Obituary of Emily Lopatka

South Plainfield - Emily "Millie" Lopatka, 97, died at home on January 20, 2014. Born and raised in Newark, Millie resided in Bloomfield and settled to South Plainfield over 50 years ago. Mrs. Lopatka worked as a Supervisor for the former Kresge Department Store in Newark prior to working as a longtime crossing guard and bus driver for the South Plainfield Board of Education. Millie was a member of the Piscataway American Legion Post 261 Woman's Auxiliary and served as Past President. She was a Life Member and Director of the South Plainfield Polish National Home and also served as a Matron for the South Plainfield Police Department. She is predeceased by her husband John who died in 1998, parents; Paul and Ludwiga Kowalski, sister, Elaine Fabisak and husband Edmund and brother Walter Koval and wife Mary. Surviving are two nieces; Laura Griggs and her husband Gary of Union and Geraldine Sitek of Toms River, three great nieces and nephews; Jason Griggs, Kim Trim and Keith Sitek as well as a host of extended nieces and nephews. Funeral mass will be on Monday, January 27, 2014 at 10:30AM at Our Lady of Czestochowa RC Church, South Plainfield. Interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington. Visitation will be held on Sunday, January 26, 2014 from 2-4 in the McCriskin - Gustafson Home For Funerals, 2425 Plainfield Ave., South Plainfield, NJ 07080.