OBITUARY: Helen Gaertner

Helen Gaertner, 88, died Thursday, Aug. 16, peacefully with her three sons by her side at Brandywine Assisted Living Center.

Born in Canandaigua, N.Y., Helen settled in East Brunswick in 1946 where she lived for 37 years before moving to Whiting and then to Englishtown one year ago.

She was a lifelong cat lover, enjoyed sewing, gardening, cooking and dedicated her life to her family as a homemaker.

She was a member of Trinity Presbyterian Church, East Brunswick and the Busy Bee’s in Whiting.

She was predeceased by her husband, Benwell Gaertner in 1984 to whom she was married for 40 years.

 She was predeceased by her brother, Donald Washburn.

Surviving are her three sons. Oldest of her identical twins, Marc, and his wife Leslie of East Brunswick, her second son Noel and wife Dorothy Gaertner of Indianapolis, Ind., and Jon and his wife Carmel of East Brunswick; and five grandchildren, Eric and his wife Evelyn, Kevin, Katie, Monica and her husband Ben Moore and Ciara.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Popcorn Park Zoo, P.O Box 43, Forked River, N.J. 08731-0043.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday at 11 a.m. in the , 457 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick. Entombment will follow at Franklin Memorial Park, North Brunswick. Relatives and friends may call at the funeral home on Saturday from 10 a.m. until the time of the service. For information, directions or to send condolences to family, visit www.rezemfh.com.