice entered kindergarten, Vera rejoined the workforce, first with a manufacturing company in Fair Lawn. She ultimately went to work for a company called Modern Decorating, a bottle printer in Paterson where she served as a product inspector. She loved the job and remained there for over twenty years until a stroke forced her to retire in 1990 at age 70. Vera’s beloved Pat passed away in 1986. Vera stayed in their house in Wayne until May, 2000, and then she moved closer to her daughter Janice in Milford. In 2013 she moved again, this time to Chelsea at Brookfield, a senior living community in Belvedere where she remained until her passing.
As a young mom, Vera enthusiastically supported her children in their involvement in the 4-H Club, at times hosting hundreds of chickens in the basement. What mattered to Vera was giving her children experiences that would teach them lessons they could carry with them throughout their lives. Vera was an excellent baker of pies and cakes. When a pumpkin pie needed to be baked for a holiday meal or “just because,” everyone knew who made the best one…..Vera! Her pumpkin pies were completely made from scratch, including the crust! Her family loved her fresh baked muffins and turnovers too.
Vera was a wonderful support to her husband Pat in his involvement as a volunteer fire fighter with Preakness Volunteer Fire Company 4. Pat was the chef for the company clambakes, spaghetti dinners and he and Vera enjoyed working together on the company fundraisers, enjoying the camaraderie with the other fire fighters and their wives. Everyone remembers those Hawaiian Luaus!
Vera always had a happy outlook on life. She had a great time playing organ and singing. As a long-time member of the Preakness Christian Reformed Church in Wayne, she occasionally played for Sunday services, but she also just loved to play and sing for her own amusement, and she had a special love for the music of Lawrence Welk. She loved, loved, loved chocolate…..all kinds, and she was always up for a trip to the Clinton Station Diner in Clinton for a delicious slice of their cheesecake. She had a soft spot in her heart for animals having trained two seeing- eye dogs and enjoying the company of her sweet little Pomeranian named Laurie Spring. As much as she loved all these things, nothing compared to her love and adoration for her grandson Stephen. She was happy as a lark when he was in the room and the two of them shared a special relationship.
In her later years, Vera loved to watch televangelist Robert Schuller preaching the positive aspects of the Christian faith on Sunday mornings from his Crystal Cathedral in California. She appreciated Tracy, her home health aid from 2004 to 2012 and, most recently, she formed a special bond of love and appreciation for the wonderful caregivers at the Chelsea at Brookfield Assisted Living home where she was living.
Vera was a great wife, mother, grandmother and sister who will be remembered for always seeing the best in everyone.
Vera was predeceased by her beloved husband Verviers “Pat” Besso in 1986. She was the dear mother of Bruce Besso of Jensen Beach, FL, Stephen and wife Lorine Besso of Sussex, and Janice and husband Joseph Tamecki of Milford; cherished grandmother of Stephen Besso. Vera was predeceased by her three brothers: Martin, Cap and Albert Siersma, and her sister Connie Siersma.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations to Pattenburg Rescue Squad, 590 County Road 614, Asbury, NJ 08802 or the Compassionate Care Hospice Foundation, National Headquarters: 248 E. Chestnut Hill Road, Suite 4, Newark, DE 19713, would be appreciated.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family on Saturday morning, June 21, 2014 from 9:00 to 10:30 AM at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne. A Funeral Service will follow in the funeral home at 10:30 AM. Interment will be in Laurel Grove Cemetery, Totowa.
June 18, 2014
Services
Friends may visit with the family on Saturday morning, June 21, 2014 from 9:00 to 10:30 AM at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne. A Funeral Service will follow in the funeral home at 10:30 AM. Interment will be in Laurel Grove Cemetery, Totowa.
Vera Besso, age 94, of Wayne, passed peacefully into glorious, eternal rest on Wednesday, June 18, 2014. Her oldest son Bruce and the family at Chelsea at Brookfield Assisted Living home were lovingly at her side at the time of her passing.
Born at home on 168 Putman Street in Paterson, shortly thereafter Vera’s parents, Albert and Ida Siersma moved her and her four older siblings to Totowa. It’s in Totowa that Vera grew up. She was attending the local high school when her father’s life was suddenly and tragically ended due to an auto accident in his milk delivery truck. Vera’s brother Albert was also injured in the collision. So with two less bread-winners in the house, Vera was forced to quit school and go to work. She and her sister Connie got jobs sewing in a women’s underclothing factory.
