Felix A. Rendina, age 93, of Wayne, passed away on Thursday, April 28, 2022.

The eighth child of Nicola and Maria (Corrado) Rendina’s ten children, Felix was born and raised in Paterson.

Following graduation from Eastside High School with the Class of 1947, Felix served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He was assigned to the Special Category of the Army with the Air Force (SCARWAF) in the Aviation Battalion. He served in Germany while his brother Nick concurrently served in Korea. This was standard operating procedure for U.S. forces in the effort to alleviate the chances that a family would potentially lose two children in the same battle. Felix served proudly and, upon his return to civilian life, he soon joined Paterson’s Riverside Veterans where he remained a faithful member throughout his life.

While in Germany, Felix attended school where he learned the carpentry trade. It would become his life’s occupation. Upon returning from military service, he got a job as a union carpenter with Carpenters’ and Millwrights’ Local 124, in Totowa. He worked his whole career in the trade until retirement in 1990 and was involved in notable projects including the construction of Willowbrook Mall and Wayne Valley High School as well as the building of many of the overpasses on Route 80 and also the restoration of the historical Rogers Mill in Paterson which today is a museum.

In 1963, just after returning home from the war, Felix met a young lady named Elaine Fiorillo. It was a blind date, set up by Felix’s sister who worked for Dr. Bonjiorno and Elaine’s mother Rose who was a patient of Dr. Bonjiorno. The date consisted of a movie and then a trip into New York City for a bit of dancing in the Hawaiian Room at the Hotel Lexington. Elaine got a great impression of Felix and, from that day on, his phone never stopped ringing! Eventually Felix proposed marriage to Elaine at her parent’s home and a short time later, on Sunday, September 27, 1964, the loving couple married at St. Gerard’s Church in Paterson. After a reception at the Rustic Lodge on Route 46 and a honeymoon in Florida at the Hotel Carillon, Mr. and Mrs. Rendina settled into their first home together which they purchased on 264 Sherwood Avenue in the Hillcrest section of Paterson. They remained in that home where they raised their two daughters, Maria and Lisa, until 1998 when they moved to Wayne.

Felix’s profession came in handy at home too. He used his skills to make beautiful curio cabinets in the house on Sherwood Ave. Of course, when family and friends came to visit, they admired the craftsmanship and soon Felix was getting requests for cabinets from many of those visitors. He made other furniture like a coffee table, he and Elaine’s head and footboard for their bed, and he surprised each of his four granddaughters with a custom made rocking horse. In his spare time Felix enjoyed summer evenings on his porch to look at the stars while strumming on his guitar. He also played a lot of golf at the Preakness Valley Golf Course and loved the game so much that he frequented LPGA and PGA golf tournaments. His love of golf was matched closely by his love of baseball and the New York Yankees were always his team. He was even watching the game on the night of his passing.  

Felix was a truly family-oriented father who did his best to teach his daughters good old-fashioned values like the virtue of hard work and doing your best. As a young family, his daughters loved the Friday night tradition when Felix took them out for a night at the Willowbrook Mall. It was especially special because they could usually count on an ice cream treat and coming home with a 45 record from a store called Harmony Hut with a recording from one of their favorite artists to play on the family record player. As the girls grew older, the tradition changed a bit. While Elaine and the girls would head to the mall for a day of shopping, Felix would hit the golf course. Retirement afforded even more free time and Felix and Elaine enjoyed some wonderful times traveling together with highlights being trips to Florida, some luxury cruises, and a visit to the Smokey Mountains where they got to see the luxurious Biltmore estate. Of course, there were also many good times spent as an ever expanding family, now with the blessing of four beautiful granddaughters, down the shore at Wildwood Crest and Long Beach Island (LBI). These shore trips were another special summer tradition that dated back to when Felix and Elaine were raising their own family and they continued to the present.

Felix was a faithful parishioner of Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary R.C. Church in Wayne. His faith in God was foundational in his life and it guided him in how he lived and treated others. One of his favorite ministries to support was the Salesian Sisters of North Haledon. Although a relatively quiet man, he easily made friends with strangers and was loved by everyone he met.

Felix was the beloved husband of Elaine (nee Fiorillo), blessed in marriage 52 years until her passing in 2017; loving father of Maria (Sal) Rafanelli of Wayne, and Lisa Rendina (Potter Earle) of Churchville, PA; cherished grandfather of Danielle, Gianna, Celeste, and Maggie; dear uncle of numerous nieces and nephews. Felix was predeceased by all nine of his siblings including: Francis Rendina, Vivian Van Lenten, Peter Rendina, Teresa Richman, Angelina Pezzuti, Mary Smith, Nick Rendina, Joseph Rendina, and Anna Ferraro.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Felix’s name are asked to consider Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, KS 66675-8516.

Carole Helena Hook (nee Walther), age 78, of Toms River and formerly of Wayne passed away peacefully on Tuesday April 26, 2022 while receiving the loving care of her family.

Carole was born and raised in East Rutherford, NJ and was one of four children to John and Edna Walther.  While attending East Rutherford High School, Carole was a Majorette and graduated with the class of 1961.  Following her graduation from high school, Carole found work quickly as a Bookkeeper and Secretary locally at ADP.  After working with ADP for a short time she accepted another position as a Salesperson with Venus Creations Jewelry located in Little Falls.  Carole then reverted back to her skills as a Bookkeeper/Secretary and accepted an offer to work for Van Peenen Landscaping and Construction located in the Town of Wayne.  Carole worked for Van Peenen Landscaping and Construction for more than ten years when she changed careers again to work for North Jersey Media Group in West Paterson.  There she was employed in the newspaper industry as a Sales Representative.  After working with North Jersey Media Group for more than ten years she eventually retired.

In 1964, Carole married John Hook and together they had four children.  After getting married they first settled in East Rutherford then in 1974, as their family grew, they moved to the town of Wayne.  Carole remained in Wayne until 1995 when she started to move around a bit.  She lived for a time in Lincoln Park, Riverdale, and North Carolina, until moving to Toms River approximately eight years ago.

Carole was a person who was extremely neat and wonderfully organized.  In her home, there was always a place for everything and everything in its place.  She took great pride in her home and cherished decorating for the holidays.  Christmas time was always “over the top” in décor and often seemed as if the house had been completely renovated.  Easter was not much different.  Carole treasured having guests over and hosting the holidays. She was a wonderful cook and was famous for her Christmas Cookies.  Her family recalls rows of the old Charles Chips tin containers filled with her Christmas cookies.  She would start her Christmas cookie baking on Thanksgiving and wouldn’t stop until the end of the holiday season.

Carole cherished spending time and having lunch with her friends and neighbors where she lived.  She also had a profound love for music, her favorite artists being Engelbert Humperdinck, Neil Diamond, and Johnny Mathis.  But Carole’s greatest passion was for her family.  Nothing in the world meant more to Carole than providing for and spending time with her children and grandchildren.    

Carole was a joyful and fun-loving person who liked to joke around with everyone she met.  She had an infectious personality that brought a smile to the faces of everyone around her.  Carole was a truly special person who touched the lives of many people and will be sincerely missed by everyone that knew her.

Carole is survived by her four children; her two sons John “Jeff” Hook of Lakewood Ranch, FL, and Darren Hook, Sr. and his wife Luz Helena of Toms River, NJ, her two daughters Shawna Huntting and her husband William of Stratford, CT, and Dina Hook of Wanaque, NJ,  two sisters; Joyce Levins of Illinois, and Lynn Rzepka of Walworth, NY, nine grandchildren; Kayla Hook of Morris Plains, NJ, Joseph Hook of New Hampshire, Courtney Hook of Toms River, NJ, John Hook of Toms River, NJ, Angelica Hook of Toms River, NJ, Darren Hook, Jr. of Toms River, NJ, Greyson Hook of Wanaque, NJ, William Huntting of Stratford, CT, and Addison Huntting of Stratford, CT.  Carole was predeceased by her sister Patricia Walther an her parents John and Edna Walther.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Carole's name may be made to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial Processing, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 – 9959 http://www.stjude.org

John A. Russo, age 96 of West Palm Beach, Florida and formerly of Wayne, New Jersey passed away on Sunday, April 24, 2022.

He was born in Casa del Conte, Italy to Pasquale and Angelina Russo. John was raised there until his father, who had immigrated to the United States and settled in Paterson, NJ called for him.  At the age of fourteen he was placed into steerage for the thirty day journey across the ocean.  His father picked him up in New York City and he too settled into life in Paterson.  He graduated from School #10 in Paterson and that is where he met his future wife Frances Eleanor Farnese as she was his best friend’s sister.

John served in the US Army during WWII from November 18, 1943 through April 10, 1946.  He served in the Ardennes (Battle of the Bulge), Central Europe, and Rhineland having received the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal before being honorably discharged as a Private First Class.

John married his sweetheart Frances Farnese on October 26, 1947 at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Paterson and honeymooned at Niagara Falls, New York. John and Frances started their family in Paterson and moved to Wayne where they raised their three children. They had a loving and devoted marriage of 71 years before Frances’ passing in 2018.  Their marriage was blessed with three children Angela, Joanne, and John.

John’s first job was working at a local dry cleaners in Paterson.  He founded Russo Brothers Contracting Company Inc., a drywall company in Paterson. John officially retired in 1979 and moved to North Palm Beach, Florida.  

Locally John gave back to his community and was a member of the Knights of Columbus and UNICO. He was an avid golfer and for many years he bowled in the leagues at T-Bowl Lanes in Wayne. Family trips to Wildwood, Coney Island, and Florida- so he could golf- where many fond family memories were made.  He will be remembered for doing what he wanted, when he wanted, and living life to the fullest.  He was truly blessed to have a great life.

John was the loving husband of Frances (Farnese) Russo (d. 2018); loving father of Angela Scelba and her husband Charles of Totowa, Joanne Jablonski and her husband William of Palm Beach Gardens, FL, and John P. Russo and his wife Kathleen also of Palm Beach Gardens, FL; he was the cherished grandfather of Marsha Jablonski, Anthony Scelba and his wife Lynn, Melissa Sun, Ariana Adamo and her husband Thomas, John P. Russo and his wife Lisa, Jennifer Taylor and her husband Carl; he was the dearly loved great-grandfather of Nicholas, Evan, Ben, Dominic, Aiden, Damian, Christian, Austin, Jonas, Eve, and Lilly Rose; he was the loved brother of Maria Giannella and her husband Fred, and the late Attillio Russo and the late Ralph Russo. John will be dearly missed by many loving nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Willeine L. Walsh (nee Lee; Ling Su Lee), age 83, died peacefully on Thursday, April 21, 2022 in her hometown of Jefferson at Lakeside Retirement Home.  She is now in Heaven knowing Jesus as her personal Savior.  Her family is grateful for the countless lives Willeine (Mimi, Mom, Ling, Dear) has touched over the years.  Family, friends, church attendees, and her community have been blessed by her presence, her encouragement, and her deeds.

Growing up, Willeine’s parents enjoyed dancing, cooking and entertaining.  Her mother and father (conversant in English and Chinese) hosted many gatherings where Willeine and her older sister helped serve and greet attendees.  Willeine would especially note that her parents hosted the Chinese Naval Officers as the Chinese Navy trained with the US Navy in 1944 at the Philadelphia Naval Base.  As a young girl, this is where Willeine started her love for helping others, preparing meals, and general hospitality.

Willeine grew up in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas.  She attended Upper Darby High School where she played basketball and was Head Majorette. She graduated in 1956 and was married a year later to the love of her life, Norman (Norm) Walsh.  They were married for 64 years and have four children.

In 1961, they moved their family to Milton, New Jersey (Jefferson Township, Oak Ridge) due to Norman’s work transfer in helping to open up the newly built State Farm Northeastern Regional Office in Wayne, NJ.  A few years later, she worked as a part-time waitress at Jorgenson’s Inn on Route 23 in West Milford and at The Original Rudy’s on Berkshire Valley Road in Jefferson.  As her children grew up and became involved in boy scouts, girl scouts and sports, Willeine stepped up and became a Boy Scout Den Mother for Troop 51 and a Girl Scout Mother, and drove her kids to and from sporting events.

In 1973, Willeine joined the Milton First Aid Squad.  She served for 25 years and became a Life Member. In the 1970’s and 1980’s she helped orchestrate many Christian youth camping events at Stokes State Forest, Johnsonburg, Mt. Paul in Jefferson, and the St. Paul Abbey in Newton.  She was an active member at Oak Ridge Presbyterian Church from 1961-1977, Green Pond Bible Chapel from 1977-1993, and Lafayette Federated from 1993-2022.  She served as a youth group leader, couples club leader, and a care group leader.  She also helped organize many church weddings and prepared food for them.  And, for many years, she volunteered at church turning fresh cut flowers into arrangements each Sunday to supply the pulpit weekly.

Willeine and Norm were able to enjoy 20+ years of retirement together and with their large extended family. She enjoyed playing thousands of games of Backgammon and Mah Jong (especially when she beat Norm).   Since the 1990’s they made dozens more close friends while vacationing in Puerto Rico, Florida and most dear to their hearts, Aruba.

Willeine will always be remembered by her true love, Norm of Milton, NJ; and with love from her four children; John Walsh and his wife Karin of Sparta, Ken Walsh and his wife Cathy of Rockaway, Janet Tanis and her husband Tom of Oak Ridge, and Tom Walsh and his wife Laura of Mechanicsville, VA; her sixteen grandchildren, nineteen great-grandchildren; her Aunt Alice "Ying" Chang of Hawaii. and many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins and dear friends.

She was predeceased by her father William F. Lee in 1997, by her mother Madeleine Chung Lee in 2021, by her brother William, Jr. who died as an infant, and by her sister Doris "Ping" Ching of Hawaii, who died in 2004.

Willeine will be greatly missed by all.  In lieu of flowers, donations to the Milton First Aid Squad would be greatly appreciated:  Milton First Aid Squad, 45 Milton Road, Oak Ridge, NJ 07438 or online at Milton First Aid Squad - In Memory of Willeine Walsh  -  Thank you!

Carmine Colombo, age 79, of East Windsor, NJ passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 19, 2022.

Carmine was born in NY and was the older of two children to Frank and Mary Colombo.  Carmine spent his formative years living in Brooklyn, NY.  While attending the William E. Grady Career and Technical Education School in Brooklyn, Carmine studied the trade of Electricians.  While at Grady Technical School he also played trumpet and participated in many of the school’s musical ensembles.

Following his graduation from high school with the class of 1960, Carmine found work quickly.  He accepted a position at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.  There he was hired as an electrician and was able to utilize the skills he had learned in Grady High School.  Concurrent to Carmine’s employment at the Port Authority, he attended night courses at Adelphi Academy of Brooklyn where he earned his Bachelor of Science Degree.  Through the years, Carmine climbed up the corporate ranks achieving the title of Electrical Supervisor at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, NY.  This was a position he held until his retirement in 1995.  Carmine’s impressive career with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey spanned thirty-five years.  

In 1961 Carmine was introduced to an attractive young lady by the name of Rose D’Amato by some mutual friends.  Rose and Carmine went out on a blind date and hit it off great.  The couple dated for two or three years and as fate would have it they fell in love and became husband and wife at St Mary Star of the Sea Church in Brooklyn on September 21, 1963.  After getting married, the newlyweds settled in Long Island, NY for about a year then moved back to their hometown of Brooklyn.  Rose and Carmine only lived in Brooklyn for another year but while residing there they welcomed the birth of their only daughter Jennifer.  Shortly after their daughter was born the family moved to Staten Island where they remained for the next thirty years until they moved to East Windsor, NJ about ten years ago.

Carmine enjoyed playing golf and was a fan of the New York Jets during the days of Joe Namath.  For more than thirty years Carmine and his family owned a timeshare on the island of Aruba where they would vacation yearly and built a lifetime of wonderful family memories.  They also owned a summer home in a small neighborhood in Queens known as Breezy Point.  There, Carmine and his family would spend their summers and Carmine would grow the biggest and best tomatoes.  While living in Staten Island Carmine and his family were parishioners of Our Lady Star of the Sea Church for many years.  Aside from all of Carmine’s talents, hobbies and interests, his greatest passion was for his family.  Nothing in the world meant more to Carmine than spending time and providing for his family.  He was a devoted father and a truly wonderful grandfather, always treasuring his time spent with his grandson, Ryan.  He and his beloved wife Rose cherished nearly fifty-nine years of loving and loyal marriage together.  

Carmine was the kind of guy who lived life on his own terms.  His presence was always felt when he entered a room and his infectious personality always brought a smile to the people around him.  He was a truly special person and touched the lives of everyone he met.   He will be sincerely missed by his family and friends.

Carmine is survived by his wife Rose (nee D’Amato) of East Windsor, NJ, his daughter Jennifer Kelly and her husband Neil of Wayne, NJ, one grandson Ryan Kelly of Wayne, NJ, one sister Rosalie Jianetto and her husband Joseph of Staten Island and their three children, Lisa, Stephanie, and Joseph, and many other loving extended family members.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Carmine’s name may be made to Vietnam Veterans of America, 8719 Colesville Rd, Suite 100, Silver Spring, MD 20910, http://www.vva.org or St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial Processing, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 – 9959 http://www.stjude.org

Thomas Joseph Mesce, age 72, of Wayne, passed away on Sunday, April 17, 2022.

The oldest of Italian immigrant parents Ralph and Lucy (Botta) Mesce’s two sons, Tom was born and raised in Newark, NJ where he attended Essex Catholic High School and graduated with the Class of 1968. From high school Tom set right off for Essex County College then St. Gregory’s College in Shawnee, Oklahoma and ultimately graduated with his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma.

Tom was an entrepreneurial professional in real estate and finance. He started working for Gerber Somma in the early 1980’s then, with two partners, he opened PVT Realty in the early 1990’s. In 1996, he went solo with the launching of Mesce Associates. In addition he established his First Laridian Mortgage Company and other businesses in the field of finance.

One night, while out at Joey Harrisons Bar on Van Houten Ave in Clifton, he spotted a young lady named Carol Pelak from across the room. Struck by her beauty, he couldn’t resist going to introduce himself. He soon realized that along with being beautiful, Carol was also gentle and kind. He asked her out and their first official date was to see the movie Young Frankenstein. They had a nice enough time on that date to warrant another, and then another until ultimately falling in love. They married on Sunday, July 20, 1980 at St. Andrews Church in Clifton. After a reception at the Robin Hood Inn in Clifton, they honeymooned in Acapulco. Upon their return, they started married life as husband and wife in an apartment in the Ridgefield Village in Clifton. From there they moved to their first home at 222 Union Ave in Clifton, then to 18 Montgomery Street in Clifton where they welcomed their firstborn, a baby girl which they named Alissa. In 1987 they moved one last time to their present home in Wayne where they welcomed two sons, first Vincent and then Nicholas.

There’s no doubt that one of Tom’s most greatly enjoyed pastimes was that which he did fulltime. He simply loved everything about the real estate, mortgage and land development business. He loved playing with numbers and the thrill of what he described as “a score.” Even on the day of his passing away, he was talking about some present business dealings! He was proud of his accomplishments, especially the cottages he developed in Eleuthera, Bahamas. Of course, a certain amount of stress is the close brother of any worthy endeavor in life and Tom was no exception to experiencing stress. Fortunately for Tom, way back in college, he learned how to manage that stress when he had the good fortune of meeting Master George Ing, a martial arts instructor. He started training and continued throughout the rest of his life. In the last 35 plus years, he was studying under Sifu Vizzio, a respected individual in the world of feather light kick boxing. He studied martial arts three to four times a week. It helped him relax. He was much more enamored by the form aspect than the fighting aspect. In fact, Tom won lots of awards over the years for his mastery of form. He also found relaxation in listening to music, especially the sounds of Frank Sinatra, the whole Rat Pack, Frankie Valley and the Four Seasons, and any good Doo-Wop playlist.

Needless to say, being that Tom was involved in real estate and development, it’s no surprise that he also loved to dabble in a bit of travel. His favorite places were at his house down the shore in Point Pleasant Boro, his cottages in Eleuthera, Bahamans, and trips to see his family in Italy. Down the shore was a great place to enjoy the sun and surf and to go crabbing. When going to Italy, he loved to visit the places of his ancestors including Aquillonia and Paterno. He was always very proud of his Italian heritage and loved making Italian tomato sauce from the recipe that was handed down to him by his Italian immigrant parents. He considered himself an aficionado of fine foods – especially Italian food. Consequently, he had a penchant for driving his family a little bit crazy with his insistence that Italian cheese needed to be purchased from one place, Italian bread from another, and Italian pasta, etc., from yet another store. He had them running all over the place to put together the perfect Italian dinner!

Despite driving them a little bit crazy at times, there is no doubt that Tom loved his family very much and would do anything for them. Looking back, his younger brother Ralph recalls a fun memory when he and Tom were in their early twenties and Tom helped Ralph to quit smoking by taking him on a trip to Mardi Gras and to Arkansas to go on a 75 mile canoe trip down the Buffalo River. The river trip proved to be quite memorable in that Tom failed to get a waterproof tent. Of course there was a huge rain and lightning storm which forced them to sleep in soaked sleeping bags in a soaked tent. If that wasn’t enough for Ralph to deal with along with his nicotine withdrawal, a wild bear showed up while they were sleeping soaked and wet and began licking their cooking pans right outside the tent. From there the bear headed for their canoe and ate all their food. The gas lamp mantles deteriorating rendering their source of light useless almost put Ralph over the edge but he made it through the trip and the good news is that, while all that stress should have driven Ralph right back to smoking, he actually did end up quitting for good and he acknowledges that he owes all the credit to his big brother Tom. Tom was Papa to his three grandchildren, Alivia, Andréa, and Angelo and he considered them to be the best little people in his life. He loved to tease them and make them laugh and smile.

Tom will be remembered for a lot of things. He was relentlessly tenacious and he pursued whatever he went after with unshakeable vigor. He was no-nonsense himself and he would take no nonsense from anyone. If need be, he’d take on ten bad actors at once to set things right. Informed by his Catholic faith and a parishioner of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Wayne, Tom was generous to a fault. When he saw a need, he was glad to take care of a friend, or even a stranger down on their luck. His departure from this life leaves a hole that can’t be filled but his family is grateful for his love and his

Tom was the beloved husband of Carol (Pelak) Mesce, blessed in marriage for 41 years. He was the loving father of Alissa Ofmani and husband Joseph of Wayne, Vincent Mesce of Wayne, and Nicholas Mesce of Grants Pass, Oregon; best Papa of Alivia, Andréa, and Angelo; dearest son of the his late parents Ralph and Lucy (Botta) Mesce; dear older brother of Ralph Mesce and wife Terry of Millstone, NJ; dear uncle of Cassandra Quarantello and husband Greg and Gabriel Mesce; dear nephew of: Mike Mesce and his late wife Louise, Phyllis Karne and her late husband John, Anthony Mesce and his wife Aggie, Mary Wilson and her late husband John, the late Albert Canarelli and his wife Olivia, the late Ida Kalmeta and her late husband Emelio, and the late Diana DiPascale and her late husband Anthony. He is also survived by many cousins and close friends.

Those planning an expression of sympathy in Tom’s name are asked to consider:
Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, 230 East Ohio Street, Suite 500 Chicago, Illinois 60611
or
Cystinosis Foundation of New Jersey, 138 Donato Drive, Little Falls, New Jersey 07424

Charles “Ed” Brino, age 88 of Wayne, died on Friday, April 15, 2022. He had lived in Wayne for fifty-eight years before recently moving to Butler.

Ed’s early career began with Combustion Engineering, Inc. in New York City, and Federal Pacific Electric in New Jersey. Several years later, Ed and several colleagues acquired Cornell Dubilier Electronics from Federal Pacific, becoming Vice President and Treasurer of the company. He retired in 1999 after nearly forty years with Cornell Dubilier.

Ed was raised in Paterson, NJ, growing up right around the corner from the Guernsey Crest Ice Cream shop, where he scooped ice cream as a kid. He really enjoyed his childhood in Paterson, and maintained friendships with many of his childhood buddies throughout his lifetime. Ed went on to graduate from Eastside High School with the class of 1951 and later earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Seton Hall University. He was drafted into the U.S. Army during his employment at Combustion and was stationed at the Pentagon throughout his time in the service. After being discharged from the Army, he returned to his job at Combustion Engineering, Inc. in New York City. It was here that he met Rosalie Barguik from the Bronx, and he asked her out on a date. She was reluctant at first, but after a very, very long first date, they fell in love with each other. Their romance progressed quickly and they were engaged within months, and decided to have a Christmas wedding that same year.  After exchanging vows on December 10, 1960, they honeymooned to Miami and then moved to Fair Lawn. By 1963, they found a new home in Wayne where they lived and raised their family for the next fifty-eight years. Ed and Rosalie have been attached at the hip since they married, and Ed would often say to her; “we’re in this together.” Rosalie describes their years together as “perfect” and a story of true love. They were blessed to have traveled extensively together, visiting Japan, Europe, California, Hawaii, Mexico, Germany and many more destinations. He was devoted to Rosalie, and she will miss him dearly.

Ed was a family man at heart. His wife and their three girls were his top priority. He treated his daughters like princesses and they are grateful for the many sacrifices he made, all for their benefit. They all enjoyed their many summer vacations to the Jersey Shore, multiple trips to Disney World, and especially his epic (and competitive) Easter egg hunts! Ed went through great pains to hide the eggs in their yard, and finding them all was a real challenge. Ed also enjoyed doing as much as he could with his grandchildren. Whether it was going to their sporting events, dance recitals, and everything in between, he loved being there for it all. Ed was an avid golfer and was a member at Packanack Golf Club for many years. He was a huge sports fan and remained loyal to the NY YANKEES, NY GIANTS, and NY KNICKS. He also was known to frequent Monmouth Park race track. He loved horse racing and often took his daughters along with him.

Ed lived a full life, and he expressed this by often saying he had “no complaints.” Hopefully, knowing this will help soften the grief felt by his loved ones and friends who now say “goodbye” to their beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and dear friend.

Ed is survived by his dear wife Rosalie of Butler, their three children; Christina Brino of Pompton Plains, Debbie D’Arienzo and her husband Bob of Pompton Plains, and Laurie Hensen and her husband Reid of Wayne, his five grandchildren; Nicole Thuring and her husband Mike of Pompton Plains, Robert D’Arienzo and his wife Gabrielle of Montville, Julianne Sclavounos and her husband Aris of Oakland, Reid Hensen of California, and Stevie Hensen of Wayne, and four great-grandchildren; Luca, Leo, R.J. and Penelope.

Alfred G. Ventrella, age 89, passed away peacefully with loving family gathered by his side, on Friday, April 15, 2022.

Born and raised in Paterson, Al was the youngest of Italian immigrant parents Eustachio and Teresina (Carafa) Ventrella’s six children. He graduated from Central High School in Paterson with the Class of 1951 and then from the University of Florida in Gainesville with a Bachelor’s degree from the College of Pharmacy. Proud to have received his higher education there, he remained a staunch Florida Gators fan his whole life.

Al began his career working as a pharmacist at Park Ridge Pharmacy and subsequently bought Franklin Lakes Pharmacy on Franklin Avenue. He served the town, always with a smile, friendly word and great advice for over 20 years. He later purchased Michaels Pharmacy located at 320 Union Boulevard in Totowa. The purchase of this pharmacy also had a nostalgic element as Al had worked at Michaels starting at age 14 as a bicycle delivery boy. Both of his stores were run as true small-town family and community establishments and throughout his years in business, he employed many a family member and friend.

Alfred was the beloved husband of Angela (Pete) Ventrella. They met way back in their high school years. Originally, as a devout catholic, Angela had plans of going into the convent but God had different plans for her life and she became an English teacher. Angie and Al began to date and soon fell in love. They exchanged their marriage vows before God at St. Michael’s R.C. Church in Paterson on June 25, 1961. After a joyous reception at the Friar Tuck Inn in Cedar Grove, they honeymooned in Florida.

Al and Angie’s first home as husband and wife was a house in Oakland, NJ.  Soon after, they moved to an apartment in Paterson where they were blessed with the birth of their two sons, Alfred Gerard, Jr. and Samuel. They subsequently bought a home in Wayne where they spent the majority of their marriage years at 215 Andover Drive. It was while living in this home that they welcomed their third child, a baby girl who they named Maria. The family also included his faithful dogs Trixie, Sandy and Rusty.  

Al and Angie adored each other and were the best of friends. Together with their children they enjoyed memorable vacations down the Jersey shore in Wildwood Crest, to the Bahamas and Disney World. Al and Angie took annual international trips to Paris, Rome, London, and Germany to name just a few of the many places in the world that they were able to visit together. Sadly, Angie became ill and passed away in 1979 at the young age of 44. Al’s family finds comfort in knowing that now, after 43 years, Al and Angie are reunited.

During his life, Al filled his spare time with many enjoyable activities. One of his favorite places was his kitchen where he was an accomplished cook making his specialties including homemade pasta, baked clams, baked beans, and French onion soup. He even grew his own tomatoes on farmland behind his house that he leased from his friend Rocky. After harvesting the tomatoes, he would can them – up to 500 quarts per year! It was an annual event that he enjoyed doing with his family. Cooking went perfectly with one of his other loves – entertaining. Al hosted all the family holidays whipping up many of his famous dishes and family graduations where the tradition was having a beefsteak dinner. His pool parties were major events with upwards of one hundred guests.

Al loved going to Atlantic City and sometimes to Las Vegas where blackjack was his game of choice. While there, he enjoyed eating out, going to shows and always made friends with the other patrons, dealers, pit bosses and wait staff.  He bought a condo and subsequently a townhome in Smithville, NJ where he would go to the beach at Brigantine and make trips to AC at night.

He also purchased a condo in Cape Coral, Florida where he visited frequently and eventually his beloved condo in Venice, Florida where he spent more and more time and which ultimately became his primary residence right up until the end of 2021. He loved his view of the pool and golf course while sitting on his lanai.

Al had a genuine warmth and approachableness that made it easy for him to make friends wherever he went. Striking up a conversation with total strangers was second nature to Al. Favorite places to dine out included E & V Ristorante in Paterson, many events at the Brownstone House in Paterson, the King George/Park Wayne Diner in Wayne and at Dolce Italiano when in Florida. At all those restaurants Al knew each waiter and waitress on a first name basis.

Al was a long-time and faithful parishioner of Our Lady of the Valley R.C. Church. During the last fifteen years while living in Florida, he attended Epiphany Cathedral in Venice. He lived a life of gratefulness to God for the blessings in his life and trusted Him faithfully throughout the difficult days. He was generous beyond measure. His love for his own family was immense and he considered time spent with his grandchildren to be one of life’s greatest treasures.

Al's health began to fail and he was on death's door in 2001 before receiving a liver transplant which extended his life for an incredible 21 years.  This blessing gave him a new lease on life and allowed him to see his grandchildren grow up.

Alfred was the beloved husband of Angela, blessed in marriage for 18 years until her untimely passing in 1979. He was the loving father of: Dr. Gerard Ventrella and wife Susan of Monroeville, NJ, Dr. Samuel Ventrella and wife Colleen of Mount Laurel, NJ, and Maria Targi and husband Joseph of Secaucus, NJ; cherished grandfather of: Mark, Christine, Ryan, Spencer, Rachel and Alexa; and much-loved uncle of numerous nieces and nephews. He was also predeceased by his four sisters and one brother.

Those planning an expression of sympathy in Alfred’s name are asked to consider:

University Hospital Foundation
(you may request that your donation be directed to the liver transplant program in his name)
To contribute by check: 150 Bergen Street, D 209 C, Newark, NJ 07103
Please designate that your gift is in memory of Alfred Ventrella

Gift of Life
To contribute by check, please make the check out to “Transplant Foundation” and mail to: Gift of Life Donor Program, 401 N. 3rd. St., Philadelphia, PA 19123. Please designate that your gift is in memory of Alfred Ventrella

John David Seneca, age 65, of Wayne, passed away unexpectedly at home on Thursday morning, April 14, 2022.

John was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. He attended Xaverian High School in Brooklyn where he excelled in baseball. During his time at Xaverian, he was voted All City Athlete of the Year for two years in a row in all five boroughs of New York City. After graduating high school in 1975, John pursued higher education at Seton Hall University where he pitched for the Seton Hall Pirates and concurrently played baseball in the Cape Cod League in Chatham. In his junior year at Seton Hall, he was drafted by the Major League Kansas City Royals but he turned the offer down, choosing instead to finish his college education. A year later, in his senior year, he was drafted by the New York Yankees.

After three years in the Yankee farm system John left baseball and set his sights on a career in information technology. He began as an I.T. manager for Pepsi, then American Cyanamid, and most recently with Spectra Laboratories before retiring in 2019. It's also interesting to note that John's grandfather Marty Seneca and his father John were the founders of the former Marty's Shoes that was so prevalent in New Jersey.

John married Maureen Perrone in 1982 and was blessed with her two daughters Anna and Diane from a previous marriage. Adding to that blessing, together they welcomed their third daughter Jaclyn.

For the past twenty years, John was the beloved husband of Colleen Shaw. They met while both working at American Cyanamid. One day John asked Colleen if she’d like to “do a movie together some time.” Colleen gladly agreed and off to the movies they went to see Meet the Parents. They soon fell in love and with Colleen as his wife, he again was blessed with three more children, Shannon, Tim and Joshua from Colleen’s previous marriage.

John was the most likeable, unpretentious, happy-go-lucky guy in the world. Everybody loved “J.D.” He was the kind of guy you couldn’t dress up but you loved to take him out anyway. John didn’t concern himself much with fashion. In fact he was known for putting his own signature on anything he wore by typically cutting off the sleeves or making some other alteration here or there. To John, comfort was key! If he joined you for dinner, it wasn’t unusual for him to show up in a button collar shirt and sweat pants. John’s culinary tastes were similar. A good day consisted of consuming two liters of Pepsi which helped to wash down his chicken nuggets or juicy cheeseburgers. He loved telling jokes and pulling pranks like pulling up to the Dunkin Donuts drive up window and asking for a hot dog all the way and fries with gravy just to see the reaction on the order takers face. Jo-Jo, his Yorkshire terrier and best little buddy often accompanied him on runs out for food. In fact, whenever he pulled up to the pick-up window at Wendy’s all the workers were so happy to see Jo-Jo and they usually treated him to some chicken nuggets of his own.

For many years, John enthusiastically volunteered thousands of hours at the Wayne P.A.L. where he was affectionately known as “Coach J.D..  Because of John’s professional experience he was larger than life to the kids and truly qualified to help the young players develop into potential future stars. John also had the privilege of coaching his own sons, Tim and Josh and, with his dad’s training, Josh made it all the way to the farm system of the St. Louis Cardinals, an accomplishment they were both very proud of.

Above all else, nothing was more important to John than being with and demonstrating love and devotion to Colleen, his kids, grandchildren and entire family. He especially got excited about being together for the holidays and recently, dressed up as Santa Claus to surprise his grandchildren. They never had a clue that it was their dear “Pop Pop” under that costume. Being the sun worshipper that he was, he had a pool installed in the back yard which became a favorite gathering spot for summer get-togethers with family and friends. John himself couldn’t get enough time out in the sun and so it was the sure place to find him if he was nowhere else to be found. John always put others before himself and he’d gladly go with less so that his family could have more. He was the greatest of providers and a true protector.

