Long time resident of Cranbury and Rossmor, Gretchen Haverkamp Stults, age 98, of Monroe Village, passed away, April 12th, after a short illness. Gretchen is predeceased by her first husband, Robert Haverkamp and her second husband, Stanley Stults. She is survived by her sister Lilma Cook of Thomasville, NC, and her three children; daughter Ann and Bill Schwartz, daughter Jean and Keith Beasley and son Keith and Sally Haverkamp. She has 16 grandchildren and 28 great grandchildren. She is also survived by stepson Kip, and stepdaughter Susan Ewart. She is dearly loved and respected by all.
Gretchen has three areas of life that are her passions and all her activities and events flow from these; faith, family and friends. She has been a member and elder of the First Presbyterian church of Cranbury for 45 years and has held a number of positions of importance both in the local church and the Presbytery, including the moderator of Monmouth Presbytery and commissioner to the Synod and member of the the Northeast Mission Council of the Synod. She had an active and involved interest in Missions and issues of justice, equality and human rights. As part of her commitment to community and friends, Gretchen was active in and president of Cranbury Woman’s Club and the Church Presbyterian Woman of Cranbury. She was an avid reader and bridge player and active in Monroe Village. She loved her friends and maintained a number of significant relationships from high school days to now.
Gretchen was an amazing woman of many talents and interests as well as being highly disciplined with a dedication to pursue excellence. She was the Village Clerk of Park Forest, IL for six years in the 1960's. She won the the National Suburban Homemaker of the year award in 1963. She loved travel and particularly her Island home in Canada, called Kahshe which is a lasting legacy of her and her husband Bob, to her family. She often expressed thankfulness to her parents for raising her in a Christian home, and for her husband, her children, her in-laws, her grandchildren, great grandchildren and friends. Her life was one of prayer, gratitude and love, freely given and shared.
A memorial service will be held in The First Presbyterian Church of Cranbury on Friday, April 14th at 2:00. A reception will follow.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the First Presbyterian Church of Cranbury