Hanna Fuerst

South Plainfield - Hanna (Tiencken) Fuerst, 69 died on Monday, October 13, 2008 at home after a 14 year courageous battle with advanced breast cancer.

Hanna was born on June 26, 1939 in Koehlen Germany and a few years later, her father Johann Tiencken, died on the front lines during WWII .

In 1947 at the age of 8, Hanna's mother Anna remarried and relocated the family to Ringstedt, Germany where she resided until she immigrated to the United States in 1957 residing in the Brooklyn and Queens area of New York. In 1961 Hanna married Gerold Robert Fuerst and in 1964 they settled in South Plainfield.

Mrs. Fuerst worked as a waitress for 37 years at the former Coral Lounge which became Jacques, then 2000 Park Avenue Restaurant and Lounge in South Plainfield before retiring over 14 years ago.

A longtime member of St. Stephens Lutheran Church in South Plainfield, Hanna was an avid knitter. She was a member of the church's knitting group as well as a member of the South Plainfield Senior Citizens knitting groups. During her longtime battle with breast cancer Mrs. Fuerst became an inspiration to those who knew and cared for her and used knitting as a therapy

In addition, Hanna loved to dance and was a member of the Deutscher Club in Clark.

She was a loving wife mother grandmother and dear friend and will be sadly missed by all who knew her.

Surviving are her loving husband Robert of 47 years, her 2 loving daughters; Carol McCarthy and her husband John of South Plainfield and Linda Mattson and her husband Robert of Readington, 2 sister Gerda Meyer and Marianne Ziegenbein and her husband Werner all of Ringstedt, Germany and her 3 grandchildren; Sarah and Brian McCarthy and Kyle Mattson

Relatives and friends will be gathering on Friday, October 17, 2008 at 10:15 AM in the McCriskin - Gustafson Home For Funerals, 2425 Plainfield Ave., South Plainfield followed by an 11:00 am Funeral Service at St. Stephens Lutheran Church, South Plainfield.

Interment will follow in Hillside Cemetery, Scotch Plains.

Visitation will be held on Thursday from 2-4 & 7-9 PM in the funeral home.

In Lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to the St. Stephens Lutheran Church, 3145 Park Ave., South Plainfield, NJ 07080