Obituaries

Passionate World Traveler, Gardener and Volunteer Dies at 88

The Matawan resident was very active into her 80s, still enjoying boat rides, walks in Cheesequake Park, reading, and classical music.

Eileen D. Mungenast, 88, of Matawan, died on April 13, 2013, at Bayshore Community Hospital in Holmdel with her children at her side.

She was born and raised in Butler, NJ, graduated from Butler High School, and attended William Paterson University. She married Kurt F. Mungenast in 1948. Eileen worked as a Contract Administrator for Marotta Scientific Controls in Boonton for nearly 20 years, retiring in 1991. Eileen moved to Matawan shortly after her retirement. She was a member of the National Contracts Administration, a daily communicant at St. Lawrence Church in Laurence Harbor, and previously a communicant at St. Anthony's Church in Butler where she sang in the choir for more than forty years. Eileen worked for several years as a volunteer in the transportation division of Catholic Charities in the Paterson Diocese, volunteered in the Monmouth County Park System in the library at Deep Cut Gardens for 10 years, and worked as a tutor with Literacy Volunteers of America. She enjoyed her annual trips to Maine, as well as her extensive travels in Europe and Central and South America. Gardening and books were among her passions. Eileen always saw the beauty in her natural surroundings and passed on this love to her family. Teaching her grandchildren and great-grandchildren about nature was one of her favorite pastimes. She was very active into her 80s, still enjoying boat rides, walks in Cheesequake Park, reading, and classical music. Eileen's faith sustained her through life's hardships and was an integral part of her daily life. She valued the companionship of the daily Mass community at St. Lawrence. Eileen's greatest love was her large and loving family and she will be remembered by them for her zest for life and love for learning.

Surviving are her daughters, Jean Cucci of Edgecomb, Maine; Carol (Dr. Bill) Glenn of Galloway; Laurie (Joe) Herlihy of Middletown; son Kurt (Karen) Mungenast of Reading, Massachusetts; brothers Jack and Donald Devaney; grandchildren, Lauren and Christa Cucci, Dr. Carrie Mastro, Brian, Jeffrey and Greta Glenn, Jessica, Lindsay, Suzanne, Sean and Colleen Herlihy, Chip, Eric and Kyle Mungenast and stepgrandson Craig MacDonald; and great-grandchildren, Bryanna, Hailey and Morgan Mastro, and Liam and Caroline Glenn.

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Visitation will be held Tuesday, April 16, 2013 from 2-4 & 6-8 pm at John F. Pfleger Funeral Home, 115 Tindall Road, Middletown. A Funeral Liturgy will be offered Wednesday, April 17, 2013 at 9:30 am at St. Lawrence Roman Catholic Church, Laurence Harbor. Burial will be private at Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Butler. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Catholic Charities, Diocese of Metuchen, 319 Maple Street, Perth Amboy, NJ 08861.

For more information, to send condolences or for directions, please visit www.pflegerfh.com.

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