John was a fighter. He survived two heart attacks and presently was in the middle of a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Having recently completed cancer treatments, he was anticipating surgery soon and was feeling optimistic. His sudden, unexpected passing, no doubt, comes as a tremendously severe shock to his entire family. He was deeply loved and respected and, while his family is grateful for the time they had, your prayers are sincerely appreciated.  

John is survived by his beloved wife Colleen Shaw, six loving children: Jaclyn Dutkowski and husband John, Anna Stanin and husband Christopher, Diane Healy and husband Daniel, Shannon Farfaglia and husband Vince, Tim Shaw and fiancé Kristina, and Joshua Shaw; six adored grandchildren: Gabriella Stanin, Ava Healy, Victoria Stanin, Benjamin Healy, Mason Dutkowski, and Madeline Dutkowski; his dear brother Martin Seneca and wife Tina and their loving daughters, Alyssa and Serena and grandchildren; and numerous dear nieces and nephew, Laura, Christine and Robert.  He was predeceased by his dear sister Gail Seneca who is survived by her husband, Hal Nathan

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to the Jack McGovern Coats Disease Foundation (JMCDF) in honor of his beloved grandson, Mason Dutkowski.

Jack McGovern Coats Disease Foundation (JMCDF)
20 Park Road
Suite E
Burlingame, CA 94010

Anthony “Tony” D’Onofrio, age 80, of Pompton Lakes, passed Monday, April 11, 2022.

He was born in Paterson to Cesare (Charlie) and Carmella (Padula) D’Onofrio.  When Tony was about eight years old the family moved to Wayne where he was raised and graduated from Wayne Valley High School with the Class of 1960.  While in high school he played the tuba for the Marching Band.

Just out of high school Tony’s worked in retail and was employed by Two Guys from Harrison at the Totowa location. Tony worked in the Linen Department and eventually was promoted to Assistant Manager.  Tony worked there for a few years.

On March 15, 1961 Tony was “Ordered to Active Duty” with the US Navy.  For his service Tony was given the Good Conduct Medal for his service and attained the rank of Boatswain’s Mate before being Honorably Discharged on February 25, 1963.

When he came out of the military he found work with the Wayne Township Parks Department and transitioned to the Wayne Police Department where he served for twenty-five years before retiring in 1991 at the rank of Sargent.  During his retirement years he worked as a pall bearer for area funeral homes and as a Security Guard at the Passaic County Technical Institute in Wayne for a few years.

Tony will be remembered as a colorful, animated guy who was passionate about his beliefs and always ready to share his opinion with others. In his younger years he was a avid skier, loved tennis and more recently he enjoyed golfing at The County (Preakness Valley Golf Course) and Twin Willows golf courses. Tony was always willing to help others, loved cars and motorcycles (Tony’s Slingshot).

He was the loved brother of Anna Marie Basciano of Wayne, the late Albert C. D’Onofrio (d. 2011) and his surviving wife Nancy, and the late Michael D’Onofrio (d. 2021) and his surviving wife Christine. He will be missed by his nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, cousins and friends.

Those wishing to make a memorial donation in his memory are asked to consider donating to the Wayne PBA Local 136 and their efforts with the NJ Special Olympics. Make donations payable to: “Wayne PBA 136” and in the memo of your check please put “In Memory of Tony D’Onofrio-NJ Special Olympics.” Mail to: Wayne PBA 136, PO Box 3597, Wayne, NJ 07470.

Mary N. Stella, age 86, of Wayne, passed Sunday, April 10, 2022.

Mary was born in Port Chester, New York to Vito and Antoinette Christiano.  She worked at Royal Typewriter Company in Port Chester and followed the company to New York City as they consolidated their offices. It was at work that she fell in love with Michael Stella.  As a young couple they lived in Bayside Queens where their marriage was blessed with two children.  In September of 1982 they moved to Wayne, New Jersey where they lived for the next forty years of their fifty-seven year marriage.

Mary was the loving wife of Michael Stella; devoted mother of Marie Harden and her husband John of Wayne, Margaret Saraceni and her husband Frank of the Township of Washington; cherished grandmother of John, Michael, and Nicole Harden; she was predeceased by her loving brothers Tommy, Joey, and Jimmy.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to The American Heart Association (heart.org) would be greatly appreciated.

Jane A. Longinetti (nee Demarest), age 76 of Wharton, and formerly of Wayne, died on Saturday, April 9, 2022. She had lived in Wayne for thirty years before moving to Wharton in 2017.

Jane grew up in Hackensack and as a teenager she worked at MH Lamston’s 5 and 10 on Main St. Always a lover of ice cream, Jane frequented the Dairy Queen on Rt. 4 in Paramus, where a young John Longinetti worked. John couldn’t help but notice what a gorgeous young girl she was, and on one occasion he mustered the courage to tell Jane that if her boyfriend ever broke up with her, he would love to take her out on a date. Four days later, Jane returned to Dairy Queen and told John she was now single! John was thrilled and he told his brother “I’m going to marry that girl,” even before he had a first date with her. He took her to the local Stewart’s Restaurant for their first date, and their love has never stopped growing since that day. They were married just two years later, on June 21, 1964, at Holy Trinity Church in Hackensack. They drove to Montreal, Canada for their honeymoon but turned around and drove right back! They decided to enjoy themselves at Seaside Heights instead, and spent a few days celebrating at the Jersey Shore. Their marriage has endured for fifty-seven years, and John has felt like a winner since their first date, and he knows how lucky he’s been to have enjoyed all these years with her. He will truly miss her.

Jane and John first lived in Fairfield before moving to Wayne in 1987, where they lived until 2017. Jane was an incredible homemaker and kept a spotless house. Her kids recall how she would blast Frankie Valli, or the Supremes, on their home stereo while singing along and cleaning the house on Saturdays. She knew how to have fun, even while cleaning the house! She was a fantastic hostess, having frequent BBQ’s in the back yard and celebrating many of the holidays at their home. She had a sweet-tooth, and there was never a shortage of Tootsie-pops in her home! She could spend hours on the phone, usually talking to her sisters, and she loved to catalog-shop. Jane was very close to her sisters and their families spent a lot of time together, which allowed her children to be close with all their cousins. They all have memories of fun times together, and Jane was at the center of it all. She was kind, genuinely caring, generous to a fault, and she truly loved her family and friends. They will all miss her dearly.

Jane was a devoted mother to her children, and was most happy as a grandmother. There wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do for her grandchildren, and they each have special memories with her. Whether it was the funny twist she put on pronouncing certain words, or the funny songs she improvised for them, or the games they played together, Jane loved them all and they knew it. She was a “fun grandma” who made sure they enjoyed their time as children, and she kept a playroom for them at her home – always ready for a fun visit. Spending time with them meant the world to her, and they will each cherish those memories forever.

Jane is survived by her beloved husband of fifty-seven years; John of Wharton, NJ, their three children; Karen Germinario and her husband Anthony of Wayne, Sharon Longinetti and her wife Wily of Totowa, and John Longinetti of Gorham, ME, a beloved daughter-in-law; Lisa Longinetti of Westbrook, ME, six grandchildren; Craig, Michael, Alyssa, and Michelle Germinario, Daniella and John Longinetti of Maine, a sister; Carolyn Dunne and her husband Ronald of Maywood, NJ, and a brother; Charles Demarest of Belleville, NJ, and many dear nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her sister, Kathryn Gleason, in 2014 and by her brother, John Demarest, in 2014.

For those wishing to make a donation in Jane’s memory, please consider the Act Now Foundation Dementia Center, 400 38th Street, Suite 405, Union City, NJ 07087, or visit www.actnowfoundation.org.

Joseph E. Higgins, age 70, of Wayne passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, April 6, 2022 after a long battle with cancer.

Joe was born in Binghamton, NY  to Joseph and Margaret Higgins. He was raised in Little Falls, NJ, the oldest of four children. He attended DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne, NJ.  Upon graduating with the class of 1970, Joe enrolled at St. Peter’s University in Jersey City, NJ where in 1974 he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting.

Following his graduation from St. Peter’s University, Joe worked as a Certified Public Accountant with the Arthur Young and Co. in Newark, NJ from 1974 until 1982.  Joe then continued his career as an accountant with Minwax, now part of Sherwin-Williams, where he worked until his retirement in 2014.  Joe also volunteered his accounting skills doing tax returns for senior citizens through AARP and heading the finance committee at Immaculate Heart of Mary RC Church where he was a long-time parishioner. Upon retirement, Joe also went on to volunteer for Passaic County CASA, whose mission is to provide a voice for the children in the foster care system.

Joe met Janet Thoma in April of 1978 through work and five years later they married on August 20,1983. They settled in the Packanack Lake section of Wayne where they raised their two daughters, Elizabeth and Katherine.  Joe was an accomplished skier, an avid golfer and devoted to his Catholic faith, but his greatest passion was for his family.  Nothing in the world meant more to Joe than spending time with and providing for his children and, eventually, his grandchildren. He and his wife Janet cherished thirty-eight years of loving and loyal marriage together.  Joe was a quiet and private man, but he was well loved and recognized in his community and could always be found walking his dogs down by the lake.  Joe was a truly special person who touched the lives of many people.  He will be sincerely missed by everyone that knew him.  

Joe is survived by his wife Janet (Thoma) of Wayne, two daughters, Elizabeth Higgins and her husband Mathieu Vialle of Jersey City, NJ, and Katherine Dobrowski and her husband John of Duxbury, MA, his sister Mary Higgins of Florham Park, NJ, his brother John Higgins and his wife Suzanne of Parsippany, NJ, his sister Margaret Lovello and her husband Alan of Bridgewater, NJ, and two grandchildren, Jules Vialle and Henry Dobrowski.  He was predeceased by his parents Joseph and Margaret Higgins.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Joseph’s name may be made to Eva’s Village, 393 Main St, Paterson, NJ 07501, http://www.evasvillage.org

Joseph A. Kneis, age 86 of Wayne, died Tuesday, April 5, 2022. He’s been a Wayne resident since 1968.

Joe grew up in Bakonyjako, Hungary during World War II. Shortly after the end of the war, his family was forced to by the Soviets to move to Germany, where he eventually settled in Munich. Joe eventually made it to the USA in 1952 and settled in Paterson. He wasted no time pursuing the American Dream and soon graduated from Upsala College where he studied Insurance. He began working for State Farm Insurance in Wayne, and by 1959 he had his own agency! Joe grew his business in Wayne for forty-three years before retiring in 2002. He was with State Farm for the entirety of his career.

Joe was a founding member of the Haledon Lyceum Sport Club, the Haledon Benefit and Social Club, and a devoted parishioner of St. Mary’s RC Church in Pompton Lakes. He was an avid sports fan, having played soccer as a young man, and later in life he enjoyed watching soccer on TV. He was a big fan of FC Bayern Munich, and had gone to Europe on more than a few occasions to see them play. When grandchildren came into the picture, Joe was there for all their sporting events and loved to watch them compete. He was even enthusiastic about going to his granddaughter’s dance competitions. He loved his grandchildren and enjoyed being there with them as they grew up. He was a fun Opa, silly, and always ready with a joke. They will all miss him dearly.

Joe met his wife, Elizabeth, in 1955 while they were both living in Paterson. She was also from Hungary and they hit it off right from the start. They married September 12, 1959 at St. Boniface Church in Paterson and enjoyed fifty-two years in a loving and devoted marriage. They traveled all over Europe, visiting Hungary on several occasions, as well as Australia, Scandinavia, and the Caribbean. To say they were ‘well-traveled’ would be an understatement, and they loved every bit of it. Sadly, Joe lost a part of himself when Elizabeth passed away in 2012, and his heart has ached ever since. The love of his family and many friends have sustained him in the years since, and he will be missed by them all.

Joe is survived by his four children; Diane Bascelli and her husband Jeff of Wayne, Kathleen Kneis of Boonton, Heidi Markell of Rivervale, and Kenneth Kneis and his wife Rosemarie of Wayne, five grandchildren; Alyssa Thompsen and her husband Matthew, Christopher Bascelli of Butler, Matthew Kneis of Wayne, Amanda Kneis of Wayne, and Olivia Markell of Rivervale, as well as one great-grandson; Tyler Thompsen of Wayne. He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Elizabeth in 2012.

Donations in Joe’s memory would be appreciated to the Alzheimer’s New Jersey, www.alznj.org

Michael T. Kistner “Mickey” age 74 of Packanack Lake in Wayne, NJ, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, April 3, 2022.

Born in Glen Ridge, the third of William and Edith (Carroll) Kistner’s five sons, Mike was raised in Verona where, while attending Verona High School, he was involved in athletics, playing for the school’s hockey, baseball and football teams before graduating with the Class of 1965.

Mike pursued higher education at Bryant College in Providence, Rhode Island where again, he played baseball, was a proud member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE) fraternity and, feeling the importance of serving his country, concurrently served proudly in the Armed Forces of the United States as a member of the National Guard. He graduated with his Bachelor’s degree in accounting. Desiring to work as an educator, he attended St. Peter’s College in Jersey City where he earned his teaching certification. Mike’s first job was with the George Washington Middle School in Wayne. He would eventually move up to the district's Wayne Valley High School where he taught business classes by day while pursuing a Master’s degree at Montclair State University in the evenings. By the time Mike left Wayne Valley High School, he was chair of the business department. From there he went on to serve as business administrator for the Park Ridge, Englewood Cliffs, and Mountain Lakes Boards of Education. After that, Mike chose retirement but quickly realized that he still had more he wanted to accomplish, so he took on a new challenge at the Windsor Learning Center in Pompton Lakes where again, he served as business administrator until fully retiring in 2018.

While teaching in Wayne, Mike joined the faculty bowling league and bowled every Wednesday at T-Bowl Lanes in Wayne. One time after bowling while out for a drink with other faculty members, he met another teacher named Janice Piccolo. They got to talking with one another and they both sensed an initial spark. That encounter took place immediately before the school's winter break and Mike was leaving the next day to go on a snow skiing trip. Before he left, he asked Janice if she would like to go on a date when he returned. Her answer was “Yes” and that first date was to the Clairidge Cinema in Montclair where they saw Jeremiah Johnson. After that, they went out to Torpy’s Restaurant in Wayne. Janice and Mike quickly fell in love and no more than three weeks later, Mike proposed marriage to Janice in her apartment by handing her a travel brochure of Puerto Rico that just happened to have an engagement ring taped inside. Within six months of their first date, on Saturday, November 10, 1973, they made their wedding promises to each other before God, family and friends at St. Clare’s Church in Clifton. Following the wedding ceremony, they hosted a reception at the Fiesta in Wood-Ridge before heading off on their honeymoon to Puerto Rico, of course!

After the wedding, Mike and Janice settled into their first home together as husband and wife. It was Janice’s apartment before marriage at 42 Traphagen Road in Wayne. Two years later and with Janice now nine months pregnant, her parents moved to Florida so Mike and Janice purchased their home in Clifton at 35 Myron Street. Then in 1986, they moved once more, this time with their two children, Lori and Brian, to their present home in Packanack Lake.

During their married years, Mike and Janice took trips to Aruba, the Dominican Republic, Las Vegas and to Disney World with their grandchildren but, hands down, Mike’s favorite place to be was down at his and Janice’s Jersey shore house in Ship Bottom. Just eight houses from the beach, it was his special place! Mike couldn’t get enough of the sand and the surf and it was a perfect place to go for a daily run, an activity that Mike was highly committed to. In fact, he competed in three New York Marathons and once in the Boston Marathon. Needless to say, Mike was a huge sports fan, especially baseball, and his favorite team was the Yankees until George Steinbrenner took over. Because he and Janice would take frequent trips to visit her parents in Florida, he started watching the Atlanta Braves airing locally on TBS and consequently, he became a Braves fan. Because Mike’s daughter and son both attended Rutgers, he always rooted for the school’s basketball and football teams.

Mike was a man of integrity. Valuing proper stewardship of the earth’s natural resources, conservation and recycling were constant pursuits. He regularly returned from a walk or a run with pockets full of recyclables that he had picked up along the way. Mike was also a man of principal and he valued and exercised his right of free speech by writing letters to the editor of the newspaper on a vast array of subjects that he considered important.

Above all else, Mike was a loved and highly respected husband, father, and grandfather. He and Janice shared a love that only grew with time. He was a true family man who strived to be a positive influence in his son and daughter’s lives. When they were young Mike coached his son Brian’s basketball and baseball games and never missed any of his daughter Lori’s band performances. His support for them was a lifetime commitment as he was always available to offer the wisdom of his age on matters they faced into adulthood. He was also a hands-on grandfather who went to all of Ethan and Mason’s swim meets, baseball games, soccer matches, and school performances; and was so looking forward to little Sophia’s upcoming dance recital in May. Short of changing diapers, he’d do anything for his grandchildren. He loved sitting with them on the beach where, as a born teacher, he enjoyed opening their eyes to the wonders of this world. Whether it was swimming with them in the ocean or sleigh riding with them at Verona Park, he loved spending time with them being as active as they were. He even had fun dressing up with them for Halloween. Mike was the truest of family men and his legacy will live on in those whom he loved and who loved him right back.

Mike was the very beloved husband of Janice (Piccolo) Kistner, blessed in marriage for 48 years. He was the loving father of Lori Whitford and her husband Rick of Ship Bottom, NJ, and Brian Kistner and his wife Kristen of Verona; cherished grandfather of: Ethan, Mason and Sophia Kistner; and dear brother of: the late Donald Kistner, Kenneth Kistner and his late wife Marilyn of Verona, Gary Kistner and his late wife Barbara of Verona, and James Kistner of Wayne. He is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Mike’s name are asked to consider:

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Memorial Processing
501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105-9959

Shriner’s Hospitals for Children
Office of Development
2900 Rocky Point Drive
Tampa, FL  33607

Myron W. Bregman “Mickey”, age 92, of Wayne passed away peacefully on Friday April 1, 2022 while receiving the loving care of his family.

Mickey was born and raised in the Bronx NY and was one of three children to Simon and Anna Bregman. While spending his formative years in the Bronx school system, it was clear to Mickey’s parents that he was an intellectually gifted child. Following his graduation from The Bronx High School of Science with the class of 1947, Mickey was accepted into the University of Oklahoma where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Engineering. Subsequent to earning his bachelor’s degree, Mickey found employment quickly with a company called R.E.D.M., a US Military based business. There, Mickey worked as an Electrical Engineer, working his way up through the company’s employment hierarchy to one of the highest corporate level positions. After many years with R.E.D.M., Mickey left the company and started a business with his former associates from R.E.D.M., known as KL Industries. Over the next thirty years, Mickey and his associates owned and operated KL Industries until his retirement only a few years ago. KL Industries is still family owned and operated to this day.

In the fall of 1957, Mickey was introduced to an attractive young lady by the name of Vivian Meltz. The two went out on a blind date and hit it off great. If there was ever a case of love at first sight, this was it. As fate would have it, just three months later, they were married on December 22, 1957. After getting married the newlyweds settled in New York for a short time then moved to Pompton Plains, NJ then eventually to Wayne in 1961. While living in Wayne, Mickey and Vivian welcomed their two children, Jonathan, and Sharon. The family remained in Wayne for the rest of their lives together.

Throughout most of Mickey’s life he was always surrounded by his family, closest of friends, his horses, and dogs. Mickey owned and operated his own horse stable in Montville where he had several horses throughout his life, cherishing them and spoiling them dearly. Travel was one of Mickey and Vivian’s favorite past times. One of their most treasured destinations was Africa, due to the fact the two truly enjoyed observing animals and the wildlife experience. Through the years Vivian and Mickey traveled to a variety exotic destinations observe all types of wildlife encounters. Their vacations were often coordinated by the Museum of Natural History.

Mickey and Vivian were long time members of the Mensa Club, the largest and oldest High IQ Society in the world. Aside from all of Mickey’s talents, hobbies, and interests, his greatest passion was for his family. Nothing in the world meant more to Mickey than spending time with and providing for his family. He and his wife Vivian cherished sixty-four years of loving and loyal marriage together. Mickey was not only devoted to his family but also to his Jewish Faith. For many years Mickey was a member of the Jewish Federation and contributor.

Mickey was an extremely generous man and often times selfless. He would go out of his way to help anyone in need. He was truly loved by his family and friends alike and will be sincerely missed by everyone that knew him.

Mickey is survived by his wife Vivian (nee Meltz) of Wayne, NJ, one son Jonathan Bregman of Wayne, NJ, one daughter Sharon Morello and her husband Scott of Pompton Plains, NJ, two grandchildren: Nicholas Morello of Easton, PA, and Joshua Morello of Pompton Plains, NJ. He is also survived by his beloved horse Decorecopag (Deco) and dog, Mazel.

Donations in Mickey’s name may be made to the Jewish Federation – Northern NJ, 502 Eisenhower Drive, Paramus, NJ 07652, www.jfnnj.org

Celmira Saade, age 84, of Lincoln Park, passed away peacefully at home on Friday, April 1, 2022, while in the loving presence of her dear family.

Celmira was the youngest of eight children born to Demetrio and Noemi (Habeych) Namen. She was born in El Banco, Colombia and raised in Barranquilla.

Celmira was the beloved and adored wife of Moises Saade who passed away in July, 2010. Celmira met Moises for the first time through her uncle who was friends with Moises. One day, they were all on a ferry headed for the city when Moises spotted Celmira. He asked her uncle if he would be willing to introduce her to him. They began dating and Celmira’s family liked Moises so much that they did their best to arrange for them to be married. Celmira didn’t need any outside convincing to know that she and Moises loved each other dearly. They exchanged marriage vows on Saturday, January 12, 1957 in Barranquilla and honeymooned in a nearby destination called Sierra Nevada.

Moises was a rancher and rice grower by trade. To be in close proximity to his work, Celmira and Moises started married life living in a town called El Reten. It was a small, quiet, country town with dirt streets. Celmira missed the city life of Barranquilla very much, but she loved Moises more than any desire in the world and so she obliged. They did eventually move to Barranquilla where Celmira lovingly embraced and fulfilled her role as homemaker and mother to her and Moises’ children. Then, on October 3, 1970, the family boarded a plane headed for the United States in a quest for different opportunities. Although the plan was to come for a set period of time and return to Colombia, destiny had different plans.  They initially settled in Paterson and lived there until moving to Lincoln Park twenty-seven years ago.

Celmira was an outstanding homemaker whose main desire to make her home a welcoming, loving and safe abode was motivated by a pure heart of love for her family. One of her greatest examples of this love was expressed through her skills in the kitchen where she created delicious meals for them. Her family all had personal favorites; her daughter Marta’s favorite recipe was Mom’s Kibbeh, her son Ed especially loved her Sancocho, daughter Celmira got most excited about her Shrimp Rice while daughter Ivonne’s favorite was her flan. As for Celmira’s husband Moises, he would always say that “everything that my wife makes is delicioso.” When she wasn’t in the kitchen, Celmira could frequently be found shopping at Lord and Taylor, Bloomingdales, Macy’s or one of her other favorite department stores. She had a true flair for fashion! Taking great pride in her appearance she was often described as someone put together well and her outfits always had to match with nothing less than impeccable being acceptable. She was a regular in the cosmetics department at Macy’s where everyone knew her on a first-name basis.

Above all else, Celmira’s faith and family were the most important things in her life. She was a faithful catholic who, along with Moises, enjoyed and were always blessed by going to Mass at St. Joseph’s church, their hometown parish. Times spent with family were most precious to Celmira. She, Moises and the kids enjoyed annual summer vacations down the Jersey shore in Wildwood, and she and Moises made regular trips back to Colombia to visit family to enjoy company of their many siblings along with nieces and nephews. Another of their favorite things to do together was taking road trips. Thanks to those road trips, they got to see most of the United States while enjoying the pleasure of each other’s company. She also considered her eight grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren one of life’s greatest blessings. To them she was “Mami Chemi” and “Mama Celmira” and she derived as much joy investing in their lives as she did investing in her own children’s lives. When they were young, she was the proudest a person could be showing them off at the town pool and she loved it when they came on the Wildwood vacations. When they visited her house in Lincoln Park, she’d often take them to Frank’s Pizza and she loved telling them stories about her life in Colombia and about her brothers and sisters. As the years passed and everyone got a little older, the roles changed as her grandchildren would lovingly food shop for her or drive her to the beauty salon to get her hair and nails done. Celmira and Moises enjoyed so many beautiful years in their loving marriage as husband and wife. With good reason, Moises always treated her like the queen he truly believed her to be. They adored each other and since Moises’ passing twelve years ago, she missed him incredibly.

There’s one other facet of Celmira’s life that she was rather passionate about. She loved to dance and sing. For years, she and Moises got together with friends on Friday nights to go dancing, and singing was a life-long passion. As a little girl, she wanted to become a professional singer but cultural norms would not allow that. That was ok but it couldn’t keep the songs in her heart from passing across her lips. Consequently, Celmira was known for her spontaneous singing and one never knew when she’d break out in song. It was known to happen at Spanish restaurants that she’d start singing and the next thing you know, the Mariachi Band was at her table serenading with her. Singing gave her joy in times of sadness and since Moise’s passing, she would often sing a song called Si Nos Dejan. She was singing that song as recently as the other day in the ambulance as it transported her home from the hospital and just the day before her passing while at home in bed.

Celmira’s life on earth is now over but her legacy will go on and on through her positive influence on her family. She was a strong leader who guided her family, sometimes with a strong will, but always with a desire for the best for them, rooted in a sincere and evident love.    
Celmira was the beloved wife of Moises, blessed in marriage for 53 years until his passing in July, 2010. She was the most loving mother of: Marta Berrios of Katy, Texas, Edgardo Saade and his wife Kim of West Milford, Celmira Nasuto of Lincoln Park, and Ivonne Zorrilla and her husband Moises of Totowa; cherished grandmother of: Michelle and husband Rick, Mario and wife Linda, Moises, Zyad and wife Sarahrose, Janelle and husband Travis, Stephanie, Alexandra, and Jennifer; adoring great-grandmother of: Diego, Aiden, Rick, Caleb, Isabella, Ava, Elias, Liliana, Iohan, and Jason; and dear aunt of many nieces and nephews. She was also predeceased by all of her brothers and sisters: Yamel, Josefina, Isabel, William, Yudex, Antonio, and Elba; and by her two son-in-laws: Manuel Berrios and Charles Nasuto.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Celmira’s name are asked to consider:

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Memorial Processing,
501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105-9959

Rose Sano, age 84, of Wayne, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 31, 2022 while in the presence of her loving family.

The first of Harry and Mary (Makoujy) Saccal’s six children, Rose was born on October 5, 1937 in Utica, New York. She was raised on Graham Ave in Paterson, New Jersey above her father and uncle’s grocery store. Rose never worked in the store but, as a child, she did manage to sneak down with her sister Jane to occasionally help themselves to candy.

Rose attended Paterson’s St. Bonaventure High School and left school early to go to work at Brooks Brothers in Paterson.

One night while at a dance at Our Lady of Lourdes R.C. Church in Paterson, sponsored by the church’s Christian Youth Organization group, Rose had the pleasure of meeting a handsome young man named Anthony “Tony” Sano. Tony noticed Rose and her sister Jane from across the room and had to decide which one of them he was going to approach. He chose Rose and they had such a nice time getting to know one another that Tony asked Rose out for a formal date to the movies. They fell in love and, after about a year of dating they felt a mutual desire to marry. Being of Syrian lineage, it was expected of Tony that he would get permission for her hand in marriage, not from her father but from her grandfather. Fortunately for Tony, Rose’s grandfather gave his blessing and they married on Sunday, May 4, 1958 at the same church where they originally met. It rained on the day of their wedding but that was ok. In fact, it was considered good luck to get married on a rainy day. After the wedding ceremony, the newlyweds hosted their reception at a hall on 21’st Ave in Paterson and then they were off to the Poconos where they stayed at a place called the Honeymoon Haven.

Rose and Tony started their life as husband and wife in his uncle’s apartment house on Genessee Ave in Paterson. From there they moved into Rose’s parent’s house at 117 Putnam Street in Paterson. While there they welcomed their firstborn, a precious daughter which they named Mary. When the house on Putnam Street got to be a little too tight, they built a two-family house at 18 Rose Place in West Paterson (today the town is called Woodland Park). They lived on the first floor and rented out the second floor apartment. While living there, they were blessed with two more daughters – first Margie and then Theresa. In January of 1977 they moved again. This time to 28 Hershey Road in Wayne. The next 43 years were spent in that home where Rose and Tony raised their daughters and made many fine memories. In 2020, they moved one last time, across town in Wayne.

Rose was first and foremost dedicated in her role as mother and homemaker. She was the finest cook a family could ever ask for with her homemade lasagna and her Syrian grape leaves, made from leaves from her own grape vines, being family favorites. When her daughters reached the age of relative independence, Rose returned to work outside of the home. Her first job was at the daycare center in the Totowa Racquet Club. Soon after she settled into a sales associate position in the linen department at Bradlees Department Store in Wayne. She enjoyed that job immensely, especially waiting on the customers and getting to know them. She remained with Bradlees for many years only choosing retirement when her husband Tony retired from Hoffmann La-Roche so they could do things together.

Rose and Tony quickly joined the Hoffman La Roche Retirement Club. In fact, you could almost describe Rose and Tony as retirement club groupies because they belonged to other clubs too, including The Happy Time Seniors, The Golden Agers Circle of Wayne, and the Wayne Elks Club where Rose served in the Ladies Auxiliary and also marched with Tony in the annual Memorial Day parades. Through these different clubs, they also enjoyed many group-sponsored trips to international destinations including Italy and France as well as domestic destinations including Branson, Missouri, to Elvis Presley’s Graceland Mansion in Tennessee, to Mardi Gras and to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

When not travelling the world, Rose kept herself occupied in a myriad of different ways. She and Tony joined the Tuesday T-Bowl Seniors bowling league, they loved getting together with their friends Rich and Phyllis for a night of playing card games, and dancing was truly one of Rose’s favorite thing to do. She and Tony never missed a dance at the Elks Club or with the Golden Agers at the Brownstone where they danced the night away to the tunes of Peter Lieberman on the keyboard. At home Rose loved watching the Hallmark movie channel, listening to Elvis Presely, keeping her mind sharp by playing Scrabble, doing those word searches, and assembling 1000+ piece puzzles which she’d découpage and proudly display on the walls of her home. Rose was also the premier afghan maker which she’d make for her family to keep warm on a cold winter’s night.    

Above all else in her life, Rose enjoyed having her whole family gathered for birthdays, holidays, or really any occasion at all. She and Tony felt so blessed to have each other and she always looked forward to having her daughters and son-in-laws over for all the holidays. She simply adored her three grandchildren and relished the times when they would come over to the house for a swim in the pool and afterwards, she’d always serve them ice cream. Having three sisters and two brothers meant that she was also the aunt of numerous nieces and nephews and they all looked forward to Aunt Rosie’s phone calls on their birthday.

Rose will be remembered for being the most loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister and aunt. She was a very kind and generous person. If you would come to Roses home for a visit, you were sure to leave with a care package lovingly prepared by Rose herself. She was a colorful woman who was known for her festive hats, and she was a funny person who always found the humor in life’s situations and the good in all who had the honor of sharing life with her.    

Rose was the beloved wife of Anthony “Tony” Sano, blessed in marriage for 63 years. She was the loving mother of her three daughters: Mary Sano of Wayne, Margie and husband Oscar Fernandez of Hawthorne, and Theresa and husband Mark De Block of Shohola, PA; adoring grandmother of: Emma Fernandez, Mark Anthony De Block, Thomas James De Block, and Nichole, Tara and Karlee De Block; dear oldest sister of: Jane and husband Thomas DePasquale of Boonton, Shirley DeMeyere of Port St. Lucie, FL (deceased husband, Jack), George and his late wife Laura Saccal of Chesapeake, VA, the late Margie and her husband Peter Previte of Port St. Lucie, FL, and Joseph and his wife Kate Saccal of North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; deceased brother-in-law of Frank Sano, and loved aunt of all those nieces and nephews.  

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Rose’s name are asked to consider:

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Memorial Processing,

501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105-9959

Peter E. Gillett, age 73 of Towaco, died unexpectedly on Friday, March 25, 2022. Peter had worked for The New York Times for nearly twenty seven years. He retired as a Regional Supervisor in their newspaper distribution department.

Peter grew up in Weehawken, NJ and after high school, he joined the U.S. Navy. He became a cook in the submarine service, and was stationed aboard the USS Scamp and the USS Seahorse. At 6’-4” tall, he didn’t necessarily fit too well inside of a submarine, but he made the best of it. His bunk, or ‘rack,’ was only 6’ long, so he learned to sleep with his knees bent. During his service, he was proud to have received a Certificate of Appreciation signed by the Commander in Chief himself, President Richard Nixon. Peter was honorably discharged in 1974 and returned to civilian life.

In 1971, while on leave from the Navy in Charleston, South Carolina, Peter met Marilyn Saunders. Their whirlwind romance is one for the record books, and they were married twenty days after having met! The following summer, on July 1, 1972, they had an official wedding ceremony at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Garden City, New York. They celebrated with a honeymoon to the U.S. and British Virgin Islands. They lived briefly in Weehawken before settling in Secaucus. In 1985, they moved to their home in Towaco, where they raised their family and have lived ever since. Peter was very close with his mother, Ann, and she lived with them until her passing in 2010. Ann was a trained European governess, and she helped raise their children.

Peter enjoyed playing cards and had a regular game going with his neighbors for years. He also loved vacationing in St. Maarten with his family, where they visited annually.

Peter is survived by his loving wife Marilyn, his sister Karin, his brother Edward, his daughters Alexis and Wendy, his son Eric, and his grandchildren Amaya, Emma, Ethan, Andrew, Evelyn, Nicolas, and Christopher.

Nicholas Varano, age 95, of Boca Raton, FL, formerly of Pompton Lakes and Wayne, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 24, 2022, while receiving the loving care of his family.

Nicholas was born in Sant’Andrea Apostolo dello Ionio, a town located in the Calabria region of Italy.  Nicholas was the middle child of three children born to Vincenzo and Caterina Varano.  When Nicholas was only two years old, in 1928, his family immigrated to the United States of America. When they arrived in the United States, the family settled in Brooklyn, where Nicholas spent his formative years.  

Through a mutual friend, Nicholas was introduced to a beautiful woman named Angela "Sis" Bruno. They fell in love and on September 11, 1954 were married. The newlyweds had three children, Alana, Michael and Steven. They moved to Wayne, in 1960, where they raised their children. The couple and their family remained in Wayne for the next thirty-six years where they continue their loving and loyal marriage together until 1990 when Sis passed away.  

In his young life Nicholas started his own plumbing business, which evolved into a construction company, still owned and operated by his family today.  Nicholas remained a vital part of his business until his passing.  He eventually found love again when he met Babette Brown.  The two were married on December 26, 1993.  After getting married, Nicholas and Babette settled in Pompton Lakes and remained there until 2015 when they moved to Boca Raton, FL.  Nicholas and Babette have treasured the last twenty-nine years of loving marriage together.

As a young man Nicholas was a Brooklyn Dodgers Fan.  In his youth he went to many Dodger games at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn where he was also employed collecting tickets for the games.  It was with a heavy heart that he witnessed his beloved Dodgers move to LA, but later he became a life-long NY Yankees fan. Throughout his entire life, Nicholas was surrounded by his best friends, his dogs.  In the past he owned Rottweilers and German Shepherds but most recently he has his Boxer, Angelina, and his King Charles Spaniel, Toby.  Aside from all of Nicholas’ talents, hobbies and interests, his greatest love was for his family.  Nothing in the world meant more to Nicholas than providing for and spending time with his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.  He was a devoted father, grandfather, and great grandfather.  He and his family cherished yearly summer vacations at their family home in Long Beach Island.  Every summer Nicholas would bring tons of food and became famous with his grandchildren for making the best grilled hot dogs.  Nicholas was not only devoted to his family but also to his Catholic faith.  He was a parishioner of St. Mary’s Church in Pompton Lakes for many years.  Nicholas was a truly special person who touched the lives of all the people around him. He will be sincerely missed by everyone that knew him.

