Obituary of Marie C. Gercken

Marie Claire Gercken (nee Carney), 87, was born on April 18, 1929 into a lively Irish American family of Harrison, NJ. She passed away peacefully at her home in Randolph, NJ on July 3, 2016. Visitation will be held Sunday, July 10, 2016, 2:00PM-6:00PM at Tuttle Funeral Home, 272 State Route 10 West, Randolph (www.tuttlefh.com). A Funeral Mass will be held Monday, July 11, 2016, 10:00AM, at Resurrection Parish, Randolph. Interment to follow at Hilltop Cemetery, Mendham. Born and raised on 7th Street in Harrison, she lived most of her life in Harrison until first retiring to Toms River, NJ and later moving to Randolph, NJ. She went to work in 1960 at the Hudson County Administration Building as a file clerk and in 1969 she was appointed as one of the first four women to hold the position of court clerk for the Hudson County Superior Court in Jersey City. She held the position of court clerk until her retirement in 1989. During her years in Harrison she was an active member of both the Holy Cross Church Rosary Society and the Vincentian Society. Marie was also a founding member of the Harrison Cancer League, a new division of the Hudson County unit, American Cancer Society, formed in 1972. She served as the first President of the Harrison organization and later served on the Board of Managers and the Public Education committee of the Hudson County unit. She loved to cook and entertain and most especially she loved being with her family, friends and grandchildren on the beach at the Jersey shore. As a child her family summered at The Heathwood House in Belmar, NJ and it was her priority to keep up the tradition of summering at the shore for her family and introducing her grandchildren to all the fun at the beach. Wife of the late Warren Gercken she is survived by her daughter Claire Cirz and her husband Raymond of Randolph, NJ, her three devoted grandchildren, Kristin Brucker (Andrew) of Gladstone, NJ, Dr. Ryan Cirz (Tanaya) of San Mateo, CA and Amanda Cirz of Randolph, NJ and her six beloved great-grandchildren Pierce, Colin and Ashley Brucker and Evan, Brandon and Justin Cirz. Donations can be made to the Harrison Cancer League, P.O. Box 741, Harrison, NJ 07029.