Cecilia "Ceil" Hempstead

Cecilia Hempstead, a beloved mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, mother-in-law, aunt and friend, passed away peacefully on September 7, 2025, just ten days shy of her 100th birthday.

Born and raised in Little Ferry, New Jersey, in 1925 to Charles and Cecilia Zimmel. Cecilia graduated from Lodi High School. After high school, she began her career as a flight attendant with TWA, a position that allowed her to see the world and later inspired her sister Joan to join her in the skies. Eventually, Cecilia felt called to a more nurturing role and enrolled in Hackensack Hospital's School of Nursing, where she trained to become a registered nurse.

It was at Hackensack Hospital that Cecilia met her future husband, Daniel Hempstead, then a patient. On her 25th birthday, Daniel proposed, and they were married on November 25, 1950-the day of the infamous Great Appalachian Storm. The couple began their life together in an apartment in Clifton, NJ, later purchasing a home where they welcomed their children, Donna in 1954 and Daniel in 1955.

In 1960, the Hempstead family moved to Wayne, where Cecilia would reside for the next 65 years. She devoted herself to raising her children and returned to the workforce once they were in junior high, working in the nursery at Chilton Hospital. Cecilia had a passion for nursing and made a lasting impact, even inspiring two of her granddaughters to follow in her footsteps. Simultaneously, Cecilia proudly devoted her time to her husband and son's business, Hempstead's Exxon. After retiring, she continued to give back, volunteering at Chilton Hospital and with Healing the Children.

Following her husband's passing, Cecilia embraced her love of travel, journeying across the United States and abroad with her sister Joan. Never one to remain idle, she was a vibrant member of her community-joining the local seniors bowling league, singing in the choir at Packanack Lake Community Church, and actively participating in the Golden Age Club of Wayne. She was an avid skier in her younger years who found joy on the slopes in winter, but just as happily embraced the warmth and tranquility of the beach each summer. Cecilia enjoyed spending time with her family, visiting her mother in Point Pleasant for many years where they picked blueberries in the backyard. Her family continues the tradition of going to Point Pleasant Beach every summer.

Above all, Cecilia found her greatest joy in her role as a Grandmother and Great-Grandmother ("GG"). She was the epitome of what it means to be a grandma-warm, nurturing, endlessly generous with her time and love. She babysat often, hosted sleepovers, baked cookies, sewed, tackled school projects, and never missed a single recital, game, or special event. Her presence was a cherished constant in the lives of her grandchildren.

Cecilia is survived by her daughter, Donna Cooke; her grandchildren, Donna Macrone (Gabriel), Aimee Duffy (Sean), Katie Cooke, Meghan Zisa (Jude) and Daniel Hempstead, III, and his mother, Kathleen Hempstead; and her great-grandchildren, Gabriel and Olivia Macrone, Robert, Madeline and Peter Duffy, and Jude Zisa, II. Cecilia was predeceased by her husband Daniel (1993); her son, Daniel Jr.(1998); her sister, Joan (2007); and her son in-law, Robert (2008).

Visitation will be held from 5 pm to 8 pm on Tuesday, September 16 at Scanlan's-Where Life is Celebrated. A memorial service will be held on September 17, what would have been her 100th birthday at 10:30 A.M. at Packanack Lake Community Church.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Cecilia's memory can be made to Packanack Lake Community Church.