Lila Gutches, our loving Mom, Gram, Grammy, sister, and aunt, was born on May 21, 1929, to Melvin and Amy Marsh in Newark, New Jersey and went home to the Lord on January 18, 2023, at Care One at Wayne after a two year battle with dementia.
Lila lived in Belleville for most of her life until she and her husband Michael Gutches moved to North Fort Myers, Florida. She returned to Clifton, NJ in 2005.
Lila worked for many years as a secretary for Monsanto Industries in West Caldwell and Merck Pharmaceuticals in Bridgewater. She was a longtime Deacon, Elder, and Session Moderator of Fewsmith Memorial Presbyterian Church in Belleville.
Lila is predeceased by her parents and her husband Michael Gutches. She leaves her daughter Claire Grande and husband Nicholas, son Michael Messina and wife Antoinette, three grandchildren, Paul Grande and wife Mia Nardone-Grande, Alexis Hokke and husband John, Nicholas Messina, five great grandchildren, Gabriella, Dominique, Nicholas, and Francesca Grande, and Rallie Hokke, best friend and sister Sandra Constantino, many nieces and nephews, and former husband Michael Messina.
In lieu of flowers, donations to Fewsmith Memorial Presbyterian Church would be appreciated.
Everyone is kindly invited to meet directly at Fewsmith Memorial Presbyterian Church, Belleville Monday, January 23rd at 10am for the funeral service.
The interment will follow at Crest Haven Memorial Park, Clifton.
Visitors will be received at the funeral home on Sunday, January 22nd from 2 – 6pm.