Nicholas is survived by his wife Babette (nee Brown) of Boca Ratan, FL, his daughter Alana Varano-Kovacs and her husband John, of Basking Ridge, NJ, two sons; Michael Varano of Little Falls, NJ, and Steven Varano and his wife Dayna of Wayne, NJ, six grandchildren; Steven Nicholas Varano, Alexa Varano, Angela Kovacs, Sarah Kovacs, Luca Varano, Siena Varano, and two great grandchildren, Ryan and Reaghan, his step-son Tim Lanni and his wife Stacey, of Ringwood, NJ, his step-daughter Jessica Montalto and her husband Vito, of Warwick, NY, four grandchildren, Anna Lanni, Nico Lanni, Waylon Campbell and Camryn Campbell.  He was predeceased by his first wife, Angela Varano, in 1990, his brother Alan Varano and his sister Victoria Gangi.  

In lieu of flowers donations in Nicholas’ name may be made to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial Processing, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959 www.stjude.org or Dayna’s Pink Wishes at http://daynaspinkwishes.org

Jean M. Lyons, age 92, of Packanack Lake in Wayne, NJ, passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, March 24, 2022 while in the presence of her loving family.

Born and raised in Bloomfield, NJ, Jean was the oldest of Marcel and Frances (Kolodjeski) Werensly’s three children. She was a graduate of Bloomfield High School’s Class of 1948.

Jean met her husband Frank one night while on a double date. She was out with a different guy and he was out with a different girl but they quickly found that they had a bit more spark for each other than they did for their dates. They began seeing each other regularly and soon fell in love. They exchanged their wedding promises on Saturday, October 30, 1954 at Sacred Heart Church in Bloomfield. The ceremony was followed by a reception at Opals in Bloomfield and a honeymoon to Cuba. Jean and Frank started married life in a one bedroom flat in Hackensack. Three years later, they moved into a new home that they built in the Packanack Lake community of Wayne. There they raised their children and they never moved again.

After graduation from high school, Jean settled into a job that would become a thirty-five year career with Deluxe Check Printing Company in West Caldwell. Working what was known as “the short shift”, she worked every day from six pm to midnight. It was the perfect schedule as it afforded her the ability to be ever present to care for her children and her home and Jean handled it all masterfully. She was able to see the kids off to school in the morning, pick them up in the afternoon, and have a delicious home cooked meal on the dinner table every night which the whole family enjoyed together before Jean headed to her job at Deluxe Check. Her hard work and fastidious attention to details and her loving dedication to her role as mother provided for a loving, fun, safe and secure upbringing for her children. Jean was the definition of fastidiousness. Her home was impeccably clean and organized and her cooking was out of this world. Her daughter Donna especially loved her pot roast while sons Michael enjoyed her chicken parmesan and Kevin boasted about her awesome gravy and eye round. In between cooking, caring and working evenings, Jean loved to steal away a little time outdoors tending to her beautiful gardens around the house. Retirement from Deluxe Check came in 1994 and was celebrated with a big party and a cruise with her husband Frank to Bermuda. Sadly, she and Frank did not get to enjoy many years in retirement as he passed away just two years later at the young age of 67. Theirs was a marriage made in heaven and Jean missed Frank dearly since his passing. Her family gives thanks to God that they are now reunited.  

Without a doubt, the most important things to Jean were her faith and her family. She was a faithful parishioner for over sixty years at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church near her home in Packanack Lake. She loved the holidays and her home was the place where family gathered for Christmas and Thanksgiving. Jean adored her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and was actively involved in all their sporting events, recitals, parties, graduations, first communions and weddings. When they were little, she was always more than happy to babysit and, as they grew, she enjoyed visiting them and occasionally vacationing together.

As friends and Jean’s family reflect upon her life, they are very grateful to have been blessed to know her. Her sense of humor drew everyone to her and her hard work and giving, helpful nature was truly inspiring.          

Jean was the beloved wife of Francis “Frank” Lyons, blessed in marriage for 41 years until his passing in 1996. She was the devoted and loving mother of Donna Lyons-Schmitt and husband Frank of Peru, NY, Michael Lyons of Wayne, and Dr. Kevin Lyons and wife Dr. Maureen Lyons of Franklinville, NJ; cherished grandmother of: Ryan Schmitt and wife Shannon, Eric Schmitt and wife Samantha, Caitlin Schmitt-Marshall and husband Nate, Jacqueline Lyons, Lauren Lyons, and Jenna Lyons; adored great-grandmother of: Logan, Emerson, Addilyn, and Madelyn; and dear aunt of numerous nieces and nephews. Jean was also predeceased by her two brothers, Raymond and Edward Werensly.

Francis (Frank) Flinn Jr., 84, of Glastonbury CT, passed away peacefully on Sunday, February 20, 2022.

Frank was born on December 20, 1937 to Francis and Katherine (O’Toole) Flinn of Hasbrouck Heights, NJ.  After graduating from St. Mary’s High School in Rutherford, NJ, Frank went on to play football for University of Miami.  He served in the US Army before returning to NJ.  Frank began his career in the liquor industry working for Hiram Walker & Sons as a sales executive, eventually opening and operating two liquor stores in Wayne, NJ, where he had settled to raise his family.

Frank was a charming and friendly man.  He was kind to everyone he met and loved engaging in long conversations with old friends and strangers alike.  His three daughters were the center of his world and he never missed an opportunity to express how proud he was of them.  He was their biggest cheerleader until the very end.  Frank also had a very silly side and enjoyed teasing his family.  Frank’s favorite pastime was playing golf.  He loved tournament play as much as he enjoyed taking his grandchildren to the driving range to provide golf instruction.  

Frank is survived by his children: Laurie (Flinn) Micoletti and her husband Greg of South Windsor, CT; Karen (Flinn) Calvert and her husband Chris of Haworth, NJ and Linda (Flinn) Bocco of Robbinsville, NJ.  He will be deeply missed by his grandchildren Nicole, Ryan, Julia, Siena, Aidan and Brody.  In addition, he is survived by his brother, Donald and his wife, Jane, nephew Jason, as well as his sister-in-law, Gail.

Frank is now reunited in Heaven with his parents, Francis and Kay, as well as his brother, Kenneth and many treasured friends and family members.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to The Community Renewal Team (Meals on Wheels)  https://www.crtct.org/get-involved/donate-now/donate/

There will be a live-stream of the service starting at 5:30 PM Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday, June 28, 2022 https://livestream.com/aritonvideolive/sharma

Dr. Sushil K. Sharma, age 65, of West Orange, NJ passed on Mach 20, 2022 in Shanghai, China where he was living and working for past three years.

Son of Gokul Chand and Santosh Sharma, he was born and raised in Delhi, India, where he attended school and spent his first year after graduation working at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in Delhi. It was always Sushil’s dream to move abroad, so while working at NPL, he decided to go to the US to further his studies. After being rejected six times in a row from the US Consulate in Delhi, Sushil decided that he would travel within India instead, and applied for a job in Trivandrum in South India. He quickly secured a job and on his first trip back to Delhi, he decided to make a stop in Madras (now known as Chennai) and try his luck at the US Embassy located there. Seventh time was the charm and he was granted a student visa to US.

He only had one week to come home and leave for US as the next session of school was about to begin. He left his motherland on August 15, 1980 for the US. He spent one year at University of New Mexico Albuquerque before deciding to transfer to R.I.T (Rochester Institute of Technology) to be closer to his uncle and his family.  Sushil was a dedicated student, and received his Master’s Degree from R.I.T. and went on to earn his Doctorate Degree and Post Doctorate Degree from his beloved University of Notre Dame. After spending seven years in South Bend and becoming a die-hard Fighting Irish fan (a fandom he passed on to his children), Dr. Sharma and his family moved to New Jersey, where he worked in oncology research for Novartis. He spent the last 32 years working with Novartis in their Florham Park, East Hanover, and Shanghai, China locations, working tirelessly to bring hope to those fighting cancer and their families.

Sushil married his wife, Pavan Sharma (née Avasthi) on June 27, 1982 in Haridwar, India in her backyard. Soon after the wedding, Sushil returned back to US, promising Pavan that he would show her the world. He made good on that promise and together they traveled to innumerable countries through their thirty-nine years of a loving and devoted marriage. Their marriage was blessed with two children, Sidharth born in 1985, and Sonali, born in 1990, as well as two grandchildren Kai and Kavi (2019 and 2021).

Dr. Sharma will be remembered as a gregarious, caring, loving, and adventurous man who loved his family above all else. He was a fun-loving optimist, who often joked he couldn’t possibly be aging because he still felt like a kid at heart. He loved others unconditionally and felt strongly that true love means expecting nothing in return. He dedicated his life to caring and providing for his family, often thinking two steps ahead when it came to their needs, to ensure that he solved any problem that may come their way. Nothing gave him more joy in life than seeing his family happy and thriving.

His passion for the game of Cricket was second to none. Because many games were played in different time zones, he would stay up at all hours of the night to watch the matches. He traveled to different countries to watch the games firsthand and even had photos of himself waving self-made signs appear in the Trinidad Express and the Indian Express Newspapers.

He was the loving husband of almost forty years to Pavan Sharma; devoted father of Sidharth Sharma of West Orange, and Sonali and her husband Ted Dwyer of Roseland; cherished Nanu of Kai and Kavi Dwyer; beloved brother of Sanjeev Sharma and his wife Sujeeta, and Nishi Sharma and her husband Rakesh, all of Delhi. He will be dearly missed by many loving nieces, nephews, and cousins.  He will also be dearly missed by his “first grandchild” Rudy – his daughter’s dog, who he loved to spoil with treats and walks around the park.

Paul W. Lentine, age 94, of Woodland Park, passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, March 17, 2022.

Paul was born in Newark, the youngest of Russel and Carmela Lentine’s three children. He grew up in Nutley and attended Nutley High School where he graduated with the Class of 1945.

Paul’s desire to serve in the United States military was so great that he tried to enlist in the U.S. Army before he was of legal age. He reported for training camp and managed to be there for six weeks before it was discovered that he was not yet eighteen years old. They sent him home but undeterred, he waited until he turned eighteen and promptly enlisted again. Stationed in Germany, Paul proudly served his country during the liberation of the concentration camp prisoners after World War II.

Upon being honorably discharged from military service, Paul attended Stevens Institute of Technology and earned his Bachelor’s degree in engineering. He started with Kidde Fire Safety Products, and eventually settled into a long and rewarding career with McDonnell Douglas. As an industrial engineer, he was Vice President of supplier specification compliance and he also served as a representative for the Federal Aviation Administration until retirement in 1993.

As a young man, Paul went roller skating with friends to the roller rink in Elizabeth and his life would change forever. He and a young lady named Lena Torsiello would meet that night and, after their first official date dancing at the Elizabeth Elks Lodge, they truly fell in love. When Paul and Lena made their intentions to marry known Paul was called to a sit down with Lena’s father, eldest brother Jimmy and Aunt Lucy. They interrogated him about his background, family history, future school and work intentions. Lena’s father proclaimed that, although they thought he was perfect, she should keep looking. Lena’s family and specifically her father would grow to love Paul. When Paul’s father learned of this meeting he in turn gave some fatherly advice to Paul. He told him when you go to visit Lena always greet her father when you first get there. He also suggested they agree on the following; 1. Lena wouldn’t interfere with his education, 2. They would never spend more than $100 without asking each other’s permission, and 3. They would never go to bed angry at each other. Paul and Lena went to a pawn shop in Atlantic City where they purchased a diamond engagement ring and married on Saturday, May 1, 1954 at Saint Lucy’s Church in Newark.  They drove Paul’s 1953 blue Plymouth for three days on Route 1 and honeymooned in Miami, Florida.

Married life began in Nutley where Paul and Lena were blessed with the birth of their beautiful daughter Nancy. In 1972, after nineteen years in Nutley, they moved to Whippany and remained there until 1993 when they moved to Smoke Rise in Kinnelon. In 2004, they moved one last time to Woodland Park.

Retirement afforded the welcomed opportunity for more extended travel which Paul and Lena enjoyed very much. They especially loved the adventures they took to Italy, California, and Nassau Bahamas. When the weather got too cold in New Jersey, they escaped to their condo in Jupiter, Florida, staying there from October to Thanksgiving and after Christmas until Easter. Paul’s favorite eating spots in Florida included Dune Dogs where he could get foot-long hot dogs, and Duffy’s which served the most delicious burgers and always offered two-for-one drink specials.  

Being a true sports enthusiast and a member of the Upper Montclair Country Club, Paul could often be found playing golf at the club and, during his retirement years, in Florida. He was also a diehard Giants and Mets fan and he was a proud member of the Knights of Columbus. Paul was always utilizing his engineering experience around the house to keep it maintained in tip-top shape. He could fix and build anything and when he started a project he carried it out with great enthusiasm.

Paul was a devout Catholic whose faith meant the world to him. He was always active in the life of the church, serving as an usher for many years at Our Lady of Mercy Church in Whippany and at St. Mary’s in Nutley.  

Above everything else in his life, Paul cherished times spent with his family. His daughter Nancy recalls the great vacations they took together when she was growing up – vacations to Maine, Washington D.C. and down the Jersey Shore where they stayed in Silver Beach near Lavallette and Ortley Beach. In the summer, their home was a regular meeting place for family and friends to drop by for a visit and a swim in the pool. Paul absolutely beamed every time he saw his granddaughter Sophia. He and Lena had the honor of caring for her when she was a baby and they grew very close. They played games, swam in the ocean, and watched football games together. Paul especially enjoyed taking Sophia for ice cream. Truth be told, it was usually he that wanted the ice cream more than Sophia.

Paul had a heart of gold! He will always be remembered and dearly loved for his loyal, loving and affable spirit. He was a great role model and, though he accomplished much in his life, he always maintained a humble spirit.

Paul was the beloved husband of Lena (Torsiello) Lentine, blessed in marriage for sixty-six years until her passing in 2020. He was the devoted father of Nancy Lentine DO and her husband Lee Turner of Kinnelon; and cherished grandfather of Sophia Lentine-Turner of Kinnelon; Paul was also predeceased by his sister Anna Staffa and brother Anthony Lentine.

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In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Paul’s name are asked to consider:

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Memorial Processing

501 St. Jude Place

Memphis, TN 38105-9959

You can also donate online by clicking here (www.stjude.org)

William J. Smith, age 89, of Pompton Plains and formerly of Wayne passed away peacefully on Friday, March 11, 2022 while receiving the loving care of his family.

Bill was born in Paterson and lived in East Orange and was the only son to William and Mary Smith.  His mother Mary Smith passed away at the age of thirty-six when Bill was only eleven years old.  His father, at the time of his mother’s passing, was away serving in the United States Armed Forces and Bill never really got to know his dad.  Bill was in turn raised by his grandmother and his aunt and uncle.  After his mother’s passing he moved to Paterson to live with his grandmother.  Following his graduation from high school, his family signed him up for special classes, however, Bill had other plans in mind and enlisted in the United States Navy.  While serving in the Navy he was stationed in Jacksonville, FL where he was trained in electronics.  The Navy then relocated him to Hawaii where he was assigned to a flight squadron and assisted in the engineering of various avionics equipment, which at the time was completely new technology.  Bill served honorably in the United States Navy from 1953 until 1955.

Following his honorable discharge from the navy, bill found work quickly and accepted a position as an engineer at Bendix Corporation in Teterboro, NJ.  His career as an engineer at Bendix Corporation spanned more than thirty-three years until his retirement in 1997.  The highlight of Bill’s career was being able to work alongside Wernher von Braun developing rocket systems for the Space Shuttle.  Wernher von Braun was a German-American aerospace engineer and space architect. He was the leading figure in the development of rocket technology in Nazi Germany and a pioneer of rocket and space technology in the United States.  Bill truly and sincerely loved his job and never really thought of it as work.

Bill met the love of his life, Nanette Malzone in 1955.  Bill and Nan met almost by chance.  Bill had just been discharged from the U.S. Navy, returning home that very day, and he was settling into his aunt’s apartment in Paterson. Nan just happened to be visiting her own aunt who lived in the same two-family home. Their chance encounter resulted in a first date to the Garden Theater in Paterson followed by pizza at a nearby tavern. They hit it off and as fate would have it, they were married on October 7, 1956 at St. George’s Church, Paterson, followed by a honeymoon to Florida. They settled in Hawthorne upon their return and lived in Paterson briefly before buying a new home in Wayne in 1968. Nan and Bill raised their son there, built lasting relationships with many of their neighbors, and truly enjoyed their forty five years in that home.

Bill and Nan traveled extensively to various destinations including St Maarten, Cancun, Las Vegas, California, and Hawaii.  Their favorite destination, however, was the island of Aruba.  Bill was, what some would say, “a computer nut.”  Although computer technology was not part of Bill’s generation, he completely and totally embraced it.  Bill and Nan moved to Cedar Crest Village in Pompton Plains about eight years ago and enjoyed playing cards and bingo with their fellow residents.  While living in Wayne for many years, Bill was on the Board of Adjustments and was also a High School Band Booster.

Aside from all of Bill’s talents, hobbies, and interests, his greatest passion was for his family.  Nothing in the world meant more to Bill than spending time with and providing for his family.  He and his wife Nanette cherished nearly sixty years of loving and loyal marriage together until Nan’s passing in December of 2015.  Bill was a funny, loving and caring individual who was truly well respected by his colleagues, friends and family.  He had an infectious personality and was the kind of person who couldn’t help but like.  Bill was a truly special person who touched the lives of many people and will be sorely missed by everyone that knew him.  

Bill is survived by his son William Jude Smith and his wife Jennifer of Tribeca, NYC, two grandchildren; Tyden Smith and McKenna Smith both of Tribeca, NYC, and his long-time caregiver and dear friend Patty Samoah and her husband Appiah Young of North Haledon.

Zevart Nanorian Maybalian was born on January 25, 1934. She was the third child of Armenian Genocide survivors Dikran Nanorian and Victoria Dourlisanian Nanorian, both from Dikranagerd. She had two sisters, Janet and baby Zevart, and her brother Varouj. She was named after her sister, baby Zevart, who died at a very young age.

She grew up in Aleppo, Syria and attended the Sahagian Armenian school. In 1954, she married Makarditch Maybalian, the son of Dikran and Faima Maybalian, Armenian Genocide survivors from Dikranagerd.

In the late 1950s, the family moved to Beirut, Lebanon. They were blessed with three daughters, Sona, Ani and Arpi. In 1976, due to the civil war in Lebanon, Makarditch and Zevart moved their family to New Jersey. She was blessed with three son-in-laws, Antranig Melkonian, Harout Chatmajian and Berj Abajian, and three grandchildren, Asdghik Melkonian, Arek Chatmajian and Shant Abajian.

Zevart was a model wife, mother and grandmother, devoted to her family. She encouraged her daughters to follow their dreams and she helped raise her grandchildren. She was an expert embroiderer who worked in that industry for over 20 years. She was very active in her church and community. She was a long time member of the Armenian Relief Society. She was a devout Christian attending church services every Sunday, even when her health started failing and she had trouble walking. She was an excellent cook; she cooked for her family, her church and her community. Everyone loved her kufte, dolma, sarma, rose jam, choereg, string cheese and Dikrangerd specialties like gavourma and shakarishi. She loved Armenian music and sang along with every opportunity. She loved to play cards with her daughters and grandchildren; it was a favorite pastime during the Covid lockdowns. She enjoyed watching sports like basketball and wrestling. She was loving, caring, generous, selfless, considerate, skilled, and proper – a classy lady.

She is survived by her three daughters Sona, Ani and Arpi, her son-in-laws Antranig, Harout and Berj, her grandchildren Asdghik, Arek and Shant, and her brother Varouj. She will be sorely missed by her family and friends. She will always be in their hearts and minds.

Mark Blundo, age 64, of Wayne passed away peacefully and in the care of his loving family on March 8, 2022.

Mark was born at Booth Memorial Hospital in Queens, NY. He grew up in Wayne, living briefly on Long Island and Florida. He lived in a few homes in Wayne with his loving parents, Salvatore and Virginia, thus he had many friends throughout the entire township. Mark was a graduate of Wayne Valley High School. After high school he continued his education. He attended the Harvard  Summer Programs at Harvard Law School. He graduated with a BA in Political Science from Drew University Honors Program in 1979 and he earned his MA in American Government and Strategic Studies from Brown University in 1981. He completed his Thesis on “War and Morality”.

Mark had a passion for learning, devouring every book he could find on Karl Marx, Frederich Engels, Politics and Government. He and his parents created an extensive library in their home and they loved to debate and challenge each other on many philosophical and social issues.

Mark’s other passion was music. He treasured his enormous record collection. There was always an album playing loudly in his home of one of his Rock and Roll favorites from the 1960s, 70, and 80s. He also loved his guitar and would play for hours, many original songs he had written. Mark found enormous comfort in his books and his music, more than any of us could possibly understand nor appreciate. As an adult Mark starting collecting pipes, and would love to spend weekends with his parents at various local smoke shops buying very beautiful pipes, which were artworks. Mark had very simple needs. He was a kind and gentle soul, especially as he grew older. He loved his family and was generous in spirit.

Mark was the beloved son and only child of the late Salvatore Blundo and Dr. Virginia Criscione Blundo. He is survived by his Aunt, Marie Salerno and his cousins,Susan Palmarozza and Sandra Nastasi, who kept a loving eye over him after the loss of his parents. Mark is also survived by his cousins, Mark, Arthur, Cynthia, Christopher, Manda and Alisa, and all of their families and many friends, including Judee Priest and Trish Colucci Barbosa, who were always there for Mark. He is predeceased by his Uncles, Arthur and Emmanual and his cousin Aprile.

Those planning an expression of sympathy in Mark’s name are asked to consider New York Columbia Presbyterian at give.nyp.org

Lauren Azzara (nee Masiak), age 62, of West Milford passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 8, 2022 while receiving the loving care of her family.

Laurie was born in Paterson and was one of two children to Joseph and Joan Masiak.  At the age of nine, Laurie and her family moved to the Pines Lake section of Wayne where she spent her formative years.  Laurie attended Wayne Hills High School where she participated in fencing on the Junior Varsity and Varsity High School Fencing Team.  Following her graduation from high school with the class of 1977, she attended Eisenhower College in Seneca Falls, NY where she studied Psychology.  Laurie left college early to pursue a career in Computer Programming.  She found work quickly at a company in Oakland, NJ known as Meadox Medicals where she was employed for a few years.  Laurie left her position and accepted another offer from Safilo USA in Secaucus, NJ where she was again employed as a computer programmer.  Laurie's career at Safilo USA spanned over thirty-three years and earning her the title of Project Manager.  She held this position until her retirement in April of 2021.

On August 10, 1990, Laurie was set up on a blind date with a gentleman named Ron Azzara by some mutual friends.  Laurie and Ron went out to El Torito Mexican Restaurant in Fairfield and had drinks.  The two hit it off great and started dating steadily for the next four years.  As fate would have it they fell in love and on October 1, 1994 they became husband and wife.  The couple got married in Las Vegas at The Little Church of the West, and over forty members of their family and friends traveled to join them, making it a wonderful and memorable “family bash.”  After getting married, the newlyweds moved to West Milford, NJ in 1995 and have been there ever since.   Laurie and
Ron cherished nearly twenty-eight years of loving and loyal marriage.

One of the couple’s favorite pastimes was travel.  Laurie and Ron traveled throughout the entire United States over the years by plane as well as by car.  Their most frequented destinations were their special city of Las Vegas and New Orleans, LA.  These were destination that Ron and Laurie visited on a yearly basis.  For Laurie, the attraction of New Orleans was clearly the music.  After visiting New Orleans, Laurie fell in love with the culture and music there.  She adored the Jazz, Blues and Bluegrass music genres, some of her favorite musical artists being Bela Fleck, Sonny Landreth, and Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes.  For the couple’s twenty-fifth wedding anniversary they traveled to Yellowstone National Park for a very memorable vacation.  They also traveled to other destinations such as Telluride CO, for The Telluride Bluegrass Festival, spent time at the Jersey Shore and Atlantic City.  Although Vegas and Atlantic City were favorite hot spots, gambling was not the attraction for Laurie, it was musical shows an entertainment which she fell in love with.  She also treasured attending The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, The French Quarter Fest and many other music venues throughout the United States.

Laurie enjoyed playing Racquetball and was also an avid Runner, participating in various half marathons over the years at the Jersey Shore, Central Park, Vegas, and New Orleans.  When she ran, it was always to raise money for a good cause.  She also loved yearly camping adventure at the Michael Arnone's Crawfish Festival in Sussex County, NJ.  Throughout her life, she became a fan of eating heathy and studying good nutrition.  She was a wonderful cook and prided herself in preparing well balanced and nutritional meals for herself, Ron, her family, and her friends.  Laurie had a wonderfully infectious personality that was witty and smart.  She had a dry sense of humor and was the kind of person you couldn’t help but want to be around.  Whenever she expected guests in her home she always fussed and had to have everything just perfect for them.  Laurie was a truly special person who touched the lives of many people and will be sincerely missed by everyone that knew her.

Laurie is survived by her husband Ronald Azzara of West Milford, one brother Joseph Masiak and his wife Janet of Hawthorne, NJ, one brother-in-law David Azzara and his wife Kate of Louisville, KY, one niece Brittany Azzara of Louisville, KY, and one nephew Brandon Azzara of Louisville, KY.  Laurie was predeceased by her mother Joan Masiak in 1995, and her father Joseph Masiak in 2018.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Laurie's name may be made to New Orleans Musicians Clinic, 3700 St Charles Ave, 2nd Floor, New Orleans, LA 70115, http://www.neworleansmusiciansclinic.org

Richard Joseph Mazloom, age 72 of Wayne passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on Sunday March 6, 2022.

Richard was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY in a time when playing stickball in the streets was one of the great past times of young children. One of three children, Richard was the only son to Albert and Elizabeth Mazloom.  Rich attended Brooklyn Prep High School. During his high school years, he spent time studying abroad in Germany and thrived on the debate team until subsequently graduating with the class of 1968.

Following his graduation from high school, Rich attended Fordham University in New York City.  While at Fordham he was an active member of the cheerleading roster and a DJ for Fordham’s radio station, WFUV.  Specifically, he ran the Arabic speaking station playing music and announcing community events.  After graduating and receiving his Bachelor’s Degree in 1972, Rich continued working for WFUV at Fordham for many years.  His show “Middle East Melodies” was a staple in the Arabic community. Rich’s passion for being a DJ did not end there, he was a party DJ up until the very end. After graduating from Fordham, Rich quickly found work.  He was employed by several companies in New York City in the Marketing and Advertising industry.  Later, Richard became a successful entrepreneur in the industry, owning and operating several of his own businesses throughout his lifetime.

In 1979, Rich married Diana Hemerlein and together they settled in Brooklyn.  While living there, they welcomed their first child, Jason.  The family then moved to Wayne in 1981 where they welcomed their next two children; Amanda and Gregory.  Rich remained in Wayne, NJ for the next forty years.  During that time, he met his life partner, Rowena Devlin whom he has been with ever since.  In 2021 Rich moved to Nathalie, VA.  After relocating from New Jersey, Rich & Rowena enjoyed splitting their time between the beach house in Emerald Isle, NC and the farmhouse in Nathalie, VA.

Rich was an avid car collector over his lifetime.  Of the many classic cars he had owned and restored, his pride and joy was his 1974 Corvette Stingray.  He attended and competed in many local car shows through the years and had accumulated a robust collection of trophies for his prize vehicles.  He was also a collector of Lionel Toy Trains, however, he referred to himself not as a collector, but as a “conductor.”  In addition to classic cars and toy trains, Rich was an avid antique collector as well.  A true treasure hunter, Rich never could resist the chance to peruse an antique shop.  He was a Boy Scout Leader for many years while his children were growing up and was the founder of Wayne Boy Scout Troop #130.  He cherished yearly vacations with his family to the Jersey Shore and to Ridin-Hy Ranch located in upstate New York. During the summer, when not at the shore, Rich could be found relaxing at the Wayne Public Pool, often playing a game of handball. Ever the party host, Rich loved to throw parties all year long.  You would never find his dessert table without Mallomars as he was quite the enthusiast. Aside from his talents, hobbies and interests, his greatest passion was for his family.  Nothing in the world meant more to Rich than spending time with his children and especially his grandchildren.

He was truly devoted to his Catholic Faith and was a long-time parishioner of St. Ann’s Melkite Catholic Church in Woodland Park, NJ.  Rich was a unique individual.  He lived life by his own rules and his friends referred to him as “eccentric.” He was loved by his friends and family and will be sincerely missed by everyone who knew him.

Richard is survived by his life partner Rowena Devlin of Nathalie, VA, his son Richard “Jay” Mazloom & his wife Amanda of Washington DC, his daughter Amanda Mazloom of Queens, NY, and his son Gregory Mazloom & his wife Annie of Wayne, NJ, two sisters; Rosemary Shabouk and Evelyn Mazloom, and four grandchildren; Aiden, Angelina, Ava and Scarlett Mazloom.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Richard’s name may be made to Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, 2361 Hylan Blvd, Staten Island, NY 10306.  http://www.t2t.org

Kenneth M. Relovsky, age 83, of Towaco, passed away peacefully in the comfort of his own home on Sunday, March 6, 2022, while receiving the loving care of his family.

Born in Jersey City and raised in West New York, NJ, Ken was the third born son of John and Mary (Rajniak) Relovsky. A 1956 graduate of Memorial High School in West New York, he starred in football and baseball for his school and was named an All-State catcher, who was approached by the Brooklyn Dodgers to play pro ball.  

After high school, Ken went to work for the Ford Motor Company. He started on the assembly line and was promoted over the course of his 46 year career with Ford to warehouse manager in their parts division in Teterboro, NJ. As warehouse manager, Ken engineered a sophisticated parts sorting system which dramatically reduced delivery turnaround time from parts facility to assembly plants.  While at Ford, Ken joined the National Guard, earning the rank as sergeant and proudly served as an armor crewman.  

Ken was the beloved husband of Clare Fogarty, married January 28, 1961 at St. Joseph’s Church in West New York.  They settled in Little Ferry then moved to Towaco, where they lived and raised their family for 47 years.

Ken was blessed in marriage for 61 years. He was the most loving father of: Randy Relovsky and wife Carmen Peralta, Maryann Chavez and husband Cesar, Deborah Ann Zegler and husband Curt, and Kevin Relovsky and wife Mindy; adoring grandfather of eleven grandchildren: Victoria, Kenneth, Ashley, Jasmine, Nicole, Alex, Caitlin Emily, Jordan, Sarah, and Jackson; and dear uncle of numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his three brothers: Thomas, Arthur and Robert Relovsky.

Ken was tough, hardworking, smart, loyal, and dedicated husband, father, son, brother, uncle, friend, and employee.

Those planning an expression of sympathy in Ken’s name are asked to consider:

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Memorial Processing
501 St. Jude Place
Memphis, TN 38105-9959
You can also donate online by clicking here (www.stjude.org)

Ruth Heitzman of Pompton Plains peacefully passed away on Saturday, March 5, 2022 in the loving embrace of her family at the age of 89. She was the daughter of Felix and Helen Jablin of Jersey City and attended St. Aloysius School from kindergarten through sixth grade. She and her sister Janice moved with their parents to Rutherford where Ruth attended public school beginning in sixth grade and graduated from Rutherford High School.

Ruth went on to earn a teaching degree from Paterson State Teachers College in 1954, and then she taught Business Education and worked as a guidance counselor at East Rutherford High School. She also earned her master’s degree in School Guidance from Rutgers University.

In 1957, she married the love of her life, Joe, after meeting him at Paterson State Teachers College where they both studied Business Education. After college while Joe was serving in the Army in Europe, he bought her engagement diamond in Amsterdam and rarely did you ever see Ruth not wearing her ring. They shared 64 years of marriage; building a life and family filled with joy and compassion.

Ruth was a devoted mother to her only child, Elizabeth. Some of her happiest times were spent in Saddle Brook where she created a warm home with a filled candy dish always at the ready.

A testament to Ruth’s patience and creativity was her love of quilting and cross stitching. She enjoyed selecting fabrics, designing quilts, and hours of quiet meditation as she quilted. She was an active member of the Brownstone Quilters Guild and thoroughly enjoyed the friendships she formed. Ruth also was an avid reader and especially loved reading Danielle Steele novels.

Ruth and Joe enjoyed years of traveling the world and educating themselves about the places and people they met. Some of her favorite trips were to Ireland and winter cruises in the Caribbean to escape the cold New Jersey winter. They enjoyed exploring the world and laughing about the mishaps of their travels. Later in life they enjoyed dancing to the big band music of their youth.

Ruth was a devout Catholic who rarely missed Sunday mass. She was a parishioner of St. Philip the Apostle Parish in Saddle Brook from 1959 until 2013 when she moved to Cedar Crest in Pompton Plains. Ruth and Joe quickly found spiritual homes at the Cedar Crest Chapel and Our Lady of Good Counsel in Pompton Plains.

She was the loving wife of 64 years to Joseph Heitzman. Loving mother of Elizabeth Sponenburg and her husband, Jeff, of Wayne, NJ. Cherished grandmother of Joseph and Kathryn Sponenburg of Wayne. Beloved sister of Janice Glock and dear godmother to Helen Hallberg. She will be missed by many nieces, nephews, and friends whose lives she touched over the years.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Ruth’s name may be made to:
Cedar Crest Resident Care Fund
1 Cedar Crest Drive
Pompton Plains, NJ 07444

Kevin Joseph Carr, of Mesa, AZ, formally of Fairfield, NJ, passed away peacefully on March 4th, 2022, at the age of 60. Kevin lived most of his life in Fairfield, NJ before moving to Arizona to live and be cared for by his loving sister Karen. He spent most of his life participating in programs run by the ARC of Essex County. The ARC Adult Activity Center is where he enjoyed bowling, delivering meals on wheels and where he learned how to navigate the computer and the world wide web. That knowledge helped him unlock a whole new world when Apple came out with the IPad. He had an uncanny ability to find anything you could imagine about the NY Yankees, fire trucks and games that would allow him to drive. He loved to watch every Yankee ballgame and in the off season would watch reruns of classic Yankee games. He also loved to watch classic TV series and game shows from the 60’s and 70’s. How he found them we’ll never know. He looked forward to his weekly Dunkin Donuts Dunkaccino that his nieces would deliver after school, then later in life his Arizona caregivers would bring him to Dunkin to pick it up himself. Nothing went better with Dunkin than his Oreo cookies.

Kevin was predeceased by his loving parents and lifelong caregivers, Victoria and Ronald Carr. Kevin is survived by his sister Karen Carr Wojcik of Mesa, AZ and brother Ronald Carr Jr. and his wife Annette of Wayne, NJ. He was a loving Uncle to Marissa West and her husband Mark, Alexis and Shannon Wojcik, Annalise and ErinRose Carr. He is also survived by a great-niece and great-nephew, and many Aunts, Uncles and Cousins. He will be missed by his caring and compassionate caregivers Kathy, Virginia and Andrea. We will always be grateful they were part of Kevin’s life.

