Joanne Gertrude (Suess) Senko, 97, of South River passed away peacefully on May 12 at Reformed Church Home with her daughter by her side. Born in Teublitz Germany, she immigrated to the United States at age 4. She grew up in New Brunswick and graduated from Saint Peter’s High School. Joanne married her one true love Steven Senko and moved to South River in 1944. Joanne was a secretary at Catholic Charities Mental Health Clinic in East Brunswick for 22 years, retiring in 1985. She was a communicant of Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Church where she was active in the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Rosary Altar Society and Corpus Christi Seniors. She was also a member of South River Office on Aging, the South River Lions Club Women’s Auxiliary and a charter member of AARP East Brunswick. Joanne was a past member of the Imperial Music Center Chorus and Beta Sigma Phi Sorority. Joanne’s high school yearbook quotation was “A bit of nonsense now and then is relished by the best of men” and she will be remembered by her many old and new friends for her unique sense of humor and jokes. She loved dancing and music – especially opera. Her special delight was antiquing with her husband Steve on New Jersey’s rural byways. Joanne loved to decorate her home for Easter and Christmas. Joanne enjoyed trips to Atlantic City casinos and working the daily crossword puzzle. She loved attending the monthly Imperial Music Center concerts and often danced in the aisle. Joanne was stylish and liked to dress well and she never left the house without her clip-on earrings. She never turned down an invite to go to lunch or a party and she always ordered her black decaf coffee “neat”. Joanne was also a generous supporter of many charities. Most importantly, she was a loving wife and mother who cherished time with her family and they loved and cherished her. The pain of Joanne’s passing is eased by knowing she lived a long and wonderful life spent with a loving family and many close friends. She would especially like to thank Kim Bell and staff for the many wonderful programs, outings and events offered by the South River Office on Aging.The family also thanks the Reformed Church Home and Holisticare Hospice for their compassionate care.

Joanne was pre-deceased by her parents John and Anna (Bosser) Suess, her dear sister Anne Burch, two beloved daughters Leslie Senko and Joanne Sivess, and her one, true, only love – husband Steven Senko to whom she was married for 65 1/2 years. She is survived by her loving daughter Michele Senko of South River, her ever helpful son-in-law Andrew Sivess of South River, and her caring nephew John Burch of Montana.

Relative and friends may visit on Tuesday May 18 from 3pm to 7 pm at Maliszewski Funeral Home, 218 Whitehead Avenue, South River N.J. A funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday May 19 at 10am at Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Church, 100 James Street, South River. Burial will follow at SS. Peter & Paul Russian Orthodox Church Cemetery in South River.