Obituary of Joyce w. Van Popering

Van Popering, Joyce Wilson (nee Burk),90, previously of Hawthorne and Waldwick, died on Tuesday, June 23,2020 at the Holland Christian Home in North Haledon. As a young woman, Joyce attended Central High School in Paterson followed by graduation from Clifton High School after moving from Haledon to Clifton. In her adult years she found the most joy when she moved from Totowa to build a home on High Mountain Road in North Haledon surrounded by the beauty of nature that she so enjoyed. During that time she treasured helping her first husband and his family build and grow their family restaurant into a successful, well known Scordato’s Restaurant in Paterson and later Hawthorne, NJ. For many years she enjoyed providing spaghetti suppers for local churches as well as working both behind the scenes in the kitchen and out in the dining room of the restaurant. She never tired of greeting customers …Paterson shoppers out for lunch, local entrepreneurs, Court House employees, judges, lawyers, and especially so many local families celebrating their special occasions. For more than thirty years Joyce could be found volunteering as a “Gray Lady” at the Valley Hospital, Ridgewood. She joined fellow volunteers at the Main Desk greeting & handing out room passes always with a smile and kind word. As a longtime member of The First Presbyterian Church in North Haledon, Joyce served as a Trustee there along with participating on many committees over the years. She gifted the Church Bell Carillon on behalf of her love of her church and music. Joyce will be greatly missed by both her loving daughter Toni J. Scordato Kuchler and son-in-law Dr. Albert F. Kuchler. She is survived by a former husband Anthony F. (Annette) Scordato, brother-in-law Joseph (Maureen)Scordato, sisters-in-law Marge Thielke, Grace Cervino and Rose Ruitenberg. Several nieces, nephews, their families and friends also survive her. Joyce was predeceased by her parents Gladys K. and J. Wilson Burk. Her second husband, Bernard “Bert” Van Popering of CT. and Hawthorne died in 2001. She would fondly remember her late mother-in-law Grace Scordato Spinosa, late brothers-in-law Richard and James Scordato, Michael Cervino, Henry Ruitenberg, Emil Thielke, Mike Scordato ; sisters-in-law Rose and Ann Scordato and dear nephew Wayne Thielke. Funeral services are private under the direction of Oakland Memorial Home, Oakland, N.J. A memorial remembrance will be held at a later date. Memorial donations would be gratefully accepted in Joyce’s memory to either: Holland Christian Home, 151 Graham Ave., N. Haledon, NJ 07508; Memorial Sloan-Kettering, I. Ganly Research Projects, Head & Neck Dept., PO Box 27106, NY,NY 10087; Valley Hospice,15 Essex Road, Paramus, NJ 07652