Gerda "Oma" H. Matkovich

Gerda “Oma” H. Matkovich (nee Klose), age 92 died peacefully Friday, April 29, 2022, at her home surrounded by her loving family.  Gerda was born in 1930 in the village of Schönwaldau, Province of Silesia, Germany.  She resided in Cliffside Park before moving to her home of over fifty years in Bogota.  She spent the last five years as a resident of Glen Rock. 

Gerda grew up on a farm in Germany and lived as a refugee through the horrors of WWII.   Through the sponsorship of her dear Aunt Lotte and Uncle Rudi she sailed the SS Constitution and emigrated to the United States, arriving in New York City on Christmas Eve, 1951.  Gerda is survived by her loving and devoted children; William Matkovich and his wife, Urszula of Westwood and Olivia McRae and her husband, John of Glen Rock. She is also survived by her sister, Sunna Kullmann of Glen Rock, cousin, Rudy Finderson of Indiana, her 5 grandchildren: Christina, Stephen and Nicholas McRae and Jason and Felix Matkovich as well as many nieces and nephews.  In addition to Gerda’s family, she leaves behind countless friends who affectionately knew her as “Oma”.  Gerda was predeceased in 1987 by Mario, her devoted husband of 29 years. 

Gerda's grandchildren were the pride and joy of her life.  She was a kind and gentle person who enjoyed engaging conversations, reading, listening to music, gardening, and feeding her songbirds.  She was also known for her incredible cooking and baking skills and will always be remembered for her delicious Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations, her pot roast dinners and her highly acclaimed cookies and crumb cakes.

The family will receive friends on Saturday, May 7, 2022, from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, followed by a Celebration of Life at 12:00 PM at the Vander Plaat Funeral Home,  www.vpfh.com, 257 Godwin Ave. Wyckoff, NJ.  The interment will follow at George Washington Memorial Park Cemetery, Paramus.  As an expression of sympathy, in lieu of flowers, donations in Gerda’s memory may be made to The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, 555 Long Warf Drive, New Haven, CT 06511, www.holeinthewallgang.org, a camp for children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.