Obituary of Dorothy V. Gergely

Dorothy Veronica (Lesko) Gergely, age 90 & 7 months, passed away May 10, 2017.  She was born to Joseph and Anna Lesko, September 21, 1926 in Plainfield, NJ.  She moved to Denville, NJ in October of 1926 to a house her parents built with friends and neighbors.  She resided there until her passing.  She had briefly resided in Stockton Springs Maine from August 2004 – January 2009, with her daughter and her family.  She attended Denville Public Schools and graduated from Boonton High School in 1945.  She worked for NJ Bell Telephone Co. as a line assigner in offices located in Dover, Rahway, summers in Seaside Heights, Woodbridge, Rockaway and Morristown.  She was with NJ Bell for 14 & ½ years.  She said “I worked there for 14 & ½ years and resigned to stay home and raise two beautiful girls.”

She married Alexander Gergely on July 29, 1951. While raising her daughters, she was a room Mother for their classes and cookie Mother for their Girl Scout Troops.  She also was a facilitator of the miniatures shows and sale for many years at St. Mary’s School, while she worked at Pigwigdeon’s Niche Miniature Shop.  She helped her husband build miniature furniture and doll houses.  In later years she worked for Ambassador Cards putting up the card displays at A&P (Denville) and Grand Union (Lake Hiawatha).  She also worked for several years as a poll worker for the Elections in Denville.  She had been involved with ballooning activities over the years with the Great Eastern Balloon Association.  She was a member of St. Mary’s Church and their Prayer Shawl Knitting and Crocheting group.  She was a member of the Denville Golden Age Seniors Club as well.

Dottie and Al Traveled for many years to Al’s WWII reunions of the 1st Engineers Brigade Association, 531st Engineer Shore Regiment of the Army.  She continued to attend with her daughter until the last reunion in 2013.  She kept busy reading books and local newspapers and crocheting. 

She is survived by her daughters Dorothy A. Gergely Dunn (Scott Dunn) and Sharon A. Jancarek (Arne Haaheim); beloved grandson Christopher P. Jancarek; son in law Steve Jancarek; many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends and four grand dogs.  She was preceeded in death by her husband Alexander of 45 years; her brothers and sister in laws Joseph and Toshi Lesko and Albert and Helen Lesko.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, May 17th at 1:00 pm at St. Mary’s Church, 15 Myers Avenue, Denville.  Burial to follow at Denville Cemetery.  Friends and relatives may visit beginning at 11:00 o’clock that morning at the Norman Dean Home For Services, 16 Righter Avenue., Denville.  Donations in her name may be made to the beautiful Fort Point State Park, Stockton Springs, Maine by way of www.inmemoryof-memorial.org.