Kathleen "Kathie" M Rizzo

Kathleen Pell RIZZO, Teacher, Poet, Friend and Mother, Age 76, of Carlstadt, NJ, died peacefully on March 13th with her son Marc by her side. The daughter of Roger M. Pell and Constance (nee Santanello) Pell, Kathie was born on March 4th, 1948 in Jersey City, NJ. Throughout her childhood as an “Army Brat” she travelled and lived in various locations including Upstate NY in the Finger Lakes region, and Waterloo where she, like her mother and siblings, developed a great love for nature.

The third of seven children, Kathie’s family’s travels also included a cross-country road-trip from NY to San Francisco to board a ship to Japan where the family was stationed for one year. Kathie and her siblings attended school, learned a bit of Japanese language and customs and Kathie made her first Holy Communion. Returning to the USA in 1957, the family were then stationed at West Point Military Academy for five years where Kathie grew into a teenager attracting the attention of her first heart-throb (one of many). Her father retired from the army, relocating the family again settling in Rutherford, NJ where she started high school at St. Mary’s and met new friends, many who have remained dear to her throughout the years that followed.

Upon H.S. graduation, Kathie applied to colleges but with her mother’s faith in her and a lot of courage, she was hired to teach First Grade at Assumption School in Wood-Ridge, NJ where she met the Physical Ed. teacher and love-of-her-life, Paul G. Rizzo. Kathie and Paul were married in 1969 at St. Joseph’s Church in East Rutherford, Paul’s family parish. They shared 49 years of faithful marriage, their life together was a “fantasy romance” in spite of many difficult challenges. But no challenge could keep our Kathie from fulfilling a promise. “March Forth” (her birthday and motto) she would exclaim, and then carry on despite any situation that life had to offer.

Kathie was passionately devoted to children and they shared in mutual adoration for her. She didn’t waste any time to fulfill her dream being a college graduate. She studied at Fairleigh Dickinson University, then Felician College and finally earned her Early Childhood Certification at Bergen Community College. She never skipped a semester in the thirty-three years it took to reach her goal, during which time she and Paul were blessed with 4 beautiful children.

While raising a family and studying for college Kathie taught at St. Joseph’s Elementary School in East Rutherford for many more years until she was awarded her degree and certification and began teaching in the public school system in Bergenfield, NJ and nine years later at Carlstadt Elementary until her retirement in 2019. During her teaching career, Kathie received numerous awards for Best Teacher and Teacher of the Year for her creative and earnest dedication to Early Childhood Development.

In addition to being Wife, Mother, Student and Teacher, Kathie was a Poet writing almost 300 poems dating back to the early 1960’s. Her recently published book “Rhymes and Reasons For All Seasons” can be found on Amazon.

Yet another of her many passions, Kathie’s sense of humor was one more of her remarkable talents. I am one of many who have never laughed harder with anyone as I have laughed with Kathie. She wrote three humorous collections of memories from her career and life experiences for which she has been celebrated, having read them aloud entertaining audiences at libraries and the Carlstadt Woman’s Club meetings over the years: • Honeymoon Adventures • Adventures in Kindergarten and • Adventures in Belly Dancing, soon to be available in print as well. And could we forget? “The Little Sisters of The Jersey Shore”, a Play, a hilarious spoof of the TV series of the similar name that year, in which she successfully engaged her friends to act-out the parts of religious nuns and the gangsters whose souls they tried to save.

Her heart was filled that she could make people laugh with her stories, poems and performances The fulfillment it gave her was second only to the joy and satisfaction provided by her own children’s and grandchildren’s talents, achievements and experiences. She never hesitated to boast about the abilities of her friends and family, sometimes backing us into a corner having to show-off a bit as we humbly cringed.

With her love of children and teaching and her love of nature and water, she became a certified life-guard/swim instructor and over the years was responsible for teaching countless children and a few, not-so-eager adults to swim.

If it was a meaningful endeavor, she would give 200 % of herself to it. Still a strong swimmer, in 2008 at 60 years of age, she entered a fundraiser event to swim 3 miles across the Hudson River. She survived intact only to repeat the performance again two years later in 2010. The second time was a greater challenge as the tide was rough and she was carried down-stream about a mile beyond the destination. When the kayaks spotted her and caught up, she refused their offer to give her a lift. Grateful that they were by her side, she finished the race, last to arrive to be greeted by her anxiously awaiting family.

In the 80’s - 90’s she organized and produced three Fundraiser “Dinner& A Show” Events for charitable organizations.

Kathie followed another childhood dream of dancing and became a Middle Eastern Belly Dancer. She performed at many venues and private events including a television appearance at the Ed Sullivan Theatre on the Lynn Redgrave Show where she gave Lynn a brief lesson in “shaking her hips”.

An inspiration to so many, Kathie was still teaching new students to Belly Dance, to Swim and to prepare preschoolers for First Grade as well as posting “Storytime with Mrs. Rizzo” videos on her YouTube page called “Fun-damentals of Learning” until a few months before her passing.

Her love for her family, friends, life and nature and her compassion for humanity was boundless and compelled her to write her most cherished thoughts, feelings and memories which she uniquely expresses in her poetry. Whether it was the birthday of a neighbor, friend or family or any event that made her happy for you, she would be the first to suggest and host a celebration.

There are so many stories to tell; how she cared for our mother in her final years, coached a young woman who had immigrated from Poland to enroll in college and become a teacher. She never gave up on anyone.

Our gratitude for how she enriched all of our lives is great, as is our loss.

Our Kathie is and always will be, sadly missed.

We are deeply thankful to so many of her dear friends as well as the Hospice caretakers who supported her during a most difficult time as she was taken from us.

Kathleen Mary Pell Rizzo was predeceased by her loving husband, Paul G. Rizzo.

She is survived by her four children and their spouses:

• Son, Paul Jr. and wife Kristin,

• Daughter, Marcella and husband Elo Hernandez,

• Son, Marc Rizzo and companion Christine

• Son, Luke and wife Andrea

And her eight Grand-children, Angelina, Landon, Gianna, Thorin, Braxton, Sofia, Mira, Camila.

Also six siblings, • Roger Pell and wife Rosemarie, • James Pell and companion Susan, • Kevin Pell and wife Doris, • Connie Pell and husband Marcelino Llambias, • Diane Pell and companion Theo Michelfeld, • Alethea Pell, • nine neices and nephews and eighteen grand-nieces/nephews.

Funeral departing from the Kimak Funeral Home, 425 Broad Street, Carlstadt on Monday, March 18, 2024 at 9:00 AM for a Funeral Mass in Assumption Church, Wood-Ridge at 9:30 AM. Interment Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington. Visitation Sunday 2-6 PM. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, stjude.org.