Stunned! She and I had very similar tastes, and I always looked forward to her recommendations and opinions. Very sad. I hope her family finds peace…
OMG, no! I met her ‘in real life’ a few times when I was in NJ visiting old friends. This is so very sad. I liked her a lot.
Sorry to hear this sad news. Condolences to her family and friends. Thanks for sharing, Mary13.
As the self-proclaimed “curmudgeon” of our book club, NJTheatreMOM did her best to hold us to a higher literary standard. She always pushed us to challenge ourselves, and to think critically about whatever we read. I will never notice another anachronism without thinking of her!
When our conversations turned personal, as they inevitably do at some point during discussion, NJTM showed a keen interest in all our lives–ever kind and supportive.
She loved one of our recent selections, John Steinbeck’s classic East of Eden.
This comment of hers is particularly bittersweet:
I like to think she’s joyfully hearing that voice right now.
So sorry to hear this. NJTheatreMOM sent me a message when I posted something about my D’s acceptance to an MFA theater program. It turned out that her son lived in the same city as my daughter and both were actors. We had a very nice exchange about our children and their passion for theater.
I was saddened to learn of her passing in the Parents Cafe. I always enjoyed NJTheatremom’s posts. They were insightful, informative, and very giving. I feel so badly for her family.
Thanks for posting this @alwaysamom. She was such a smart, witty, generous woman who fiercely loved her sons, and was their biggest fan. She had many wise, informative, supportive comments here at CC over the years. I so enjoyed each time I met her over the years in ‘real life’, and am just really sad about her loss.
That is so sad. 
Thank you for letting us know.
Oh no, so sad, I remember her posts very well.
I know that not all of you participate in the Parents’ Café forum but I wanted you to know that NJTheatreMom passed away suddenly on Thursday. She was a longtime member here who shared her son’s experiences in the theatre program at Boston University, generously. I had met her ‘in real life’ a few times when I was down in NJ visiting old friends. She was a warm, funny, incredibly smart, shy woman. I’m happy to have known her and so sorry for her family. Live each and every day.
I will miss our point-counterpoint posts. NJTM and I didn’t always reach an accord (though we did often enough) on how we felt about the book under discussion - and what a good thing that was. Can you imagine how dull a discussion would be if everyone felt the same way?
Over the years, I found myself sending NJTM a private message every so often when I ran across a book I thought she’d like. She often followed up on the suggestion and let me know she had read and liked the book.
How incredibly sad to think that she’s gone. Her last posts re our upcoming CC Book Club choice - The Stranger and The Meursault Investigation contained such enthusiasm.
May the sadness of her loved ones abate in the future and joyful memories crop up unexpectedly in their days. I always think of those times as our deceased reaching out to us with love and reminding us that while they may be gone their imprint on our lives remains forever.
How very sad–condolences to the family at this challenging time.
I am so very sorry to hear this news. NJTM had a strong, steady, and brilliant voice here. I loved how she would read books over to make sure she could contribute fully, and she never disappointed, enriching us with her enthusiasm and insight. My heart is heavy.
I am so sorry to learn this. I knew NJTheaterMom from the theater board here at CC and we shared emails about our kids. She was incredibly generous with her knowledge and experience, and very, very proud of her children. I owed her an email and now so wish I had kept up my side of the correspondence better. Thoughts to her family and other loved ones.
Njtheatremom’s son, the one who donated his kidney to her last fall has posted request on Facebook. If anyone would like a way to remember njtjeatermom this may be a nice option.
How very sad! I have always found her to be a lovely, thoughtful member of CC. Condolences to her family.
To expand on SouthJerseyChessMom’s post #34: NJTheatreMOM’s son has set up a GoFundMe page for burial costs and other related expenses. If you’re interested in the link, PM me.
I am very saddened to hear of the passing of NJTheatreMOM. Her book club posts were always thoughtful and always added depth to our discussions.