- Date Of Birth: September 6, 1955
- Date Of Death: May 13, 2020
- State: New Jersey
Kathleen M. Helmstetter Ferrara “Kathy”, 64 born September 6, 1955 from Lanoka Harbor, died Wednesday, May 13th, 2020 in Toms River of natural causes. Kathy was born in East Orange and moved to Lavallette in 1967 where she spent a wonderful childhood and made many great lifelong friends. She attended Lavallette School and then graduated from Point Beach HS.
She went to OCC to get certified as a nutritionist. Kathy started her career in the food industry at our favorite diner the “Cozy Nook” during high school and stayed on for many years as a summer cook! She then landed her dream job as the Director of Child Nutrition at Lavallette schools for 20+ years and was lovingly known as” Miss Kathy” to all her students. She loved to play softball in the Lavallette Woman’s League which she helped establish and then went on to coach girl’s softball in Lavallette. Kathy was a dedicated volunteer and was very active in the Dover Township Junior Woman’s Club where she led many successful projects in her community. She went on to become the Director of NJ Woman’s Clubs from 2004-2006 and that catapulted her to become the National Director of Junior Woman’s Clubs from 2010-2012.
Kathy is known for her sharp wit and great sense of humor. She could make every situation a funny story and would entertain us with many tales of the old days! She loved to take vacations and weekend getaways with her sisters and mother and she often went to Cape May with them where she never donned a bathing suit or stepped foot in the water but she loved it none the less! Her 2 sons were her life and she adored them. She would do anything for them including being the loudest fan at their sporting events! She loved that they followed her into the food service industry and she also loved their dogs as much as they did!
Kathy leaves behind a tribe of broken-hearted people that loved her deeply and will miss her dearly. Her 2 sons, Robert J. Ferrara, Miami FL and Matthew J. Ferrara, Freehold, NJ and his partner, Danielle Aronson. Her Siblings: Maureen Williams and her husband Lee, Toms River; Joe McGowan and his wife Donna, Toms River; Jack Helmstetter and his wife Joyce, TomsRiver; Margaret Happe and her husband Len,Villages ,FL; MaryBeth Beyar, Brick; Aileen Gulino and her partner Wayne Beach,Lavallette. Her loving and adoring nieces and nephews: Lindsey, Leigh, Josh, Jesse, Joe, Melissa, Lauren, Rob, Caitlin, Alaina, Carly, Julie, John and Diane.
