Catherine Smith

Catherine Leslie (Saxe) Smith, 81, of Hazlet, New Jersey, passed away on December 19, 2013. She was born in Jersey City, NJ, and lived in Bound Brook, NJ, where she attended school. She lived nearly her entire life in New Jersey. She worked at a Chinese Restaurant in Middlesex in the late 1940s. She also worked at Revlon in the 1950s. In the 1970s she worked at Shop Rite in Hazlet, NJ. She is predeceased by her husband, John Martin Smith, in 1996; her mother, Grace Marie (Howard) Saxe in 1981; her father, Leslie John Saxe in 1982; her eldest sister, Laura (Saxe) Massalongo in 2001; and her eldest brother, Leslie John Saxe, Jr. in 2004. Kiki enjoyed riding motorcycles with her husband in the early years of their marriage. She traveled with John and the children to the hill climbs in Laconia, New Hampshire, in the 1960s. She taught her children and grandchildren how to catch crabs at Twin Lakes, how to roller skate, and was often seen enjoying the Jersey Shore at Ideal Beach. She was an avid pinochle player, enjoyed the casinos and played bingo weekly. Catherine is survived by her children and their families – Katreena (Smith) and Dale Crawford of Hazleton, Iowa and their four children Joe, Zoe, Doretta and Zea; Shirley (Smith) and Michael Williams of Hazlet, NJ and their two children Melanie and Scott; Jack Smith and his wife Donna (Norman) Smith of Lagrangeville, NY, and their four children Joseph, Stacey, Kyle and Nolan; and Janet (Smith) and James McNattof Abbeveille, SC, and their four children James, Cordell, Joshua and Katherine. She is survived by her siblings Theresa Stockwell of Keansburg, Arlene Bagala of Hazlet, Edward Saxe and his wife Maureen of West Keansburg, and William Saxe of Hazlet. She is also survived by fourteen grandchildren, twenty-three great-grandchildren, numerous great-great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. She never wavered in her dedication to her treasured family and friends and embraced every life challenge with a winning smile. She will be missed by everyone whose life she touched. A memoriam will be held on December 28, 2013, from 2:00pm to 4:00pm at the Laurel Funeral Home, Laurel Avenue, West Keansburg, NJ. In lieu of flowers donations can be made at the memoriam to be shared with the organizations where she enjoyed Bingo with her many friends and family.

Catherine Smith

November 26, 1932 - December 19, 2013