Catherine Patey Klunek, 83, of Hazlet, New Jersey, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving daughters on Friday, June 18, 2021, at Bayshore Community Hospital in Holmdel, New Jersey. She was born Catherine Patey on March 15, 1938, in Jersey City, New Jersey, where she grew up. In 1970, Catherine settled in Hazlet to raise her family and be closer to her sisters.
In 1978, she began working at the Garden State Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey. She loved working there and getting to experience all the different musical performances. She often brought her children along with her to various concerts while she was working and in doing so, passed down her love of music to them. Cathy was an extremely hard-working woman. Her strong work ethic was something that defined her. Finally, in 2007, she retired from the Garden State Parkway where she worked as a NJ State Police Dispatcher.
She had briefly attended Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, NJ, studying criminal justice, while volunteering on the Hazlet Police Auxiliary in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. Catherine was also a NJ election poll-worker in Hazlet for over 40 years.
She loved watching crime dramas, and recently fell in love with “no commercials” Netflix. She spent many hours with her granddaughters watching favorites like Criminal Minds and Wentworth. She especially loved watching her old movies, and “recorded” hundreds of movies on VHS tapes over the years.
Catherine was loved by everyone who knew her. She truly lived her life to help others, always putting everyone she loved before herself. She was fondly known as “Sweetie” by her sisters; “Aunt Sweetie” by her nieces and nephews; and “Nanny” by her beloved grandchildren, whom were her greatest joy in life. She will be deeply missed and never forgotten.
She was predeceased by her parents, Francis and Anna (Connolly) Patey, and her dear sisters, Adeline Kelly, Beatrice Gilmartin, Barbara Prettyman, and Theresa Patey. Catherine is survived by her loving children, Colleen Patunas of Keyport, Gerard Klunek, Desiree Ruvolo of Hazlet, Odette Marvel of Hazlet, her son-in-law, Tug Marvel, and her cherished grandchildren, Shea, Rylee, Julianna, and Gabriella, along with many treasured nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered for Catherine on Thursday, June 24, 2021, at 9:30 AM at The Church of St. Catherine of Labouré, 110 Bray Avenue, N. Middletown, New Jersey 07748. A graveside service and interment will follow at Mount Olivet Cemetery, 100 Chapel Hill Road, Middletown, New Jersey, 07701. For information, directions, or to send condolences to the family, please visit, www.shorepointfh.com.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Catherine Patey Klunek, please visit our floral store.