Christine Schwarzbach

Christine Schwarzbach, a long-time Teaneck resident, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 1, 2018 at Villa Marie Claire with her daughters, Linda and Cynthia, and her granddaughter Sarah at her side. The family is very grateful for the compassionate care Christine received at the Villa. Christine was a loving and unique woman. She was an excellent typist, winning speed and accuracy competitions on an old-fashioned manual typewriter while a student at Julia Richman High School in NYC. Her exceptional skills led her to her first job at the Home Insurance Company on Maiden Lane in Manhattan. She married her childhood sweetheart, Paul, who served in the Navy during World War II. When the war ended, even before he went home to his family, Paul showed up at Christine's door with two dozen red roses and asked her to marry him. They had never even shared a kiss! Moving to Teaneck in the mid 1950s, Christine the city girl, became a suburbanite. Because Paul travelled overseas on business for months at a time, Christine rolled up her sleeves, learned how to drive a car, an ugly green Rambler station wagon, and excelled at home repairs. Although Christine made homemade stews, she was a great devotee of Tang, Sanka, and other convenience foods popular in the late 50s and early 60s. Her favorite dinners were frozen Stouffer's Macaroni and Beef, Escalloped Chicken and Noodles, and Tuna Noodle Casserole. As her daughters got older, Christine parlayed her secretarial talents into many jobs. She managed the dental clinic at Fairleigh Dickinson University, was a church secretary, and most recently was the long-time secretary at the Bergenfield Senior Activity Center. Christine was a life-long cat lover. She and her latest rescue cat, Pistachio, were kindred spirits, spending the day watching television and nestling together in bed at night. Christine loved to go out to lunch. She often could be found at Bischoff's on Cedar Lane enjoying a juicy hamburger, French fries (make sure they are hot!), and a dish of coffee royale ice cream with chocolate sprinkles. Wednesday afternoon was the highlight of Christine's week because it was bingo day. With eight to ten bingo boards in front of her and clutching her lucky elephant in her hand, Christine shouted out "Bingo!" quite often. In her younger days whenever the music started, Christine's foot would begin tapping and she was always ready to dance. Everywhere she went, Christine was known for her blue nail polish. She always sported a bracelet (or two or three) and wore several ornate rings. She dressed for every holiday, wearing decorative tops and pins. Christine loved to dress up for Halloween and one Halloween went from work to the dentist dressed as a penguin! Christine loved the Game Show Network and was a BIG Steve Harvey fan. She and her daughters watched many episodes of Family Feud together. She eagerly awaited each new season of America's Got Talent, The Voice, American Idol, and especially Dancing With the Stars. Christine leaves two daughters, Linda and Cynthia, five grandchildren - Sarah, Emily, Jonathan, Daniel, and Rachel, and four great-grandchildren - Madison, Ayden, Lucas, and Chloe. Christine had a big heart, a huge smile, and a twinkle in her eye. She will be missed by everyone who knew her. Memorial contributions in Christine's name can be made to Villa Marie Claire, 12 W Saddle River Rd, Saddle River, NJ 07458 or to Ironwood Pig Sanctuary, P.O. Box 35490, Tucson, AZ. 85740, ironwoodpigs@yahoo.com