Catherine A. Stimpfel

Stimpfel, Catherine A., 91, peacefully passed away on April 9th, 2020.  She is reunited in heaven with her beloved husband Ferdinand Stimpfel.  Loving mother of three daughters, Nancy, Joyce, Cindy, and three son-laws, Bob Kaminski, Kevin Ciccone, and Kevin Meyer.  Cherished grandmother of Shekinah, Joshua, Catherine, Christopher, and one Great-Granddaughter Trinity.  Devoted Sister Ann, Brothers Johnny and Alfred. Predeceased in death by her brother Andrew. The family will have a private interment on Thursday April 23rd at St. Charles Cemetery and a memorial service celebration in the future.  Those wishing to honor Catherine, the family is suggesting donations to The Alzheimer’s Association. Arrangements entrusted to Arthur F. White Funeral Home, Inc.

Catherine A. Stimpfel, was born on Sept. 1, 1928.  She lived in Ridgewood Queens with her parents, John and Anna Wetzel. She is the oldest of five siblings; Johnny, Andrew, Anna, and Alfred.  Growing up they played street games like, Potsy, Kick the Can, I Declare War On…, Catch the Flier Up, Hit the Stick, Russia, A my name is…, Jacks, and Hide and Seek. Catherine attended grammar school at St. Matthias in Ridgewood, and High School in Brooklyn at St. Barbra’s for two years, then graduated after another two years at Bishop McDonald’s.  Catherine’s first job was at Woolworths on 42nd Street in Manhattan.  She also worked for a few more years in Manhattan at Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, as well as an Import/Export Company near Battery Park.  In her later years, she briefly drove a small school bus and worked for United States Post Office. On June 14, 1952 she married Ferdinand F. Stimpfel.  Catherine and Freddie were married for 57 years and had a wonderful, loving marriage. They lived in an apartment on Irving Street and Weirfield Street on the border of Queens and Brooklyn.  There they attended St. Martin of Tours Parish until they moved to Massapequa, New York and became active members of the Parish of Our Lady of Lourdes. Catherine is a devoted Catholic and attended church every single morning for many years.   Fred lived at the Bristal of Massapequa the last year and a half of his life, and passed away on October 11, 2009.  

Throughout their lives, Catherine and Freddie both enjoyed having fun with friends and always said “yes”.   They stayed in contact with their very dear friends, from Ridgewood, Queens, and called themselves “The Ridgewood Crowd”.   Their friends were a very important part of their lives. They took turns meeting at each other’s homes once a month for a “Gang Meeting”.  The men played cards and the women sat in a big circle chatting. They also drove to friends’ homes in Kunkletown, Pennsylvania, and Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey where they went swimming or boating in the lakes.  They had dress up parties with themes like, wearing funny hats, cowboy costumes, or pajamas. They played music, danced and sang songs together. Catherine loved to be silly with her friends and make them smile or laugh.   Although Catherine did not like airplanes, she still ventured with her friends to St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. As time went on and the couples of the Ridgewood Crowd had other family obligations, but they did not give up meeting with their friends. They began a tradition of going to Hawley, Pennsylvania to Woodloch Pines Resort once a year.

Catherine took many getaway trips with her family to Lucan’s Farm, Pennsylvania, Kutcher’s Country Club, and the Police Camp in the Catskills.   She also loved traveling to Connecticut to see Carol and Virginia to see Diane, Freddie’s sisters and their families. They also drove on long road trips to Florida to visit with other relatives and friends, but not without stopping in North Carolina to see her daughter Joyce and her family.  In 1986, Catherine gathered enough nerve to go back on an airplane, and fulfilled hers and Freddie’s dream of visiting the beautiful Hawaiian Islands. Once again, in 2000, she traveled by airplane to attend her niece Jo-ann’s wedding in California. Catherine also spent many afternoons with her next door neighbor Teresa for Coffee and cake and went out for dinners with the other neighbors on the block.  

Catherine loved the beach and spent many days at Jones Beach West End and weekends at Lake Ronkonkoma for traditional German gatherings which included swimming. She is proud of her German heritage and Christmas dinner was always Sauerbraten with Kartoffel Glassen.  She has always enjoyed music, dancing, socializing with her family and friends, and later began line dancing with her sister, Anna. She absolutely loves to laugh, but mostly likes to see others laughing along with her. Catherine is a loving, caring, and happy lady. 

Catherine has three daughters, Nancy, Joyce, and Cindy as well as three son-laws, Bob Kaminski, Kevin Ciccone, and Kevin Meyer.  Catherine has four grandchildren- Shekinah (34), Joshua (21), Catherine (10) and Christopher (8) and one Great-Granddaughter-Trinity (16).   Catherine loves her family very much and looks forward to spending time with them.