Obituary of Paula Krystofiak

Paula Elizabeth Krystofiak (nee Zitelli), passed away on Thursday, February 27th at Merry Heart in Succasunna after battling a long illness. She was 83.

Paula was born and raised in Newark, NJ. She married in 1960 and raised her three children in Parsippany and Rockaway. She was primarily a homemaker and was a devoted wife and mother. She found joy in raising her children and watching them grow into adults. Becoming a grandmother added so much pleasure as family was the center of her life. As her children grew, she worked as a receptionist at Hewlett-Packard and Edy’s Ice Cream in Rockaway prior to retiring.

Paula was extremely generous and kind. She always put others before herself and passed this trait onto her children and grandchildren.

Her hobbies included playing Bingo and going to Atlantic City. She also loved to shop and made sure that everyone had gifts for their birthdays and Christmas. 

Survivors include her three children, Laurie A McDermott and her husband Matthew, her sons Ronald A Krystofiak, Jr and Philip V Krystofiak and his wife Jo; four grandchildren, Brian and wife Nicole, Sara, Mackenzie and Kyra, and one great-granddaughter, Charlotte, brother Anthony and husband Marty. She also leaves behind nieces, nephews, cousins and caregivers at Merry Heart who provided her with care and love.

Visitation will be Tuesday, March 4th from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm at Bailey Funeral Home, 8 Hilltop Rd, Mendham, NJ 07945 (973) 543-4720. Services will be held at the funeral home at 10:00, Wednesday, March 5th followed by graveside service at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, 225 Ridgedale Ave., East Hanover. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in her memory to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, Grand Central Station, P.O. Box 4777, New York, NY 10163.