Lois Polansky

Lois Delores Kokinda Polansky, 92, a resident of Roselle Park for 65 years, passed from this earthly life on August 26, 2021 to be with God and join her husband in heaven, a place where there is no pain, sorrow, nor mourning. Mrs. Polansky was born in Beaver Meadows, PA on April 12, 1929 to her parents, the late Andrew and Anna Molnar Kokinda. She graduated from Hazleton High School (Hazleton, PA) in 1947 with honors and received a BS Suma Cum Laude in Chemistry with a Minor in Education from the College of St Elizabeth (Convent Station) in 1951. She was employed as a chemist for Ciba Pharmaceuticals (Summit) from 1951 through 1958 and was married to her husband, Stephen Polansky, for 47 years until his death (November 18, 2000). She and her husband moved from Elizabeth to Roselle Park in 1956 and lovingly raised four children, Mary A. Polansky (Elizabeth), Stephen J. Polansky (Chesapeake, VA), Louise P. Gerhartz (South River), and Susan P. Kinder (Chesapeake, VA). From 1969 through 1996, she taught Religious Education and Catechism at Bender Memorial Academy (Elizabeth), SS Peter and Paul BC Church (Elizabeth), Our Lady of Lourdes RC Church (Mountainside) and St Genevieve RC Church (Elizabeth). She was an active member of SS Peter and Paul BC Church and was a Eucharistic Minister and Reader and served on the Liturgy Committee at St Genevieve RC Church for many years. She was a loving sister to her brothers, Eugene Kokinda (West Hazleton, PA) and James Kokinda (Allentown, PA) and to her sisters, the late Mary Ellen K. Simchak (Mount Pocono, PA) and Martha K. Beline (Beaver Meadows, PA). Mrs. Polansky's esteemed legacy includes nine grandchildren, Amy, Benjamin, Matthew, Rebecca, Emily, Nicholas, Adam, Stephen, and Michael, and five great grandchildren, Isaac, Ella, Lily, Elihana, and Laura. The family would like to thank all of Mrs. Polansky's caregivers at the Elms of Cranbury for the wonderful care she received during the final stages of her life. A celebration of her life as a devout and loving wife, matriarch, and teacher will take place on Tuesday September 7, 2021 from 4-8pm at the McCracken Funeral Home 1500 Morris Ave, Union. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday September 8, 2021 at 10am at St Genevieve RC Church, Elizabeth, NJ followed by the Rite of Committal next to her husband at Hollywood Memorial Park and Mausoleum (Union). A small gathering of family and friends will follow. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Passaic Bishop's Appeal.