Czeslawa Barbara Betleja

Czeslawa Barbara (Gocek) Betleja, “Basia”, 91, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family and the Beautiful Little Servant Sisters of the Immaculate Conception on May 4, 2021.

As a survivor of WWII, and the occupation of both German and Russian armies, Czeslawa was later married in Poland to a Polish Veteran and immigrated to the United States of America in 1956.  Although she loved Poland and was a true Patriot, her greatest  dream was to become a US citizen and she fulfilled that dream in 1965. 

She settled in Brooklyn where she spent the next 60 years of her life working and raising her family while learning the English language.  She is a  parishioner of Our Lady of Czestochowa/St. Casmir Parish in South Brooklyn.   A devout Catholic she loved being a member of her church choir and the Polish Singers Alliance of America travelling the US competing against other Alliances. For many years she worked for AIG, each night traveling the subway from Manhattan to Brooklyn safely.  She attributed her safety to the Rosary she recited which was always in her pocket. She loved to cook Polish delicacies and mostly enjoyed giving them to friends and family for their enjoyment. She was an excellent seamstress making beautiful dresses and suits  for herself and was the go to person in the neighborhood for any alterations.  She loved gardening and amazed the neighbors with how many flowers and abundant produce she would grow in such a small garden. She was a woman of tremendous Faith and Prayer and it was always in the for front of her life.  She loved to travel and made pilgrimages to holy sites such as Rome, Lourdes, and Fatima.  Her greatest joy came with spending time with her grandchildren and family and she frequently visited Poland to stay close with her siblings, nieces, and nephews, taking great pride at being present at the ordination of her two nephews into the priesthood.

Devoted mother of Basia “Bobbi” Michaels and her husband Cliff.  Cherished grandmother of Matthew, Elizabeth and Grace Michaels.  Dear sister of Jadwiga Figura.  Loving aunt of Fr. Marek Figura, Fr. Maciej Figura, Andrzey Ozog, Hannia Ozog, Bogdon Ozog, Zosia Stanek, and Jozef Gocek

She is pre-deceased by her husband Jozef Betleja, her son Paul Betleja, and her siblings Maria Ozog and Stanislaw Gozek.

Visitation at the Leonardis Memorial Home, Inc., 210 Ridgedale Avenue, Florham Park on Thursday from 3-6pm.  Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic and capacity limitations, visitors are asked to pay their respects and then exit to allow others to enter the building.  Masks are required and all are to practice social distancing.

The funeral mass will be held on Friday, 9:45am at St. Rose of Lima Church in East Hanover, celebrated by Fr. Owen Moran, Fr. Matthew Kranc, Fr. Alex Nevitt and Fr. Kerwin Gaza.  The interment will immediately follow at The National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa Cemetery in Doylestown, PA.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Basia’s name to; The Little Servant Sisters of the Immaculate Conception c/o St Joseph’s Senior Home 3 St Joseph’s Terrace Woodbridge NJ 07095.

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