Obituary for Kathleen D. Bissell (Di Cioccio) MD
In Loving Memory of Kathleen D. Bissell, M.D., Vanguard of Women's Rights
Kathleen D. Bissell, M.D., 83, lifelong resident of Nutley, passed away Sunday, September 20, 2020. Dr. Bissell, a first generation Italian-American, enjoyed her childhood roller skating outdoors and reading comics at her family's corner store, Mecha's, on Bloomfield Ave near Harrison St. She was an editor of the Nutley High School newspaper and a member of the Night Owls social group graduating in 1955 having received the first UNICO National Academic Scholarship. Uncommon for Italian-American women of the time, Dr. Bissell attended college out-of-state at The University of Rochester graduating in 1959 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology. Having been accepted to many medical programs, she chose to attend Seton Hall Medical School to return closer to family. Dr. Bissell graduated SHMS in 1963 with her degree in Medicine, completing her residency in 1967 and becoming Board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1970.
Dr. Bissell's career spanned nearly 30 years. She became the first female OB-GYN to operate a medical practice in Nutley. She was granted admitting privileges at Clara Maas Memorial Hospital in Belleville, NJ, now Clara Maas Medical Center, a part of Barnabas Health Medical Group and Mountainside Hospital in Montclair, NJ. Dr. Bissell later became Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Clara Maas. Loved by her patients for her caring and straightforward counsel, rarely could she venture out in public without being engaged with updates and photos of children she delivered. Halloween was a favorite holiday handing out candy bars to patients' children.
Dr. Bissell was civic minded volunteering for The Nutley-Belleville Columbus Day Parade Committee becoming Italian American Woman of the Year in 2005 and was an active member of the Nutley Township Board of Adjustment for many years. She enjoyed opera, routinely attended performances at Lincoln Center and was a member of several womens' rights organizations,
Dr. Bissell and her husband, Gerald, were married for over 57 years. During their retirement, they enjoyed traveling to Europe. Splitting their time between Florida and New Jersey, Dr. Bissell, an avid vegetable gardener, each year would start her heirloom seeds in FL transporting them to NJ for planting. When not in her garden, Dr. Bissell would often be found rooting for her grandchildren at one of their ball games.
She is survived by her beloved husband, Gerald N. Bissell; her children, James D. Bissell and Dominique M. Bissell; 2 grandchildren, Helyna and Gerald; sister, Frances Capalbo; and nieces, Karen Lombardi and Lynn Fanelli.
The funeral will be Saturday September 26th at 8:30am from the S.W. Brown & Son Funeral Home, (www.swbrownandson.com), 267 Centre St., Nutley.
The funeral Mass will be celebrated at Holy Family Church in Nutley at 9:30am.
The interment will follow at Glendale Cemetery in Bloomfield.
Visitors will be received at the funeral home on Friday September 25th from 4-8pm.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to Special Young Adults, 83 Franklin Avenue Nutley, NJ would be appreciated.
Please keep in mind of all social distancing rules. In order to enter the premises, you must have and wear a mask. Only 55 people are allowed within the premises at any given time, so please be mindful of your time spent paying your respects so that others will be able to do so as well.
Kathleen D. Bissell, M.D., 83, lifelong resident of Nutley, passed away Sunday, September 20, 2020. Dr. Bissell, a first generation Italian-American, enjoyed her childhood roller skating outdoors and reading comics at her family's corner store, Mecha's, on Bloomfield Ave near Harrison St. She was an editor of the Nutley High School newspaper and a member of the Night Owls social group graduating in 1955 having received the first UNICO National Academic Scholarship. Uncommon for Italian-American women of the time, Dr. Bissell attended college out-of-state at The University of Rochester graduating in 1959 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology. Having been accepted to many medical programs, she chose to attend Seton Hall Medical School to return closer to family. Dr. Bissell graduated SHMS in 1963 with her degree in Medicine, completing her residency in 1967 and becoming Board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1970.
Dr. Bissell's career spanned nearly 30 years. She became the first female OB-GYN to operate a medical practice in Nutley. She was granted admitting privileges at Clara Maas Memorial Hospital in Belleville, NJ, now Clara Maas Medical Center, a part of Barnabas Health Medical Group and Mountainside Hospital in Montclair, NJ. Dr. Bissell later became Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Clara Maas. Loved by her patients for her caring and straightforward counsel, rarely could she venture out in public without being engaged with updates and photos of children she delivered. Halloween was a favorite holiday handing out candy bars to patients' children.
Dr. Bissell was civic minded volunteering for The Nutley-Belleville Columbus Day Parade Committee becoming Italian American Woman of the Year in 2005 and was an active member of the Nutley Township Board of Adjustment for many years. She enjoyed opera, routinely attended performances at Lincoln Center and was a member of several womens' rights organizations,
Dr. Bissell and her husband, Gerald, were married for over 57 years. During their retirement, they enjoyed traveling to Europe. Splitting their time between Florida and New Jersey, Dr. Bissell, an avid vegetable gardener, each year would start her heirloom seeds in FL transporting them to NJ for planting. When not in her garden, Dr. Bissell would often be found rooting for her grandchildren at one of their ball games.
She is survived by her beloved husband, Gerald N. Bissell; her children, James D. Bissell and Dominique M. Bissell; 2 grandchildren, Helyna and Gerald; sister, Frances Capalbo; and nieces, Karen Lombardi and Lynn Fanelli.
The funeral will be Saturday September 26th at 8:30am from the S.W. Brown & Son Funeral Home, (www.swbrownandson.com), 267 Centre St., Nutley.
The funeral Mass will be celebrated at Holy Family Church in Nutley at 9:30am.
The interment will follow at Glendale Cemetery in Bloomfield.
Visitors will be received at the funeral home on Friday September 25th from 4-8pm.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to Special Young Adults, 83 Franklin Avenue Nutley, NJ would be appreciated.
Please keep in mind of all social distancing rules. In order to enter the premises, you must have and wear a mask. Only 55 people are allowed within the premises at any given time, so please be mindful of your time spent paying your respects so that others will be able to do so as well.