Caroline Martha Kitts Hart went to her heavenly home on July 1st.

She was born on Dec. 10, 1926, in Westmont, New Jersey to the late Jacob Boone Kitts and Cecelia Hayes Kitts.

She was predeceased by her husband Neal L. Hart and her only brother Daniel Boone Kitts. She is survived by her children Linda Hart Green (Harry Green) and John R. Hart (Melanie), four grandsons, Bryce, Marshall, Grayson and Wyatt Hart, nieces, nephews, grand nieces and nephews, and many beloved friends in both her home state of New Jersey and in Florida. She was a committed Christian throughout her life, living her faith through loving kindness, graciousness, and devotion to family, friends, and church.

Caroline and Neal were married in Westmont, NJ in 1951 and raised their children in Pennsauken, NJ where Caroline dedicated herself to providing a loving home for her family. Sunday, after church, the family enjoyed visits with her brother’s family, rides in the country to see the cows and get some ice cream, or both. Having been employed as an executive secretary in the insurance industry, she retained the ability to write in shorthand, often using it as a first draft for beautifully crafted letters to friends and loved ones. She also worked in her husband’s family jewelry store. She ran the business with the help of her good friend, Isabel Elkins, upon Neal’s sudden passing in 1989. In 1995, she sold her home and most of her possessions to move to Ramstein, Germany to play a major role in her grandsons’ lives. Living with John and Melanie for five years, she was instrumental in raising the boys. She enjoyed family trips, made commissary runs on base, and occasionally ventured by herself onto the autobahn.

Returning to the States in 2000 to live near her daughter in Ridgewood, NJ, she worked at a cafe in the public library where she enjoyed serving the library patrons, especially the children. She loved music and was particularly fond of the piano and the vocal music of the Four Tenors. As a beloved member of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Ridgewood, NJ, she served her role well as mother of the pastor for twelve years.

Caroline loved to sing. She sang alto in church choirs and in the Sweet Adeline’s, a women’s version of a barbershop chorus. She knew many songs and could quote numerous lyrics. She also loved poetry and memorized her favorite poems. She valued using proper grammar, good manners and listening more than speaking. In her later years, she enjoyed travel, but her heart’s home was always by the ocean, especially in her beloved Cape May, NJ. She loved flowers and gardening and through her passion has passed on her green thumb to her children and grandchildren. She enjoyed cooking simple healthy meals, making cookies, and sharing them, reading cookbooks, and having a cup of tea at 4:00 pm. She loved feeding backyard birds, respected nature’s beauty and bounty and believed in conserving natural resources. The word most frequently used by others to describe her was “sweet.”

Her good and gentle nature did not change as her abilities declined. She enjoyed good health for many of her long years. She believed that to have a friend, one was first to be a friend. She was true and loyal to her many friends. The family thanks all the heroes at Jane Adams House who took such good care of Caroline for the last four years.




A memorial service will be held at New Vision Congregational United Church of Christ on October 9, 2021.

Donations in her memory may be made to Barnabas Center, Inc., or Community Hospice of Northeast Florida.