Celestina "Celeste" Marie Burek

Celestina "Celeste" Marie Burek (nee: Ventura), 98, of Ridgewood, formerly of Garfield, passed away on Wednesday, March 13, 2024. Beloved wife of the late John Paul Burek (2000). Devoted mother of Doug and his wife Didi of Ringwood, NJ and Jeff and his wife Sue of Fair Lawn, NJ. Proud grandmother of Jamie and her husband Michael Conklin, Douglas and his wife Katelyn, Adam and John. Loving great-grandmother of Stephen, Hailey, Mia, Lily, Corinne and Anderson. She was predeceased in death by her parents Joseph and Elizabeth (nee: Puccia) Ventura and her siblings, John Ventura, James Ventura, Frances Mancino, Lucy Gerlach, Nancy Foxx, Stella Santangelo and Sara Ventura. She was born in Garfield, NJ where she lived for 83 years. She also lived in Clifton, NJ when she was first married in 1945 for 2 years. She spent the last decade of her life living with her son, Doug and his family in Ridgewood, NJ. Mrs. Burek worked for Micrographics on Lanza Avenue in Garfield as a microfilm processor for 15 years. Prior she worked at Pietranski Supermarket, Garfield. She was a woman who helped in the war effort by working in the drafting room at Curtiss-Wright Corporation, Wood-Ridge. Celeste was an extraordinary woman who survived the COVID-19 virus at the age of 95. As a young mother, she was quarantined for 6 months in the tuberculosis ward at Bergen Pines Medical Center in the early 1950s. As it turns out, she never had tuberculosis or contracted the disease during her quarantine on the TB ward but her doctors found a cyst on her lung and removed a lobe to save her life. Taking pleasure in the simple things, she started her days with a steaming cup of coffee and closed them out sipping red wine while watching a classic movie, a cooking show or her NY Mets. A sensational cook, she delighted in feeding all who entered her house with delicious homemade pastas & tasty sweet treats or the newest recipe she was experimenting with while Jerry Vale, an opera or the Three Tenors played in the background. Celeste liked to travel, especially relishing a Mediterranean Cruise to France, Spain, Italy, Croatia and Greece for her 80th birthday with son Doug and his wife, Didi and niece, Jan Foxx. She enjoyed trying her luck at the slots with monthly jaunts to Atlantic City, riding shotgun on a golf cart while her husband and other family members played a round and gallivanting to local shopping spots with her dear friend Mary Dabal. Celeste cherished her family and took special pleasure in doting on her grandchildren and great-grandchildren with warm hugs, lots of kisses and their favorite cookies baked fresh. She was always a staple in the stands cheering at any game her grandkids played in. In lieu of flowers, donations in Mrs. Burek's memory may be made to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital (www.stjude.org/donate)

Celestina "Celeste" Marie Burek

November 3, 1925 - March 13, 2024