Donations in his memory may be made to The ARC of Essex County, 123 Naylon Ave., Livingston, N.J. 07039.

Margaret A. Horne, age 91 of Wayne, passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, March 3, 2022, while in the loving company of family.

Margaret, known mostly as “Peggy” and “Peg O’ My Heart” was the youngest of Thomas and Mary (Henshall) Dowd’s five children.  She was born and raised in Paterson where her father owned several silk mills during the heydays of life in Paterson.  Growing up in a family that humbly acknowledged the importance of God in their lives, they lived by their faith.  She was a graduate of Benedictine Academy in Paterson.

One day when Peggy was just fifteen years old, the family experienced some mechanical issues with their refrigerator which necessitated a call to the local appliance repairman. The mechanic who showed up was pretty young too but all that Peggy noticed was that he was very handsome and charming!  She quickly made it her business to learn that his name was Robert Horne.  The initial attraction must have been mutual and he and Peggy actually did end up going on a date to a place called The Barn in Wyckoff.  That first date led to a beautiful relationship taking root, ultimately leading to their marriage on Saturday, September 10, 1949 at a church in Paterson. After the wedding reception, the newlyweds honeymooned in Niagara Falls, NY and then settled into their first home together on Schuyler Ave. in Pompton Lakes.  Peggy was just 18 years old when she married Bob and soon after, the blessing of children began. First they welcomed their son Thomas who was followed by the surprise of twin girls Robin and Susan.  In 1959 they moved into a brand new home which they built on the lake in the Pines Lake section of Wayne. Soon after, Peggy and Bob received another unexpected surprise when they found out that Peggy was expecting again!  Nine months later, they welcomed their fourth child, another baby girl which they named Lisa who would ultimately become known as Dede.

Peggy embraced her role as a loving and nurturing mom and homemaker.  When they were little girls, she supported her daughters as a Brownie leader and she was always present for all of her kids sporting, dance and theater events.  She delighted in celebrating their birthdays by making them whatever they wanted to eat.  Peggy was an outstanding cook who made so many great dishes.  Peggy always made the house a warm, welcoming and safe place to come home to.  The creative side of her inspired a love for interior decorating which was further inspired by her own mother’s elegant taste.  In 1963, she and Bob purchased a beachfront summer home located in Surf City on Long Beach Island.  It was a beautiful home built in the 1930’s and is listed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Homes.  It was a special summer gathering place made only more special by Peggy’s outstanding interior decorating skills.  With four kids and her husband Bob’s penchant for always inviting guests, it seemed that Peggy was always making beds and cooking meals.  The family spent the whole month of August at the shore house and Peggy and Bob even purchased Joe’s Clam Bar, a seasonal restaurant which was run by their children.

Sadly, in 1982, Bob passed away unexpectedly.  Peggy moved year round to the home in Surf City and in 1985 she sold that home and built a beautiful Victorian style home on the empty lot next door.  That same year, Peggy and a business partner opened a gift shop called “In a Nutshell” in Harvey Cedars. They eventually moved the business to Surf City.  In her spare time, Peggy enjoyed reading mysteries, romance and historical novels.  Daisy, her beloved English Setter, was always by her side.

Above all else, Peggy’s greatest devotion was to her family and to her faith in God.  To her, family and faith went hand-in-hand.  The teachings of Jesus’ love, which were taught to her as a little girl by her own father who was a gentle, spiritual man, inspired her faith in God which she shared with her own family and those she met along life’s pathway.  Throughout her life and depending on where she was living at the time, she was a faithful parishioner of St. Mary’s Church in Pompton Lakes and St. Thomas Church in Surf City.  For years she also enjoyed attending a bible study in Pines Lake with her daughter Dede.

Peggy was a loving, kind, compassionate, funny and generous woman who touched the lives of everyone who had the privilege of knowing her.

Peggy was the beloved wife of Robert, blessed in marriage for 33 years until his passing in 1982.  She was the loving mother of the late Thomas Horne who predeceased her in 1992, Robin Reed of Wayne, Susan Granzen and husband Mark of Glenwood, NJ, and Lisa “DeDe” Fantau and husband David of Wayne, cherished grandmother of Katherine and husband Daniel, Kelly, Robert and wife Alison, Matthew, and Christian, and adoring great-grandmother to Genevieve Margaret, named after both of her great-grandmothers.  Peggy was also predeceased by all of her siblings including her brothers George, David, James and her sister Helen Dowd.

Those planning an expression of sympathy in Margaret’s name are asked to consider St. Mary’s RC Church in Pompton Lakes, NJ.

Robert W. Vagell, Sr. “Pepsi Bob”, age 84, of Wayne passed away peacefully on Monday, February 28, 2022 while receiving the loving care of his family.

Bob was born in Passaic and was raised in Garfield and was the older of two sons to William and Rosemarie Vagell.  While growing up in Garfield, Bob attended Garfield High School graduating with the class of 1955.  Following his graduation from high school, Bob found work quickly with the Hackensack Post Office where he was employed for several years.  Bob then transitioned, accepting a position with the Pepsi Cola Corporation in Moonachie as a salesman.  Bob continued to work for Pepsi Cola his entire career retiring at an early age more than twenty years ago.  While employed at Pepsi Cola, Bob also ran his own landscaping business called Vagell & Son Landscaping.  Bob owned and operated Vagell & Son Landscaping for many years during his time at Pepsi and following his retirement.

As a very young man just out of high school, Bob met an attractive young lady by the name of Mary Ann Viola.  The couple fell in love and became husband and wife on May 17, 1958, on Mary Ann’s birthday.  The newlyweds settled in Hackensack for a short time then moved to Saddle Brook, and soon after the town of Fair Lawn.  Over the years they welcomed the births of their three children, Cindy, Lynn, and Robert.  Unfortunately after many years, Bob and Mary Ann split apart and got divorced.  Following his divorce, Bob did find love again.  In 1995 Bob was at the Whiskey Bar in Lyndhurst for a night of line dancing.  Bob caught the eye of an attractive lady named Grace Noble.  Bob and Grace danced together that night and hit it off great.  The couple were together until 2007 when they decided to make it official and became husband and wife.  Bob and Grace settled in Wayne and called it their home for the rest of their lives.  Bob and Grace cherished twenty three years of marriage until Grace’s passing in 2018.

Bob was a long time member of the Elks Lodge #1895 in Pompton Lakes where he was awarded his affectionate nickname “Pepsi Bob.”  Bob and Grace continued frequenting their line dancing events throughout the years.  They also enjoyed traveling to various destination such as Hawaii, Atlantic City, and Las Vegas.  Aside from all of Bob’s talents, hobbies, and interests, his greatest passion was for his family.  Nothing in the world meant more to Bob than providing for and spending time with his children, and grandchildren.  Bob was a “character” and had, what some would say, an outrageous sense of humor.  He loved kidding around with people and leading them on playfully.  You also did not have to be a part of Bob’s “inner circle” to get teased, he kidded around with everyone he met.  Bob was a truly special person.  He was generous and genuinely put the needs of others before his own.  He will be sincerely missed by his and friends.

Bob is survived by his two daughters; Cindy A Vagell-Bacigal and her husband Frank of Campbell Hall, NY, and Lynn Levy and her husband Jerome of Barrington Hills, IL, one son Robert W. Vagell, Jr of Indio, CA, his step-son Roy Giarmo of Paterson, one brother Craig Vagell, Sr. and his wife Marilyn of Cedar Knolls, NJ, four grandchildren; Corrine Bacigal of Baton Rouge, LA, Paige Bacigal of Campbell Hall, NY, Gabrielle Levy of Chicago, IL, and Lucca Huth Vagell of Indio, CA, one nephew Craig and one niece Kristy Lynn.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Bob’s name may be made to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial Processing, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959 www.stjude.org or Ronald Mc Donald House, 267-07 76th Street, Queens, NY 11040 www.rmhc.org

Toniann Concato, age 58, of Wayne, passed away on Sunday, February 27, 2022 in the loving presence and care of her family.

Toniann was born and raised in Belleville, NJ. After graduating from Belleville High School in 1981, she attended Montclair State University before settling into a successful career as a licensed beautician. She was the best beautician on earth, but she’d often say to her follicly-challenged husband Michael, “I’m a beautician, not a magician!” Toniann worked for many years for Guy Anthony Salon in Clifton before pausing her career to raise her two sons Michael, Jr. and Marc.

One night while out to see a band playing at Hartley’s in North Arlington with her girlfriend Nadine, Toniann was approached by a handsome and outgoing guy named Michael Concato who spotted her from across the room. They got to talking and eventually realized they had actually met before. In fact, Toniann had apparently rented an apartment next to where Michael lived and they even had a conversation while Michael worked on his boat and Toniann worked on her irises. That night at Hartley’s they made a more-lasting impression on each other and after dating for a period of time, Mike approached Toniann’s father, Angelo Tursi, and asked him for permission to marry his daughter. Angelo gave his blessing and Michael wasted no time. That very night, while at his sister’s house, he asked Toniann to be his wife and she was more than happy to say yes. They excitedly planned the wedding and exchanged their marriage vows before God, family, and friends on Friday May 31, 1991 at Holy Family Church in Nutley. It was a beautiful spring day and after the ceremony, the party of all parties was held at the Ridgefield Regency on Bloomfield Avenue in Verona. After a trifecta honeymoon to Lake Tahoe, San Francisco and Cabo, St. Lucas, Toniann and Michael began their life together as husband and wife at 29 Parson Road in Clifton. Soon after the blessed birth of their two sons – Michael, Jr. in 1993 and Marc in 1995, the whole family moved to their present home in Wayne.

Toniann devoted herself to the care of her family and new home and she was the best wife and mother ever. It has always been said that the way to a mans’ heart is through his stomach. Toniann was an amazing cook and had no problem winning the hearts of all the men in her life. She won her husband Michael’s heart with her chicken and rice recipe. Michael Jr. loved her chicken cutlets, Marc was all about her white spaghetti, and her father Angelo was always glad to show up for her homemade Pasta Fagioli. Toniann poured herself into the care of her sons. From the time they were little boys until they were young men, she never missed an opportunity to be their greatest cheerleader at all of their countless sporting events and she was the proudest mom in the world at all their birthday celebrations and milestone moments, award ceremonies and graduations. Throughout their childhoods, she, Michael and the boys enjoyed fun and enriching trips to numerous destinations.

One would think that raising a family would be more than a full-time job, but Toniann found time for other pursuits too. When her boys were in school full days, she returned to full-time work for 19 years with the Wayne Board of Education. The consummate hostess, her home was always a welcoming place for her sons’ friends, and her own girlfriends would often gather too for a haircut and style. Those were fun times of catching up on all the latest goings on in each other’s lives and they would often evolve into a party-like feel. In between she enjoyed pursuing one of her own favorite pastimes – gardening. In fact, Toniann even went to school to become certified as a master gardener. Her yard was equivalent to a botanical garden – beautiful to behold and bountiful with so many gorgeous flowers which she loved to cut and arrange to give to family and friends. She could even propagate one plant from another and many of those new plants became gifts to beautify the gardens of extended family and friends. Toniann also grew the most delicious vegetables which made for the freshest ingredients in her delicious recipes. Sure to be by her side while working in the yard was her buddy Lucky, a Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier. She and Michael welcomed Lucky into their home as a Christmas gift for Michael Jr. and Marc, but Lucky became the life of the whole family – especially to Toniann who treated him better than a human sometimes.

In recent years Toniann dealt with some health issues. It was hard on her and her family who loved her so much. However, no matter what the challenge was, Toniann always put one foot in front of the other. She never gave up and was the biggest fighter. Toniann truly was Wonder Woman to her family and friends.  She eventually adopted Krater, a service dog that she got from a wonderful organization called Paws with a Cause. A jet-black Standard Poodle, Krater quickly became extremely devoted to Toniann and was always by her side, ready to help. Krater assisted Toniann with walking and he could fetch things for her and even get her the phone. She used to joke that Krater would even screen her calls. Throughout her struggle, Toniann’s strong, positive outlook on life always radiated through her big smile. She had the most steadfast positive attitude and she never gave up, always finding her strength, not in herself, but through her faith in God. Every day she thanked Jesus for a new and beautiful day and made sure to spread that message with her family. She would exclaim to Michael and Marc before bed “Remember to thank Jesus for a beautiful day!” She had a wow factor that amazed everyone and she loved and was deeply loved by Michael, her beautiful boys, her precious parents, dear siblings, nieces, nephews and friends.

Toniann was the beloved wife of Michael, blessed in marriage for 30 years. She was the most loving mother of Michael Concato, Jr. and Marc Concato; proud daughter of Angelo and Lola Tursi; dearest sister of: Frank Tursi, Romona Borgo, and Lisa
Cordovano; and dear aunt of: Rick, John, Lorenzo, Vincent, Ron Jr., Cayci and Racquel.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Toniann’s name are asked to consider:

Paws with a Cause
National Headquarters
4646 Division
Wayland, MI 49348

To donate online, CLICK HERE

Lynda Brooks Jackson (aka Lynda James) of Cedar Grove, NJ passed away on February 23, 2022 after a courageous battle with a prolonged illness.

Lynda was born in Butler, PA on July 8, 1947 and was a 1965 graduate of Mars High School in Mars, PA. She earned a B.A. at the Career Academy in Washington, DC at Georgetown and became a Certified Medical Assistant.  Later she worked as a booking agent for the Banner Talent Agency in New York City where she met her husband, Thomas (aka Tommy James) in 1972.

Lynda is survived by her beloved husband of 50 years, Thomas, her sisters Marcia Brooks Norton of Mars, PA, Candice Wallingford of Honesdale, PA, and Dawn (John) Wilbern of Evans City, PA; and survived by and known as “a loving Nana” to many nieces and nephews; and her stepson, Brian (Patty) Jackson.

She was preceded in death by her father, Herbert (Bud) Brooks; her mother, Jeanne Brooks; a brother, Robert Brooks; and a sister, Jodi Brooks.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the MS Center at Holy Name Medical Center, 718 Teaneck Rd., Teaneck, NJ 07666.

Ethel Ferris (nee Hamaid) age 82, of Wanaque, passed Wednesday, February 23, 2022.

She was born and raised in Jersey City to John and Margaret Hamaid.  She graduated from the Dickinson High School in Jersey City with the Class of 1957.

After high school she worked as a secretary for the Equitable Insurance Company in Jersey City and later for the JC Penny Corporation in New York City.

Ethel met William “Bill” Ferris while she was working as a soda jerk at a candy store in Jersey City.  Ethel lived a block to the North of the store and Bill lived a block to the South of the store.  They soon fell in love and after Bill proposed marriage at Ethel’s family home in Jersey City they married on September 14, 1963.  They were married at St Paul of the Cross Church in Jersey City, had their reception at the Military Park Hotel in Newark, and honeymooned in Puerto Rico.  They had fifty-nine years of a loving and devoted marriage that was blessed with three children.

Ethel will be lovingly remembered as a quiet, reserved person whose home was always immaculate.  She loved her rose garden and also grew tomatoes in the backyard.  Through the years she had two Cocker Spaniel dogs Dusty, and Mitsi whom she loved dearly. In her retirement Ethel enjoyed playing cards with friends at the Wanaque Reserve where she lived.

Ethel was the loving wife of William Ferris; devoted mother of Patty VanKirk and her husband Matthew of Newfoundland, William Ferris, Jr. of Hendersonville, TN, and Michael Ferris of West Milford; she was the cherished grandmother of Eileen VanKirk, Meagan VanKirk, and Sophie Ferris; she was the much loved sister of Margaret Aslstaedt, Marylou Langen, Ruth Ann Pellegrino, and John Hamaid.  She was predeceased by her siblings Ed Hamaid and Jeanne Fiore.

Robert M. Corsetto, age 79, of Wayne passed away peacefully on Tuesday February 22, 2022 while receiving the loving care of his family.

Bob was born and raised in Paterson and was the older of two children to Florio and Rose Corsetto.  While growing up in Paterson, Bob attended St. Bonaventure High School where he excelled at baseball and basketball, playing for the school’s varsity teams.  Following his graduation from high school in 1960, he enrolled at St Peter’s College in Jersey City, NJ.  While a student at St Peter’s College, he continued playing baseball, and one of his proudest moments was hitting a home run against Boston College to break up a no-hitter. Bob earned his Bachelor’s Degree from St. Peter’s College in 1965.  Upon graduation, he found work quickly as a school teacher in his home town of Paterson, where he worked for the Paterson Public School system for the next twenty years.

While teaching in the mid 1980’s, Bob opened up a real estate company called Yankee Real Estate, located in West Milford.  The real estate business started growing and was doing so well that Bob decided to retire from teaching to focus on his real estate career full time.  Robert continued to grow Yankee Real Estate until his retirement in the early 2000’s.

While in high school, Bob was attending a Catholic Youth Organization dance in Paterson when he met a beautiful young lady named Ann Kinn. Bob saw her from across the gymnasium before working up the courage to ask her to dance. Bob and Ann dated for about two years, fell in love, and were married on September 4, 1965 at St Anthony’s Roman Catholic Church in Hawthorne.  The newlyweds settled in Pompton Lakes and while living there for a couple of years, welcomed the births of their first two children, Richard and Robert.  As the family started to grow, they moved to Wayne where they welcomed their third child, their daughter Kathleen.  Bob and Ann remained in Wayne for the rest of their lives together.

Bob was an avid golfer, playing nearly every day, and was a member of the Packanack Lake Golf Club for more than forty years, where he was affectionately known as “Bobby.”  Over the years, Bob never lost his love for all sports and was a constant coaching figure throughout his childrens’ lives.  He treasured watching and attending college basketball with both his sons.  Bob was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather.  Aside from all of his talents, hobbies and interests, his greatest passion was for his family.  Nothing in the world meant more to Bob than providing for and spending time with his wife, children and their spouses, and his grandchildren.  Bob and his family vacationed frequently in the Carolinas and the Jersey Shore.  After their daughter moved to North Carolina, they cherished frequent trips there to visit their grandchildren.  Bob enjoyed spending time with them at parks and on vacation. Despite the physical distance, Bob insisted that they spend every birthday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas together and would do anything to ensure that happened.  Bob and Ann cherished fifty four years of loving and loyal marriage together until Ann’s passing in 2020.  Bob was not only devoted to his family but also to his Catholic faith.  He and his family were long time parishoners of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Wayne.  Bob always made time for his faith, attending Sunday mass without fail before his early morning tee times.
Those who knew Bob best will remember him as a hard- working, kind- hearted, family man. Bob leaves behind a legacy of selflessness and warm family memories. His strong will and resilience in the face of adversity will long be admired by those who loved him and knew him. His big brown eyes, quiet humor, and smile will be remembered by those who love him most. Bob was truly a special person who touched the lives of everyone around him and he will be sincerely missed by all who knew him.

Bob is survived by his two sons; Richard Corsetto and his wife Robyn of Wayne, and Robert Corsetto and his wife Heather of Wayne, one daughter Kathleen Knox and her husband Thomas of Davidson, NC, one brother Richard Corsetto and his wife Doreen of Wayne, niece Pamela and family, many cousins, and two grandchildren; Kelley Knox and Catherine Knox both of Davidson, NC.  He was predeceased by his parents Florio and Rose Corsetto.

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In lieu of flowers, donation in Robert’s name may be made to Michael J Fox Foundation, PO Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5014,
http://www.michaeljfox.org

Joan Marie Fontanella, age 87 of Totowa, passed away peacefully on February 20, 2022. She was surrounded by her family in the comfort of her home.

Born in Paterson, NJ, on October 29, 1934, she and her older sister Camille lived on Mill Street, with their parents James and Florence Iurato (nee Mott). In her younger years, Joan attended Saint Michael’s grammar school. She graduated from Mary Help of Christians Academy High School (class of 1953) North Haledon, NJ. The Salesian Sisters at those schools gave her not only a formal education, but values that guided her life.

Joan met her husband, Alfred Fontanella, in Saint Michael’s church choir, later to be wed in 1959.  Joan, a devoted wife and loving mother, dedicated her life to raising her nine children within the Catholic Church and serving the community.  She was an active parishioner at St. Gerard Majella R.C. Church for many years where she was a Eucharistic Minister and chairwoman of the St. Joseph Table and Palm Weaving committees.  For the last 20 years, Joan served the Salesian Sisters at the Provincial House of Mary Help of Christians Academy by helping care for the elderly sisters.   She often referred to the Sisters as her second family and loved them very much.

Family gatherings were extremely important to Joan. Preparing Sunday dinners for the entire family was a regular event.   She honored old family traditions such as St. Joseph’s table, making struffoli at Christmas, and Easter delicacies like Easter bread, pizza gana, wheat and rice pies. Joan and her family also spent a considerable amount of time at their house in Lake Wallenpaupack, PA.  At the lake house, the family would go swimming, boating, fishing, riding ATVs, and snowmobiling. Our home was always open to neighbors and friends, who often congregated for food and fun, followed by a fireplace gathering.

Joan was a loving wife of 43 years to the late Alfred E. Fontanella, Esq. (d. 2002).  Loving mother of Alfred J. Fontanella of Totowa, NJ; Andrew Fontanella of Bowie, MD; James Fontanella and his partner, Gretchen Minadeo, of Totowa, NJ; Daniel Fontanella and his wife, Gina, of Paterson, NJ; Paul Fontanella and his wife, Alexandra, of Totowa, NJ; David Fontanella and his partner, Liz Pires, of Clifton, NJ; Therese Manzi and her husband, Marco, of Totowa, NJ; Lucia Cardona and her husband, Peter, of Wayne, NJ; and Joan E. Fontanella, of Totowa, NJ; loving grandmother to her 18 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren, and  loving sister to the late Camille (Dolly) Tozzi (d.2009) and her husband, Michael, of Fairlawn, NJ along with many nieces and nephews. Joan also leaves behind her two lifelong friends Betty Penotti and Judy Ventrella.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Joan’s name are asked to consider a donation to:
The Salesian Sisters
659 Belmont Ave
North Haledon, NJ 07508
Attention Sr. Mary Rinaldi
Or Click Here to donate online and please leave a message in comments in memory of Joan Fontanella

Peter Anthony Maraldo, of Totowa, passed away on Monday, February 21, 2022, exactly 65 years after the day he was born, surrounded by his children and best friend.

Born in Passaic, Peter was the firstborn child of Peter Richard and Margaret (Baldino) Maraldo. He grew up in Nutley, NJ where he excelled in baseball, basketball, and football. Following graduation in 1975 he promptly enlisted in the United States Marine Corps where he proudly served his country.

Peter was a Sheriff’s Officer with the Passaic County Sheriff’s Department. He entered the academy and during the course of his career in law enforcement, he served as a detective in the Anti-Crime Division until his retirement. In his early twenties, he met Luisa Lucci, where he soon showed his true colors when he met her in a parking lot outside of their work, and playfully handcuffed her and told her she had to break up with her present boyfriend. She actually did and they eventually married on Sunday, April 29, 1984 at St. Michael’s Church in Paterson. Following the wedding, Peter and Luisa moved to their first home on Arlington Avenue in Paterson. In 1985, they moved to Totowa Avenue in Paterson and soon after welcomed their firstborn, a son which they named Peter Paul. Four years later they welcomed their second child, a daughter which they named Michelle.

Upon retirement from the Sheriff’s Department, Pete kept himself busy as a personal trainer, in private security, and in construction as a heavy machinery operator. Those pursuits kept him occupied and reasonably happy and fulfilled until the blessing of grandchildren changed everything. He simply adored Abigail, Adelynn, and little Gianna who was born just four months ago. Like any good grandfather, he loved to spoil them and take them for walks, trips to the park and out to eat at one of his favorite places – Jersey Johnny’s in Woodland Park. When not with his grandchildren Pete liked to work out at Gold’s Gym in Totowa, he liked watching his favorite football team – the Green Bay Packers, and he liked doing home improvement projects at his son’s house. Pete loved his kids and grandkids and would do anything for them.  

Pete is survived by his son Peter Paul Maraldo and wife Kerri of Cedar Grove and his daughter Michelle Maraldo-Colon and husband Sam of Woodland Park; three grandchildren: Abigail, Adelynn, and Gianna; his mother Margaret Doeffinger of Lakewood; his sister Diane Radice of Freehold; his niece Danielle Radice and fiancé Louis of Freehold; and his former wife and friend Luisa Maraldo of Woodland Park. He was predeceased by his father Peter Richard Maraldo in 2009 and by his brother-in-law Scott Radice in 2009.                

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Peter’s name are asked to consider:

The Chapel
264 Jacksonville Road
Lincoln Park, NJ 07035

Dorothy Hilma Doland (nee Strote), age 93, of Wayne passed away peacefully on Monday, February 21, 2022, while receiving the loving care of her family.

Dorothy was born and raised in Rockford, IL and was the youngest of twelve children to Albin and Natalia Strote. While growing up in Rockford, Dorothy attended East High School and Bethany United Methodist Church. Following her graduation from East High School in 1945, Dorothy found work at Rockford Clutch Division of the Borg Warner Corporation, where they manufactured clutches for tractors. Dorothy then worked for the YMCA for a number of years.

While working at the YMCA, Dorothy was introduced by some mutual friends to a handsome young man by the name of James Doland. Jim and Dorothy fell in love, were engaged in three months and married six months later, on October 2, 1960. In 1962 Dorothy and Jim relocated to Wayne, NJ where Dorothy could be close to her dear sister Ruth who lived in Pompton Lakes. Upon arriving in New Jersey, Dorothy and Jim settled in their log cabin, in Pines Lake, and became members of Pompton Reformed Church. Dorothy was a skilled typist and worked for an arbitrator for twenty-five years. She then took a position at GAF Corporation in Wayne, where she called upon her previous skills as a Switchboard Operator for the next ten years, until finally retiring in 1994.

While living in Wayne, Dorothy and Jim welcomed the births of both of their daughters, Donna and Debra. Dorothy and Jim remained in Wayne for the rest of their lives together. Dorothy never lost her love for sports, after high school, and throughout her life, she continued to play in lady’s softball leagues. Dorothy also enjoyed bowling and playing volleyball. She was an avid reader and enjoyed playing board games and doing jigsaw puzzles. But aside from all of Dorothy’s talents, hobbies, and interests, her greatest passion was for her family. Nothing in the world meant more to Dorothy than spending time with and providing for, her family. Dorothy was an exceptionally devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She absolutely treasured babysitting her grandchildren every chance she could and cheered them on in all their accomplishments. She and Jim cherished nearly sixty-two years of a loving and Christ-centered marriage. Many of those years were spent at their cottage on the Rideau Lake in Canada where many family members and friends gathered.

Dorothy was not only devoted to her family but also to her Christian Faith. While living in Illinois, she was an active member of Bethany United Methodist Church and after moving to Wayne she and her family have been active members of the Pompton Reformed Church for nearly 55 years. Dorothy was a truly selfless person who always put the needs of others before her own. She touched the lives of many people and will be sincerely missed by everyone that knew her.

Dorothy is survived by her husband James Doland of Wayne, two daughters; Debra Jones and her husband Ryan of Lombardy Ontario, Canada, and Donna De Block and her husband Michael of Wayne, NJ, four grandchildren; Matthew De Block and his wife Taylor of North Haledon, NJ, Bethany De Block of Hoboken, NJ, Isaiah Doland of Port Elmsley, Canada, and Natalie Kravacek and her husband Michael of Otty Lake, Canada. Dorothy was predeceased by her eight brothers; Lawrence Strote, Walter Strote, Wendell Strote, Roland Strote, Howard Strote, Harold Strote, Clifford Strote, and infant brother, Carl as well as four sisters; Senora Blomquist, Ethel Hoffman, Ruth Reichert, and twin sister, Doris Weaver.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Dorothy's name may be made to the Pompton Reformed Church, 59 Hamburg Tpke, Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442.

Miriam Faber, age 73, of Butler and formerly of Pompton Plains passed away in the comfort of her own home on Sunday, February 20, 2022 while her family embraced her with their love. It was Miriam’s wish to return home and spend her final days surrounded by family and friends.

The first-born of James and Teresa (James) Ward’s four daughters, Miriam was born in Kingston, PA. At a very young age her family moved to East Orange, NJ and then 19 Romondt Road in Pompton Plains and, after her parent’s parted ways, Miriam moved with her mom to various locations and lived with extended family while Mom did her best to provide for them as a full-time nurse. The family settled in Oak Ridge, NJ in 1962. Teresa married Bill O’Brien, Sr. and Billy, Miriam’s youngest sibling, later joined the family. In 1966 Miriam graduated from Jefferson Township High School where her class had the distinction of being the first graduating class.

Miriam pursued higher education at Paterson State College, known today as William Paterson University. It was the 1960’s, a time when young people were questioning various issues in American society and asserting themselves on those that were important to them. Miriam embraced this movement wholeheartedly by becoming an activist on campus in protest of the Vietnam War, in support of women’s rights, voting rights, and advocating for the marginalized in society. You could say she was a card carrying member of the bra burning generation!

As a teenager, Miriam’s aunt and uncle, a nurse and physician, went on a mission trip to Haiti to establish a medical clinic. Becoming aware of the poverty that the Haitian people endured on a daily basis had a profound effect upon how Miriam would come to see the world and her place in it. Her aunt and uncle’s work became an impetus for a life which she would devote to helping the disenfranchised among her. Graduating from college in 1970 with a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Miriam got right to work. She was challenged by a need to enhance early education among the “educationally deprived” children of the Ramapo Hills Community and so, in a quest for equity for that community, she spearheaded a preschool program for three to five year olds under Title I funding. Miriam saw a gap in that age sector in comparison to young children in other nearby populations.  

In 1974, Miriam met a good looking, tall, lanky guy with a sparkle in his eyes and a zest for life who would ultimately become her husband, soulmate and the love of her life. His name was Dennis Faber and he had a friend named John Greendyk whose wife Margie happened to be a good friend of Miriam. John and Margie always thought that Miriam and Dennis would be perfect for each other, so they tried several times to get them together but without success, that is until one day when Margie came up with a perfect plan.

Knowing that Miriam had a great love for animals of all kinds, and knowing that Dennis had a gorgeous Great Dane named Azur, she thought, if she and John couldn’t get Miriam and Dennis together, maybe Azur could. The timing of the arranged encounter turned out to be quite interesting. You see, Dennis had just purchased a brand new Norton 850 Commando motorcycle and he was going to christen the bike by taking a trip from New Jersey to California. He planned to be gone for eight weeks but one detail still needed to be worked out………. “who would take care of Azur while he was gone?” After all, he certainly wasn’t going to take a 165 pound Great Dane across the country on the back of a motorcycle.

The timing of meeting Miriam turned out to be perfect. Dennis asked Miriam if she’d be willing to watch Azur and, much to his surprise, she said yes. In fact, she moved right into his second floor apartment. Over the following eight weeks 105 pound, 5’ 1” Miriam and Azur who was almost her height and bigger and stronger than her, developed quite a bond. Two months later, Dennis returned but Miriam never left. They shared life together for the next ten months and all was well. In fact they fell in love and married on Saturday, September 20, 1975 at Ringwood Manor. The day started out raw and rainy but when the ceremony started and the priest uttered his first words, the clouds parted and the sun blazed brightly. After a rousingly good time hosting a reception at the VFW hall in Pompton Lakes and a weekend honeymoon down the shore in Ortley Beach because Miriam had to be back to work on Monday, the newlyweds began their life as husband and wife in that same home at 100 North 11th Street in Paterson where they first met.

A year or so after their wedding, Miriam and Dennis were presented with an opportunity to purchase a home located at 37 Reeve Avenue in Bloomingdale. It was a fixer upper, to say the least. In fact, the house was being offered on the market for a too-good-to-be-true price of just thirty-two thousand dollars because it had been abandoned and all the pipes in the house froze and burst. Miriam and Dennis jumped on the opportunity. They hired a plumber who fixed all the plumbing for $800 and, soon after moving into that house, in 1976, they welcomed their firstborn – their precious little daughter Kelly. She was followed by baby girl Jill in 1979 and baby boy Chris in 1983. Right before Chris’ arrival, they moved again, this time to 36 Brookside Avenue in Pompton Plains. They weren’t there long when the great flood of 1984 hit. The flood forced them to get to higher ground which they found in the home of good friends, Mary and Dan Shumeyko, who took them in.

Miriam was a La Leche League Leader and supported new mothers in their breastfeeding journey. With three young ones to care for, Miriam’s priorities shifted from career to childcare and, like every other challenge she ever took on, she gave raising her children one hundred ten percent. Not wanting her children to experience an unsettled childhood similar to her own, she did her very best to provide a comfortable, orderly, nurturing and loving home. For the most part it was great but sometimes it had its challenges, like when her daughter went to her friend’s house and experienced chocolate chip cookies for the first time. No longer did Miriam’s nutritious oatmeal cookies make the grade. Miriam was so mindful of nutrition that Oreos were not allowed in the house because Hydrox cookies were better for you. Truth be told, Miriam was a great cook and baker and her family and friends were the fortunate recipients.

When Miriam’s youngest, Chris began full days at school, Miriam set her sights once again on career ambitions. At first she dipped her toe into the waters by substitute teaching for Pequannock Schools and, as the transition became more comfortable, she waded deeper into those waters by freelance teaching one-on-one English as a second language (ESL). During this time, she attended William Paterson at night in pursuit of her Master’s degree in ESL/Bilingual and Curriculum and Instruction. Miriam had an affinity for the Middle School students for whom she was a substitute teacher. She also provided home instruction and tutoring while also being an active parent volunteer and member of the HSA.

Miriam ultimately landed a full-time position with Morris County Vocational Technical School which later became Morris County School of Technology where she continued to teach ESL courses to adults. Her passion for her work coupled with her sharp intellect did not go unnoticed by the school’s board. They ultimately promoted Miriam to School Administrator where she could be more effective in her endeavors in assisting those with lesser opportunities. She applied for and was awarded grants for all kinds of programs including Head Start for children, ESL for their parents, food provided at both programs, and even enrichment experiences like trips to the Camden Aquarium, the Bronx Zoo, and the Museum of Natural History. At one time she had a group of Spanish speaking men in the ESL program who wanted to watch the World Series. She told them that she would grant their wish but only under one condition – they had to speak English to each other while they watched the game. Miriam was loved and adored and affectionately called “Miss Miriam” by everyone who were so appreciative of her efforts. As her years of work at the school continued, Miriam took on more and more responsibilities. She became supervisor for the schools performing arts academy and became involved in the schools culinary arts and beauty and cosmetics schools too. In fact, she was literally involved in every facet of the institute all while continuing to apply for million dollar grants. Sadly, when Miriam was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in 2008, she had to scale back her efforts at the school. When her cancer went into remission Miriam returned to work and gave it her all until fully retiring in 2013.

At her retirement, Miriam was celebrated and presented with a Lifelong Learning Leadership Award. She was applauded for her work coordinating with Morris, Sussex and Warren counties on the Literacy Committee. “Miriam’s sense of responsibility to both literacy and students of New Jersey has made the opportunity of literacy education available to the greatest number of people possible. At her retirement in December (2013), the Morris County School of Technology was running 23 ESL classes and 9 Adult Basic Skills classes with over a thousand registered students.”

