Joan E. Zak, 81, of Holmdel, died June 17, 2023. She was born in 1941 to the late Elizabeth and Alfred Blomquist in the Bronx and, at the age of 13, moved to Middletown with her family.
Joan was in the first graduating class of Middletown North and went on to attend Elizabeth General Nursing School. She and her husband William married and moved to Boston for a short while, before returning to New Jersey to start their family.
Joan worked for Raytheon, Fort Monmouth, and was vital in the success of her husband’s business, Selective Coatings & Inks, Inc. She enjoyed spending her time reading, knitting, cooking and hosting every holiday and event at her home. Most of all, Joan loved spending time with her family, filling her home with warmth and kindness.
She was predeceased by her parents and her siblings, Edward Blomquist and Janet Young.
Surviving is her beloved husband of 61 years, William Zak and her six children: Susan Britt of Jackson; Robert Zak of Brick; Stephen and his wife Maritza Zak of Jackson; Karin and her husband Daniel Murchison of Bumpass, Virginia; Deborah and her husband Thomas Killeen of Howell; and Christine and her husband Stanley Stierle of Branchburg. She also leaves 15 grandchildren, Matthew, Christopher, Nicholas, Rachel, Andrew, Kaitlyn, Adam, Michael, Alexander, Colin, Jenna, Jackson, Caroline, Sean and Paige.
Visitation was held June 22 at Holmdel Funeral Home, Holmdel. A funeral home service was offered that day.
In lieu of traditional remembrances, the family asks with gratitude that donations in Joan’s name be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at stjude.org, the Salvation Army at salvationarmyusa.org, or Disabled American Veterans at dav.org.
For messages of condolence, or to share a favorite memory of Joan, please visit her page of tribute at holmdelfuneralhome.com.
The article originally appeared in the June 29 – July 5, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
