Katharina Brandafi, 86, passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 19, 2018 at her home in Perth Amboy.

Born Katharina Drescher in the small farming village of Gasinci, Croatia, she lived thru World War 2 and survived imprisonment in a communist concentration camp. After regaining their freedom, she and her family immigrated to Germany. In 1961, she married Emil Brandafi, Sr, her childhood sweetheart, and immigrated to the United States. They lived in Buck's County Pennsylvania before moving to Woodbridge NJ and finally settling in Perth Amboy.

Mrs. Brandafi was employed as a seamstress, a crossing guard, a pizza maker and self employed as a residential property manager.

She was predeceased by her husband, Emil Brandafi, Sr, on April 17, 2017.

Surviving are her son, Emil Brandafi, Jr, his wife Natalia, of Matawan: two grandsons, Daniel and Alex.

Funeral services will be on Tuesday, July 24, 2018 at 8:45 a.m. from Costello-Greiner Funeral Home ( www.costello-greiner.com ), 44 Green Street in Woodbridge . A Funeral Liturgy will follow at 9:30 a.m. at the Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Assumption in Perth Amboy. Interment will be in Saint Gertrude Cemetery, Colonia. Visiting hours will be on Monday from 4:00 until 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home.

Contributions in Katharina Brandafi's memory to the American Diabetes Association (diabetes.org), P.O. Box 15829, Arlington, VA 22215 or online at http://www.diabetes.org/in-my-community/local-offices/bridgewater-new-jersey/ as an In Memory Donation would be greatly appreciated by her family.