Obituary of Mary L. Patten

Mary Louise Zelenka Patten, 90, of Freehold passed away peacefully on Tuesday, July 28, 2020 at Meridian Nursing and Rehabilitation at Brick.  Mary was born and raised in Salina, Kansas, the daughter of Henry and Minnie Zelenka.  She met and married, her husband, George while he was stationed at Smokey Hill Air Force Base in Salina, Kansas.  They, along with their daughter, moved to Adelphia in 1956.  Mary retired as a supervisor for Precision Filaments, Freehold after 40 dedicated years of service. In retirement, she worked as an associate at Stein Mart, Ocean Twp for twelve years.  Mary was a member of the Adelphia Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary.

“Grams” as she was affectionately known, was a fun loving, happy person who believed in the positiveness of everyday living.  She enjoyed most being with her family and friends at home, parties, vacations, and community gatherings.  She was proud of her roots and her family.  Mary made the people she was with feel special, not an ability shared by everyone.  Mary lived a healthy life, giving freely of herself to all who needed her help in any way.

We should rejoice in having had Mary with us for a full life.  We offer prayers of thanks to our Lord for her peaceful passing.    

Mary was predeceased by her siblings, Dorothy Imler, Henry Eugene Zelenka, Stanley Zelenka and Karen Sales.  She is survived by  her husband of 64 years, George; daughter, Julie Del Pizzo and her husband, Angelo; grandchildren, Anthony Loizos and his wife, Christine and Jennifer Schwartzel and her husband, Adam; great-grandchildren, John, Megan, Gianna, Donovan,  Olivia, Abbott, and Campbell; a brother, Ronald Zelenka and his wife, Cheri; cousins, Joyce Pickard and her husband, Robert and Marilyn Stott and her husband, Russ; sisters-in-law, Alice Corrigan and Joan Biddle; and many nieces and nephews.

All services were private under the direction of Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home, 100 Elton-Adelphia Road (Route 524), Freehold Township, NJ 07728.  Interment was in Brig. General William C. Doyle NJ Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Arneytown.  For those who desire memorial contributions in memory of Grams, may be made to the Adelphia Fire Company, PO Box 125, Adelphia, NJ 07710.  For information or condolence messages to the family, visit www.claytonfuneralhome.com.