In 2005, Miriam and Dennis moved once more, this time into a mother-daughter home in Butler so that Miriam could be present to care for her ailing Mom. Retirement brought the opportunity for travel which was something she and Dennis shared a great love for. They especially loved sailing on their kayaks. In fact they joined a group called Sails Angels which met four times a year to sail. Sails Angels slogan was “Born to raise sail” and those four sailing trips included a winter trip to Florida, a spring trip to Chesapeake, Virginia, a summer trip to Maine, and a fall trip to Cedar Island in North Carolina which turned out to be Miriam’s favorite trip of all. In fact she kayaked in North Carolina just this past October, 2021.

The Fabers were also avid campers. For years it was the most “intense” camping of all because they camped “in tents”. Admittedly, that wasn’t a great pun but the camping trips were really great! They camped with their young children on the shore of the Great Sacandaga Lake in New York State and always had fun making friends with the other campers. They eventually graduated to an A-Liner pop-up trailer and then to a 24 foot sprinter named Thelma. It even had a peace sign on the hood. Miriam and Dennis’ most recent purchase was another trailer – a Minnie Winnie. Its purchase was necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic because, unlike Thelma, it had a more suitable private bathroom. To say that Dennis and Miriam spanned the globe, during their camping years, might be a bit of an overstatement, but they did get to see a lot of beautiful places. Camping always included hiking and one of their favorite recent hikes was at Watkins Glen State Park in upstate New York because if featured, count them, nineteen waterfalls along the hike!    

While as a little girl, Miriam certainly experienced bumps in the road that made her ride a lot more difficult than it was for kids from more stable homes, but as a young lady, her aunt and uncle’s involvement in Haiti opened her eyes to a world that was even harder than her own. It’s pretty cool that she was present for Pink Floyd’s premier of their Dark Side of the Moon album in New York City, but it was the messages in the music of Bob Dylan, George Harrison of the Beatles, Neil Young and even the Grateful Dead and others that only added to Miriam’s developing resolve to make it her life’s calling to try to make her little part of the world a better place for those with little or no hope.

Looking back, Miriam’s life was one marked by a deep and caring love for anyone and everyone. As the oldest of five children, she often took on the role of mother while her own mother worked hard to make ends meet. She was the consummate “Mom” to her own children too. Only ever wanting the best for them, she even took them to work at Morris County School of Technology so that they could see firsthand the smiles that would appear on the faces of the strugglers in society if you just gave them a little help and love and encouragement. Same goes for the homeless that she ministered to as a volunteer at Holy Spirit Church in Pequannock. And when her own mother needed a little help, Miriam and Dennis didn’t hesitate for a moment to move into a living situation that would allow her to live with them.

Miriam was affectionately known by her grandchildren as “Mimi.” You could find her on the sidelines of her grandson’s baseball and soccer games cheering the loudest as she always had cheered on her children through their various extracurricular activities. She frequently traveled to California to see her grandchildren there. Miriam and Dennis were members of the Band Parents Association at Pequannock Township High School from 1991 until 2002. There was no greater joy for Miriam than watching her children and grandchildren do what they loved. In addition to the love of her grandchildren, Miriam and Dennis welcomed many fur babies into their home preferring to rescue animals in need. The most recent additions, Cookie and Gus miss Miriam. Well done Miriam! Thank you for bringing some peace and love into this world. Now rest in peace.

Miriam was the beloved and cherished wife of Dennis, blessed in marriage for 46 years. She was the most loved mother of: Kelly Myerson and husband Steve of Pequannock, Jill Werner and husband Bill of Pompton Plains, and Chris Faber and wife Brooke of Los Angeles, CA; adoring grandmother of: Nicholas Werner, Thomas Werner, Ryker Faber, CJ Myerson, Sadie Reid Faber, and one grandchild on the way; dearest sister of: Ann Ward of Bishop, CA, Susan Rodriguez and husband Mike of Chester, NJ, Jayne Squier and husband Harry of Ogdensburg, NJ, and Billy O’Brien, Jr. and wife Karen of Denville, NJ; dear step-daughter of Bill O’Brien, Sr. of Butler and dear aunt of numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents James Ward and Teresa O’Brien, her father-in-law and mother-in-law John and Fransina “Fritz” Faber.

Because of Miriam’s deep love for all God’s creatures but with an especially soft spot in her heart for primates, in lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in her name are asked to consider Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary – Saving Friends, Promoting Compassion

Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary
13915 N. State Road 121
Gainesville, FL 32653
Phone: 386.462.777
If you would like to donate online, CLICK HERE

A memorial service has been planned for Jean. Friends are invited to visit at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral on Thursday, May 26th, 2022 from 4 PM - 6 PM. A funeral service will be held at 6 PM at the funeral home.

Jean E. (Barker) Caruso of Wayne NJ passed away peacefully on February 20.2022 at the amazing age of 101 years old.    She was born in Orange New Jersey to the loving parents of Walter Burr Barker and Elizabeth Marine Barker.  Although Jean was actually born in Orange NJ she resided as a child in upstate New York and then moved to Wanaque NJ where her father served as Mayor.

She lived in Wayne when she met Joseph Caruso and fell in love.  They married and not only did Jean then gain a husband, but she also gained a family .... a daughter, Diana Caruso Lobosco, a son-in-law Gennaro Lobosco, a  granddaughter, Alexandria Lobosco and a grandson, Michael  Lobosco. As the years passed her inherited family grew to include for great grandsons, Max, Chase, Gavin, and Joseph.

Joe and Jean resided in Wayne until the passing of her husband Joe when Jean decided to sell her home and move to Cedar Crest in Pompton Plains where she stayed until she needed additional care at which time she became a resident of the Passaic County Preakness Health Care Center.

Jean worked and retired from the Pompton Lakes School district where she taught in both elementary schools. She was a member of the Packanack Community Church where she was an active member of the choir.

What a long life!  Jean was an educator, a traveler, an avid learner, a bird watcher, a "green thumb" gardener and a ballroom dancer with her husband Joe. She lived a full life and is now reunited with her parents, her husband and her beloved pets. Tom Cat and  Percy her dauchhound.

Betty “Christina” Patlen of Wayne peacefully passed away on February 19, 2022 at the age of 92.  She was born in the loving home of George and Katie Kalitsnik of Clifton.  She and her five siblings moved with their parents to Passaic, NJ, where Christina resided until she met her beloved husband, Raymond J. Patlen, who at the time, was serving in the U.S. Naval forces in World War II.

Christina and Raymond married in April, 1949, and moved thereafter to Wayne in 1953 at the time when Wayne was considered farm country and started their family of four, Deborah, Raymond, Trish and Lisa.  While raising their children, Christina became a trained photo colorist and worked for the White Photography Studio in Passaic.  Before color photography was invented, only black and white photographs existed.  Through her talent and artistry, Christina brought life to portraits by her skill in oil painting.  Her specialized skills in portraiture became so popular, she was requested by friends and neighbors to colorize their family photographs.  Later, when her children were older, she changed her career path to becoming a licensed esthetician and became successful in her own skin care business.  Years later, Christina obtained her license and worked as a Realtor for the Weichert offices in Wayne for several years until fully retiring.   After her retirement from business, she turned her attention to volunteering at Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Wayne, where she became affectionately known for telling her three favorite jokes to the delight of the patients and staff.

After the sudden, devastating loss of her beloved husband, Raymond, in 1999, Christina later found love again with Thomas R. O’Connell.  Both retired, they shared many adventures together, including extensive travel and family cruises.  Tom was the president of the Pines Lake Seniors and together they enjoyed the wonderful friendships they made in their community. Our love for Tom extended to his family and we were fortunate to share celebrations together. After Tom’s passing, Christina moved from Pines Lake to Siena Village where she developed strong bonds and dear friendships which she greatly treasured.   She will forever be remembered as sweet, kind, loving and compassionate person who had a great sense of humor.

Christina was the loving wife of Raymond J. Patlen (d. 1999), the loving companion of Thomas R. O’Connell (d. 2016).  She was the devoted mother of Deborah (husband Jim Pellegrini) of Wayne; Raymond G. (late wife Pat) of Phoenix, AZ; Trish (husband Albert Alfano) of Totowa and Lisa (husband Rick Apgar) of Milford, PA.  Christina was also the cherished grandmother of Michael Pellegrini; Danielle and Stephen Alfano;  Alicia Patlen Collins (husband Andrew) of Phoenix; AZ; and the dearly loved great-grandmother of Alina and Adeline Collins.  Christina also enjoyed a familial relationship with Raymond’s stepdaughter Allison Ervin and husband Jerry and their children Hanna, Elijah and Noah Ervin; of Phoenix, AZ.   Christina was predeceased by her dearest sister Helen; brothers, George and Charlie; sisters Ann and Mary.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or The Smile Train would be greatly appreciated.

Dorothy Sgarlato, age 85, of Wayne, passed away peacefully in the comfort of her own home on Wednesday, February 16, 2022, while in the presence of her loving family.

Dorothy was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, the youngest of Dominic and Anna (Appolari) Stalletti’s five children. Following graduation from High School in Brooklyn, she worked as a secretary in Manhattan until marriage.

Dorothy met her husband Michael Sgarlato by means of a fine set up by her sister Katherine “Kay”. They fell in love and exchanged their wedding promises before God, family and friends on Saturday, February 23, 1957 at Guardian Angel R.C. Church in Brooklyn and, after a honeymoon in the Poconos, they initially settled down to begin their lives as husband and wife in Brooklyn, NY. Dorothy embraced her role as homemaker and she and Mike were soon blessed with their four children – two sons and two daughters.

In 1970, with the opening of the Willowbrook Mall, one of the largest malls in the USA at the time, in Wayne, NJ, Dorothy’s husband Mike saw opportunity. Consequently, the whole family moved to Wayne and Mike opened Sgarlato’s Pizza in the Willowbrook Mall. It turned out to be a great success which involved almost the entire family, even Dorothy who served as her husband’s bookkeeper. Despite her support in the business, Dorothy continued to enjoy her role as mother and homemaker the most. She lovingly kept the home in good order, making it a welcome place to come home after a day at work or school, and she poured herself into her children’s lives, supporting them in their education and other pursuits.

Despite having a husband in the pizzeria restaurant business, Dorothy or “Dot” as only Mike called her, preferred to work in the kitchen in her own home. She was a fabulous cook and baker who never found cooking to be a chore but rather a creative outlet that she loved pursuing, and her family were the fortunate recipients of Dorothy’s delicious creations. Family favorites included her Potato Croquettes and her out-of-this-world Tiramisu which went well with a cup of her strong coffee which she perked on the stove.

Truly, Dorothy’s favorite holiday was Christmas. She loved hosting and being together on Christmas Eve when, in true Italian tradition, she served the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Christmas was also that time of year when she baked her sugar cookies and drop cookies which were also enjoyed by all, usually with a cup of that delicious coffee.

When the spring brought warmer temperature, Dorothy loved to get outside and work in her gardens. Her yard was adorned with beautiful flowers and, if a weed popped up, she’d be on it like a cat on a mouse. No weeds allowed in Dorothy’s gardens! Dorothy loved all of God’s beautiful creation and animals were no exception. Over the years she enjoyed the beautiful songs of her parakeets Kiwi and Pistachio and there was always a dog by her side, most recently Wiggles, a little poodle who always looked after her.

Above all else, Dorothy’s greatest affection was for her dear family. They were her greatest achievement and reason for living. She loved going to New York City to see shows on Broadway and the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center and it was never more fun than when she could go with Mike, the kids or her precious grandchildren. Like any good grandmother, she loved spoiling her grandchildren with toys and clothes.

Dorothy will always be remembered for the sweet, caring, kind, compassionate and generous women that she was. In a world where peace and tranquility are often in short supply, there was always plenty of both and a lot of love in Dorothy’s presence. She will be missed by all who had the honor of knowing her.      

Dorothy was the beloved wife of Michael, blessed in marriage for 48 years until his passing in 2005. She was the most loving mother of Michael Sgarlato of Wayne, Daniel and wife Darlene Sgarlato of West Caldwell, Theresa and Husband William Durkin of Highland Lakes, and Dorothy Sgarlato of Wayne; adoring grandmother of: Justine Davis and husband Josh Break, Andrew Sgarlato and wife Lia Pizzicato, and Adrienne Sgarlato and fiancé Tyler Asher; cherished great-grandmother of Avery and Makayla; dear sister of: the late Vincent “Jimmy” Stalletti, Caroline Stalletti, the late Katherine Vite, and the late Anthony “Sonny” Stalletti; and dear aunt of numerous nieces and nephews. Finally, she is survived by her beloved poodle, Wiggles.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Dorothy’s name are asked to consider:

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital,
Memorial Processing,
501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105-9959
Click HERE to donate online

Friends of Wayne Animals (FOWA)
PO Box 3701 Wayne, NJ 07470
Click HERE to donate online

William “Bill” Kayal, 84, of Paramus, New Jersey, passed away on Tuesday, February 15, 2022. Bill was born on October 30, 1937, to George and Alieh Kayal of Paterson, New Jersey. He served in the US Army after graduating high school and then went on to study electrical engineering at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Bill worked for Curtiss-Wright and Smith Industries as a quality assurance engineer.

Bill is survived by his six children, William Jr., James (Kathleen), Susan (Gilbert), Nancy (Jonathan), Diana (Michael), and David (Renee), as well as his four grandchildren, Joseph, Laura, Jenna, and Alexander. In addition, he is survived by his siblings, Basil, Laurice, Margaret, Barbara, Janice and John.  He was predeceased by his parents, George and Alieh Kayal, his sister Mary (Florence) and brother Michael.

Bill was a charismatic and friendly man. He was always positive and had a killer smile. He always reminded his children that “You’re a Kayal - You can do anything!” It was important to him that his children were happy and had a positive outlook on life. He treated everyone equally and had a passion for living. Everybody loved him. Bill enjoyed all things technical and sports related. He loved fixing things and could frequently be found taking care of projects around his home. Bill was a proud father and loved watching his children partake in sports such as baseball, softball, and soccer. He was their biggest fan. Bill was a man of commitment and he loved and enjoyed spending time with his entire extended family as well as spending his Sundays at church.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to The New Jersey Veterans Home at Paramus. Please make checks payable to the New Jersey Paramus Veterans Memorial Home and in the memo place "In Memory of William Kayal," - mail to: NJ Paramus Veterans Home, Attn: Patricia Grof, 1 Veterans Way, Parmaus, NJ 07652

Romana “Ro” Galeazzi, age 87, of Wayne, NJ (formerly of Clifton, NJ) passed away on Tuesday, February 15, 2022.

Born in Chicago, Illinois on December 25, 1934 to Virgilio and Vittoria DaCorte.  She graduated from Mercy High School of Chicago, Class of 1952.  Romana met Richard Galeazzi, whose parents were from Valle di Cadore, Italy, which was the same town her parents were from.  They fell in love and Richie went to Chicago to marry the love of his life.  They were married August 4, 1956 at St Anthony’s of Padua in Chicago, Illinois.  After their honeymoon at Pike’s Peak Colorado they moved in with his parents in Clifton, NJ until he finished building their forever home right next door to his parents.  There they raised their five children and resided together until his passing in 1990.  Romana remained in Clifton until moving to Wayne in 2001.  Prior to retiring in 2009, she worked at the Herald News then the Record Newspaper in the Classified Department.  Romana will be affectionately remembered as a social butterfly, strong willed and always wanting to help others.  She loved to dance, play the piano, enjoyed bowling and mostly loved babysitting her beautiful grandchildren when they were little.  Family was everything to her and she loved spending whatever time she could with them.  She loved taking pictures of everyone at family functions, holidays, vacations.  She always had her camera with her and made extra copies to hand out to family.  She was passionate about cooking and baking (especially her homemade apple and lemon meringue pies) whether it was for holidays, parties or Sunday dinner.  She always made sure you never went hungry, like a typical Italian Mom.  She would never miss sending birthday, anniversary or a special occasion cards.  Unfortunately, she was not perfect and one of her somewhat frustrating traits was her rather distinctive knack for rarely being ready or on-time for events.  Some folks can even imagine her late husband, Richie, meeting her at the Pearly Gates, irately asking "well, what took you so long?".  But all kidding aside, once you knew Ro, you could not help but love her!

Romana was dedicated to her Catholic Faith and was a longtime parishioner of St Paul’s RC Church in Clifton and for the past 15 years belonged to Our Lady of the Valley RC Church in Wayne, NJ.

She was the loving wife, of 34 years, to the late Richard Galeazzi (d. 1990).  Loving mother of Robert Galeazzi and his wife Karen of Flanders, NJ, Raymond Galeazzi, Theresa Carragher of Roseland, NJ, Michael Galeazzi of Wayne, NJ, Rosanne D’Aloisio and her husband Mitchell of Wayne, NJ.  Cherished grandmother of Brian Galeazzi and his wife Corinne, Thomas Carragher and his wife Emily, Anthony D’Aloisio, Christopher Carragher and his wife Alexis, Nicole D’Aloisio, Brianna D’Aloisio and her fiancé Robert Papa and Adrianna Galeazzi.  She is also survived by her sister-in-law Teresa DaCorte of Valle di Cadore, Italy.  She was predeceased by her brother, Joseph DaCorte and sister-in-law Beverly DaCorte and her brother Frank DaCorte.  She was also predeceased by her brother-in-law Sante Galeazzi and sister-in-law Vivian Galeazzi.  She will be missed by many loving nieces, nephews and cousins and the many friends whose lives she touched over the years with her everlasting infectious smile.

Robert E. Cully, age 94 of Wayne, passed peacefully into God’s eternal loving presence on Monday, February 14, 2022. He was comforted by the company of loving family at the time of his passing.

Bob was the second of James and Ruth (Oyler) Cully’s five children. He was born in Orange, raised in Cedar Grove and he attended Bloomfield High School. After graduating, work was scarce but, through hard work and determination, Bob landed a job as a screen printer in the fabric industry with a company called Stone Henge Print in Cedar Grove. Gifted with a good eye for color and excellent mechanical skills, he excelled in his work and, during his twenty-five years with the company, his most famous project was supplying a flag that went to the moon. Bob’s career journey eventually lead to employment at Marcal Paper in Paterson where he remained until retirement in the late 1980’s.

Bob and his wife Margaret (nee Kypers) met in Little Falls and married at the Little Falls United Methodist Church on Thursday, April 14, 1955. After a honeymoon to Niagara Falls, they began their life as husband and wife in an apartment in Little Falls. In 1959, just in time for Christmas that year, they moved into their new home in the Lions Head Lake section of Wayne. Every Christmas since then was celebrated in that same house as Bob and Margaret spent the last sixty-two years there. They loved living there and it was a great neighborhood to raise their four daughters.

Around the house, Bob was always tinkering with something. Give him two paper clips and a rubber band and he could fix anything. He was self-taught and there was no challenge too great. He tackled large projects like fixing his foundation and rebuilding his deck and he didn’t shy away from plumbing or electrical work either. If Bob’ cars needed mechanical work, he was up for the task and, if he couldn’t purchase the parts sometimes he’d just make his own.

Bob was a good soul who derived genuine joy from helping others. Even as recently as this past fall when he was in his nineties, he just couldn’t look out the window and watch his daughter rake leaves. He put on his jacket and boots and went out and helped her! And when the leaves were cleaned up, he proceeded to help her cut down some bushes, pull out the stumps and fill in the holes. Bob willingness to help extended also to his neighbors. He was the go-to guy on the street and was glad to be of service in any capacity. Of course, his favorite store was, you guessed it – Home Depot! When he was at Home Depot, he was like a kid in a candy store and he could spend hours in that place just looking around. His family loved it because it made coming up with a Father’s Day, birthday and Christmas gift idea a breeze…..just give Bob a Home Depot gift card.    

Coupled with his “Mr Fix It” abilities was Bob’s friendly, outgoing, extroverted personality. He made friends wherever he went. He was a master of the art of striking up a spontaneous conversation in the grocery store and, in his neighborhood, it was just another reason why everyone knew him. He loved barbeques and hosting, so the Cully house became party central where everyone in the neighborhood would gather almost every summer Saturday afternoon. The pool was always open and there was plenty of delicious food cooking on the grill. Bob enjoyed teaching his own daughters how to swim and many of their neighborhood friends too.

Bob was always up to something. He truly loved the extra time that retirement afforded and one of his favorite quality-time activities was watching and hanging out with his grandchildren. He loved deer hunting with his younger brother Ace and his nephews. Most hunting was done at Ace’s mother-in-law’s farm in Pennsylvania where the hunting was great! The fridge was always full of fresh venison. Having been raised on a farm himself, even when he was in his eighty’s he and Ace would hunt on the farm and then Bob would jump on the tractor and till the fields. To him that was just a reminiscent playtime.  

Whether taking a cruise to Bermuda with Margaret for their twenty-fifth anniversary, or to the Bahamas with Margaret and his daughters, or jumping in the car for a family trip to Eleanor Village in Ormand Beach, Florida and St. Pete’s Beach in Florida for a stay at The Trade Winds, Bob loved to travel. He and Margaret also took a cruise to Aruba, motorcycle trips with friends and neighbors, and trips to California and Las Vegas with Margaret’s nephew and wife Bill and Denise Hopper.

Bob’s family is grateful for the long, rich life he was blessed with. His departure from this life definitely leaves an empty space in their hearts but they find encouragement in recalling wonderful memories of a great husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle. Most importantly, they know that Bob knew the Lord and that he’s ok and that, by God’s saving grace, they will see him again someday.

Bob was the beloved husband of Margaret, blessed in marriage for almost 67 years. He was the most loving father of his four daughters: Laurie Schindler of North Haledon, Susan Cully of Glenwood, Deborah Cully of Wayne, and Lisa and husband Charles DiPietro of Wayne; cherished grandfather of: Tracey, Jessica and husband Michael, Brandon, Brian, Kristen, Rachel, and Daniel; dearest brother of: Horace “Ace” Cully of Cedar Knowles; and dear uncle of numerous nieces and nephews. Bob was predeceased by his sisters: Frances Hawkins and Eleanor Carner, and by his brother Richard Cully.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Bob’s name are asked to consider St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial Processing, 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105-9959 (www.stjude.org).

Michael George Boudjouk, age 86, of Pompton Plains, NJ, formerly Wayne, NJ, passed away peacefully on Monday, February 14, 2022 with loving family members at his side.

Mike was raised in Paterson, NJ, and was one of four children born to Anthony and Nadema Boudjouk. Mike attended Parochial schools, and while a student at St. John Catholic High School, took a part-time job at Paterson’s Irving Pharmacy. His curiosity was piqued as he watched the pharmacist compound medications, and Mike soon decided he would study pharmacy in college.  Mike attended St. John’s University in NYC, working towards his Chemistry degree. When Mike felt a need to serve his country, he put his studies on hold in 1957 and enrolled in the United States Army.  After serving two years active duty in Germany as a Medic, Mike served the next four years in the reserves, and was awarded an honorable discharge.

Mike attended evening classes at Fairleigh Dickinson University while working full-time at Shulton Inc., and was awarded his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry in 1963.  Mike went on to work at other companies in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry including Warner Lambert, Lautier Fils, Gentry International, and Crompton & Knowles. In 1976, Mike founded his own company, Medallion International, Inc.  His wife, Amy, and two of their children, Michael and Paula, would also contribute to the success of the company.

Mike was active in many organizations, but those nearest to his heart were Pompton Lakes Elks Lodge #1895, and the International Federation of Essential Oils and Aroma Trades. An active member of IFEAT for over 35 years, Mike was an integral part of its conference and planning committees, and served as Chairman as well as President. Mike’s work ethic and integrity were his trademarks in the flavor and fragrance industry, and he was a mentor to many.

After meeting at a dance in January 1960, the love of his life, Amy, became his bride in 1961. The following year, their first child, Suzanne, was born.  Their family grew as Mike and Amy then welcomed Michael J., followed by Paula a couple of years later.
Mike was a dedicated husband, father, and grandfather.  He doted on his family, and showed his affection by purchasing greeting cards and gifts to note special occasions. There were places of honor in Mike’s heart for his sister-in-law Addie and her husband Matt, his sons-in-law Mike and Darren, daughter-in-law Jane, and friends Bob, Lenny, Wayne, Basil, Amos and Lou.

Fluent in English, German, Arabic, Flemish and French, Mike loved to travel, and while building his business, thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to visit numerous countries, often with Amy at his side.

Mike faithfully attended Sunday mass at St Mary’s RC Church in Pompton Lakes for almost 60 years.

Fresh water fishing, golf and long walks on the Boca Grande beach were some of Mike’s favorite activities.

Mike will be remembered as a gentleman with a quick wit and a sparkle in his eye, and for his devotion to those he loved.

Mike is survived by his wife Amelia (nee DiGiacomo) of Pompton Plains, his daughter Suzanne Bloom and her husband Mike of Wayne, his son Michael J. Boudjouk and his wife Jane of Wayne, his daughter Paula Symington and her husband Darren of Pompton Plains, two grandsons, Michael M. Bloom, and Michael D. Symington, his sister-in-law Adelaide Sciortino of Ocean Isle Beach, NC, and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.  He was predeceased by his two sisters; Victoria Carr, and Agnes Boudjouk, and his brother Joseph Boudjouk.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Mike’s memory may be made to the Boca Grande Historical Society, 170 Park Ave, Boca Grande, FL 33921, http://www.bocagrandehistoricalsociety.com St. Basil Melkite Church, 15 Skyview Dr, Lincoln, RI 02865, or the charity of your choice.

Constance Sayles, “Connie,” age 92 of North Haledon, and formerly of Hackensack, died on February 14, 2022.

Connie was born in Medford, Massachusetts to Leonard Perkins Sayles and Hazel May Wightman. She moved to New York City just one year after she was born. Upon her completion of fifth grade, she moved to Long Island, where she lived until accepting a teacher position in New Jersey. She lived here until after college when Connie accepted a teaching position in New Jersey.

Connie loved the Lord Jesus with all her heart. While living in New York City, she attended a church where she was part of the choir. Upon retirement, she joined the Hawthorne Gospel Church. She volunteered at the Church’s library and taught 5-year-olds at Vacation Bible School. She also served as a volunteer in a weekly hospital visitation ministry with Star of Hope Ministries in Paterson, NJ. Additionally, she was a member of the Senior Adult Ministry at Hawthorne Gospel Church and also made Salvation bracelets as a part of its ministry outreach.

Connie had a fondness for stuffed animals, especially Vermont teddy bears, and she enjoyed ice cream and cookies. Connie also loved reading, traveling, crocheting, and needlepoint.

Connie taught kindergarten at Lincoln Elementary School in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey for over 40 years.  She was the first teacher at the Lincoln Elementary School to be recognized by the State of New Jersey in its Governor/Teacher Recognition Program.  She was recognized for “having made exceptional contributions as a New Jersey Public School teacher in the use of productive classroom climate and rapport with students and the development of feelings of self-worth and love of learning in students."

Gabriella Marie Stopper “Gabbie” age 23, of Wayne passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on Thursday, February 10, 2022.

Gabbie was born in Morristown and raised in Wayne.  She was the younger of two children to Carl and Patrice Stopper.  Gabriella attended Wayne Valley High School where she played Varsity Soccer.  After graduating with the class of 2017 she enrolled at the New Jersey Dog Grooming Academy in Boonton where she earned her certificate in dog grooming.  Gabbie found work quickly with Corrado’s Pet Market in Wayne where she worked as a dog groomer for about two years.  Gabbie then switched jobs and accepted a position at the Bottle King in Wayne where she remained employed until her passing.

Gabbie loved listening to Eclectic Music as well as Rap and had a sincere appreciation for the art of tattooing.  She enjoyed relaxing at home watching television and movies.  Some of her preferred programming were shows such as “Criminal minds” and “Supernatural.”  Over the years Gabbie vacationed yearly with her dad and step-mom to Disney, and as a result, she developed a deep fondness for Disney Movies, some of her favorites being “Alice in Wonderland” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”   And one of her most beloved characters was the Cheshire Cat.  Gabbie also enjoyed traveling, especially by car, to destinations such as New York City and Albany, NY where she would frequently visit with her cousins.  She treasured shopping for shoes and sneakers, and was quite proud of her vast sneaker collection she had amassed over the last few years.

Because Gabbie was a Dog Groomer, it comes as no surprise that she truly cherished animals.  She loved cats and owned five of them.  She loved dogs even more although she never had to opportunity to own one.  Gabbie was deeply spiritual and truly treasured pouring her thoughts out in writing in her personal journals.

But aside from all of Gabbie’s talents, hobbies, and interests, her greatest passion was for her family and friends.  Nothing in the world meant more to Gabbie than spending time with friends and gathering together for family events and holidays.  She adored the holiday season of Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Gabbie was an outgoing girl, always friendly and bubbly and lit up any room when she walked in it.  She was always able to lift someone’s spirits if they were feeling down.  Her sense of humor and her infectious laugh would always bring a smile to the faces of people around her.  If anyone was feeling depressed or sad, just talking to Gabbie or giving her a call could definitely make them feel a little better.  Gabbie was truly a special girl who touched the lives of everyone around her and will be sincerely missed by her family and friends alike.

Gabbie is survived by her mother Patrice Rogoza of Wayne, NJ, her father Carl Stopper and his wife Patricia of Morris Plains, NJ, one sister Brianna Stopper of West Paterson, NJ, her grandparents Carl and Veronica Stopper of Toms River, NJ, four aunts; Kim Tobin and her husband Greg of Westchester, NY, Laura Stopper of Sharon, NY, Mary Jane Swenson of Morris Plains, NJ, Kathleen Hansbury and her husband Sean of Woodbury, NJ, and many cousins including Julia and Kayla Tobin, and countless extended family and friends.

“Even the darkest nights will end and the sun will rise”
One of Gabbie’s favorite quotes.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Gabriella’s name may be made to: To Write Love On Her Arms, PO Box 2203, Melbourne, FL 32902, http://www.twloha.com

Maria Focella (nee Cannizzaro), age 89 of Wayne, died on Wednesday, February 9, 2022. She has lived in Wayne since 1989.

Maria was born in Baucina Palermo, Sicily and grew up there with her large, extended family. In her teenage years, she was educated by the nuns at the local convent. Her experience at the convent was immersive and as a result she was a deeply devoted Catholic throughout her lifetime. She prayed daily, prayed with her children daily, and as a grandmother, she would gathered her grandchildren at bedtime and pray together with them in their beds. She was like a saint, with exemplary and unwavering faith, and that faith guided her every day of her life.

As a teenage girl in her hometown, she caught the eye of a neighborhood boy named Antonino Focella. Tradition at the time dictated that Antonino’s father had to ask permission from Maria’s father before the two could begin dating. With the requisite permission granted, and a small gaggle of chaperones, Maria and Antonino began courting. They were married soon after, in 1955, and immediately began planning to move to America. Interesting as it is, Maria’s father was born in America and moved back to Sicily before she was born. Because he was a U.S. citizen, Maria was entitled to U.S. citizenship as well. She applied for her citizenship and moved to Jersey City Heights alone for ten months, living with her cousins and her aunt, while she put the documentation in place that would allow Antonino to join her here. She was very young, and the transition to American life was very challenging for her. In Sicily, she lived among a large family, dozens of close cousins, and she knew everyone. In America, she knew just about no one, and she missed all of her family members dearly. It was ten years before she had the opportunity to go back to Sicily to visit with her family. Needless to say, she was a devoted wife and mother, pouring all her love into her growing family here. She did everything for her children, maintained an impeccably neat home, and never complained about anything. She enjoyed visiting New York City, simply taking in the sights, and would often bring one of her kids with her to share the experiences with. Maria was also an excellent cook…perhaps beyond excellent. She was very naturally capable in the kitchen and could whip up an incredible meal from her modest little kitchen. If she knew what your favorite food was, you can rest assured she would make it for you the next time you visited! She was also a fantastic baker, making traditional Italian cookies and desserts. Everything she made was delicious. Maria never rested and she derived her happiness from doing things for others, most especially her family. She was soldier for her family, in the truest sense, and they will all miss her dearly.

Maria was particularly devoted to her grandchildren. Nonna, as they all affectionately called her, was actively involved in helping to raise them, picking them up from school, etc. Maria’s home was where they would all gather, and they often had sleepovers at Nonna’s house. She taught them to cook, she taught them to pray, and she taught them to love. Her grandchildren each have a very close and loving relationship with her, and each other, as a result. She was the best Nonna they could have ever hoped to have, and they will all miss her dearly.

Maria is survived by her four children; Dr. Salvatore and his wife Francesca of Little Falls, Dr. Joseph and his wife Susanna of Padua, Italy, Rita Pedraza of Clifton, and Anthony and his wife Rachel of Newtown, PA, and ten grandchildren; Alessandra, Carolina, Luca, and Luisa Focella of Little Falls, Samantha and Steven Pedraza of Clifton, Lucia and Antonio Focella of Padua, Italy, and Alessandro and Nicholas Focella of Newtown, PA, and her sister; Pasqualina Traina of Palermo. Maria was recently predeceased by her husband, Antonino, on January 16, 2022, and by her brother; Andrea Cannizzaro of Sicily in 2017.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Maria’s name would be greatly appreciated to The Orphanage of St. Antonio. https://www.rogazionistipadova.it/la-tua-offerta/in-memoria/

Madalien Gomes, age 78, of Barnegat, formerly of Nutley, passed on Friday, February 4, 2022.

She was born and raised in the Ironbound section of Newark to Jose and Anna Amaral.  She graduated from Eastside High School in Newark, where she was a member of the choir, Glee Club, Yearbook Staff, and Prom Committee with the Class of 1961. After high school she continued her education at the Katherine Gibbs School in New York City where she trained to be a secretary. She often reminisced that, during her training at the school she was required to wear dress suits, hats, and matching gloves.

Just out of secretarial school Madalien worked for the Sealand Corporation at Port Elizabeth as an Executive Secretary in New Jersey from 1961 through 1972.  In 1972 she was blessed with a daughter Michele and dedicated herself to raising her.  When Michele was old enough, she again entered the workforce as an Executive Secretary for several area corporations including Becton Dickinson Corporation having worked in both their Franklin Lakes and Rutherford locations and the Ivers Lee Corporation.  She completed the final ten years of her career at the Parsippany Building Department as an Executive Assistant before retiring in 2005.

Madalien met the love of her life Joseph “Joe” Gomes at a Dance at the Portuguese Sport Club in Newark.   Joe and Madalien, both of Portuguese heritage,  hit it off soon after their first date together at Barcelona’s Restaurant in Garfield. Joe proposed marriage in “late December back in 1963” after he went with his sister to pick out a ring.  They had a long engagement before marrying on June 19, 1965.  They married at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Newark where Madalien’s parents had been founding members. After a reception at the Royal Hawaiian Palms in Lyndhurst they honeymooned in Acapulco.  After their honeymoon, they settled into an apartment and eventually a home on Nutley Avenue in Nutley. Madalien and Joe’s lives changed forever when their marriage was blessed with a daughter Michele.  Their world revolved around her, whether it was family vacations or attending the multitude of dance recitals.  The family lived in Nutley for over thirty-five years and they did just about everything together.  If you saw Joe, Madalien wasn’t far behind and vice-versa.  Joe always wanted to go out and about and you could set your watch to them going to the diner or, after Saturday Mass, they would go to Mr. Bruno’s Restaurant. Many family memories were made during annual trips to Myrtle Beach. Joe and Madalien chose Myrtle Beach as they could stretch their vacation dollars as far as possible, back in those early days.  They would often cook in Nutley and pack all, including the meatballs, in the car for the trip. They would go the same time every year and made several life-long friends from Ohio, Canada, and Virginia who also vacationed at the same time and place with them.  After Michele was married, Madalien and Joe also enjoyed going to Lancaster, PA to visit and do some holiday shopping.

