Myra Kurkowski

Myra Kurkowski, 78, passed away peacefully on Sunday, September 14th, 2025, surrounded by her loving family.

Born in Komory Błotne, Poland, Myra immigrated to the United States in 1959. She settled in Newark where she attended St. Casimir's School. In 1964, she married Stanley Kurkowski, and they made their home in Bound Brook, New Jersey, building a life centered on love, faith, and family.

In 1973, Myra and Stanley purchased Stan's Chitchs Cafe, where they devoted the next 50 years to serving their community. Under Myra's care, the restaurant became more than a place to eat – it was where everyone was welcomed as family. She had a gift for making every person who walked through the door feel special and loved.

Myra was renowned for her cooking, especially her traditional Polish dishes like pierogi, as well as her famous meatballs, marinara sauce, and pizza at the restaurant. No one ever left her kitchen or Chitchs hungry. Her warmth and generosity touched countless lives throughout the decades.

Her greatest joy came from her grandsons, into whom she poured endless love and wisdom. Whether cooking in her home kitchen or working at the restaurant, Myra lived her life in service to others. She was a friend to all, and a ”Babcia” (grandmother) to many.

Myra's legacy is one of kindness, compassion, and strength. She set a wonderful example for her family and everyone who knew her. Her spirit of unconditional love and her ability to make others feel valued will be deeply missed but never forgotten.

Myra carried a profound and enduring love for the natural world, finding beauty in the simplest details that others might overlook. Flowers, in particular, spoke to her soul – roses and hydrangeas most of all. To her, each bloom was more than a fleeting decoration; it was a reminder of life’s fragile yet radiant spirit, a symbol of resilience and renewal.

She also cherished cardinals, holding them close to her heart as messengers of hope, love, and the quiet assurance of something greater than ourselves. Their sudden flashes of bright red brought her comfort, a reassurance that beauty and meaning could be found even in the most ordinary of days.

What made Myra so special was the way she found joy in these simple gifts of the world. She carried that same spirit into her relationships, blessing those around her with kindness, warmth, and grace. Just as she saw the flowers and cardinals as gifts, Myra herself was a gift to us all – one whose presence reminded us to slow down, to notice, and to be grateful for life’s everyday wonders.

She was predeceased by her parents, Edmund and Jadwiga Brzuskiewicz; her husband Stanley; and her daughter Basia.

Myra leaves behind her loving daughter Renee Cote and her husband Jon; her grandsons Dylan, and Wife Kaitlyn, Tyler, and JJ; and family members here in the United States, as well as back in Poland.

Visiting hours will be held from 3-7 PM on Monday, September 22, 2025 at the Bridgewater Funeral Home, 707 E. Main Street, Bridgewater, NJ 08807. A funeral mass will be offered 10AM on Tuesday, September 23, 2025 at St. Mary's of Czestochowa Church in Bound Brook. Burial will follow at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Hillsborough. 

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