Elizabeth Kistulinec: loving wife, mother, Nana, friend

Elizabeth “Betty” Kistulinec passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at the age of 84 years old. She was surrounded by her loving and devoted family.

Betty was born on September 29, 1941, in Jersey City, to Josephine Garson.  Josephine raised Betty and her sister Margaret, and they attended Catholic schools. As a young girl she learned grit, hard work, courage, faith, and independence. All character traits she lived, modeled for others, and that would come to define her. She faced challenges head-on with great conviction.

She worked in the Bell system when younger, while also pursuing a college degree. She met her husband Bill, through his sister Mary Ann. They were engaged at St. Patrick’s Cathedral and soon began a wonderful 62-year marriage. They worked hard, and eventually moved from Jersey City, to Towaco, and settled in Warren, NJ, where she lived for 49 years in the same house. Bill and Betty raised Mark and Kara, building a home filled with faith and love, and modeling hard work and service.

Betty was devoted to her Catholic faith. She and Bill were long-time members at Our Lady of the Mount Church and never missed weekly mass. She used her math skills to support the finance team and assisted with CYO retreats. Whatever their financial situation, Betty believed in serving others with her time and treasure. She and Bill were part of a group of OLM families welcoming and supporting a refugee family. She volunteered with special needs children and did taxes for unwed mothers. She loved to read and learn and used those talents while a long-time volunteer in the stacks of the Warren library. 

She believed strongly in the importance of education. She paused college, and her career, to raise her family, but gradually resumed, part time, earning a BS in Business from Rutgers at age 40. She also resumed working and spent 30 years working at ATT, as a financial analyst in their tax department. 

She and Bill were very sociable and embraced a wide group of family and friendships. Early years were spent at the movies and NYC, later years in supper clubs, game nights, and countless hours playing bridge or other card games. They had friendships that lasted 40, 50, and even 60 years. Whether she was with a new friend from Warrenbrook Senior Center, or a neighbor at their monthly luncheon, or a cherished friend of decades, Betty was a warm, kind, caring person who treasured being and engaging with her friends. 

Betty’s favorite role in life (after being wife of Bill) was being “Nana,” to six terrific grandchildren. She embraced that role fully, remembering every event, big and small, and spending countless hours with each of them playing games, doing the girls hair, taking walks, cooking together, or encouraging them in life. She showed up for everything – concerts, holidays, celebrations, sports, activities, planned and last-minute baby-sitting. She loved them all deeply and was enormously proud of each one. 

Betty is survived by her son Mark William Kistulinec, and Mark’s wife Amy Strasser Kistulinec; her daughter Kara Kistulinec Pollard, and Kara’s husband James Lyle Pollard; and her six cherished grandchildren, Grace Elizabeth, William Edward, Shannon Elise, Hope Louise, Jack Courage, and Colin William. She is also survived by her sister Margaret Fritsky and her husband Steven. 

Betty’s life will be remembered for many things, but especially for her dedication to her Catholic faith, her deep love for her family, her work ethic and service ethos, and her loyal, caring, warm embrace of so many friends, from so many parts of her life. She knew she was blessed by her family and those friendships. 

All are welcome to attend a visitation Saturday March 28, 2026,from 2:30pm to 3:30pm at Higgins Home for Funerals, Watchung, NJ. A funeral mass will follow at 4pm, at the chapel at Our Lady of the Mount church, Warren, NJ. To view the funeral mass via live stream, please click LIVE STREAM FUNERAL MASS

In remembrance, and in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Our Lady of the Mount Church – designated to the Faith Formation/CCD program (170 Mt. Bethel Rd, Warren, NJ 07059), or to the Center for Great Expectations, Somerset, NJ. If preferred, flowers can be sent to Higgins Home for Funerals.

A more complete obituary is at Higginsfuneralhome.com