Ruth Szocik

Ruth Szocik was born Ruth Carolyn Hagenlocher in Brooklyn, NY, in 1927 to Willie and Amelia, who came to American from Germany in the 1920s. She learned to speak German before English and remained fluent in both throughout her life. During the depression, she lived in Germany with her mom and returned back to NY before the war. Her mother passed away when Ruth was 13 and later her father remarried Elsa Werner and she gained her brother Frank and then a brother William. She met Richard Hundeshagen at Camp Elsinore in NJ, a German athletic association; they married and had two daughters, Gale and Lynn, and settled in Jersey City, NJ. Many weekends were spent “getting out of the city” going down the shore, to the mountains, or just a drive to the county. Swimming, camping, skiing, ice skating, playing tennis were just a few of the things she loved to do. Trips to NYC to see a play, concert or the Rockettes were a special treat. Ruth was a secretary during her career and worked at places ranging from St. John's Lutheran Church to the Brick Town Police Dept. She's probably one of the only ones that could still write and understand shorthand.

The family moved to Brick Town, NJ in 1969. Richard passed away in 1976 and Ruth married John Szocik in the early 1980s, gaining a stepson, Stanley. They divorced in 2008. Ruth loved playing the piano, knitting, crocheting, reading, doing her crossword puzzles, playing Scrabble and many numerous card games. She was always up for the challenge of learning a new game. She loved spending time with friends and family, and the annual family picnics were always a highlight of the summer.

Surviving are her two daughters, Gale Upmal (Ed) and Lynn Dominick (Mike), her brother Frank Werner, and stepson Stanley Szocik. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Kristel Pietraszka and Kevin Upmal, nieces and nephews Carol Lutz, Dana Fritz, Walter Hundeshagen, Frank, Eric, and Carl Werner, and 6 great-grandchildren.