Madalien and Joe planned and built their retirement home in Barnegat, but Joe passed away in 2005 just before the home in Barnegat was finished. Madalien stayed with their plan and moved into the home just a few months after his passing.

Madalien truly enjoyed her retirement with many trips, cruising the world, and just spending time with her friends in Barnegat including a group known as “The Singles” which eventually became known as the “Golden Girls.”  Madalien’s years as an Executive Secretary transcended to her personal life where she continued to be super organized and fastidious and fashionable regarding her appearance and home. She enjoyed entertaining friends and her home was always the go-to place for family celebrations…the more the better.  She also loved sitting quietly with a good book, watching movies, music (50’s and musical theater), and trips to Radio City Music Hall in New York City.  Most recently Madalien was frustrated by the COVID 19 pandemic and how it was “stealing time from me” as trips she had planned to Portugal and Italy were canceled.

Her life was also drastically changed when she was blessed with a granddaughter, Lexi. Joe passed when Lexi was just 11 months old but Madalien was a part of her life even from 100 miles away.  Madalien would get in her spotless caddy and travel North, for class plays, sporting events, and school concerts. She was a part of Lexi’s first trip to Disney World in Florida and Lexi was very fortunate to often vacation with both Nana Madalien and Nana Carol. She loved being a part of Lexi’s passion for soccer, by attending many games and tournaments from the beginning at Wayne Boys and Girls Club, through Club/Academy and Wayne Valley High School soccer, and even attended her National Championship in Colorado. From freezing cold to blistering heat and torrential downpours, Nana was a loyal fan to cheer her on. Lexi has many fond memories of visiting Nana’s house at the Jersey Shore, most notably Beach Haven, Sweet Jenny’s, and discovering WaWa at four years old. Recently Lexi committed to attending Ithaca College and their Women’s Soccer Program, so Madalien had already thought about continuing these traditions and memories and was thinking about moving back to North Jersey.

Madalien was the devoted wife of the late Joe Gomes (d. 2005); loving mother of Michele Jassin and her husband Edward of Wayne; cherished grandmother of Lexi Jassin of Wayne.  She is survived by her Aunt and Uncle, Mariana and Jose Romao, her sister-in-law, Celeste Hadley, cousins and many nieces and nephews. She will be terribly missed by cherished friends.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to the Christopher Reeve Foundation www.Christopherreeve.org or St Jude Children’s Hospital www.stjude.org would be appreciated.

Ann (Angelina) Fiorentino

In 1925, she was born in New York City. In her early childhood years, she spent afternoons at the University Settlement House in Manhattan (Rivington & Eldridge Streets) where she joined the Modern Dance Group. She studied there for more than ten hours per week. Also at the Settlement House was Tony Curtis (Bernard Schwartz then) who was in the drama group. She performed at Madison Square Garden, where she was spotted by a professional ballet master who awarded her a scholarship at her school on 5th Ave and 53rd Street.

While there, she met and practiced with Jerome Robbins who did the choreography for West Side Story, On The Town, etc. She also had occasion to know Cyd Charisse and other well-known dancers. After going to Hollywood, she also did some ballroom dancing with her partner at several nightclubs including the Latin Quarter, arranged by her ballroom dancing instructor.

She spent her summers dancing with Michael Fokine, ballet legend of the ballet world.  She did several performances on Broadway including “I Hear America Singing” and “Peter and the Wolf.”  Upon her father’s death, she had to help support her mother and her two younger brothers. She went to work on Wall Street in the Commodity Futures Markets. She returned to college and got a teaching degree and taught mathematics for many years in Wayne and Pompton Lakes. Her class won the stock market competitions almost every year and finally in 1993 became New Jersey State Champs over all schools in New Jersey including colleges. Even though retired, she continued teaching in Wayne, Pompton Lakes, and Pompton Plains until 85 years of age. She loved teaching and mathematics.

She was a parishioner of Our Lady of Consolation Church and a member of the Amity Club and Prayer Shawl Ministry. She also was a member of the Golden Age Group of Wayne. She was editor of the Amity Women’s Club Newspaper.

In 1948 at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, she married Alfred Fiorentino, who earned many prestigious awards for his research and design of missile systems for the U.S. Army. She and Alfred have 3 children- Fred (married to Nina), Diane, and Karen (married to Edward)- 8 grandchildren, one great granddaughter, three great grandsons, and another great granddaughter on the way. She will be remembered not only as a dedicated and loving teacher, but also for her open house dinners every Sunday with 10-20 family members and friends coming.  

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Angelina’s name are asked to consider:

Foundation Fighting Blindness
Donations can be mailed directly to:
Foundation Fighting Blindness, P.O. Box 45740, Baltimore, MD 21297-5740
You can also donate online by clicking here

Alexandra Shaaban, age 77, of Hoboken and a former long-time resident of Wayne, passed away peacefully on Friday, February 4, 2022, while in the loving presence of her dear family.

Alexandra was the loving mother of Shelby Tuhari and his wife Melanie of Wayne, Julie Tuhari of Hoboken, and Nathalie Tuhari-Katz and her husband Brian of Erie, CO; adoring grandmother of: Shelby, Justin, and Chelsea Tuhari, and Jesse and Charlotte Katz; dearest sister of Maria “Mimi” Cosarca of Livingstonville, NY; dear aunt of three nieces and one nephew; dear great-aunt of numerous great-nieces and great-nephews; and close first cousin of Florin Constantinescu and his wife Elena of Bellmore, NY.  Her great-nieces and great-nephews were so precious to her and she also enjoyed sharing lots of life with her cousin Florin and his wife Elena.

Alexandra, lovingly called “Sanda” by her family, was born and raised in Bucharest, Romania, the daughter of George and Nicolina (Mihai) Nicolescu and older sister of Maria. In 1960, she attended Bucharest Construction Institute School of Railways and Bridges (Universitatea Tehnica de Constructii Bucuresti UTCB). In those days, the Romanian government didn’t allow everyone to attend college, only the brightest and the best. Alexandra was truly brilliant and after graduating at the top of her class, she ultimately began a career that would span fifty-seven years in the engineering profession. During those years Alexandra was integrally involved in the design of many New York City bridges while working for three major firms: Ebasco Services, B. Thayer Associates, and presently at Hardesty and Hanover, all of New York City. She truly loved her work, so much so that, despite battling cancer, she continued to work until just this past December.

In 1969, Alexandra fled communist Romania. She lived as a refugee for a year in West Germany before immigrating to the United States where she initially lived in New York City. Soon after, she made Wayne her permanent home where she raised her son and two daughters.

Alexandra lived life to the fullest. She came to the USA with nothing but a dream and a whole lot of ambition to take advantage of the limitless opportunities that America offered. She worked hard but never found work to be a hardship. In fact she was always passionate about her work. She was crazy about New York City, so much so that she had been living most recently in nearby Hoboken, NJ which allowed her to be close to her daughters while, due to its proximity, affording the convenience of working in and enjoying the Big Apple.

To Alexandra, nothing held greater importance in her life than her precious family. She adored her children and grandchildren and was always so thankful for the special times when they could be together. She visited them frequently, face-timed often and together they enjoyed family vacations to Aruba, Hawaii and Florida where she found Disney World to be a great place to spoil her grandchildren. She loved taking her family out for dinner and one of her favorite places to dine was the Hibachi Grill. In addition to dining out with her family, Alexandra loved cooking and hosting her family. She had many signature dishes, including her turkey meatballs, cheese puffs and eggplant salad, that her family deeply enjoyed.

Alexandra was a kind and generous woman. She was so grateful to have had the opportunity to experience the American Dream which afforded her the opportunity to lavish her grandchildren. She had a beautiful smile and a calm and gentle presence which will be greatly missed by all who were blessed to have been part of her life.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Alexandra’s name are asked to consider donations to:

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
PO Box 5028
Hagerstown, MD  21741-5028
Click here to print a form to give a gift through the mail
Click here to give a gift online

Edward Breuer, Jr. of Pompton Plains died on February 3, 2022 at age 99.

Edward was born in Paterson, NJ on April 29, 1922. The only child of Edward and Mae (Weber) Breuer, he graduated from Paterson Central High School in 1940 and began his career at  Wright Aeronautical Corp and in the office of Frank Rea, CPA, in Paterson.

In 1946 he joined J.W. Valentine, a textile company in New York City, where he remained for 22 years as a financial officer. He married his high school sweetheart, Lois (Cleaver) in 1944 and moved to Glen Rock in 1949, the year he graduated Pace University with a BBA in accounting. Loving Glen Rock, he stayed for 65 years, becoming known for his dry wit and quick laugh. His family called him the Ambassador with Chili because if he knew your family was going through a difficult time, he would be likely to show up at your door with his homemade entrée. Ever the accountant, Ed counted out exactly 10 crushed red pepper flakes for every batch.

In 1968 he joined the Leukemia Society of America (now the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society) as controller for 18 years and Associate National Executive Director for two years before retiring in 1987.

Ed joined the Community Church of Glen Rock in the early 1950s and was an active volunteer. In 1992 he became a trustee of Glen Rock Senior Citizen Housing Corporation, where he served for 20 years. He was a member of the Activities Club of Glen Rock and served as its president after the terms of its co-founders, Charles Peck and George Hoagland.

He especially enjoyed family vacations at Cape Cod, concerts at Bergen Performing Arts Center, NJ Performing Arts Center and Tanglewood, the New York Times crossword puzzles and watching the Yankees on television.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Lois, and his daughter, Joanne, and is survived by his daughter and son, Nancy (S. Scott Bartchy) of West Hills, CA, and David (Lynn DuFosse) of South Deerfield, MA. He has two granddaughters, Jennifer Breuer, Esq. of Shelburne Falls, MA and Dr. Megan Breuer (Remco Vasterink) and a great-granddaughter, Anabelle Vasterink, of The Netherlands.

He is survived by his wife, Anne Marie (Delevante), whom he married in 2002. She was the widow of architect Owen Delevante, whose practice was based in Ridgewood, NJ. He and Anne Marie moved to Cedar Crest in Pompton Plains, NJ in 2014. Anne Marie was a loving companion to Ed and a supportive stepmother to his children.

Angela Marie Molter, age 97, of Packanack Lake in Wayne, passed away peacefully on Monday, January 31, 2022.

Angela was the beloved wife of Albert Molter who predeceased her in 2006. She was the devoted daughter of George M. Decker and Mary (née Stohl) Decker who both predeceased her; loving mother of Marilyn and husband Charles Mysak of Wayne: cherished grandmother of Paul and wife Eleni Palmeri, Nicole Mysak, Charles and wife Carrie Mysak, and Joseph Mysak; adoring great-grandmother of Noa Paige Mysak and Paul Albert Palmeri; dear sister of Mary and her late husband George Sendak, Nancy and husband Kashfinur Heine, the late Elizabeth Annee and her late husband Richard, the late George Decker and his wife Dorothy, sister-in-law of the late Mildred ‘Mimi’ Molter Abbate, and dear aunt of numerous nieces and nephews.

Angela ‘Sue’ Molter was an enthusiast for life, her whole life.

Born in 1924, Angela spent the summers of her early childhood in Boonton, New Jersey with her Great-Aunt Nora while her parents worked. When the Depression hit in the 1930’s, she helped her mother raise her four younger siblings: Mary, George, Elizabeth and Nancy. They remained close their entire lives. Angela attended Holy Trinity grammar school until the eighth grade and then continued her education at Clifton High School.

In 1941, she met her future husband, Al Molter, at a dance in Clifton and as Angela would say: ‘I knew he was the one’. The two sweethearts were married in 1942. Sue traveled with Al to all his training bases in the South before Al was sent by the United States Army to liberate Europe.

After the war, their daughter Marilyn was born in 1947. Then in 1950, Al and Sue bought a house in the Packanack Lake section of Wayne, which would become their lifelong home. They went to work for Datascan in Clifton. They were two of the first three employees and for the next twenty years, they would help build the company up to more than 100 employees.

Sue then went on to work for Smith Industries, the Aerospace and Defense System Company, in Florham Park, where she served as a supervisor in the departments that helped produce flight recorders and radar systems. She enjoyed and was proud of her work there.

Sue finished her career at the Wayne public schools as a before school childcare giver, retiring at the age of 87.

In 1975, with the birth of their first grandchild Paul, and then Nicole, Charlie and Joe, Sue and Al assumed the role of a lifetime as Grandma and Grandpa.

For the next three decades, they passionately supported their grandchildren through all of life’s activities, including many trips to Vermont, Hershey Park and Florida. This loving care for their family continued throughout their lives.

Grandma was a talented cook and baker. At Thanksgiving she would cook the big family dinner and on each grandchild’s birthday, she would make a special cake. As each child was born, Grandma would handcraft a beautiful Christmas stocking and yearly tree ornaments, all of which are enjoyed by the family to this day. Christmas was not only a time for gift giving, it was a time for the family to spend together going to shows such as the Big Apple Circus, Radio City Christmas Spectacular, Cirque Du Soleil and The Nutcracker.

For their Communions, Grandma would help craft their banners. At Easter she and Al would paint Easter eggs with their grandchildren and conduct the annual Easter egg hunt. Each family member has their own special, happy memories of these events, and at the center of these memories are Grandma and Grandpa. But it wasn’t just holidays and special occasions: Grandma and Grandpa were an integral part of their family’s everyday life.

Sue loved art and she loved to paint. She could paint a great landscape, as evidenced from the art that hung on her walls. She loved music and she loved to sing. If you wanted to get her going, all you would have to do is strike up a chorus of ‘Give My Regards to Broadway’ and ‘I’ll Be Loving you Always’, which reminded her of the way Grandpa would sign his Valentine’s cards, Always Al. There was ‘Oh What a Beautiful Morning’ ‘Catch a Falling Star’ ‘Que Sera Sera’ ‘It’s A Good Day’ and ‘You are My Sunshine.’

Grandma was upbeat, joyous and a positive force of nature for all who knew her.

One of her greatest joys was living long enough to welcome her great-grandchildren in 2018, Noa Paige and Paul Albert. She spent many happy moments with them, watching them grow.

Grandma and Grandpa were can-do people who taught their grandchildren that the most important things in life were the simplest. When you gathered around their table, you knew you were home. They were good listeners and with four busy, growing, talkative grandchildren, they had to be. There was never any doubt as to whose corner they were in, and that you were loved.

Grandma was sentimental. One of the family’s joys was to gather for Grandma’s birthday and give her presents and cards. Grandma would always read the cards aloud and inevitably, by the time she got to the last line, she would be all choked up with tears, because Grandma knew, and we all knew, that the love she infused into our family was returned in full.

We love her, we will miss her and will always keep her in our hearts.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Angela’s name are asked to consider:

Alzheimer’s New Jersey
425 Eagle Rock Ave., Suite 203
Roseland, NJ 07068
Make check payable to Alzheimer’s New Jersey
Click here to donate online

Joseph “Joe” Hric, age 80, of Newfoundland, passed Sunday, January 30, 2022.

He was born to Stephen and Anna Hric and spent his early childhood years in Passaic.  The family moved to Clifton where Joe attended both Junior and Senior High School having graduated from Clifton High School with the Class of 1959.

During his young years in Passaic, Joe was always looking to make a dollar and shined shoes at the local tavern and had a paper route for a while. In his teenage years, he worked in the kitchen at the Robin Hood Inn in Clifton where he did everything from making salads and deserts to washing dishes. For a time, he was the owner of the butcher shop he named Joe’s Place on Atlantic Street in Paterson. Eventually, he worked for the Bond Bread Company and had a route in Northern New Jersey including some of New York State.  He would recount about the time the “hippies were all over the road” while he was trying to deliver his bread…little did he know he was witness to all heading to Yasgur’s Farm in Bethel, New York at which the Woodstock Music Festival was being held. He delivered to several summer camps as well and if he was late with his delivery he would get what he called the “Royal Raspberry” from the kids. In 1979, he bought a Wise Potato Chip route that covered the towns of East Orange, Newark, and Irvington. In 1996, he officially retired when he sold his route. That retirement lasted all of a couple months as his daughter Suzanne; who had followed in his footsteps with her own Wise route, was rear-ended by a stolen car while making her deliveries. Her truck was flipped as she was thrown from the vehicle.  Joe stepped in and took over the route while Suzanne recovered. That lasted for about a year when they sold the route. Joe was also proud to see his son Joseph get his own route as well.

Joe and Annette met during their high school years while attending Grace Church in Clifton. They hit it off great and it was love at first sight.  Joe and Annette started dating and got married shortly after Annette graduated high school on November 21, 1961.  Annette and Joe settled in Clifton and lived there for about four years.  The two then then moved to Lincoln Park.  While in Lincoln Park, Annette and Joe welcomed the births of their three children; Suzanne, Joseph, and Pamela.  Joseph and his family remained in Lincoln Park until 1981 when they moved to Kinnelon.  Annette, Joe, and their children remained there until 1998 when they moved to Newfoundland.  Joe and Annette have been in Newfoundland ever since.
 
Joe will be lovingly remembered for his calm, patient, and kind demeanor.  He was very handy and could fix just about anything.  He loved cooking and was making homemade sausage up until last week. He also made pierogi, stuffed cabbage, and even tried to make Gluten-free foods for his daughter-in-law Franci.  He also loved his vegetable garden and would grow tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, zucchini, basil, strawberries, blueberries, and pears.  Joe was also a dog lover and his Doberman Pinscher “Sam” loved him dearly and was always protective of Joe. Joe also loved his grand-dog “Bella.”

Joe was the loving husband of the late Annette Hric (d. June 2021); beloved father of Pamela Hric, Joseph Hric and his wife Franci, and Suzanne Hasten and her husband Jim; he was the cherished grandfather (aka "Poppy") of Denise Meeker and her husband Bobby, Ginnette Hric and her fiancé Jason, Joseph Anthony Hric, and Jack Myles Hric; he was the loved brother of the late John Hric and the late Stephen Hric.

Barbara Ann Sova (nee DiMaria), age 76 of West Milford, died on Friday, January 28, 2022, with her family gathered at her bedside.

Barbara grew up in Wayne and graduated from Wayne High School in 1963. During her high school years, she was a cheerleader and participated in the French Club. She went on to attend Elmira College, where she graduated in 1967. It was right around this time that she met Robert Sova through a mutual friend. Bob was selling stuffed animals and Barbara had bought one from him. He took her phone number and called her soon thereafter. They enjoyed a date to Palisades Park and Barbara was smitten. From that day forward, she only had eyes for Bob. They married on January 4, 1969 at Annunciation RC Church in Wayne, but there was no time for a honeymoon due to military service. Bob was serving in the Army and they spent the better part of the next two years living in Buffalo, NY. Upon returning to New Jersey, they first lived in Cedar Grove for four years before opening Sova Animal Hospital in 1975. They then settled in West Milford in 1976 where they lived for nearly fifty years. Throughout their fifty-three years of their marriage, they enjoyed snow skiing, water skiing, scuba diving, and playing tennis. Barbara always had a fondness for the beach, and she loved spending time at their condominium in Ortley Beach. She especially loved to travel and had visited Turkey, Croatia, France, Sicily, Costa Rica, the Cayman Islands, as well as too many US destinations to list.  She and Bob enjoyed their fifty-three years together and he will miss her dearly.

Barbara was a wonderful homemaker and mom. Her loving personality, balanced life, and compassion was the glue that kept her family united. Her magnetic personality allowed her to develop a tremendous number of incredible and loving friends that her and Bob would make memories with. Early on, she was very involved within the High Crest Lake community where they lived, and she was always driving her kids somewhere! She referred to her grandchildren as her “babies” and she would do anything for them. They were her life. “Mimi,” as they affectionately called her, was her favorite title, and Barbara enjoyed doing everything she could with them. They will miss her dearly.

Barbara loved kids and she especially loved teaching. She had been a teacher briefly when she was first married, and left teaching to raise her children. When she began teaching again, she was a part-time ESL teacher in Kinnelon before joining the Montville school district full-time, primarily teaching ESL, and later teaching French. She built genuine connections with many of her students, and she maintained relationships with many of them even after the kids had graduated from high school. She took a real interest in seeing kids grow and develop, and her students recognized this. She became a true friend to many of them, and the world is a better place because of her commitment to improving the lives of others. She retired from teaching at Montville High School in 2011 and worked as the office manager at her husband’s veterinary hospital in Butler, Sova Animal Hospital. Her kindness was felt here, as well, by all who came in.

Barbara is survived by her devoted husband, Dr. Robert J. Sova of West Milford, their two children; Laurie Dittmeier and her husband Paul of Kinnelon, and Robert Sova, Jr. of West Milford, her mother; Virginia DiMaria of Wayne, two grandchildren; Kylee and Ryan Dittmeier of Kinnelon, her siblings; Charles “Skip” DiMaria and his wife Geraldine of Barnegat, Linda Finke and her husband Frank of Wood-Ridge, and Diane DiMaria of Voorhees, as well as many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her grandson, Casey Dittmeier of Kinnelon and by her father; Charles DiMaria.

In lieu of flowers, donations would be appreciated to the American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org

Michael J. Bianco, age 76 of West Milford, died on Thursday, January 27, 2022. Mike had been a plumber with the New York City Plumbers Union, UA Local 1, in Long Island City, since 1967.

Born in the Bronx, Mike chose to join the U.S. Navy before he even finished high school. On his seventeenth birthday, he convinced his mother to sign his enlistment papers, and off he went. After completing his basic training at the Great Lakes Navy Boot Camp, his first active duty mission was to the Bay of Pigs in Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He told his wife that they followed a submarine under their ship for three days when the alarm called all to man their battle stations THIS IS NOT A DRILL.  They beat record time in everyone ready at their stations. Then suddenly the submarine took off at knots that, at that time, were unheard of. He also served aboard ship during the Vietnam War.

A Navy man through and through and through, years later he joined the Navy Reserve and was reactivated several times to Active Duty and served during Desert Storm in the 1990’s. He was proud to have trained with the Navy SEALS, and he was a sharpshooter, having earned his Marksmanship Award. He earned other medals in his Navy career.

Mike met his wife, Carol Robinson, at the Westbridge Lounge in the Bronx. Carol will never forget that night, December 16, 1966, when he first asked her to dance. At the end of the evening, he asked her what she was doing for New Year’s Eve, and she said “spending it with you!” He proposed just a few months later while they were on a date in Throggs Neck, and Carol gladly accepted. They married on June 22, 1968 at St. Peters Episcopal Church in the Bronx, followed by a honeymoon to Miami. They settled in for several years in the Bronx, and in 1973 built and owned their first home in Putnam Valley, NY where they lived across the street from a beautiful lake and spent 9 wonderful years there having great BBQs with family and friends and lots of swimming, walking on the ice with their children, and sleigh riding on steep hills. Carol will never forget their first New Year’s Eve party when there was a big snow storm and Mike had to go out and help cars get up “cardiac hill” (appropriately nick named).  Mike’s favorite aunt and uncle, Cecile and Sparky, and cousins had to stay overnight.  It was great fun. Tired of so much snow they moved to Phoenix in 1982, but became home sick and moved back east to NJ in 1983 where they lived in Bergenfield.  In 2008 they moved to West Milford to Bald Eagle Adult Resident Condos. They chose West Milford because their oldest daughter, Kim and family, lived there and they loved the condo nearby and the idea of less work for them. A close knit family, a few years later their younger daughter, Terri and family, also moved to West Milford.  They have enjoyed fifty-three years together, with more “ups” than “downs” and lots of laughs! They were the love of each other’s life, and made many great memories together. Carol will miss him dearly.

Mike was blessed with more friends than he could ever count. He was simply a “great guy” with a wonderful sense of humor. A ‘charmer’ of sorts, who loved to make people smile and laugh. He was generous to a fault and always willing to help others, and since he was a plumber, there was always somebody asking for his help! Mike made lifelong friendships.

His three best friends are Richard Decker, Jimmy Bettino and Luis Ventura.

Richard Decker and Mike and Richard served in the Navy together and became best “buds”.  Richard was with Mike when he met Carol but they lost touch.  A few years later they “bumped” into each other at Mamma Leone’s in NYC where each couple were celebrating their first wedding anniversary. Coincidently they wed on the exact same day in 1968. The two couples celebrated their anniversary together every year since! They quickly became part of Richard and Jeanette’s family with Richard becoming Mike’s brother. With children of similar ages they went on family trips to Ocean City, picnics at Hacklebarney and had countless good times.

Mike met Jimmy Bettino at plumbing school in in Manhattan in the late sixties.  Jimmy had not yet been married to Carol.  When Jimmy did wed, they quickly became “couple” friends spending late nights playing cards, charades and any games they could think of as well as eating Dunkin Donuts to the ‘wee’ hours. Jimmy and Carol also having children of similar ages, “adopted” Mike and Carol into their family. Jimmy and Mike had the same sense of humor, always joking.  And Jimmy also became like a brother to Mike.  When there was no work for them in New York, The Union sent them to Canada. When they came back they joked that they could speak French. “La table, la chair, etc.  And wouldn’t you know it, Volkswagen came out with La Car.

Of course, there is Luis Ventura and wife Jackie. Such special, precious people to Mike and Carol. Mike met Luis in the 80’s in the Navy reserves.  They hit it off immediately.  Both being sharpshooters and serving for a time in the same reserve unit, they became close friends. They became shooting buddies at rifle ranges (never hunters either of them). Over the years also becoming “couple friends” and once again Mike was like a brother to Luis and Jackie.  Lots of movies, eating out, family functions and great times.  Never could Mike or anyone meet more gracious, loving, and generous people.  

Mike is survived by his beloved wife Carol of West Milford, NJ, by their two daugthers; Kim Kuhn and her husband Chris of West Milford, Teresa Andiorio and her husband Mike of West Milford, three grandchildren; Hunter and Lex Kuhn and Kayla Andiorio, his siblings; Charlie Moore and his wife Liz of Fort Worth, TX, Patricia Andersen of Lake Villa, IL, Barbara O’Sullivan of Closter, NJ, Olga Wentler of Wilsonville, IL, Louis Moore and his wife Theresa of Norfolk, MA, and many nieces and nephews. Mike was predeceased by his mom; Jean Skarpecka-Moore, and by his sister; Katrina Skarpecka.

Albert Christian Rapp, age 91, of Jefferson, NJ passed away peacefully on Thursday, January 27, 2022, while receiving the loving care of his family.

Albert was born and raised in Clifton NJ and was one of four children to Christian and Mary Rapp. While growing up in Clifton, Albert attended Clifton High School but left school early to go to work with his father in the pluming industry.  Albert worked as a plumber for several years with his dad then switched careers and accepted a position driving big rig trucks for Petrizzo Trucking Company based in Garfield, NJ. After working for Petrizzo Trucking, Albert went on to work for Michelotti & Sons Gravel Pit located in Sparta, NJ. Then he took a position at Grinnell Hauling in Sparta as a Heavy Equipment Operator. Albert held this position until his retirement many years ago.

While living in Clifton, as a young man, Albert welcomed the birth of his only son Christian. Albert met and married Helen and moved to Pompton Lakes with Helen’s daughter Jo Ann and son James. In 1970, Albert and Helen moved the family to Greenwood Lake where they lived for many years. While there, Albert owned many boats and cherished boating and teaching his children and grandchildren how to water ski.

Albert and Helen eventually divorced, and Albert moved to Jefferson New Jersey where he lived with his companion, Pat Force, for many years.

Albert enjoyed spending time at the beach. He treasured swimming in the ocean and visiting one of his favorite places, Long Beach Island, at the Jersey shore.

To say that Albert was a handyman was a gross understatement.  His family remembers never having to call contractors or auto mechanics to fix or maintain their cars or anything at their homes. All they needed to do was to give him a call and say, “Come over for dinner and bring your tools.”  Of course, there were times that Albert did not have the required tool for the job. That would not deter him because he would fabricate his own tools.

Albert was a selfless person always putting other needs before his own. There was not anything he wouldn’t do for anyone in need.  He was a man who was always up front with people, so you always knew where you stood with him. He enjoyed watching football, old TV westerns and most of all treasured his nightly glass of Scotch, which he always attributed to his gift of longevity. Albert was a truly special person who touched the lives of many people and will be missed by everyone that knew him.

Albert is survived by his son Christian Rapp and his husband Michael of La Mesa, CA, two stepdaughters Grace Maat of Ringwood, NJ, and JoAnn and her husband Douglas of Hewitt, NJ, four grandchildren: Christine Greenbush and her husband Michael of Clark, NJ, Jennifer McRae and her husband Phil of Indiana, Jodie Chorbajian and her husband Joseph of Wayne, NJ, and Jaime Aurilia and her husband Joseph of West Milford, NJ, and fourteen great grandchildren.  Albert was predeceased by his two sisters Jane Dericks, and Mary Gomes, one brother Thomas Rapp, one stepson James Buono, two grandchildren Jerilyn Acker, and Joan Ellen Maat and his longtime companion, Pat Force.

Donations in Albert’s name may be made to the American Heart Association, PO Box 840692, Dallas, TX 75284-0692, www.heart.org or American Diabetes Foundation, PO Box 15829, Arlington, VA 22215, www.diabetes.org

Joan Ann Payne (nee Ibold), age 90, of Wayne passed away peacefully on Wednesday, January 26, 2022, while receiving the loving care of her family.

Joan was born in Jersey City and was one of two children of Alfred and Catherine Ibold. In 1935, the family moved to their own home in Union City.  Joan attended Emerson High School graduating with the class of 1949.  In her later years of high school, she was an Assistant Girl Scout Leader.  After her graduation, Joan was hired as an executive secretary at Varley Ford Auto Sales in Hoboken, NJ.  Joan was employed there for ten years and was well loved and respected during her time there, making life-long friends.

In 1953, Joan’s father and Joan’s future husband’s uncle collaborated on a matchmaking plan to get Joan and a handsome young man by the name of James Payne together on a date, going bowling and later to an ice cream parlor.  The two of them hit it off and started dating.  As fate would have it, they fell in love and on November 5, 1955 Joan and James became husband and wife.  The couple were married in St Michael’s Church in Union City, NJ and honeymooned in Bermuda.  
 
After their honeymoon, the newlyweds moved into the Union City home of Joan’s parents. They lived there until 1970.  During that time, Joan and James welcomed the births of their children, David, and Karen.  As her family started to grow, Joan and James moved to Dumont, NJ, where they continued to raise their family, and remained until 2001.  In 2001 they moved to Wayne and have been there ever since.

Shortly before her first child was born, Joan decided to become a full time homemaker.  This was her calling and caring for her children gave her great pleasure. She was an extremely devoted mother, always there for her children whenever they needed her.  She was a class mother over the years her children attended school.  After her daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at a very early age, Joan became an active member of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.  Joan was also a proud volunteer for Englewood Hospital in Englewood, NJ for over ten years.  Joan was also devoted to her Catholic Faith.  She was an active parishioner of St Michael’s Church in Union City, and later of St Mary’s Church in Dumont, and most recently of Annunciation RC Church in Wayne.

Joan and James owned a home in Jupiter, FL and were traditional “Snow Birds,” spending their winters in Florida.  Travel was one the couple’s favorite past times.  Joan and her family have traveled extensively over the years to a variety of destinations such as Florida, California, Hawaii, France, Ireland, Aruba, and the Bahamas.  They also enjoyed traveling by way of cruises, visiting many of the islands throughout the Caribbean.  Joan also traveled to Italy on a memorable high school trip with her daughter Karen.  However, Joan’s and James’ favorite vacation spot was their honeymoon destination of Bermuda.  For years, Joan, James, David, and Karen traveled to Bermuda, staying at Elbow Beach or similar resorts, and revisiting the island where they spent their honeymoon.  While in Bermuda during the Bicentennial in 1976, they had a close-up view of the procession of the Queen of England (Queen Elizabeth II), who was visiting at the time.  They also treasured yearly vacations to Woodloch Pines in the Poconos area of Pennsylvania.

Joan made friends easily, wherever she went, either as a student in school, an employee at her job, or amongst the neighbors wherever she lived. Joan would get together regularly with friends that she had known since kindergarten. Joan arranged to have lunch with these ladies once a month until as late as 2018.  The relationship between the friends was so special, an article was written about them in Woman’s Day Magazine.

Joan was a kind and generous woman who never had a bad thing to say about anyone.  She was a tremendous cook and baker, and her home always smelled wonderfully from the variety of recipes she used.  She was famous for her Apple Dumplings, and was able to make Pineapple Upside-down Cake from scratch, which is no easy task.  She loved hosting holidays and family events.  Aside from all of Joan’s hobbies, talents, and interests, her greatest passion was her family.  Nothing in the world meant more to Joan than providing for and spending time with her family.  She truly treasured spending time with her grandchildren who affectionately called her “Oma and Grandma.”  Often times Joan would be found sitting on the floor playing with her grandchildren as if she were one of them.  Joan and her husband James cherished sixty-five years of loving and loyal marriage together until James’ passing in July of 2020.  Joan was truly a special person who touched the lives of many people and will be sincerely missed by everyone that knew her.

Joan is survived by her son David Payne and his wife Helen of Jupiter, FL, her daughter Karen McMillin and her husband William of Wayne, NJ,  four grandchildren; Samuel Payne of Jupiter, FL, Olivia Payne of Jupiter, FL, Audrey McMillin of Wayne, NJ, Brian McMillin of Wayne, NJ, and one brother Robert Ibold and his wife Charlotte of Bergenfield, NJ.  Joan was predeceased by her husband James C. Payne in July of 2020.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Joan’s name to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), 200 Vesey Street, 28th Floor, New York, NY 10281.  http://www.jdrf.org

Lawrence T. Andersen, 73 of Wayne and formerly of Jersey City and Carlstadt, NJ, entered into eternal life on January 24th, 2022.

Lawrence was born and raised in Hoboken, NJ. He graduated from Hoboken High School and was drafted by the United States Army to serve in Vietnam. Lawrence served his country in the Army’s 11th Armored Cavalry “Blackhorse Regiment” as a lineman. After being honorably discharged, he returned to his job at Alco-Gravure Division of Publication Corp in Hoboken, where he worked until they closed. While at Alco-Gravure, he met the love of his life, Maryann Schumann, who he later married. Upon Alco-Gravure’s closing, he began his career with the United States Post Office in Jersey City, where he remained until he retired in 2015. Upon retiring, Lawrence lived a full life while enjoying time with his family, friends, and most importantly with his grandchildren, who he loved deeply. He enjoyed watching his grandchildren participate in their various activities, especially with the band, and was their biggest fan. He also enjoyed spending quality time with his little buddy, Ryan, and they were the best of buddies. His grandchildren were always his biggest source of joy. He also enjoyed watching sports, the latest technlogy, and riding around in his car blasting his favorite music. He spent many years poolside and always enjoyed the water. He had a generous, loving, kind heart and was affectionately known as “Mr. Wonderful” by many.

He is survived by his beloved wife of forty-three years; Maryann of Wayne. He is also survived by his daughter; Jeananne Andersen and step-daughter; Susan Pedana, as well as his pride and joy, his three grandchildren; Tori, Daniel, and Ryan. He is survived by his sons-in-law; Jason Gelman and Scott Saunders. He is also survived by his brothers-in-law; Edward Nest and Joseph Spatucci, his niece; Andrea Nest Tanner, and his nephew; Joseph Spatucci and his wife Christine and their three sons. He is also survived by many other loving family members and friends who were like extended family.

