Caldwell Educator Passes Away, Mourning Community Raises $48K

CALDWELL, NJ — According to her family, Caldwell resident Tina Siedler brightened up a room simply by walking into it. The experienced educator, devoted mother and loving wife was a “true friend who touched the lives of many.”

And when Siedler passed away on Jan. 19 at the age of 45, it left a hole in the hearts of many in the Essex County community.

As of Feb. 4 – in less than two weeks – a GoFundMe campaign has raised more than $48,000 from 315 people, many of whom expressed heartfelt sympathies for the bereaved. See the campaign here.

According to her obituary, Siedler was born in Teaneck, grew up in Franklin Lakes and was a resident of Hawthorne for several years before moving to Caldwell in 2004.

A graduate of Fordham University where she also served as class president and helped organize a Habitat for Humanity trip to West Virginia. She also earned master’s degrees from Hunter College and Montclair State University. She worked as a special education teacher and therapist at Stepping Stones School in Roseland and as an adjunct professor and mentor at Montclair State University.

Her family wrote that Siedler loved to volunteer her time at Lincoln School in Caldwell and as a local Girl Scout leader.

According to the GoFundMe campaign:

“Anyone who knew Tina knows that she was the life of every party and brightened up any room she walked into. Tina's life revolved around her two beautiful daughters, Ava and Leila, and her husband Bob. She was a true friend who touched the lives of many. Tina refused to give up her fight with colon cancer and courageously fought until the end. It is hard to imagine that she is no longer with us. With all of the emotional pain and stress losing a loved one brings, it also brings with its financial burdens. Tina worked as an early intervention specialist for children with special needs and was an adjunct professor at Montclair State University to help support her family. While the pain Bob and the girls feel may never truly go away, we as a community want to ease the financial stress ahead. Please do what you can to help our beautiful Tina and her family.”

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Photo: GoFundMe (a Patch promotional partner)