STETTLER, MATHILDE “TILDY” 92, formerly of Princeton Junction, New Jersey, died peacefully at the home of her daughter Myriam Stettler, in of Hope, Rhode Island on April 10.
She was the daughter of the late Otto and Mathilde (Hugentobler) Stettler, and sister of the late Otto and Josef Stettler. She is survived by her brother Leo, along with many nieces and nephews living in Switzerland.
Born and raised in Switzerland, as a child she actually did walk to school (in the next town), 45 minutes each way, twice a day, up (and down) several hills. From November to March, she skied to school through the snow. She became a nurse, working in labor & delivery, neonatal and pediatrics.
She came to the United States by way of Ellis Island in January 1953 initially working as a baby nurse and nanny, then as a live-in caregiver.
She learned English at the YMCA in an ESL class. She became a naturalized citizen in 1963, and received her GED in 1974. At that time she began working at Princeton Hospital, first in the coffee shop, then in the Anesthesia Department, until her retirement, all the while working with the elderly on weekends.
She was a parishioner of St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Princeton, NJ for 58 years. She volunteered as a Eucharistic Minister, delivering communion every Sunday to persons unable to attend mass. She also volunteered with the St. Paul’s Healthcare Ministry.
After retiring from Princeton Hospital, she attended mass every day, weather permitting. She was committed to her religion, always helping and caring for others. She was selfless; always putting others first; often making personal sacrifices for the benefit of others, never expecting anything in return. She made the world a better place for those she met throughout her life.
She was a wonderful role model for her daughter, baking for school events, chaperoning school field trips, and volunteering as a Girl Scout Leader. She taught her daughter about community service by taking her along to help out at the annual Princeton Hospital rummage sale, and delivering meals to an elderly woman who lived close by. She sponsored both a child and an elderly woman in Latin America for many years. She worked tirelessly gathering donated clothing, personal hygiene items, and medical equipment for Croatian Relief Services, her favorite charity, in Fairview, NJ, who help “the poorest of the poor” all over the world. Then she enlisted her daughter to drive her there to deliver the many carloads she collected.
She loved attending the weekly Spanish class at the West Windsor Senior Center, going to the West Windsor Library to find new books each week, eating Swiss chocolate and cherries, and talking with relatives via FaceTime.
She will be remembered fondly by many and missed by all who knew her.
A Memorial Mass will be held on June 10, 2017, 10:00 AM, at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, 214 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ.
In lieu of flowers, donations to Croatian Relief Services, 225 Anderson Avenue, Fairview, NJ 07022, in her name would be appreciated.
