Obituary of Katherine Zelmore

Katherine Mary Zelmore (Bradley) passed away peacefully at home on 2/7/2020 at the young age of 97. Katherine was born on 2/1/1923 in New Haven, CT to Mary and Stephen Bradley. As a child, she moved several times as her father was a dairy farmer. Once she moved from L.I. NY to NJ, she graduated from Bernards High School 1941 as Valedictorian. Upon graduating Kay worked at Western Electric, which meant she took the Lackawanna train to Newark…bus to Penn Station…train to Kearny. During her trips on the train, she met Mr. Zimmerman, Ciba Comptroller who spoke to her and asked if she wanted to work closer to home in Summit. Mom knew during wartime the law forbids changing jobs if working in a defense plant. He stated he would take care of it and she interviewed and got the job in Cost accounting working for her mentor Ms. Hornsey. She worked at Ciba in Summit until she got married and moved to McKeesport, PA. When the steel mills closed, they moved back to NJ and started a family with the birth of Carol. Kay also had twin boys William and David and then Gary. Kay and Clark moved to Reinman Road in Warren, NJ in April 1960. That was where she peacefully passed, surrounded by her husband. Kay was an amazing person who always gave of herself for others. She volunteered with the Red Cross Gray Lady – at Lyons Hospital, Red Cross nurses aide, Nurses aid with polio children. USO, Camp Kilmer, St. Albans Naval Hospital Home. In her 80’s she was volunteering to teach Kindergarten and first grade children in town to read. Kay was a lifelong choir member. Her singing career began at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, then 5 years at St. James Church, before she settled at Our Lady of the Mount Roman Catholic Church, Warren, NJ. She loved singing in the choir which she belonged to for close to 60 years. Surviving are her devoted husband Clark of 63 years; daughter Carol Reinecker and her husband Erich, Wilmington, DE, William of Bridgewater, David of Warren and Gary of Warren as well as 2 grandchildren Stacey Zelmore and Michael Zelmore. She was predeceased by her parents, her sisters Mary Thompson and Margaret Shephard and her brother-in-laws Arthur William Zelmore and Albert Lee Zelmore. A visitation will be held on Tuesday, February 11, 2020, at 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm with a 6:30 pm wake service at Higgins Home For Funeral, 752 Mountain Blvd., Watchung, NJ 07069. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, February 12, 2020, at 10:30 am at Our Lady of the Mount Church in Warren, NJ. Interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery in Basking Ridge, NJ. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St.Judes Children’s Hospital or any other charity that helps children.