Lawrence was predeceased by his mother; Jean Andersen, sisters; Rosalyn Nest and Suzanne Andersen, his Godson; Edward Nest, nephew; Brian Nest, son-in-law; Lawrence Pedana, and by his sister-in-law; Muriel Spatucci.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations in Lawrence’s memory be made to one of the following charities; The Vietnam Veterans memorial Fund, www.vvmf.org, the Fisher House Foundation, www.fisherhouse.org, or the Gary Sinise Foundation, www.garysinisefoundation.org.

Bernice Acker (nee Darro), age 77, of Wayne passed away peacefully on Monday, January 24, 2022 while receiving the loving care of her family.

Bernice was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and was the youngest of six children, only child of Arturo Sangenario and Angelina Darro.  Bernice and her mother moved from Brooklyn to Totowa, NJ when Bernice was a teenager.  Following her formal education, Bernice worked in a garment factory in New York, owned by her family.  Later in life, she was employed by the Passaic County Court House in Paterson as a Security Guard and also as part of the maintenance department.  Bernice was employed at the court house for many years throughout the 1990’s.  While living in Paterson, Bernice welcomed the births of her first two children, Maria and James.  After a few years she and her family moved to Totowa where she had her third child, Thomas.  Her fourth child, Joy, was born in Wayne shortly after moving there in 1976.  Bernice remained in Wayne for many years raising her four children.

Bernice held several jobs while her oldest children were young and decided that she would become a full time homemaker shortly after the birth of her 3rd child.  This was truly Bernice’s calling and where she genuinely flourished.  She was an extremely devoted mother, always being there for her children when they needed her.  She was also a very active member of the Randall Carter Parent Teachers Organization (PTO) throughout the years her children were in elementary school.  She was also well known in the community for selling her "Chocolate Treats" that she made for all occasions.

In 1998, Bernice moved to one of her favorite places in the world, the state of Florida.  Although she loved living in Florida, Bernice moved back to Wayne, New Jersey when her first grandchild was born.  Ever since then, Bernice has been the typical “Snow Bird,” spending her winters in Florida and her summers in New Jersey.  Bernice was a long time member of the Wayne Elks Lodge #2181, and was one of the first of two females to be inducted as a member Elk.  She was also a Past President of the Wayne Elks Ladies Auxiliary Organization.   Over the years, Bernice acted as the Wayne Elks “Banquet Chef”, cooking for many of their events and fundraisers.
It was no surprise that Bernice was the banquet chef for the Elks, being that she was an outstanding cook.  Her proud Italian heritage was the root of her recipes and she was especially famous with family and friends for her Italian red sauce, pasta dishes, and her holiday stuffoli (honey balls). Bernice enjoyed salt water fishing and crabbing, and treasured fishing in the St John’s River in Florida.  She also frequented Atlantic City, NJ, where she loved trying her luck at the slots.  She loved spending time in Little Egg Harbor at the Jersey Shore in her family-owned shore house.  For many years, while her children were growing up, Bernice took her family on camping trips up and down the entire east coast of the United States roughing it in tents, driving in RVs, and various other driving excursions.  She took great pride in building giant bon fires to warm everyone at the campsite.

Bernice was a lady who always spoke her mind.  She was straight forward with everyone she met, so you always knew where you stood with Bernice.  Not only was she straightforward with people, but she was not at all afraid or embarrassed to let the profanity fly, and fly it did!  Bernice was never good with remembering names.  In fact, you knew you were part of the family once Bernice called you by the wrong name or called you "What's Your Face".  Aside from all of her talents, interests and hobbies, her greatest passion was for her family.  Nothing in the world meant more to Bernice than spending time with and providing for her family.  She was a truly devoted mother and grandmother.  Throughout the years, Bernice affectionately earned the names of “Bobbi”, “Mema”, and “Nana” by her ten grandchildren.  She also earned the title "Ma", "Aunt Bernice",  and "Grandma" by countless other extended family members, friends, and loved ones.  Bernice was a truly special person who touched the lives of many people and will be sorely missed by everyone that knew her.

Bernice is survived by her four children; her daughter Maria DeLuca-Pranzo and her husband Gary of Wayne, NJ, her son James DeLuca and his wife Wendy of Prescott Valley, AZ, her son Thomas Acker of Wayne, NJ, and her daughter Joy Bucher and her husband Michael of Mount Bethel, PA, one brother Edward Darro and his wife Claudette of Sloatsburg, NY, nine grandchildren; Tiffany Bucher of Mount Bethel, PA, Brittany Bucher of Mount Bethel, PA, Michael Bucher of Mount Bethel, PA, Christy Bucher of Mount Bethel, PA, Ace Bucher of Mount Bethel, PA, Samantha Pranzo of Wayne, NJ, Ruth DeLuca of Prescott Valley, AZ, Jonathan DeLuca of Prescott Valley, AZ, and Abby DeLuca of Prescott Valley, AZ, and many beloved nieces and nephews.  Bernice was predeceased by her first husband James DeLuca, her second husband Norman Acker, her grandson Fernando Pranzo in 2006, her two sisters Dolores Lemmo and Joan Reiser, and her two brothers Thomas Darro and Jacob Darro.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Bernice’s honor for the ongoing care of her son, Thomas Acker, 14 Chicopee Drive, Wayne, NJ 07470.

Kent Hallander, 85, passed away peacefully Sunday January 23rd at Renaissance in Lincoln Park.

Kent was born in 1936  to Vivian Kent, and Elvin Hallander in Newark, New Jersey. Kent attended Montclair Academy while the family lived on Crestmont Road in Cedar Grove before his father took an executive position with Trane in La Crosse, Wisconsin in 1950. Kent finished High School and started at University of Wisconsin in Engineering before leaving and joining the AirForce. Kent was stationed in Bitburg, Germany and came home on leave to Anderson, Indiana where he asked his sister to introduce him to her attractive Spanish teacher, Patricia Wright. They married in 1957 and lived in Germany together until 1961 when Kent decided to take a discharge and come home to New Jersey to join a retail photography business called Photo Cullen his parents had purchased after moving back from Indiana.

Kent joined the staff and trained throughout the years to become both a Certified Photographic Professional, as well as a technical sales rep for Agfa Gevaert Industrial Photography. With the death of his father, he became vice president and helped operate the business until his mother retired in 1985. Kent was most at home running Photo Cullen in Upper Montclair. More than a few young people got their start working at Photo Cullen,  and the business thrived until the digital revolution brought down the entire analog photography business structure.

Kent was also very active in the Riverdale Police Pistol Team where because of his attention to detail, Kent excelled in competitions for many years. He was one of their top shots, and kept active until finally hanging up his guns two years ago. Kent’s secret was he loaded his own ammo and knew exactly what he needed.

After a divorce in 1974, Kent met and Married Rebecca May Wellott in 1978 and they settled in Packanack Lake, Wayne NJ, where they lived until this past September when they moved to Brightview Wayne Independent Senior Living.

Kent dealt with Prostate Cancer for nearly 20 years, which metastasized into his bones a couple of years ago for which he received treatment. Persistent Cellulitis and a recent bout with COVID 19 left him too weak to keep up the fight.

Kent is survived by his wife Rebecca May, his sister Carolyn Troesken, his three children Jon Eric, Leslie Ann, and Lara Kersten as well as a step son Harry Wellott. In addition he leaves behind Grand kids Alyson Hallander (NJ) and Corinne Vera (CA), Hayley and Kyra Plas (TX), and Cole Wellott (MA).

Elizabeth “Liz” Mattaliano (nee Casteline), age 95, of Wayne, passed peacefully on Sunday, January 23, 2022.

Liz was born in Clifton to Paul and Victoria Casteline. She was raised in Passaic and attended Passaic High School.

Liz married the love of her life, Loures “Lou” Mattaliano and after proposing marriage at a romantic place called Rutt's Hut. They married on May 9, 1948.  They had their wedding reception in a hall on Lexington Avenue in Clifton, which later became a funeral home. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a party at the Mountainside Restaurant in Clifton.

When Liz and Lou married they lived in a three family home on Paulison Avenue in Passaic. Her in-laws lived on the first floor, she and her family lived on the second floor, and her sister-in-law and niece lived on the third floor. Lots of fond memories throughout the years were made here. Liz and Lou moved to Van Houten Avenue in Passaic Park on January 21, 1972.  She loved Passaic, reading all the gossip in the Independent Prospector, having pizza on Jefferson Street with Torrie at Leonard’s Bakery, buying cake at Jefferson Bakery, eating lunch at Lenny Cohen’s Deli, shopping at Ginsburg, and having dinner at the Chinese restaurant after walking up 75 steps on Main Avenue.

Liz never had a driver’s license, but that never stopped her from getting around. Early on she would catch the bus in front of her house and go downtown in Passaic to do her shopping.  Later in life the job lovingly fell on her loved ones. Living in Passaic, she would catch the 74 bus on Main Avenue and go into Paterson’s business district to shop as well. Jacobs was the department store at the time and after shopping there she would go around the corner and buy the best jelly donuts.  Often she would take a bus into Rutherford to Shop Rite and other stores for what she needed. Not driving did not stop her in the least.

In her “Golden Years” she moved to the Township of Wayne near her local family and lived at the senior community called Siena Village, then the Preakness Nursing Home for the past ten years. The family is thankful to the wonderful staff there, and especially thankful for Fritzie and Luna who took care of Liz with love and respect.  Liz was always proud to be a Breast Cancer survivor, and was always thankful for the care she received from Dr. Ocello, whose office was on Broadway in Passaic.

Liz was a believer in God and in her younger years attended Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church and St Anthony’s Church, both in Passaic. In her later years she attended Our Lady of Consolation Church in Wayne with her family.

Her work life consisted of working for the Passaic Board of Education at the Passaic High School’s Cafeteria Snack Bar for many years, serving Ironhead and the rest of the Passaic student community alike. She loved the all of the football players and the teachers from the school. Liz would recount stories of working as a Coat Check lady at the Villanova on Midland Avenue in Garfield and also at The Fair on Main Avenue in Passaic.  For a while she worked at home filling vending machine capsules for the Mark Vending Company in Passaic and working at The Strand. Along with her work she also spent many hours helping at St Anthony’s Church in Passaic where she often cooked for the priests at the rectory.

Liz was the devoted wife of fifty-three years to the late Lou Mattaliano (d. 2001) who served his country in World War II. She was the devoted mother of three children and their families: Lou Mattaliano, Jr. of Chatham and his girlfriend Sherrylynn and remained close to his ex-wife Anne Marie Mattaliano of Cheverly, Maryland, Carl Mattaliano and his wife Pamela of Merrimack, New Hampshire, and Victoria Trentacost and her husband Chief Patrick Trentacost of Wayne. She was the cherished grandmother of Laura Mattaliano Castillo and her husband Dr. Roberto Castillo, Lisa Mattaliano Goodwin and her husband Bobby Goodwin, Megan Mattaliano-Kiel and her husband Louis Kiel, Patrick Trentacost, Jr., Katie Mattaliano and her boyfriend Cameron, Victor Trentacost and his fiancé Danielle, and Louie Trentacost and his fiancé Megan. She was the dearly loved great-grandmother of Chiara Castillo, Leo Castello, Avery Sue Goodwin, Marie Kiel, Elizabeth “Libby” Kiel, and Taylor Kiel.  She was predeceased by her brothers Larry and Sam Casteline and her sisters Fanny Agnello and Anna Peters.

Those who know Liz will tell that she spoke her mind and didn’t sugar-coat anything. She would always say off-color things, use profanity, and was always saying “Don’t play that shit!” She loved to cook and her meat loaf, steak-umms with yellow American cheese and mayo were always a favorite. She enjoyed watching Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune and the Price is Right television programs,” just to name a few. Liz and Lou would often frequent destinations like Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and Aruba to gamble away their children’s inheritance.  Annual family trips in the car to Florida, stopping at every Stucky’s along the way and the requisite stop at South of the Border, have also created many loving memories. During the children’s younger years they would spend the month of August at the Dune’s Hotel or the Thunderbird in Miami Beach with the family. Most years they spent a week at the Jersey Shore in Chadwick Beach at Liz’s brother Sam’s house. Liz loved going to the boardwalk and playing Skillo.  One of her passions was playing Bingo and she played it everywhere she went.  Most of all she enjoyed Bingo, destinations like the Clifton Boy’s Club and the Wayne PAL. She enjoyed playing games at home as well.  While playing cards at home she always won – usually a $1.00 – and made up rules as she went along. Some would say she was cheating, but she was just increasing the odds of her winning.  She enjoyed all kinds of other games as well such as playing the lottery at Franzonie’s Liquor Store in Passaic or simply enjoying a hand held Poker video game.  She was always doing something, and along with her games she enjoyed spending time with family and doing wholesome things like chasing fires in Passaic with Torrie when Pat was working or ordering Omaha Steaks on her son's AMX Card and then gifting him the steaks.

You could always count on Liz to share stories from the past with her children and grandchildren. On holidays she loved to make the antipasto and would get the grandchildren to take her shopping and help her put it all together.  All loved her marinated mushrooms and artichokes, baked pineapple upside down cake, as well as her holiday “honey balls.”  She loved pizza but hated cheese and would take the cheese off with her hands and try to sell it to her grandchildren.  The grandkids will also fondly remember her reaching over into their plates and stealing their food. All these times together will be cherished.  She loved to go out to eat and KFC,  Bensi (Bengi’s as she called it), Red Lobster, Charlie Brown’s, Rutt's Hut, the Hot Grill and ordering out Chinese food were her favorites…along with drinking Black Russians.

Liz’s list of nicknames is long: Babe, Lousy Dog, Liz, Lizzy, Lizzy Bird, Grandma, Mom, Gigga Liz by her grandson Victor because of the skin that hung under her chin. The best was MUGGA which she got from her grandson Patrick 32 years ago because he couldn’t say Grandma…the name stuck. Some notable songs she loved were: Spanish Eyes, Please Release Me, Let Me Go, Al Di La, After the Lovin’, Dreams, and Roses are Red My Love. She liked Jerry Vale, Bobby Vinton, Tony Bennett, Eydie Gorme & Steve Lawrence, Robert Goulet, and Don Rickles.

When it came to her appearance Liz hated dresses and always wore pant suits or slacks.  She bought her shoes at Kmart and her designer of choice was Alfred Dunner.  She wore red lipstick only from Avon, red nail polish, and Ciara perfume was her favorite. For many years her hair was dyed red and more recently silver gray was the color of choice.  She loved wearing big glasses and her grandsons would say she looked like Martin Scorsese.

Liz was renowned for stealing half-n-half creamers at Preakness, cleaning supplies from the cleaning cart at Siena Village, taking countless salt or pepper shakers and silverware from Jersey diners she visited, and even frozen food from Torrie’s freezer…that was Liz. She hated cleaning the house, loved sitting on the couch and watching the birds and neighbors, and will be remembered for holding a grudge or two. However that never changed the fact that she loved the people around her, especially her family. She had a Heart of Gold.

She loved animals – especially Huskies. Pal, Alaska, Missy, Bella, and Ariel (who she called Lollapalooza) were all Siberian puppies she collected along life’s path. Her famous quote was, “Don’t bite Grandma!” In her younger years on Paulison Avenue, she even had a few cats and put out cans of food for her feral friends of the neighborhood.

Most of all Liz was proud of her family and their accomplishments.  Whether it was her children Lou, Carl, and Torrie she was always smiling and telling anyone who would listen about something they had done.  She would brag about something Lou did, talk about how Carl worked for the same company since graduating college – and don’t forget all the trips to Oklahoma when he was in college. Then there was Torrie, her youngest and only daughter, who was born on Christmas Day. Liz would lovingly tell her she was a mistake, and that if she wasn’t a Christmas gift she would have returned her!  Liz truly loved them all in her own way.  Most of all her son-in-law Patrick was her favorite.  She would proudly tell everyone he was the Fire Chief in Passaic.

Elizabeth “Liz” Mattaliano is the last of her siblings and marks the end of a generation in her own way. To indirectly quote Frankie: She lived a life that was full. She traveled each and every highway. But more than that, she did things her way…

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to Our Lady of Consolation Church, 1799 Hamburg Turnpike, Wayne, NJ 07470 would be greatly appreciated.

MaryAnn (nee Trusak) Doorn, 64, of Totowa, NJ died peacefully on Saturday, January 22, 2022 after a courageous battle with anaplastic thyroid cancer.

Born and raised in Paterson, NJ. MaryAnn resided in Totowa for the past twenty-one years, and previously in Parsippany from 1987-2000.

MaryAnn was a graduate of Paterson Catholic High School and a proud employee of St. Joseph's Wayne Hospital for 30 years. She was known to be a hard worker and she enjoyed the respect of her many much-loved coworkers.

MaryAnn met her husband John when they were both working at Beth Israel Hospital in Passaic. They enjoyed a loving and devoted marriage of eleven years until sadly, John’s passing in 1996.

MaryAnn’s leisure-time pursuits included travel including cruises and trips to Spain and Mexico. She loved going out for dinner, seeing Broadway shows – her all-time favorite being “On your Feet”, the story of Gloria and Emilio Estefan and the Cuban-fusion pop music made famous by Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine, and she loved seeing up-and-coming artist at small venues in the city with her friend Tricia and her daughters Allyson and Michele. Her all-time favorite pastime was cheering on her beloved NY Giants and her favorite player was #80, wide receiver Victor Cruz, partly because he also graduated from Paterson Catholic High School. One of the highlights of MaryAnn’s life was when she requested him as a friend on Facebook and he accepted!  

MaryAnn was the beloved wife of the late John H. Doorn, Jr. (1996) and she was also predeceased by her parents, George and Marie Trusak.

MaryAnn was the devoted mother of daughters Michele Burk and Allyson Doorn, and mother-in-law to Calvin Burk and Ana Canseco. She especially loved her grandchildren, and was the proud grandma of Victoria O’Day (fiancé Shane Wood) and Samantha Burk. She is also survived by her sister, Marie Rhinehardt, her loving siblings-in-law, and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Maryann’s name are asked to consider one of two worthy charitable organizations:

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
P.O. Box 5028
Hagerstown, MD  21741-5028
To donate by mail, click HERE to download and print a form
To donate online, click HERE

Center for Hope Hospice & Palliative Care
1900 Raritan Road
Scotch Plains, NJ 07076
To donate online, click HERE

Emilia Maria Rascionato, age 89, a 40 year resident of Totowa, passed peacefully on Saturday, January 22, 2022 surrounded by her loving family.

She was born on March 10, 1932 in Montella, Naples, Italy, and immigrated to the United States in 1963 onboard the T.S.S. Olympia. She settled in Paterson, N.J. to live with her sister Assunta and brother-in-law Gerardo.  While Emilia worked as a head seamstress in the textile industry, she received a letter from Rinaldo in Italy with a marriage proposal. Emilia returned to Italy and married him on August 2, 1965. They lived on Ryerson Avenue in Paterson before moving to Totowa in 1982.

She was dedicated to her Catholic faith and was a parishioner of St. Mary Help of Christians Roman Catholic Church in Paterson for many years before joining St. James of the Marches Church in Totowa.

Emilia will be lovingly remembered for her selfless ways and always putting the needs of others before her own.  Her true joy came from caring for her family, cooking delicious meals, and tending to her home and garden.  All that were in her company felt her love.  

She was very proud to become a US citizen.  She came here with modest means and lived the American Dream.

Emilia was predeceased by her loving husband Rinaldo in 2018. She is survived by her daughter Rosemary of Totowa and her late husband David Hesson, her son Emilio and his wife Lana of Totowa, and her daughter Daniella of Riverdale, cherished grandchildren Nicole and Matthew, her many loving nieces and nephews and she was predeceased by her 8 siblings.

In lieu of flowers, plants or donations to EWTN Catholic Network https://www.ewtn.com/missions/love-and-understanding-of-god-1 would be greatly appreciated.

David Lobato, Jr., age 54, of Wayne, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, January 21, 2022.

Dave was born in Jersey City and raised in Union City. After graduating from Emerson High School with the Class of 1985, he and his father started their own residential and commercial carpet installation business which they fittingly called Lobato Carpet. When his father ultimately retired, Dave pursued a new opportunity with the opening of Northern Janitorial Services. He and his beloved wife Oneida began the business together and very much enjoyed working side-by-side building it up into the prosperous enterprise that it has become.

David met Oneida through one of his cousins. For him it was love at first sight but for Oneida it……….well let’s just say that he tried for six months to get a date before she accepted. They went to the movies but, when asked what movie that saw, Oneida smiled and said she doesn’t remember because they weren’t really watching. After the movie they went to Bahama Mama where they had drinks (Oneida can tell you the names of some of the drinks they enjoyed). That winter night in December, 1997, a loving and devoted relationship began that only grew more tender and dearer as the years went on. In hind sight Oneida’s only regret is that she didn’t say “yes” to that first date sooner. When it came to David and Oneida the saying that “opposites attract” could not have been truer because their love for one another was solid as a rock. They were soul mates who loved to be together. Dave was so mad about Oneida, he’d do anything to be with her, even accompany her on mundane tasks like grocery shopping.

In 2000, David and Oneida were blessed with their firstborn, David Lobato, III, and two years later, they welcomed their second born, Emily Lobato. Around that time, they moved from Union City to Wayne and have been Wayne residents for the past seventeen years.

In his spare time, David found various ways to unwind. He loved food and so he was always up for a trip with family or friends for a nice meal. He especially liked going to Chilis and Bahama Breeze and to the Pompton Queen Diner for breakfast. At home, he enjoyed cooking and everyone loved a nice sandwich custom made by Dave. He could fix anything and there was no job around the house that he couldn’t handle on his own. He could do literally anything from the small fix-it project to a large full-scale renovation. His house was always in tip top shape and his cars were the cleanest around. He was so proud of his Dodge Durango SRT and especially his black 1995 Mitsubishi 3000 GT. Like his father before him, Dave enjoyed dabbling in the stock market and he and his father and his cousins Cito and Jesus were always comparing notes on the best stock moves to make.

Above all else, David’s family was the most cherished and important blessing in his whole life. For years the family enjoyed vacations together to the blue waters and beautiful sands of Riviera Maya, trips to Disney when the kids were little and to the Jersey shore in Brick where they stayed on David’s twenty-seven-foot Baja speedboat which he affectionately named Emily. He enjoyed one-on-one time with Dave, III teaching him how to play golf, going fishing, and following the school bus to all of his band concerts to proudly watch him play the bass drum. Exclusive special times were also spent with Emily, teaching her how to play golf, cheering for her at all of her soccer games, and just being silly with her.

Though there is tremendous sadness in David’s passing, his family and friends give thanks for his life. He was a very loving soul who possessed a sharp wit and was one of the most loving, caring, and selfless people one could ever find.      

Dave was the most beloved wife Oneida Gonzalez. He was the loving father of David Lobato, III and Emily Lobato, both of Wayne; dearly loved son of his father David Lobato, Sr. and wife Doris of Wayne, and dearly loved son of Zenaida Moro of Union City; brother of John Lobato of Cliffside Park, and Natally Lobato and her partner Matthew of North Bergen; and cousin of Cito, Jesus, Danny, and Madeline.

Because David was once blessed to be the recipient of a kidney transplant himself, those planning an expression of sympathy in David’s name are asked to consider:

National Kidney Foundation
30 East 33rd Street
New York, NY  10016
You can also donate online by clicking here (www.kidney.org)

Rachel L. Moeltner, age 21 of Pompton Lakes, died on Wednesday, January 19, 2022. Her loving family was gathered at her bedside when she passed.

Rachel was a little ray of sunshine who’s glow profoundly touched so many lives. She had a smile and laugh capable of melting hearts, and she was the embodiment of true love. Being around people made her smile, no matter where it was. She loved going to Yankee games,  many zoos , the beach in Manasquan, and the picnic area at Monmouth Track. She even rode a tour boat at Niagara Falls, Canada, and loved it. Listening to music made her happy, especially early Beatles tunes! Rachel was a recent graduate of the Skylands School for the Exceptional in Butler.

Rachel’s family was at the center of her world. Not simply because she relied so heavily on their support, but because she knew where all that love came from. Her brothers have helped take care of her since she was an infant, and she would always smile when they gave her kisses. Being the only granddaughter among several grandsons, her grandmother spoiled her and loved to sing nursery rhymes to Rachel, also making her smile and laugh. Every year on her birthday, Rachel’s family, along with her grandmother and Aunt Vicki, would take her out to lunch and Rachel enjoyed when the restaurant staff would sing “Happy Birthday” to her! Taking Rachel out to eat wasn’t always easy, but her family learned which places were “Rachel Friendly,” and which were not.

Rachel’s short life was full of challenges, beginning the day she was born. . Without being able to speak a word, she taught many people about the value of life, gratitude, and happiness. She shared her love unconditionally with everyone she met. She had a profound impact on the lives of some by simply sharing the room. She was that book which should never be judged by its cover. She did more good for others than most healthy people are capable of in a traditional lifetime, and her amazing soul should be an example to us all. She was a true blessing to her family, and all who had the good fortune to know her.

Rachel is survived by her devoted and loving parents, Jim and Wendy Moeltner of Pompton Lakes; her brothers, Brian and Eric of Pompton Lakes; her grandmother, Natalie MacWright;  aunts, Vicki Sparnon and her husband Jim, and Virginia Bradley;  uncle,  Joseph Moeltner and his wife Joan;  and many loving cousins.

In lieu of flowers, donations would be greatly appreciated to the Mary Therese Rose Fund, www.marythereserose.org.  You can also mail your donations to; MTRF, Inc., 33 Wolfe Drive, Wanaque, NJ 07465.

Claire B. Majewski, age 94, an over forty-five year resident of Wayne, passed Wednesday, January 19, 2022.

She was born in Jersey City to Anthony and Julia Balinski. She attended a Polish grammar school where she learned traditional Polish dances and learned to read, write, and speak fluent Polish.  She went on to graduate from the Ferris High School in Jersey City, where she played the mandolin, with the Class of 1946.

As a young girl she worked for the Tittman Egg Company in Jersey City (it was just down the street from her home) where she cracked eggs and put the good ones in one bucket and the bad ones in another.  These eggs were eventually powdered and sent to the soldiers fighting in WWII.  She went on to be an executive secretary working in New York City for several companies including the National Distillers Company and the Liebert Company. As a matter of fact her old boss from the Liebert Company reached out to Claire’s family recently and told them what an exceptional executive secretary she was. She loved her work, was an expert in Pitman Shorthand, and officially retired in 1997.

Claire will be remembered for being a wonderful Polish cook who loved having family and friends over for all manner of special occasions and holidays.  She would make all the traditional Polish dishes herself and insisted on cleaning up as well.  Along with working full time this was no easy task but she made it look easy because she loved doing it. She loved cooking Babka, mushroom soup - made with only Polish mushrooms, her Chrusciki, and pierogis will be dearly missed. She would often have barbeques and was always inviting her friends around the corner at the Xaverian Mission.  Fr. Luigi from the Mission was always a regular and she loved him like a member of the family.

Claire was dedicated to her Catholic faith and a parishioner of Immaculate Heart of Mary for over forty-five years.

Claire was the loving wife of the late Stanley Majewski (d. 1999); dearly loved sister of Dorothy Saltarelli of North Arlington, George Balinski and his wife Carol of Wayne, and Barbara Balinski and her husband Jesus Sieira of North Arlington; she was predeceased by her siblings Irene Porlides and Gene Balinski; she was also loved by many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to the Center for Hope Hospice www.cfhh.org/donate.html or the Alzheimer’s Association www.alz.org/get-involved-now/donate would be greatly appreciated.

Wanda J. McNamee (Recascino), age 87 of Pompton Lakes and formerly of Wayne passed away peacefully on Monday, January 17, 2022. Momma was a dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend to many.

Wanda grew up in Hackensack and attended Hackensack and Ridgefield Park High School where she was a popular student and a varsity cheerleader. After high school, she went to work on Wall Street.

Wanda met her husband Ray in high school. They were introduced by mutual friends and they soon fell in love. After Ray successfully passed the ‘boyfriend interrogation’ by Wanda’s Sicilian family, she and Ray dated for a couple of years before getting married on November 7, 1953 at St. Francis RC Church in Ridgefield Park. Their honeymoon was enjoyed on the Marine Corp base where Ray was serving at Camp Lejeune. They first lived in Bergenfield and Dumont before moving to Wayne in 1977. In later years she lived in Pompton Lakes and Bloomingdale and had most recently been residing near her oldest son in Chandler, AZ.

During their early years of marriage, Wanda and Ray were blessed with four sons and a  daughter. Wanda settled into and embraced her role as a loving wife and mother. She eventually returned to the workforce taking a job working for her cousin Joe Vernieri at the former Lift-the-Latch Restaurant in Paramus. Her astute business skills eventually lead to becoming manager and overseeing all operations. Wanda became a business owner herself when she acquired Boodles Restaurant in River Edge. As the heart of the restaurant, she enjoyed a loyal following and made many lasting friendships with her customers.  

Wanda and Ray enjoyed more than sixty-two years in a devoted marriage until Ray’s passing in April, 2016. They loved to travel together and spent many weeks each year in St. Maarten. A highlight of Wanda’s life was going to Italy and meeting relatives from the Recascino side of her family who were still living in the old country.

Hands down the greatest love of Wanda’s life could be expressed in one word – family! Fondly known to many as “Momma” she was the greatest grandmother that her twelve grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren could ever ask for. She and Ray loved having them visit. They taught them important life skills like playing cards and the proper way to bet while playing poker. Wanda herself was quite the card shark who frequented Atlantic City in her younger days. She loved sleepovers with her grandchildren too. She loved spoiling them and all of her family. Wanda was an amazing cook and some of her family’s favorite recipes included her delicious meatballs, zucchini quiche, linguini and clam sauce, and chicken soup. For years and years dinner was at Wanda and Ray’s house every Sunday and she always cooked extra food in case unexpected guests came calling. She hosted all the big holidays. Christmas Eve was her favorite because she loved having the family together! Wanda truly loved it with all her heart!

In Wanda’s presence, there was always love and good times. She was funny and loved to laugh. One of the most nurturing souls you could ever find, her warm personality was contagious and with Wanda came lots of hugs and smooches.

Wanda was predeceased by her beloved husband Ray. Surviving are her five children: Ray and wife Sherry of Scottsdale, AZ, Bill of Kansas City, MO, Tom and wife Julie of Fairfield, CT, John and wife Nilda of Justin, TX, and Mary and husband Bill Botbyl of Greentown, PA; twelve grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews, and her sister-in-law Mildred Recascino. She was predeceased by her brother Frank and his wife Ruth Recascino and her brother Tony Recascino.

Those planning an expression of sympathy in Wanda’s name are asked to consider:

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Memorial Processing
501 St. Jude Place
Memphis, TN 38105-9959
You can also donate online by clicking here (www.stjude.org)

Arlene R. Potenzone, age 80, of Wayne passed away on Monday January 17, 2022, while receiving the loving care of her family and support to help prepare for her next journey.

Arlene was born in Newark and raised in Bellville, NJ.  She was the youngest of three children to Peter Sr. and Viola Salerno.  As a young girl, Arlene became very interested in art and spent any free time she had drawing or painting.  While in Bellville high School she was as active as she could be with the school’s art programs.  In late 50’s to early 60’s, Arlene found and married the loved of her life, Achille Potenzone.  The couple eloped in Las Vegas, Nevada, and after getting married the newlyweds settled in Arizona.  Achille and Arlene were only in Arizona short time since they became homesick for their family, friends, and New Jersey.  The couple then moved back to the state of New Jersey and settled in Wayne where they spent the rest of their lives together.  While living in Wayne they raised their three children, Joseph, Sherrie, and Anthony.  

Immediately after getting married, Arlene decided that she would become a full-time homemaker, however, she often helped Achille with the family business: Garden State Flag Co.   After many years of devoting her time and her life to her husband and children, in the late 1980’s Arlene went to work at Dey Mansion Washington’s Headquarters in Wayne where she started part time.  Over the years she became a full-time employee and earned the position of Acting Coordinator.  Arlene remained employed with the Dey Mansion for over twenty-four years until her retirement in 2012.  Arlene was not only devoted to her husband and her children, but also to her Catholic Faith.  She and her family were parishioners of Our Lady of Consolation Church in Wayne and most recently of St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Pompton Lakes.  Arlene was also a member of the Order of the Easter Star Wayne Chapter for many years.

Arlene was a voracious reader.  She loved reading books about history, particularly the Revolutionary War.  It came as no surprise that Arlene was interested in history being that her husband Achille was in the United States Army 29th Infantry, during the Second World War and participated in the Normandy Beach invasions in France known as D-Day or Operation Overlord.  She was also a wonderful cook and treasured hosting family events and holidays at her home.  Arlene was a true hostess who believed that you should always accommodate guests in your home.  Therefore, even if you were stopping by for just a cup of coffee, you were not able to leave without having something to eat. Arlene was always described as a classy and beautiful person to all who met her.  She was patient, kind and always gave an ear to listen without any time constraints.  She was a caring individual who would put the needs of others before her own.   Her and her family enjoyed vacationing at the Jersey Shore during the summers and traveling to foreign destinations such as Italy, France, London, Bermuda, Mexico, and Switzerland, to name a few.  

Aside from all of Arlene’s talents, hobbies and interests, her greatest passion was for her family.  Nothing in the world meant more to Arlene than providing for and spending time with her children and grandchildren.  She was a truly devoted mother and grandmother.  Arlene and her husband Achille cherished forty years of loving and loyalty to each other until Achille’s passing in 1998. She was a very reserved woman for the most part, however, when she had the opportunity, she could easily captivate an audience with her story telling ability.   Arlene was a truly special person who touched the lives of many people and in various ways, whom  will be sincerely missed by everyone that knew her.

Arlene is survived by: her brother Dr Peter D Salerno Jr of Louisville KY, her three children: her son Joseph Potenzone of Cape May Court House, NJ, her daughter Sherrie Galderisi and her husband Victor of Ocean View, NJ, and her son Anthony Potenzone and his wife Karolina of Flanders, NJ, three grandchildren; Valerie Galderisi of Ocean View, NJ, Anthony Potenzone of Flanders, NJ, and George Potenzone of Flanders, NJ, and many nieces, nephews, and loving extended family members.  

In lieu of flowers, charitable donations in Arlene's name may be made to Wayne Township Memorial First Aid Squad, PO Box 2004, Wayne, NJ 07474.

Charles E. Kohler, Jr. age 93 of Naples, FL and Wayne, NJ, passed away on Sunday, January 16, 2022. He had lived in Wayne since 1959 and also resided in Naples, Florida for twenty-five years. He was a founding member of Our Lady of the Valley Church in Wayne.

Charlie was born in Paterson and grew up in Union City and later moved to Lyndhurst. After graduating from St. Michael’s High School in Union City, Charlie studied mechanical engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology and served in the U.S. Naval Reserves. He began his career with Gulf Oil Company where, over the next twenty-six years, he developed and perfected his skills in marine sales working in New York.  

While commuting to New York on the train one day early in his career, Charles met an attractive young woman named Ruth Hurley who asked him “Do you have a light?” From the moment he struck that match, their love blossomed. They married on October 4, 1952 at Sacred Heart RC Church in Lyndhurst and enjoyed a honeymoon to Quebec, Montreal, and Niagara Falls. They settled into a small apartment on 2nd Ave in Lyndhurst before moving to Wayne in 1959 and starting a family.