When she was a young lady, Vera’s two brothers were into riding motorcycles. The boys had a friend that they often road with named Verviers Besso. Yes, he was Italian, but his signature-red hair gave everyone the impression that he was Irish. That hair color earned Verviers the nickname “Pat” and the nickname stuck! Vera’s brothers introduced Pat to her and it didn’t take long for the two to realize they were made for each other. They fell in love, marrying on January 1, 1943 - New Year’s Day! Pat liked to kid that Vera had to get him a bit inebriated the night before to get him to the alter. The newlyweds settled in Wayne eventually purchasing Pat’s parent’s home on Central Avenue where they enjoyed many years and cherished many memories together. In 1946, Vera and Pat were blessed with their firstborn – a son named Bruce. Vera stayed home to take care of him, returning to work when he was old enough, only to quit work and stay home again when her son Stephen and daughter Janice were born in 1952 and 1954. Five years later when Janice entered kindergarten, Vera rejoined the workforce, first with a manufacturing company in Fair Lawn. She ultimately went to work for a company called Modern Decorating, a bottle printer in Paterson where she served as a product inspector. She loved the job and remained there for over twenty years until a stroke forced her to retire in 1990 at age 70. Vera’s beloved Pat passed away in 1986. Vera stayed in their house in Wayne until May, 2000, and then she moved closer to her daughter Janice in Milford. In 2013 she moved again, this time to Chelsea at Brookfield, a senior living community in Belvedere where she remained until her passing.
As a young mom, Vera enthusiastically supported her children in their involvement in the 4-H Club, at times hosting hundreds of chickens in the basement. What mattered to Vera was giving her children experiences that would teach them lessons they could carry with them throughout their lives. Vera was an excellent baker of pies and cakes. When a pumpkin pie needed to be baked for a holiday meal or “just because,” everyone knew who made the best one…..Vera! Her pumpkin pies were completely made from scratch, including the crust! Her family loved her fresh baked muffins and turnovers too.
Vera was a wonderful support to her husband Pat in his involvement as a volunteer fire fighter with Preakness Volunteer Fire Company 4. Pat was the chef for the company clambakes, spaghetti dinners and he and Vera enjoyed working together on the company fundraisers, enjoying the camaraderie with the other fire fighters and their wives. Everyone remembers those Hawaiian Luaus!
Vera always had a happy outlook on life. She had a great time playing organ and singing. As a long-time member of the Preakness Christian Reformed Church in Wayne, she occasionally played for Sunday services, but she also just loved to play and sing for her own amusement, and she had a special love for the music of Lawrence Welk. She loved, loved, loved chocolate…..all kinds, and she was always up for a trip to the Clinton Station Diner in Clinton for a delicious slice of their cheesecake. She had a soft spot in her heart for animals having trained two seeing- eye dogs and enjoying the company of her sweet little Pomeranian named Laurie Spring. As much as she loved all these things, nothing compared to her love and adoration for her grandson Stephen. She was happy as a lark when he was in the room and the two of them shared a special relationship.
In her later years, Vera loved to watch televangelist Robert Schuller preaching the positive aspects of the Christian faith on Sunday mornings from his Crystal Cathedral in California. She appreciated Tracy, her home health aid from 2004 to 2012 and, most recently, she formed a special bond of love and appreciation for the wonderful caregivers at the Chelsea at Brookfield Assisted Living home where she was living.
Vera was a great wife, mother, grandmother and sister who will be remembered for always seeing the best in everyone.
Vera was predeceased by her beloved husband Verviers “Pat” Besso in 1986. She was the dear mother of Bruce Besso of Jensen Beach, FL, Stephen and wife Lorine Besso of Sussex, and Janice and husband Joseph Tamecki of Milford; cherished grandmother of Stephen Besso. Vera was predeceased by her three brothers: Martin, Cap and Albert Siersma, and her sister Connie Siersma.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations to Pattenburg Rescue Squad, 590 County Road 614, Asbury, NJ 08802 or the Compassionate Care Hospice Foundation, National Headquarters: 248 E. Chestnut Hill Road, Suite 4, Newark, DE 19713, would be appreciated.
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