Menu
Search by Name
Search by Name
FUNERAL HOME
Ruth Engelken Obituary
Ruth Simpson Engelken, 95 of Hillsdale, New Jersey passed away May 13th, 2018 peacefully at home with her loving family and friends nearby. Ruth was born in Paterson, New Jersey before moving to Hawthorne at age 3 and graduating from Hawthorne High School in 1940. She met her husband, Frederick E. Engelken, at Paterson State Teachers College (now William Paterson) and the two married on April 20, 1944. Lieutenant JG Engelken, serving on an LCI in the US Navy, left for active duty in the Pacific weeks later. Ruth graduated from Paterson State in 1944 with a BA in Business Education. Her first teaching position was teaching business education at Fairlawn High School. In 1951, Ruth and Fred moved to Hillsdale to raise a family with Fred teaching at Westwood High School. Ruth continued her career in education teaching kindergarten at Zion Lutheran School in Westwood, New Jersey from 1961 to 1977. Along with her husband and other service minded parishioners at Zion, she was instrumental in helping to start the organization's Homebound Ministry program. Ruth loved the beach, birding, swimming and her family. She is survived by her husband of 74 years Frederick E. Engelken of Hillsdale as well as her eldest son Cort Engelken and his wife Lorraine Chouinard of Nanuet, New York and their children Peter, Alison, Ben and Julian, and her youngest son Blair Engelken of Southern Shores, North Carolina and Grandchildren Molly, Joshua (spouse Carrie) and Kyle (spouse Mary) and 3 Great Grandchildren Clayton, Frederick and Jacob. Ruth is also survived by her many loving nieces, nephews, neighbors and friends. Friends may call at Becker Funeral Home, 219 Kinderkamack Road, Westwood, New Jersey on Thursday May 17th between 6pm and 8pm. The memorial service will be held Friday May 18th at Zion Lutheran Church, 155 Second Avenue Westwood, NJ at 1:00PM. Interment at Westwood Cemetery will immediately follow the service. Donations in lieu of flowers would be appreciated to Zion Lutheran Church's Homebound Ministry Program.
Becker-funeralhome.com
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Ruth Engelken
Sponsored by Becker Funeral Home - Westwood.
4 Entries
Craig Sullivan
September 10, 2018
To Cort, Blair and Mr. Engelken- I'm sorry but just saw this tonight. Mrs. Engleken, that's what I always called her ( I lived across the street 58 years ago as a kid) and remember her as; she was always so nice and kind and friendly. Two years ago I made it back to Hillsdale from Atlanta where I now live; I stopped to say hello and was very fortunate to visit with Mr. and Mrs. Engelken. And she not only remembered me but told me a story about me taking the hat off a Halloween pumpkin she had decorated for her front porch and dancing around like a 4yr old, which I was at the time. A brief but wonderful visit that I'm very thankful for. And I'm thankful for having grown up across the street from a wonderful lady and a wonderful family. God bless her and God bless you all. Sincerely, Craig Sullivan
May 26, 2018
To the family of Ruth Engelken. May Gods loving kindness bring comfort and strength to you at this very difficult time and help you heal your broken hearts. Take comfort in the words in the book of John 6:40; Thru His word HE gives us the hope of seeing our loved one again.
C.Z.
May 16, 2018
To the family of Ruth Engelken. May Gods loving kindness bring comfort and strength to you at this very difficult time and help you heal your broken hearts. Take comfort in the words in the book of John 6:40; Thru His word He gives us the hope of seeing our loved one again.
C.Z.
May 15, 2018
To "Coach" Engelken and Mrs. Engelken's family: Please accept our sincere condolences for your loss.
Warmest personal regards and Semper Fidelis,
Bill and Linda Clark
Showing 1 - 4 of 4 results
Make a Donation
in Ruth Engelken's name
Memorial Events
for Ruth Engelken
May
17
Calling hours
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Becker Funeral Home - Westwood219 Kinderkamack Road, Westwood, NJ 07675
Funeral services provided by:
Becker Funeral Home - Westwood219 Kinderkamack Road, Westwood, NJ 07675
How to support Ruth's loved ones
Honor a beloved veteran with a special tribute of ‘Taps’ at the National WWI Memorial in Washington, D.C.
The nightly ceremony in Washington, D.C. will be dedicated in honor of your loved one on the day of your choosing.
Read more
Should I Send Sympathy Flowers?
What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative?
Read more
What Should I Write in a Sympathy Card?
We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time.
Read moreResources to help you cope with loss
How to Cope With Grief
Information and advice to help you cope with the death of someone important to you.
Read more
Estate Settlement Guide
If you’re in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist.
Read more
Obituaries, grief & privacy: Legacy’s news editor on NPR podcast
Legacy's Linnea Crowther discusses how families talk about causes of death in the obituaries they write.
Read moreWays to honor Ruth Engelken's life and legacy
Obituary Examples
You may find these well-written obituary examples helpful as you write about your own family.
Read more
Obituary Templates – Customizable Examples and Samples
These free blank templates make writing an obituary faster and easier.
Read more
How Do I Write a Eulogy?
Some basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love.
Read more
