Aniela "Nellie" (Bis) Surma

Aniela Surma, affectionally known as “Nellie”, died peacefully in her home on Friday, May 31st at the age of 96. 

Her life was defined by faith, motherhood, and the American dream.

Nellie was born in Poland in 1928 and as a young girl, suffered the atrocities of World War II.  Being driven from her family farm and subjected to forced labor under the Nazi regime, Nellie proved to be a strong and resilient woman.  She vowed to make a better life for herself and ultimately succeeded.  Nellie emigrated to the United States in 1962 and together with her husband Joseph, settled in Wallington, NJ and became an example of what can be accomplished with perseverance and a strong work ethic.  She worked for many years as a seamstress at Dexter Knitting Mills and The Clifton Clothing Company, as well as a production line worker in the pharmaceutical industry for companies such as Becton Dickinson.  Nellie gave birth to her only child Elizabeth while in her late thirties and was thrilled to become a mother.  Nellie was an excellent homemaker, baker and cook, and was well known for creating delicious Polish dishes such as pierogis, golumpki, babka and chrusciki.  Despite Nellie’s husband passing away unexpectedly when her daughter was seven, Nellie worked tirelessly to purchase and renovate her first home, become a U.S. citizen, and put her daughter through parochial grammar school, private high school and college.  All of this was possible due to Nellie’s determination, resourcefulness and most importantly, her unfaltering Catholic faith.  She was a parishioner of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Wallington for over 50 years and felt there was nothing that could not be accomplished with God at her side.  It is this belief that gives her daughter Elizabeth and those that loved Nellie great comfort in knowing she is now being welcomed into the kingdom of heaven and is reunited with Jesus Christ her Savior and those that have gone before her.

Nellie is survived by her daughter Elizabeth and her husband Brad, her niece Eva and her husband Jerry, along with their two children Michael and Alexa, who lovingly called Nellie “Babcia”.  She is predeceased by her husband Joseph and her sisters Stefania, Jozefa and Krystyna.  Nellie also leaves behind two sisters in Poland, Franciszka and Zofia, as well as a multitude of nieces and nephews.

Visitation services will be held on Friday, June 7 at Bizub-Parker Funeral Home at 47 Main Street in Little Falls from 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm.  A funeral mass will be held on Saturday, June 8 at Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Roman Catholic Church at 127 Paterson Avenue in Wallington at 10:00 am, followed by interment at St. Michael’s Cemetery at 120 Saddle River Road in South Hackensack.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Oasis, a Haven for Women and Children at www.oasisnj.org. Oasis is a NJ-based charity helping mothers and their children overcome poverty so they may have an opportunity to pursue their own American dream.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Aniela "Nellie" (Bis) Surma, please visit our floral store.