Ellen Catherine Kukan, of Fords, passed away on January 9, 2020, at Hartwyck at Oak Tree.  She was 91.

Daughter of the late Nora Healey Venezian and Carl Venezian, she was born in Perth Amboy.  She was a graduate of Perth Amboy High School where she was a candidate for the National Honor Society and received a Senior athletic award when she was a Junior.  She also graduated from N.J. State Teachers' College at Newark (now Kean University) where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Education and Certification for General Elementary Education.  She also took graduate courses and received certification for Special Education.

Ellen taught at Edgar School in Metuchen and Washington School in Edison.  She was an ESL Lab Coordinator at Middlesex County College.  She worked most recently for the Middlesex County Educational Services Commission doing remedial teaching.  She retired in June 1998 after 30 years of teaching.

She lived in Germany for two years, employed by the U.S. Government and spent one year in Indonesia employed by Standard Vacuum Oil Company teaching children of employees.

Ellen was a member of the Metuchen Teachers' Association where she served as Secretary and was a member of the Edison Teachers' Association.  She served as Secretary to the PTA at Washington School.  She was also a member of the NEA, NJEA and MCEA.  She was also a member of St. Thomas/Bishop Ahr High School Music Boosters serving as Secretary.

She was a volunteer tutor at the new defunct State Diagnostic Center at Menlo Park and was a Brownie Girl Scout leader.

Ellen travelled extensively having been to all 50 states, 46 countries and 5 continents, living on 3 of them.  She was on the equator in two locations – Ecuador and Indonesia and completed a trip around the world.

During her younger years, she skied and played golf.  In recent years, she enjoyed line dancing.  She also enjoyed gardening and was an avid reader.

She was predeceased by her husband, Steven, and her brother, Joseph.

She is survived by two daughters, Nancy Cymerman and her husband, David, of CA and Stephanie Kukan and her husband, Jeffrey, of NYC.  She is also survived by a nephew, Joseph.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, January 12, 2020, from 2-4 and 7-9 PM at the Flynn and Son Funeral Home, 23 Ford Avenue, Fords.  Funeral Services will be on Monday, January 13, 2020 at 10 AM at the funeral home followed by a 10:30 Funeral Liturgy at Our Lady of Peace RC Church, Fords.  Interment will follow in St. James Cemetery, Woodbridge.