Catherine H. Denkowicz, passed away peacefully in Connecticut at the home of her daughter Stephanie and son-in-law Aydin on April 10, 2020. She was 94 years old.
Catherine was born on December 19, 1925 in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Harry and Kathryn Hoffner. After graduating from high school in 1942 she moved to Newark, New Jersey to participate in the war effort as a chemist at National Oil Products Company while attending New York University during the evening. She married the love of her life, Stephen Denkowicz, on October 2, 1948. They moved to Nutley, New Jersey in 1951 where they lived happily together in their first home until Steve’s death in 2015.
Cathy, as she was known by her family and friends, and Steve shared a passion for opera and travel, visiting all 50 US States and over 35 countries during their numerous trips to Europe, South and Central America, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. Catherine was a founding member and past President of the Historic Restoration Trust of Nutley were she and Steve worked tirelessly to save, restore and maintain the Kingsland Manor. She also was a long time active member of the New Jersey Lapidary Society.
Cathy loved meeting and helping people. She met many of her dearest friends through her work as a dental assistant to Dr. Robert Levinson in Nutley. She was a faithful and avid letter writer, continuing her wide correspondence network until shortly before her death. She dearly loved Nutley and her neighbors, leaving her home of 69 years only a short time before her death.
She is survived by her only child Stephanie Denkowicz and son-in-law Aydin S. Caginalp of Haddam, Connecticut and Fernandina Beach, Florida, grandson James A. Caginalp of Chicago, Illinois, granddaughter Victoria A. Caginalp and her husband Kyle Saucier of Killingworth, Connecticut, grandson Paul A. Caginalp and his wife Erica and great granddaughter Clara Linn of Suffield, Connecticut, niece and nephew Barbara and William Lashley of Jackson, New Jersey and nephews Robert Gable and Jim Hall of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
A celebration of Cathy’s life will be held at a future date. Donations in her memory may be made to the Historic Restoration Trust of Nutley www.kingslandmanor.org and to Here to Help Military and Families, www.Heretohelpmilitaryandfamilies.org, an organization which provides assistance to military and their families.
