Obituary of Carolyn J Utzinger

Carolyn J. Utzinger, a longtime educator in Elizabeth, N.J. school system, died March 7 at the age of 73. Born in Elizabeth on New Year's Day, 1947, she was a 1964 graduate of Benedictine Academy. She next attended Seton Hall University, obtaining her degree in elementary education. She then embarked on what would become four decades of teaching in her hometown, as a first-grade teacher at Benjamin Franklin School # 13. During her career, she taught more than 1,000 children. Well aware that many of them lived in poverty, she often visited them at home, bringing with her clothes, school supplies or food. Students of hers who grew into successful adults often returned to thank her for giving them a strong academic foundation and the skills to achieve their goals. She was named Teacher of the Year for those efforts. She retired in 2008. She was a daily communicant of Blessed Sacrament Church in Martinsville, N.J., and a generous donor to Unbound, the international charity that helps vulnerable people in other countries. Dozens of recipients around the world benefited from her sponsorship over the years. She is survived by her devoted husband of 51 years, Thomas H. Utzinger, Warren, N.J.; a beloved son, Thomas A. Utzinger Esq., also of Warren, N.J.; her mother, Mary Kinelski, Elizabeth, N.J; a brother, Joseph Kinelski, Costa Rica; and a sister, Mary Gramiak, Elizabeth, N.J.; and several nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her father, Joseph Kinelski. A Funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, March 10, 2020 at 10:00 am at Blessed Sacrament Church, 1890 Washington Valley Road, Martinsville, NJ 08836. Interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery in Basking Ridge, NJ. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Higgins Home For Funerals, 752 Mountain Blvd., Watchung, NJ 07069.