1921
Edna
2016
Edna Rita Strauss
December 13, 1921 — December 30, 2016
Edna Rita Strauss (nee Higgins) joined her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Friday, December 30, 2016, surrounded by her family. She was the daughter of Isabel (Bullen) and Joseph Higgins, and stepdaughter of Francis Pullis. Her husband, Frederick, her son, Glenn, and her brother, Stanley (wife Evelyn), predeceased her. She leaves behind a devoted family: her daughters, Karen Moya (Joseph) and Wendy Dabney (Bruce); her sons, Eric, Stephen (Linda), Tracy (Gayle) and Alfred (Barbara); her grandchildren, Paul, Daniel (Tina), Carla, Amanda (Jon), Ethan, Erick, David (Maura), Sean, Ryan and Kelly; great-grandchildren, Micah, Ezra, Anica, Emma, Jasmin (Piers), Justice and Jenesis and great-great grandchildren, Yoshi, Aydin and Liya.
Edna was born on Shakespeare Avenue in the Bronx, NY on December 13, 1921. She spent her early years on Staten Island, before moving to North Bergen. Edna attended the Barbizon School of Modeling. She was also an executive secretary for Paramount Pictures in NYC prior to her marriage. While there, during WWII, Edna's coworkers used her leg measurements in place of Betty Grable's when the GI pinup girl was unavailable for a publicity release.
She met her soul mate, Fred, on the Palace fishing boat out of Hoboken. Coincidentally, they had each accompanied their fathers that day. Although she was seasick, he introduced himself. Fred was shorter than Edna, so she bought her first pair of flats for their first date. They were engaged by their third date. The two married seven months later, during the Blizzard of December 28, 1947. Their limo was stranded, so they trudged through snowdrifts to the reception. The Hudson Dispatch pictured them on the front page beneath the banner "The Bride Wore Boots," after a popular film of the era.
The couple moved to Hawthorne, NJ, where they lived until Fred's death in 1988. Edna worked part time while raising six children. She excelled at in-home day care, and at her positions at Ridgewood Medical Answering Service, St. Paul's Church office and in staffing at St. Joseph's Hospital.
In 1990, Edna moved with her son, Eric, to Albuquerque, New Mexico. She spent her final decade living with Karen and Joe, enjoying the attention and devotion of her children, grandchildren, great and great-great grandchildren. She loved the endless sky of New Mexico, and the ever-changing mountains of Albuquerque. She made frequent trips "home" to New Jersey, and stayed at the summer cabin on Upper Greenwood Lake, while hosting family and friends.
Edna's faith was central to her life. She lived her Christian values daily. She was confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in North Bergen and was a member of St. Luke's and St. Paul's Churches in Paterson, Bethlehem in Ridgewood, Trinity Evangelical and Cross of Hope Churches in Albuquerque. True to form, in her final hours, she reminded her loved ones to "Continue to do good works."
Edna taught English as a Second Language. She was a member of the Bergen Poets and the Radburn Players. Edna was a lover of hats and heels. She enjoyed crocheting and the church choir. Edna was both an environmental and social activist before those terms were coined. She welcomed everyone into her home and heart, and she will remain in the hearts of the many people whose lives she touched.
Edna's funeral will be Thursday, January 5, 2017 at 12:00 p.m. at Cross of Hope Lutheran Church, 6104 Taylor Ranch Road NW, Albuquerque, NM 87120. C.C. Van Emburgh of Ridgewood, NJ will handle funeral arrangements for New Jersey. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer's Association or to the Brain Injury Foundation would be appreciated.
FRENCH - Westside
9300 Golf Course Rd NW
505-897-0300
Edna was born on Shakespeare Avenue in the Bronx, NY on December 13, 1921. She spent her early years on Staten Island, before moving to North Bergen. Edna attended the Barbizon School of Modeling. She was also an executive secretary for Paramount Pictures in NYC prior to her marriage. While there, during WWII, Edna's coworkers used her leg measurements in place of Betty Grable's when the GI pinup girl was unavailable for a publicity release.
She met her soul mate, Fred, on the Palace fishing boat out of Hoboken. Coincidentally, they had each accompanied their fathers that day. Although she was seasick, he introduced himself. Fred was shorter than Edna, so she bought her first pair of flats for their first date. They were engaged by their third date. The two married seven months later, during the Blizzard of December 28, 1947. Their limo was stranded, so they trudged through snowdrifts to the reception. The Hudson Dispatch pictured them on the front page beneath the banner "The Bride Wore Boots," after a popular film of the era.
The couple moved to Hawthorne, NJ, where they lived until Fred's death in 1988. Edna worked part time while raising six children. She excelled at in-home day care, and at her positions at Ridgewood Medical Answering Service, St. Paul's Church office and in staffing at St. Joseph's Hospital.
In 1990, Edna moved with her son, Eric, to Albuquerque, New Mexico. She spent her final decade living with Karen and Joe, enjoying the attention and devotion of her children, grandchildren, great and great-great grandchildren. She loved the endless sky of New Mexico, and the ever-changing mountains of Albuquerque. She made frequent trips "home" to New Jersey, and stayed at the summer cabin on Upper Greenwood Lake, while hosting family and friends.
Edna's faith was central to her life. She lived her Christian values daily. She was confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in North Bergen and was a member of St. Luke's and St. Paul's Churches in Paterson, Bethlehem in Ridgewood, Trinity Evangelical and Cross of Hope Churches in Albuquerque. True to form, in her final hours, she reminded her loved ones to "Continue to do good works."
Edna taught English as a Second Language. She was a member of the Bergen Poets and the Radburn Players. Edna was a lover of hats and heels. She enjoyed crocheting and the church choir. Edna was both an environmental and social activist before those terms were coined. She welcomed everyone into her home and heart, and she will remain in the hearts of the many people whose lives she touched.
Edna's funeral will be Thursday, January 5, 2017 at 12:00 p.m. at Cross of Hope Lutheran Church, 6104 Taylor Ranch Road NW, Albuquerque, NM 87120. C.C. Van Emburgh of Ridgewood, NJ will handle funeral arrangements for New Jersey. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer's Association or to the Brain Injury Foundation would be appreciated.
FRENCH - Westside
9300 Golf Course Rd NW
505-897-0300
Service Details
Thursday, January 5th, 2017, 12:00pm, Cross of Hope Lutheran Church
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