Obituary of Mary S. Urban

Mary Sietsema Urban, 89, of Point Pleasant, passed away, Sunday, December 20, 2015. What can be said about such a wonderful and special friend, Sister, Wife, Mother, and Grandmother? She was born to humble means in Little Falls, NJ in 1926. She was raised there happily with 3 sisters and a baby brother. At age 19, she was stricken with polio and her dreams of being an Executive Secretary in NYC were dashed. Fortunately, thru the State, she was able to go to Paterson Teacher's College to be a school teacher. While there, she met the love of her life, Richard Urban. They were married in 1951. She taught in Cedar Grove for several years and soon after, she was able to stay home to raise her 2 daughters, while Richard worked as a sixth grade teacher in Bloomfield. In 1968 he became the Principal of Hopatcong High School and then back to Bloomfield as their elementary Science Coordinator. Mary returned to work in1968, to teach first grade in Hopatcong, then in Demarest School in Bloomfield. They retired from the Bloomfield School District and moved to Point Pleasant in 1983. They had a lovely retirement but short-lived. Unfortunately, Richard passed in 1988. For the next 6 years, Mary was very active at St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Bay Head. She was the UMW President, Christian Unity Layperson and Lay Member. She shared her musical talent with St. Paul's, leading them in song playing the piano at worship. She helped plan many fundraisers for the church and served as the Publicity Coordinator for the Annual Antique Show and Art Sale until 1999. She had a special way of recruiting new helpers by addressing them as her "angels". In 1994, her daughter, Robin and husband, Michael, along with their 2 children, Marilyn and Timothy, moved in with her in Point Pleasant. She enthusiastically embraced the idea of helping to raise her grandchildren and was able to pass on her musical talent to Marilyn. She also helped Tim get his homework done and taught him to be a wonderful loving young man. She enjoyed every minute of being a live-in Grandma (aka "Grams") She was the "Queen of Crosswords"...She did them in INK! She always said that a crossword puzzle was one way to re live your life. You know many answers first hand and you can picture the items, the places, the shows, the concerts, radio programs, major events, history, disasters and epidemics. Her favorite crossword trick was to say to someone nearby "here's one you won't know." She had a "pound" (fist bump) and a smile for each and every kid who came to visit. In her last few years of life, she developed a condition called "post-polio," a "second wave" of the debilitating disease, which comes late in life. Sadly, this recurrence forced her into a wheelchair. Unfortunately, right after Hurricane Sandy, she developed pneumonia and after getting out of the hospital, she developed a heel wound which led to an amputation. She spent her last year of life bed bound but still mentally fine. We spent the last few weeks watching Christmas movies, and she was singing right along with the carols. Now she is OUR Angel in Heaven. She died peacefully and is survived by her 2 daughters, Valerie Hrabal and Robin Dillon; her 4 grandchildren, Katherine Hrabal, Kyra Hrabal, Marilyn Dillon, and Timothy Dillon.; as well as her siblings, Ida Beth Steen, Eleanor Pollard, and John Sietsema. She was predeceased by her older sister, Alberta Stout. Visitation will be from 10 – 11 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 26 at the Pable Evertz Funeral Home of Point Pleasant, 901 Beaver Dam Road, where at 11 a.m. a service will be held. Cremation will be private. To share condolences with the family please visit www.pableevertzfuneralhome.com