Loretta Stodolak

A lifelong resident of the Garden State, Lorry was born on Friday, October 3, 1930 to parents Joseph and Helen Patierno. She lived in Passaic as a young child and in Clifton as a young adult. Along with her only sibling, Stella, Lorry attended Clifton High School, where both starred on the school's cheerleading squad.

Not long after high school, she agreed to go on a blind date with a young man who instantly struck her fancy – he took her to Waterfalls Inn in Garfield for dinner, then a local event hall for dancing. At the end of the night, when he asked if he could see her again, she kissed him and said yes.

She said yes again when she became Loretta Stodolak on Sunday, December 23, 1951, marrying Fred a little less than three months after turning 21 – exactly 70 years ago the Thursday after next. True to form as a free spirit a bit ahead of her time, she was the one who proposed.

The honeymoon was short-lived, taking place when Fred was on furlough following U.S. Army training, and he departed for a tour of duty in the Korean War days later. During the war, she busied herself working as a switchboard operator and as a secretary, and also sang and danced for troops stationed locally for the United Service Organization (USO). Upon Fred's safe return from overseas, they settled down in Passaic and had three children: the eldest, Debbi Zicky of Clermont, Florida; Frederick Stodolak of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida; and the youngest, Lori Striker of Waretown, New Jersey. The family moved to Fair Lawn and then later to Toms River, where they continued to reside well into the 21st century.

Lorry’s enthusiasm for song and dance endured for her entire life, and she also enjoyed long daily walks, spending time with her extended family, vacationing down the Jersey Shore each summer, and making regular trips to Atlantic City to try her luck at the slot machines and, of course, enjoy the free meals. She equally relished going out for dinner or cooking at home, boasting a long list of favorite recipes to make for family, including stuffed cabbage, beef stew, fried chicken, noodles and pot cheese, chicken cacciatore, meatballs, veal cutlets, stuffing, and mashed potatoes. She made homecooked meals for her family five days a week – at least until Fred retired, when she declared that she was retiring as well. After that, she only cooked on holidays, eating out every night as long as she was able, and enjoying her daily morning French cruller with coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts. She also had a lifelong love for baking, in particular her recipe for lemon meringue pie.

Her favorite entertainers included Elizabeth Taylor, Carol Burnett, Johnny Carson, Lucille Ball, Lawrence Welk, Benny Hill, and Judge Judy. Her favorite movie was the 1956 epic The Ten Commandments, starring Charlton Heston. She also loved recorded music, especially tunes by The Andrews Sisters, The Everly Brothers, Debbie Reynolds, Engelbert Humperdinck, Herb Albert, Elvis Presley, and Bobby Vinton, “The Polish Prince,” whose song “My Melody of Love” included one of her favorite sayings, which she would repeat to Fred constantly: “moa droga jacie kocham” (Polish for “I love you so.”)

Perhaps no anecdote is more emblematic of Lorry’s impact on her family than when Fred was laid off from his job as a toolmaker in their early years of marriage. After he went on an interview with Allied Chemical, she surreptitiously contacted the man who interviewed him and explained how much he needed the job, how badly they wanted to start a family, and what the position would mean to them. The interviewer later said he had never spoken to such a nice person on the phone.

Fred got the job.

Lorry was predeceased by her parents, sister, and sister’s husband, Walter Harrison, and is survived by her husband (Fred), her three children and their spouses (Debbi Zicky and her husband Pete, Frederick Stodolak and his wife Rebecca, and her daughter Lori and her Fiancé Gavin DeCapua), her seven grandchildren (Debbi’s children, Peter Zicky and Ilona Bailey; Frederick’s children, Amy Spivey, Kevin Stodolak, and Cindy Stodolak; and Lori’s children, Devin Striker and Mackenzie Striker), and a great-grandson, Lux Striker, born last year.

Lorry’s entire family would like to extend its sincerest and deepest thanks to the entire staff at Complete Care of Shorrock Gardens in Brick Township for their decade of dedicated work serving as trusted and beloved caregivers for Lorry.

A viewing has been scheduled to take place from 4-7 p.m. on Sunday, December 12 at Anderson & Campbell Funeral Home, 703 Main Street in Toms River. Family and friends wishing to attend a brief service and pay last respects on Monday, December 13 should arrive at the Funeral Home at 9:30 a.m. to depart at 10 a.m. for the Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 350 Province Line Road in Wrightstown, New Jersey. Afterwards, all are invited for a repast lunch scheduled to be held from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at Ninuzzo Trattoria, located approximately four miles from the Cemetery, at 409 County Road 539 in Cream Ridge.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Cure Alzheimer’s at https://curealz.org/giving/donate/.