Cathy Pitingolo (nee Twill), loving mother, wife, sister, and dear friend, passed away surrounded by her family on July 19th, 2022 at the age of 59.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend the visitation on Thursday, July 21, 2022 from 3 – 7 PM at Church of the Little Flower, 310 Plainfield Ave, Berkeley Heights, NJ. The funeral mass will be held on Friday, July 22, 2022 at 11:00 AM at Church of the Little Flower. Interment is private.

Cathy was born to George and Antoinette Twill into a large and loving family in Summit, NJ on March 25, 1963. A proud alumna of Summit High School Class of 1981, she then went on to graduate from the University of Hartford, earning the school’s first human resources minor, in 1985.

Cathy worked in the Human Resources department at Saint Barnabas Medical Center and eventually rose up to become the Benefits Manager for the entire Saint Barnabas Health Network, a job that she loved, and where she created friendships she would cherish for the rest of her life. It is there where she met the love of her life Jim Pitingolo in 1989. They were married in 1991, and began their beautiful family with the birth of their daughter Anna in 1995 followed by Jimmy, Grace and Louis in 1999 (yes, triplets).

Cathy lived a life of service to others, always putting the needs of others before her own. She was deeply involved in the Berkeley Heights community. She was a CCD teacher at the Church of the Little Flower, a community in which she practiced her devout Catholic faith. She was the leader for both her daughters’ Girl Scout troops. Cathy spent her summer days relaxing at the Berkeley Heights Community Pool, and was an active member of the pool Board of Trustees, serving a four-year term as the Pool Board President. She also worked part-time at the YMCA for 20 years, in the childcare center and at the front desk, where her contagious smile was the first thing members saw when they walked in. For the last 11 years she has worked in the Berkeley Heights school district, first as lunch aide and then as a paraprofessional, before moving to the Board of Education Office. It is clear that Cathy took every opportunity to give back to and serve others in any way she could.

Since 2005, Cathy has been involved in the Berkeley Heights chapter of the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. Her participation and later leadership as co-chair helped the event grow to be the largest in the region at the time, and her team the Krabby Patties raised over $100,000 to support cure efforts and services for cancer patients.

In 2010, she received the Berkeley Heights Good Scout Award, an honor that recognizes the exemplary service of community role models as evidenced by the involvement and leadership they have demonstrated within the community of Berkeley Heights.

Cathy has been a breast cancer survivor since her diagnosis over 18 years ago, and has celebrated and made the most of each day since. Cathy relapsed in March 2021, and chose to keep this within her immediate family as she did not want anyone to worry about her, and wanted to continue to live life to the fullest–which she did. Cathy got to celebrate the college graduations of her three youngest children this past May, and spent a week in Florida in June with her loving husband. She is laid to rest victorious in her battle, as she faced life’s challenges with dignity and grace.

Cathy was always one to have a good time and celebrate any occasion. Her big, beautiful smile and contagious laugh are traits that will always be remembered. She loved to vacation on Long Beach Island each summer with her family and read by the water. She could name any song by the first note, and was the first one on the dance floor and the last to leave. May we all take a lesson from her to serve others and live life to the fullest no matter the circumstances.

Cathy is survived by her husband Jim, children Anna, Jimmy, Grace, and Louis. Siblings, Patricia Killebrew (Scott), George Twill (Ellen), Peter Twill, Mary Twill, Julie Vlass (Ken). Nieces/Nephews: Katherine Killebrew (fiancé Adam Altman); George Twill (fiancé Jaqueline Larsen) & Kevin Twill; Lucy Banfield (David), Carly Sullivan (Stuart) & Perry Twill; Emily, Gregory, Jeffery & Charlie Vlass; Jenna DiFrancesco (Karolis Stribinskis) & Alyssa Casacci (Brad); and Christian Pitingolo. She also has several great-nieces and nephews.

Cathy is predeceased by her parents Antoinette and George Twill, sister Diane Twill, mother- and father-in-law Joseph and Rose Pitingolo, and sister-in-law Sally Twill, and numerous aunts and uncles.

In lieu of flowers please make donations in Cathy’s memory through her personal donation page to benefit the American Cancer Society by visiting https://inmemof.org/catherine-ann-pitingolo