Obituary of Catherine D. Charles

Mrs. Catherine D. (Sinniger) Charles, 90, passed away peacefully in the presence of her loving family on Wednesday, January 12, 2012. Mrs. Charles was born in Brooklyn, NY, on June 27, 1921, daughter of the late Henry and Margaret (Bradley) Sinniger. Catherine was the devoted wife of the late John W. Charles. Catherine and her husband raised their family in Clifton, where she started the first Neighborhood Crime Watch and founded the Maple Valley Civic Association. Catherine began her working career as a nurse's aide in Passaic General Hospital, NJ. Then she worked for over 20 years as a waitress, including the Marriott Hotel, the Hearth, and Dolly's Pancake House. Most recently, she was a customer service representative at Royal Chevrolet, in Bridgewater. Catherine was an active member of Blessed Sacrament Church in Martinsville. Catherine loved going to daily mass, spending time with her grandchildren, baking and crocheting and was an avid Yankee fan. Catherine is survived by her children - John Charles and his wife Betty, Diane (Charles) Borkowski and her husband Charles, Allan Charles and his wife Barbara, and Ronald Charles and his wife Vicki. She also leaves her beloved sister and brother-in-law, Theresa and Don Gallo and family. Catherine was blessed with 10 grandchildren: Rebecca Charles, Jennifer (& Scott) Torello, Emily (& Anthony) Paecht; Charles and Derek Borkowski, Jeffrey, Christopher, RJ (& fiance Kim Serraro), Eric, and Jenna Charles, and seven great grand-children. In lieu of flowers, friends may make a memorial donation to the Penn State Thon fund for Children with Cancer at www.thon.org (team A-7). Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9, Sunday at Higgins Home for Funerals at 752 Mountain Blvd. Watchung, NJ. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Blessed Sacrament Church, 1890 Washington Valley Road, Martinsville, at 10 a.m. on Monday, January 16th. The interment will be at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in East Hanover NJ.