Kathleen Harnig

Kathi Harnig of Glen Rock, NJ, age 85, died on April 10, 2024, after a year’s long battle with dementia. Born in 1938, she was the 4th of the 6 children of John and Alice Ahearn of Queens, NY and studied nursing, earning her RN from the St. Mary’s Hospital School of Nursing in Brooklyn. She married her husband John in 1961. They moved to Pittsburgh, PA and had their one and only daughter, Gretchen in 1966. They lived in Framingham, MA for one year before settling in Glen Rock, NJ in 1972. 

The most important things in life to Kathi were faith, family, and her nursing career. And bringing her famous chocolate chip cookies to every occasion. 

Kathi was wholly devoted to St. Catharine’s Church as a parishioner, eucharistic minister, member of the women’s cornerstone and the Elizabethan ministry. She attended mass daily whenever she could and found great comfort in the church. When each of her grandchildren made their Confirmation, she welcomed them to the army of the faithful as a soldier of God. 

The bulk of Kathi’s nursing career was spent at the Eastern Christian Children’s Retreat (now Hope Christian Services) in Wyckoff, NJ. She worked there for 44+ years. She so loved the community at the Retreat, both residents and staff, and she made lifelong friends and memories there and made a difference in countless lives. 

Kathi is predeceased by John, who she cared for at home until he passed away in 2015, and 3 of her 5 siblings, Jack, Pat, and Jimmy. She is survived by her daughter Gretchen (Ben) Piela and grandchildren Benny (Chloe), Gabrielle and Johnny Piela, and sister Grace “Sugar” (Jimmy) Connors and brother Joe (JoAnn) Ahearn, as well as innumerable nieces, nephews and grand nieces and nephews. She loved them all greatly and without hesitation. 

Kathi was an excellent and loving mother and grandmother, wife, friend, and caregiver. Dementia may have taken her memory of us but will never take our memory of her. She will live on in her beloved friends and family’s hearts forever. 

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” A.A. Milne 

The wake will be Sunday, April 14, 3-7pm at the Vander Plaat Funeral Home in Wyckoff, NJ. The funeral mass is Monday, April 15 at 10 am at St. Catharine’s in Glen Rock, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Hope Christian Services.