Tienken, Valerie T.
Valerie Tienken, 71, of Newton, NJ passed away Monday, April 13, 2020 at Millennium Memory Care in Holmdel, NJ. She was born in Somerville, NJ. In 1969 she married Henry Tienken and together they moved to Sussex County-first to Colesville, then to Andover where they build a beautiful home in Drake Manor, and finally to Newton where they spent their final years together.
She graduated from Immaculata High School in Somerville, NJ and Nancy Taylor Secretarial School. Her career included working at Picatinny Arsenal, BASF, and Pfizer in Peapack, NJ from where she retired. Along with her husband Henry, they owned two service stations and in 1982, opened Lafayette Deli & Dairy which they owned for over a decade.
Valerie loved being near the water. She spent her summers growing up at Cozy Lake, in Oak Ridge, NJ with the “Cozy Lake Kids”. In 2015 she proudly brought her group of dear friends from the lake together again for a summer reunion which continues to this day. She also enjoyed summers down the shore with her family on Philadelphia Avenue in Lavallette, NJ.
Her home was always warm and welcoming, holiday parties and large gatherings with friends and family were common. She loved music—her favorite song was “That’s What Friends Are For”, which she requested to listen to through her final days.
Daughter of the late Mildred and Frank Lisi, she was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and a devoted friend to many. She is survived by her husband Henry N. Tienken of Newton, NJ; son Christopher H. Tienken and daughter-in-law Allison Tienken of Spring Lake, NJ; daughter Holly N. Tienken of Jersey City, NJ; brother Stephen Lisi of Loxahatchee, FL; two grandchildren, two nieces, many cousins and dear friends.
She was an incredible mother to her two children Christopher and Holly. Her husband Henry will miss her deeply, as well as all who knew and loved her. God bless Valerie.
Private services will be held Monday, April 20th at Iliff-Ruggiero Funeral home 156 Main St. (Rt. 206) Newton, NJ. A memorial service will be planned in the coming months to celebrate Valerie’s life. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research https://www.michaeljfox.org/
