Elizabeth Holzli

On Tuesday, January 23, 2024, Elizabeth passed away surrounded by her loving children. Born in the farming village of Hamroth, Romania, September 29, 1928, she was the cherished daughter of Stefan and Franciska Koch. Elizabeth was the fourth among eight siblings in this birth order; Frank, Anton, Josef, Elizabeth, Mary, Stefan and John (his twin Michael died shortly after birth).

Her early years were spent in the farming village adorned with one center crossroad, a church, a cemetery, and a bridge. With fondness, she recalled dangling feet into the water from the bridge with family and friends during the hot summers.

With the upheavals of WW2, the villagers were told to evacuate in October of 1944 as the Russian Front approached. Hastily they left with what a wagon, horse, oxen could carry. They faced uncertainty, hunger and disease with some folks dying along the way and children being born.

Post-war Europe, the families were very fortunate to find themselves in the American Zone of the Territories divided between American and Russian Zones. Two years they lived in Austria, then in Germany before immigrating to the United States in 1950. Relatives, Uncle Mike (Furhman) and Aunt Anna of Woodbridge, NJ were their Sponsors. Their mother, Franciska, and the two youngest came at a later date.

In Passaic, NJ, she met her future husband, Josef, and they married in 1953. Coincidently Josef had been born and raised in a village not far from Hamroth. In 1960 the family moved to Flemington, NJ where they raised four children. Sadly, her youngest daughter, Elizabeth, passed away shortly after birth.

Elizabeth was a talented gardener, raising many varieties of vegetables and creating beautiful flower gardens. She was an excellent cook of many ethnic dishes of her homeland, recipes made from memory. She was a self-taught seamstress and loved making clothing, draperies, slipcovers, and quilts. Learning to drive the family car gave her a newfound independence and joy. She was an excellent driver.

Preceding her in death was her husband, Joe who recently passed in June of 2023. Her survivors are her children; Joseph, Carol, Linda & husband Philip, Daniel & wife, Denise. There are two grandchildren, Kelly and Nicholas, a step grandson, Jesse and one great grandson, Kevin. Elizabeth worked hard and was resourceful during the good and bad times of her life. She loved her family and friends and stayed true to her values and beliefs. She remained faithful as one of Jehovah’s Witness to the end of her life. We will truly miss her.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, January 30, 2024, at 12:00 PM in the Holcombe-Fisher Funeral Home, 147 Main Street, Flemington, NJ. Interment will follow service in the Prospect Hill Cemetery, Flemington, NJ. Calling hours will be held Tuesday, January 30, 2024, from 10:00 AM-12:00 PM in the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or American Macular Degeneration Foundation, P.O. Box 515 Northampton, MA 01061-0515.