Obituary of Katherine Zaretski

Katherine Pressimone Zaretski, 90, of Wyckoff, died peacefully on Thursday, March 21, 2019 at her home surrounded by her loving family and friends.  Katherine, affectionately known as “Toots”, was born July 4, 1928, the only daughter of the late James and Margaret Pressimone.  She was raised in Paterson, New Jersey and was graduated from Eastside High School in 1945.  She received her BA and MA degrees in Education from Montclair State Teachers College in 1949 and 1954.  In 1950, Katherine married Edward T. Zaretski, who predeceased her.  Toots taught in the Paterson Public Schools for 40 years until retiring in 1989.  She taught a number of elementary school grades, became a reading specialist, and retired as a reading supervisor.  Toots moved to Wyckoff in 1969 where she was a parishioner of St. Elizabeth’s RC Church and a member of the Rosary Society. She is survived by her two children, Mark Zaretski, Karen Zaretski and her daughter-in-law, Ann Zaretski.  But Toots’s family extends much further in heart.  She was a mother, grandmother and friend to many, always there to listen and give wise, thoughtful advice and unwavering support.  Toots will be held in all of our hearts.  The family expresses its heartfelt thanks to her dear cousins and friends.  Visitation hours will be on Monday, March 25, 2019 from 8:45 to 9:45 AM at the Vander Plaat Funeral Home, 257 Godwin Ave., Wyckoff, NJ 07481.  A Funeral Mass will be held on Monday, March 25, 2019 at 10:30 AM at St. Elizabeth’s RC Church, 700 Wyckoff Ave., Wyckoff, NJ.  The burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery, Paterson, NJ.  As an expression of sympathy, in lieu of flowers, donations in Toots’s memory may be made to; Salesian Sisters, 655 Belmont Ave., North Haledon, NJ 07508, St. Anthony’s Guild, 144 W. 32^nd St., New York, NY 10001 or Allegany Franciscan Sisters, 115 East Main St., Allegany, NY 14706.