Edna Huesmann, long time member of the Rutherford community, passed away peacefully on
December 29, 2023, in the company of her family and friends.
Edna was born on June 6, 1930, in Grand Forks, ND and grew up on the Demeyere family farm in
Warren, Minnesota. She moved to NJ in 1947 where she was employed as a governess for the J&J
Johnson Family. On October 22, 1950, she married Peter Huesmann of Rutherford where they enjoyed
their life together for 60 years until Peter passed in 2011.
The following are a few of the Edna’s activities during her lifetime in Rutherford.
Edna was a very active member of the community. As a member of the Republican Party, she served as
Municipal Chair of the Rutherford County Committee, County Committee person in District 2 in
Rutherford for 52 years, and member of the Bergen County Republican Women’s Club where she served
as Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer and Vice President. In 2013, Edna was presented with “The Lucy
Gorant Outstanding Republican Woman Award” at the Ninetieth Annual Meeting and Luncheon of the
Bergen County Women’s Republican Club.
She has also served as a Liaison for Rutherford St John’s Lutheran Church (active member throughout
her life in Rutherford) to the Senior Kip Center. She was appointed to the Rutherford Historic
Commission in April 1998 where she updated the specs for the Historic Site Survey Book, provided the
Commission with computerized records and was the Hospitality Chairman for the Commission’s Houses
of Worship Lecture Series. She was also active on the Rutherford Taxpayers Committee where she
served as second Vice President. Edna participated with the Rutherford Adult School and served as the
president of the advisory committee as well as taught knitting and sewing. She also was a sewing
instructor and personally taught “Stretch and Sew” classes in the 70’s.
Edna was an avid knitter her entire life in Rutherford and participated in many knitting groups going
back as far as the 1950s to a knitting group that met routinely in the basement of Drucker’s Department
Store on Station Square.
Edna loved sports and competed in Rutherford tennis tournaments in singles and doubles and gave
tennis lessons until she could no longer physically play. She was an avid Mets fan from as far back as the
60’s to the present day.Edna worked in quality control at Liz Claiborne for many years which was followed by working as a
secretary for the County Freeholder Office
Edna is survived by her daughter Karen Mills (nee Huesmann), Son Peter L. Huesmann and his wife
Norma (nee Llaver), her grandchildren Kimberly Mills, Paul Justin Mills, Marlena Moersdorf (nee
Huesmann) and Husband Steven, Kirstin Shilkitus (nee Huesmann) and Husband Daniel, and Great
Grandchildren Caitlin Moersdorf and Frederick, Patrick and Anna Shilkitus.
Edna is also survived by her siblings Stanley Demeyere, Arthur Demeyere, Rosie Rosten (nee Demeyere),
Margaret Ulrich (nee Demeyere), Caroline Bohach (nee Demeyere) and Susan Carlson (nee Demeyere).
She is preceded in death by her husband Peter Huesmann, mother Martha Demeyere (nee Schiewe),
Father Julius Klause, Son-in-Law Paul Mills and siblings Russell Demeyere, Henry Klause, Leonard Klause,
Frieda Demeyere, Ida Demeyere and Violet Demeyere.
Family and Friends will be received on Thursday January 4th 4-8 PM at the Calhoun Mania Funeral Home,
19 Lincoln Ave., Rutherford. Funeral Services will be held Friday January 5th at 10:00 AM at St. John's
Lutheran Church, 145 Mortimer Avenue, Rutherford Nj. For more information or condolences go to
www.calhounmaniafuneralhome.com