In 1975, Charlie and Ruth started their own company together, Universal Bunker Services, supplying fuel to the shipping and cruise line industry where they worked together until they retired in 1997. After retirement, they moved to Naples, Florida where they enjoyed time with friends, walking the beach, attending concerts, boating and playing golf and tennis.  

They split their time between Naples and Wayne. While spending the summer months in Wayne, they travelled frequently to Europe, the Caribbean and throughout the United States. Charlie and Ruth were avid cruisers and since many of the cruise lines were customers of theirs, they would often receive special accommodations while onboard ship, such as complimentary champagne and dinner with the captain, which made their trips that much more memorable. From the day the met on the train, Charlie and Ruth were inseparable and celebrated sixty-three years as husband and wife before Ruth’s passing in March, 2016.

Even though Charlie spent a lot of time working, he enjoyed various leisure pursuits. His rose garden was a real source of pride and his vegetable garden always yielded a plentiful crop. With his favorite pooch Dusty by his side, he enjoyed working in his woodshop building furniture and intricate model ships. He was a voracious reader of books and the latest news in the major newspapers and, to keep his mind sharp, he was always working on another crossword puzzle. Charlie also loved music and owned several pianos which he loved playing classic musical selections on. A man of the arts, he and Ruth were frequent visitors to various museums, art shows, and concerts. In his years before moving to Florida, Charlie was an active parishioner of Our Lady of the Valley Church in Wayne where he served as a CCD teacher, helped out with the church’s annual carnival, and enjoyed getting together with friends for a night of bingo. Since moving to Florida, Charlie and Ruth were parishioners of St. John the Evangelist R.C. Church in Naples.

Above all else, Charlie was a man who loved being with his family. He was so proud of his grandchildren and was always there to cheer them on at their sporting events and milestone moments in their lives. Whenever he came back to New Jersey, Charlie never missed any of his grandson Andrew’s high school and college baseball games. He was a good provider and, even in their adult years, he was always looking to lend a helping hand. In fact, in his final hours while lying in bed, Charlie said, “What can I do for you?”

Charlie was predeceased by his beloved wife Ruth in 2016. He was the loving father of Ruthann Kohler of Wayne and Chuck Kohler and his wife Janet of Greensboro, GA; cherished grandfather of Chelsey and husband William Huzar, Eric Kohler, and Andrew Kauf; adoring great-grandfather of Madeline; dear brother of Edward Kohler and wife Kathy of Glen Ridge; and dear uncle of Edward Kohler and wife Jessica and the late Kathleen Kohler.

Those planning an expression of sympathy in Charles’ name are asked to consider: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial Processing, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959. You can also donate online by clicking here (www.stjude.org)

Dr. Antonino Focella, age 97 of Wayne, died peacefully on Sunday, January 16, 2022. He’s lived in Wayne since 1989.

Antonino had been employed by Hoffmann-LaRoche in Nutley for nearly thirty-three years before retiring. He enjoyed a storied career there, including a great deal of world travel to various company locations. Prior to his career at Hoffmann-LaRoche, he had been a chemist with Pepsi, Co.

Antonino was born in Baucina Palermo, Sicily. All throughout his school years, his teachers noticed that he was exceptionally bright and encouraged his parents to send him to college. History had other plans, however, and Antonino found himself in the Italian Army, serving as a Carabinieri. Fortunately for him, the war ended soon after he joined and he was able to return home. He began attending classes at the University of Palermo, and went onto earn his Doctorate in Chemistry. All the time that he was studying, he also had his eye on a beautiful girl who lived across the street; Maria Cannizzaro. As tradition dictated at that time, Antonino’s father went to Maria’s home and asked if his son could court their daughter. With her parent’s blessing, and a few dates (all with chaperones), their love blossomed. They were married at the cathedral in Baucina in 1955, followed by a wonderful honeymoon to Rome, Venice, Padua, and several other Italian destinations. Upon their return, plans to move to America were put into action. Maria already had U.S. citizenship, so she came to Hoboken, NJ and sent for Antonino. He arrived a few months later and their life here so began. They lived in Hoboken for about six years before moving to Clifton in 1962. In 1989, they move to Wayne and have lived there ever since. Together, they enjoyed traveling and had visited family in Sicily many times. They even cruised from New York to Palermo on the SS Leonardo da Vinci in the 1960’s.

Antonino learned to hunt as a boy, and he continued to hunt birds and rabbits here in America. He was a member of the Gardener Rod and Gun Club in New York State, and was passionate about his hunting dogs. He was especially fond of his Brittany Spaniels. He also enjoyed gardening, which is almost a cultural requirement, and he was very proud of his vegetable garden. “Sunday drives” were a favorite of his; each Sunday they would attend mass at Our Lady of Consolation Church, then go for a drive up into the country. Antonino was happiest when his grandchildren were around. They all called him “Nonno,” and they would often have sleepovers at his house on the weekends. He would always wake them up early in the morning, much to their disapproval, but they loved spending time with him as much as he did with them. They will all miss him dearly.

Antonino is survived by his beloved wife of sixty-seven years; Maria (nee Cannizzaro) of Wayne, four children; Dr. Salvatore and his wife Francesca of Little Falls, Dr. Joseph and his wife Susanna of Padua, Italy, Rita Pedraza of Clifton, and Anthony and his wife Rachel of Newtown, PA, and ten grandchildren; Alessandra, Carolina, Luca, and Luisa Focella of Little Falls, Samantha and Steven Pedraza of Clifton, Lucia and Antonio Focella of Padua, Italy, and Alessandro and Nicholas Focella of Newtown, PA, and one sister; Josephine Cannizzaro of Jersey City, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Antonino’s name would be greatly appreciated to The Orphanage of St. Antonio.  In memory - Rogazionisti di Padova (rogazionistipadova.it)

Salvatore “Sal” M. Noce, Jr., age 66, passed suddenly and unexpectedly on Saturday, January 15, 2022.

He was born to Salvatore and Assunta Noce in Brooklyn, New York. Shortly after, the family lived in Queens Village, New York before moving to Butler, New Jersey in 1965.  Sal graduated from Butler High School, where he played football with the Class of 1973.

Sal had a true entrepreneurial spirit and a few years after high school he opened a plant store called Plants and Things in Pequannock. He ran this for several years before opening a produce and delicatessen store in Pequannock. Later, he started his own carpentry business ECON Carpentry (named from Noce backwards) that was based in Lincoln Park for over 20 years. For the last ten years of his life, he was a Project Manager before retiring from the Not-for-profit Greater Bergen Community Action in Hackensack.

Sal will be remembered as a strong willed, outgoing, very hardworking, talented, perfectionist. Sal was creative with a distinctive personality and a heart of gold. To know him, was to love him. He enjoyed his red wine, classic rock and was a gifted gardener. He had many hobbies including candle making, biking, hiking, skiing, and raising freshwater Angelfish. He was passionate about his hobbies and when he tried something new, he would always give it his all. His children will always cherish family trips and memories made at Hershey Park. His daughters will always remember hearing his voice say "Hey bug", and "Hey sweetie, it's daddy", along with his standard trademark "What’s up?".

Sal was the loving father of Anastasia Romeo (spouse Michael Romeo) of Denville and Karena Noce of Lincoln Park. He was the cherished son of Assunta Noce of Wayne and the late Salvatore Noce Sr. (d. 1984). He was the beloved brother of Roseann Noce of Wayne and the late Vito Noce (d. 2011). He is also survived by his sister-in-law Linda Noce of Memphis, TN, nephews Vincent Noce of Memphis, TN and Nicholas Noce of Mount Pleasant, SC, and ex-spouse and friend Maria Chuba. He will also be dearly missed by his many cousins and friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital would be greatly appreciated. After losing their father, Sal's daughters want to make sure no father ever needs to lose their child.

Louise Ezersky 1/15/2022

Louise Ezersky, 92, was peacefully taken into the hands of God while in the presence of her son, Mark, and daughter-in-law, Susan.
Born Louise Philback to her father, Rudolf, and Mother, Mary (Shipskey). Louise along with her sister, Marguerite, became very responsible young adults working in the Carbondale A&P and giving almost all of their paychecks to support their mother and other siblings, Lorraine, Rudy, and a young Carol after and early passing of their father.

She would go on to marry her husband, Michael Ezersky, and having her first of 3 children, Michael. They moved to Clifton, NJ, but apartment living was not for them and they purchased their house in Wayne, where their children Ellen and Mark were born. Louise made the house a home and to this day is remembered by her nieces and nephews on how she made everyone feel special during her Easter parties with her great cooking and summer day trips to the Jersey shore, packing sandwiches for just a simple fun day.

When construction work got slow in the 70’s, she told her husband, Michael, she was going to get a job at Shoprite. She worked there for over 20 years and loved every moment of it. People would wait in her line just to say hello. She always said how well the Inserra family treated her and truly appreciated her job.

Louise was a very strong woman, losing her husband in 1982, and continuing to raise 3 teenagers on her own. She later would face more hardship losing her daughter, Ellen, and first child, Michael. She kept going.

She was proud of and loved her home and always said what great neighbors she had. The Happe family shoveled her snow before they did their own and were a phone call away when her TV or Notebook would not work. Sunday visits from her cousins, the Lutchko’s and the Philback’s, along with cards and gifts from her nieces and nephew, Sharon, Theresa, and Steven, were so much appreciated.
Louise was a member of Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church.  She could always be seen with her friends at the Saturday night mass, last row on the right, engaging in lots of talking but never enough to be thrown out.

Louise was a member of the Golden Agers in Wayne and missed her Thursday meetings and friends, especially the trips to Atlantic City where she loved playing the slots.

She decided it was time to let someone else enjoy her home and moved in with her son and daughter-in-law in Jacksonville, Florida, where she was welcome and given exceptional care as her dementia progressed that very few daughter-in-laws would have given.
She is survived by her son, Mark, and daughter-in-law, Susan, her sister, Carol, her grandchildren, Nicole and Danielle, and great granddaughters, Ella, Maddie, and Hallie.

As Louise requested, her ashes will be blessed in the back row of the church, where she always sat. In May, she will be buried at the Mother of Sorrows cemetery in Carbondale, PA next to her husband and son, Michael.

Jerry W. Slavik, Sr., age 83, of Lewes, Delaware, formerly a forty-two-year resident of Wayne, passed peacefully on Saturday, January 15, 2022.

He was born in Hackensack to Jerry and Anne Slavik and was raised in Little Ferry, NJ. He graduated from the Lodi High School, where he played on the basketball team, with the Class of 1956. He attended Farleigh Dickenson College for two years before being drafted into the US Army during the Vietnam War.

Jerry was honorably discharged from the Army and soon found work as a letter carrier for the US Post Office. He began his career in the Little Ferry Post Office and then transferred to the Mountain View Post Office located in Wayne. For many years he worked the Route 23 North and South mail route and was affectionately known as “Jerry the Mailman.” He worked for the US Post Office for thirty-four years before retiring in 1992. Jerry was not the kind of guy who could sit still so he worked at the Gold’s Gym in Riverdale for the next fifteen years.

He met the love of his life Concetta “Connie” Sorrento in Hackensack in 1959. The two engaged in 1960 and then married on April 22, 1961, at Mt. Virgin Church in Garfield. They started their family while living in Little Ferry and moved to Wayne in December of 1965. Their marriage was blessed with a son Jerry, and they lived in Wayne for forty-two years. They moved to Lewes, Delaware in 2010 where they have resided ever since.

Jerry will be lovingly remembered as a sincere, ‘the nicest guy”, who would always make time for people. He had a unique ability to make people feel comfortable around him. He was genuine, soft spoken, loved to talk, and would often recount stories at length and with incredible detail. Through the years he has owned over 100 cars and boats. In his younger years and to earn extra money he would buy cars, detail every inch, and re-sell them. He was somewhat of an aficionado on cars and boats. His real expertise was on Corvettes, which he owned many. He had hundreds if not thousands of auto and boat magazines that he treasured and could recite all manner of detail from them. When it came to his personal cars, he was very particular about the make, model, and the accessories of the cars he bought. They didn’t have to be the latest or greatest they just had to fit his very particular criteria. Once he found what he was looking for he would love and cherish it like it was a person. Friends and family would recount stories of how Jerry, before attaching a license plate he would wax the area that would be behind the plate then wax both sides of the plate before attaching it. Jerry’s meticulousness about his vehicles filtered down to many aspects of his life. His hedges had to be perfect, the lawn didn’t have a dandelion in site, he washed and waxed the clothes washer, dryer, and even polished the furnace in his home. He didn’t do this to be flashy – he actually lived simple and truly appreciated what he had.

Jerry was the loving husband of sixty years to Connie Slavik; devoted father of Jerry W. Slavik Jr. and his loving partner Annie McGuinness; cherished grandfather of Drew Slavik, Wade Slavik, in addition to John and Meghan Ferris and Katie Ferris.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations in Jerry’s memory to Brandywine Valley SPCA would be greatly appreciated.

Gloria Post, age 90, and a life-long resident of Wayne, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, January 11, 2022, just five days after the passing of her beloved husband Robert P. “Roy” Post.

Born in Wayne, Gloria was the second child blessed to her parents Robert and Margaret (Haring) Gilmour. She grew up and lived in the exact same house her entire life. In her youngest years, she was a student in the Wayne Public Schools including the former Preakness School on Hamburg Turnpike and the former Anthony Wayne School on Valley Road. During those years, Wayne was still just an up-and-coming little farm town with no high school of its own, so Gloria attended Pompton Lakes High School where she graduated with the Class of 1952. She and her older sister Doris enjoyed a true country style childhood. In those days, their mom would send them for a walk up the street to visit the Reinhardts who had a cow that supplied them with the freshest possible milk.

After high school, Gloria entered the workforce. She started with Haband, a men’s and women’s casual and dress fashions provider in Paterson, NJ. After almost ten years with Haband, she took an administrative position with Kearfott/Singer Kearfott, a guidance and navigation systems manufacturer in Wayne. She remained with Singer Kearfott for the rest of her career until retiring fully in 1996 at age 65.

Gloria was the beloved wife of Robert “Roy” Post. They met at a dance in the firehouse in Totowa and took an immediate liking to each other. When Roy asked Gloria out for a formal date, she eagerly said yes and off to the movies they went. When asked what movie they saw, Gloria could not recall. Hmmmmmmm! One can only surmise that the mutual company was much more interesting than the movie. Suffice it to say, Gloria and Roy fell in love and some months after Roy’s proposal of marriage at Gloria’s parent’s house, the two lovebirds tied the marital knot on Saturday, August 1, 1959 at the Methodist Church in the Mountain View section of Wayne. After honeymooning down the Jersey shore, the couple settled in Gloria’s childhood home as husband and wife in Wayne and remained residents in the township for the rest of their lives.

Because of her husband Roy’s love of horses, Gloria and Roy eventually built a small stable on their property where they hosted Partner, their Morgan horse. The named their property Longhorn Ranch and Roy competed with Partner in local rodeos while in-between Gloria enjoyed riding Partner and helping out with his care.

One of Gloria’s most relaxing and satisfying activities outside of work was painting. It was often said, “You give Gloria a photo and she could paint it on just about anything.” The saying was true and Gloria’s artwork could be found on all sorts of mediums. She was known to paint on saw blades, milk cans, kerosene stoves, leather belts and purses, stone statues and, of course, on canvas. She was so good, she could have turned it into a little side business but that would have reduced her hobby to a job and where would be the fun in that?

Gloria and Roy also loved to get away on trips together all over New Jersey including down the shore as well as in New York State and Pennsylvania. For a long time, the trips were made with their camping trailer pulled behind Roy’s pickup truck. They ultimately discovered a campground called Sun Retreats at Pleasant Acres Farm located near High Point State Park and Kittatinny Ridge in Sussex, NJ. Soon after, they sold the little trailer and camped exclusively at Pleasant Acres in a seasonal RV. Sometimes family and friends would visit their campsite for the day where they’d all relax and often take in a game of Bingo.

Many of Gloria’s pursuits included family and friends. She and her older sister Doris were like two peas in a pod. They shared many similar interests. They and their husbands and other couples took a real liking to getting together for a weekend night of dance. They particularly liked to follow a band called Kix so, wherever Kix was playing, they would go. One of the bands usual venues was The Rusty Nail Lounge in Parsippany. They also frequented the casinos of Atlantic City with friends but they never took the bus. Gloria cherished her family and enjoyed getting together for the big holidays and sharing the hosting. She also spoke frequently on the phone with her niece Debra Stockland and they enjoyed a very close bond.

Gloria was soft-spoken but, when necessary, she could turn on the assertiveness. Overall everyone enjoyed and appreciated her pleasant and friendly disposition. She easily made friends and she and Roy had personalities that complimented each other perfectly.

Gloria was the beloved wife of Roy Post who passed away just five days before her on Thursday, January 6, 2022. The enjoyed a 62+ year marriage that, they would both agree, was made in heaven. Gloria was the dear younger sister Doris Porta who predeceased her in 2017; the dear sister-in-law of Eugene Porta who predeceased her in 1982; the adored aunt of Debra and husband Roy Stockland of Port Richey, FL, the late Robert Porta who predeceased her in 1981, and Carol Beuselinck of Pompton Lakes. She is also survived by numerous great nieces and great nephews, great-great nieces and great-great nephews, and even one great-great-great nephew.
In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Gloria and Roy’s name are asked to consider St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorials Processing, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959. To donate online, visit stjude.org.

Maple Searles (nee Medford), 90, of Wayne, NJ died peacefully on Monday, January 10, 2022. Maple came from humble beginnings -- growing up in a small two-room house with her seven siblings in the Mt. Moritz community on the Caribbean island of Grenada. With her characteristic will and determination, she came to the United States in 1951 to begin a new life with her husband, the late Rev. Clarence Searles (1931-2007), first settling in Brooklyn, NY before later moving to Packanack Lake in Wayne, NJ in 1970.

Maple was a lover of many things -- her family, this country, politics, the New York Mets and Jets, and an authentic New Jersey pizza. And she would swear to the death that New Jersey tomatoes and corn are the best in the world! Her laugh was infectious and would fill a room, while her sharp wit would keep everyone on their toes. More recently, one of her goals in life was to live to 90, a goal she was able to reach with the same will and determination that brought her to this country 70 years ago, establishing her family here for generations to come.

Maple is survived by her brother Edwin, her children Linda and Steven, her four grandchildren Jason, Matthew, Ryan and Douglas, and her two great-grandchildren Rylan and Paisley, as well as many other beloved members of her large family.

Robert “Bob” Lamping, age 77, of Haledon for over forty years, passed Saturday, January 8, 2022

He was born in Paterson to William and Antoinette Lamping and graduated from Passaic County Technical High School in Paterson.  After high school he found work training as a butcher at the Shop Rite grocery store in Paterson.   He was soon drafted in the US Army and served during the Vietnam War having served much of his time in Korea. He was honorably discharged from the US Army on April 4, 1968.

After returning from the military he again pursued a career as a butcher. He worked at the Grand Union stores in Clifton and Denville, for the A&P grocery stores in New York State, West Milford, and retired from the A&P store on Valley Road in Wayne in 2012. Bob wasn’t the kind of guy who could sit still so he again worked as a butcher at the Valley Road A&P store part-time for a short while before he just couldn’t do it physically anymore.

Bob was known for buying cars, using and refurbishing them, to eventually sell them.  He did this with over three hundred cars over the years. Several of these cars were stolen from him while he was working at the Clifton store.  One Maple Red Cadillac was stolen immediately after he had it painted and had a new vinyl roof was installed. He bought and sold so many cars that his wife Linda eventually refused to go to the DMV anymore. In regards to the automobile side of his life he enjoyed hanging out with his buddy Chino at the Grand Motor Sales in Paterson.

Bob met Linda Lucenti while they were hanging out with friends at the Great Falls Overlook in Paterson.  Their first official date was a trip to the Jersey Shore.  Linda was nervous to the point that she asked if her friend Pat could come along.  They would soon fall in love with Bob proposing marriage where he was most comfortable – in a car. They married at Saint Anthony’s Church in Paterson on March 2, 1968 and had a reception at the Tree Tavern Restaurant in Paterson. They really had no money for a honeymoon and spent their honeymoon night at their apartment in the Redwood Village Apartments in Paterson. Bob and Linda had a loving and devoted marriage during which Linda can’t remember Bob telling her “no” to anything she wanted. When she found a home to buy she asked him to look at it and he said “if you like it – buy it.”  His children also remember him never saying no – even when it came to borrowing money to go out with friends. The only thing you really wanted to avoid with Bob was waking him up.  When he was awoken he would flail his arms so hard you were bound to be injured.  It is because of this the kids often asked Linda to please wake him.  She was adept at nudging him awake and swiftly engineering her way out of his reach. Bob and Linda had over fifty years of marriage that was blessed with three children: Robert Lamping, Jr., Peter Lamping, and Jennifer Lamping-Nicosia.

Bob will be remembered for his funny demeanor, being social and personable, and making up his own words for all kinds of things. He had a great sense of humor and loved watching shows like: The Honeymooners, Three Stooges, Benny Hill, Amos and Andy, and Married with children. He had a habit of always and relentlessly tapping the kitchen table while having his morning coffee or the steering wheel while driving.  Most of all he will be remembered as a loving husband, devoted father, and cherished grandfather.

Bob was the loving husband of Linda; devoted father of Robert Lamping, Jr. of Haledon, Peter Lamping of Haledon, and Jennifer Lamping-Nicosia; he was the cherished grandfather of Gianna, Sergio, Stefano, and Gabriella Nicosia.

Pietro Mazzella, age 91, of Wayne, passed peacefully Saturday, January 8, 2022.

He was born to Aniello and Graziella Mazzella in Ischia, Italy.

Pietro was a retired mason who loved traveling, whether to his home in Argentina or visiting family in Italy. He was an avid hunter and loved winemaking, gardening and spending time with his family & friends.

Pietro was a loving and devoted husband of sixty-two years to his wife Carmelina.  A beloved father of four sons: Aniello and his wife Sally, Vincenzo and his wife Lisa, Graziano and his wife Windy, and Renato, eight grandchildren: Carmela, Pietro, Anthony, Alessandra, Vincenzo, Serena, Graziano Jr., and Kyra, and 2 great-grandchildren: Olivia and Charlotte. Pietro is also survived by his brother Giovanni.
He was preceded by the death of his brothers Augustino, Rene, and Francesco.

Melissa R. Catanzaro (nee Davis), age 52, of Wayne, passed Friday, January 7, 2022.

She was born in Hackensack, having lived in Belleville and Ringwood before moving to Hasbrouck Heights where she graduated from Hasbrouck Heights High School with the Class of 1988.

Melissa’s first job was managing an early morning newspaper route in Hasbrouck Heights. She would go on to work at Burger King and finally settled into a fifteen year career with Bell Atlantic in Clifton.  Bell Atlantic would change names to Verizon and transferred her Customer Service Representative job to Madison where she worked before resigning to raise her family in 2004.

One of Melissa’s co-workers asked her to drop a paycheck off to her house as she lived around the block.  The woman organized her son to be at the house when Melissa dropped off the check and that is how Melissa and her future husband Jay Catanzaro met. Their first date was to the Carvel Ice Cream shop on Route 17 in Hackensack.  They eventually fell in love and Jay proposed marriage only after asking Melissa’s mom for her daughter’s hand. They married on October 14, 1995 at the First Presbyterian Church in Wood-Ridge.  They had a reception at the San Carlo Restaurant in Lydhurst and honeymooned in Aruba.  They have had a loving and devoted marriage of twenty-six years that was blessed with two children Evan and Abigail.

Melissa will be lovingly remembered for her funny, caring way where she always put others needs before her own.  She loved the NY Giants, going down the Jersey Shore anywhere she could get her feet into the sand, and loved to read autobiographies and horror stories authors like Stephen King. She enjoyed her cats and loved going to visit her sister Dawn in Florida where they would relax all day and “party in the pool.”  Most of all she was the proud mom of Evan and Abigail.

Melissa was the loving wife to Jacques “Jay” Catanzaro; devoted mother of Evan Catanzaro of Wayne and Abigail Catanzaro also of Wayne; she was the dearly loved daughter of Ruth Davis, and step-dad Lenny Ortman of Hasbrouck Heights and the late husband Arthur Ebner Davis, III (d. 2002); she was also the cherished sister of Dawn Sanders and her husband James of Lake Mary, FL and Erica Leahy and her husband Chris of South Orange.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to Eva's Village would be greatly appreciated.

Robert P. “Roy” Post, age 92, and a longtime resident of Wayne passed away on Thursday, January 6, 2022, just five days before his beloved wife Gloria Post.

Roy was born in Paterson, the son of John and Margaret (Steinhauer) Post. He attended the Paterson Public Schools and worked for many years in the metals industry as an assembler for White Metal Corp. in Hawthorne.

Roy was the beloved husband of Gloria Gilmour. They met at a dance in the firehouse in Totowa and took an immediate liking to each other. When Roy asked Gloria out for a formal date, she eagerly said yes and off to the movies they went. When asked what movie they saw, Gloria could not recall. Hmmmmmmm! One can only surmise that the mutual company was much more interesting than the movie. Suffice it to say, Roy and Gloria fell in love and some months after Roy’s proposal of marriage at Gloria’s parent’s house, the two lovebirds tied the marital knot on Saturday, August 1, 1959 at the Methodist Church in the Mountain View section of Wayne. After honeymooning down the Jersey shore, the couple settled into their new home as husband and wife in Wayne and have remained residents in the township to this present day.

Anyone who knew Roy would know about his love of horses. For many years he could be found at the rodeo taking part in the lasso and bullwhip competition with his trusty sidekick, a Morgan horse aptly named Partner. Partner enjoyed a great life living in a stable on Roy and Gloria’s property which Roy called Longhorn Ranch. On occasion, he would take Partner over to his niece and nephews house on Leonard Terrace in Wayne. They and all the kids living in that neighborhood would get such a thrill when Roy would let them take Partner for a ride. Roy and Gloria also loved to get away on trips together all over New Jersey including down the shore as well as in New York State and Pennsylvania. For a long time, the trips were made with their camping trailer pulled behind Roy’s pickup truck. They ultimately discovered a campground called Sun Retreats at Pleasant Acres Farm located near High Point State Park and Kittatinny Ridge in Sussex, NJ. Soon after, they sold the little trailer and camped exclusively at Pleasant Acres in a seasonal RV.    

To know Roy was to love and adore him. He had an unbridled sense of humor and was always making family and friends laugh with his uninhibited antics. His nieces and nephews especially loved crazy Uncle Roy, especially when he would take his dentures and move them about his mouth resulting in the goofiest expressions one could imagine, or when he would suck in his gut which would make his pants drop right to his ankles leaving him standing there in his boxers. He loved saying little rhymes to his nieces and nephews like “You’re a brazen brat and you smell like a rat” and he’d often joke with waitresses by asking them “Would you like to run away with me?” When going out for dinner Roy also liked to tease waitresses by asking them “Is that the newest and latest style, to wear only one earing?” Of course he was just kidding but the reaction he would get as the waitress would grab both ears was always priceless, especially when the earrings were expensive.

Roy was a dear soul who will be missed by family and all friends who were blessed to have known him.

Roy was the beloved husband of Gloria (nee Gilmour) who passed away just five days after him on Tuesday, January 11, 2022. Surviving is Roy’s brother Harold Post of Hawthorne, his nieces and nephews including: Carol Beuselinck of Pompton Lakes and Debra Stockland of Port Richey, Florida, numerous great nieces and great nephews, great-great nieces and great-great nephews, and even one great-great-great nephew. He was also predeceased by his nephew Robert Porta.  

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Roy and Gloria’s name are asked to consider St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorials Processing, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959. To donate online, visit stjude.org.

Eleanor A. (nee Hudak) Irmiere was welcomed into the arms of Our Mother Mary on Thursday, January 6, 2022. She was 89 years young and was enthusiastically planning her 90th birthday fete at the time of her passing.

Born in Jersey City, Eleanor resided in Wayne since 1960. She was a Registered Nurse at Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Paterson where she met and married the love of her life, Dr. Victor J. Irmiere. They enjoyed 55 years of wedded bliss before Victor passed away in 2016.

Eleanor attended high school at Academy of the Sacred Heart in Hoboken, graduating in 1949. She received her Associate Degree in Nursing in 1952 from the Saint Joseph’s School of Nursing in Paterson. From Seton Hall University in 1959 she was awarded her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing, while working in pediatrics and navigating the multiple buses and trains from Jersey City to South Orange.

Eleanor was a Clinical Instructor of Pediatrics at Saint Joseph’s Hospital. She was a volunteer school nurse at DePaul High School in Wayne. At Wayne General Hospital, now known as Saint Joseph’s Wayne Hospital, she was a Utilization Review Nurse, skillfully blending her knowledge of nursing and keen sense of order and purpose. She was Dr. Anthony DiBiase’s office nurse for four years before retiring in 2001. As President and member of the Saint Joseph’s Wayne Hospital Auxiliary she helped to raise many thousands of dollars for the hospital.

In between her nursing career Eleanor raised six children: Alice Marcy, Claudia Irmiere, Andrew Irmiere, Dorothy Levorse, Victoria Randazzo, and Maria Parry. Pets (mostly cats), nephews, nieces, Fresh Air Fund guests, and friends were welcomed in her household while she cared for her parents Andrew and Anna (Swedler) Hudak.

A prolific and gifted knitter and crocheter, Eleanor created the Prayer Shawl Ministry of Our Lady of Consolation R.C. Church in Wayne where she was a founding member and parishioner. She was also an active Eucharistic Minister, Lector, CCD teacher, and Cornerstone Retreat Leader.

Eleanor is survived by her six children, their spouses and partners, brother Eugene Hudak, eleven grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and numerous nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her beloved husband Victor, parents Andrew and Anna, sister Dorothy (Hudak) Lloyd, brother Andrew J. Hudak, brother-in-law William Lloyd, sister-in-law Adele (Ferrador) Hudak, and sister-in-law Patricia (Danowski) Hudak who are all now planning her sparkly 90th birthday celebration.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Our Lady of Consolation R.C. Church, 1799 Hamburg Turnpike, Wayne, NJ 07470.

Dorothy Helen Rygiel (nee Smook), age 84, of Toms River passed away peacefully on Wednesday, January 5, 2022 while receiving the loving care of her family.

Dorothy was born and raised in Newark, NJ and was one of three children born to Peter and Mary Smook. While growing up in Newark as a young girl, Dorothy’s parents encouraged her to take violin lessons.  She took to the violin quite well and was an active participant in the music programs while attending Westside High School in Newark.  Dorothy was also a member of the Newark All City Orchestra, something that she was very proud of throughout her life.

Following her graduation from Westside High School with the class of 1955, Dorothy married her sweetheart, Eugen Losowyj. The couple married on September 24, 1955 at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church on High Street in Newark.  Together, Dorothy and Eugen settled in Newark and started a family, raising their three children, Jerry, Peter, and Oxana.

After getting married, Dorothy decided to become a full-time homemaker.  She remained a homemaker for a couple of years, then Dorothy returned to the workforce accepting a position as a bank teller with the Bank of Commerce located in Newark.  Dorothy continued at Bank of Commerce (and other banks) for fifteen years when she decided to change careers and took a job as a Customer Service Representative with the Middlesex County Water Company located in Woodbridge.

Dorothy was employed by the Middlesex County Water Company until her retirement in 1999.  Dorothy was also the founder and president of the Ukrainian Women’s Association, Branch 32, which was one of the first English speaking branches of this international organization.  She also served as secretary for the Lions Head Woods Association.

Dorothy was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother.  She was not only dedicated to her family but also to her Catholic Faith.  She and her family were parishioners of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Church in Newark for many years, and also St. Stephen’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in Toms River.  At St. Stephen’s she was very active volunteering for the church and was also a member of the St. Stephen’s Altar Rosary Society.  She was an active volunteer with a hospice program often described as being passionately involved with her clients and going above and beyond for people in need.

Dorothy and Eugen cherished their nineteen years in a loving and loyal marriage until Eugen’s passing in 1974.  After losing Eugen, she met Frank Rygiel, a retired Army Air Corps Colonel, at a local church function and as fate would have it, they fell in love. The two became husband and wife in November of 1991.  Dorothy and Frank treasured thirteen of their golden years together until Frank’s passing in 2004.

Dorothy truly enjoyed entertaining at her home where she always had an overabundance of food for her guests.  Holidays were always something that Dorothy looked forward to hosting.  While raising her children, Dorothy and her family enjoyed camping in various areas of the United States and Canada.  She also treasured traveling with her husband Frank to Germany and other locations in Europe and the US commemorating and honoring World War II Veterans.  Above all of Dorothy’s interests, hobbies and talents, her greatest passion was her family.  Nothing in the world meant more to her than spending time with her family.  Dorothy was truly a special person who touched the lives of everyone around her.  She will be sincerely missed by her family and friends alike.

Dorothy is survived by her loving children Jerry Losowyj and his wife Kathleen O’Brien, Peter Losowyj and his wife Tina, and Oxana Losowyj and her fiancé Paul Mahon. Her 9 grandchildren, Sarah, Daniel, Michael, Vanessa, Eddie, Andrew, Ryan, Madison and Nicholas.  Her 5 great grandchildren, Cascius, Mila, Laurel, Cassanova, and Sunny. Her sister Lesia Chanley and her husband Benjamin and her brother Peter Smook and his wife Joan.  She was predeceased by her first husband Eugen Losowyj in 1974 and her second husband Frank Rygiel in 2004.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Dorothy’s name to Parkinson’s Foundation, 1359 Broadway, Suite 1509, New York, NY 10018.  http://www.parkinson.org

Barbara Ann Pacca (nee Spataro) age 79 of Oak Ridge and Jupiter, FL, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, January 5, 2022.

Barbara was born in Passaic and raised in Clifton, graduated from Clifton High School with the class of 1959. Following her graduation from high school, Barbara attended the Paterson State Teacher’s College, which is now known as William Paterson University. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in 1963, then earned her Teaching Certificate. Barbara’s first position as a teacher was at Clifton Elementary School #2. She worked at School #2 for two years, and it was here that she met her husband, Robert Pacca. As fate would have it, they fell in love and were married on July 10, 1965 at St Philip’s RC Church in Clifton.

The couple settled in Clifton and lived there for five years. After starting their family, Barbara decided that she would put any career opportunities on hold and raise her children full-time. During her time as a homemaker, she also furthered her education, attending school part-time at night, and whenever she could find the time. She eventually earned her Master’s Degree in 1969. Soon after earning her Master’s Degree, she went back into the workplace and earned a position at Wayne Country Day School, which included grades one through three. Barbara worked there for approximately three years. Barbara’s next employment opportunity was a position as a teacher with the Montville Board of Education. It was here Barbara would work for the next 29 years until her retirement in 2002.

Barbara and Robert attended church regularly at many different parishes. Barbara was very devoted to her Catholic Faith. One of the things that Barbara and Robert truly enjoyed together was traveling. Together, the two of them traveled to just about every corner of the world except the Far East. Some of their most memorable trips together included a tour across South America, Europe, and Cuba. Following Barbara and Robert’s retirement, they purchased a home in Florida where they would spend their winters. Aside from all of Barbara’s talents and interests, her greatest passion was for her family, nothing meant more to Barbara than spending time with her family. As a teacher, Barbara touched the lives of many children, and as a person touched the lives of many others. She was an extraordinary person who will be sincerely missed by all who knew her.

Barbara is survived by one son; Robert Pacca, Jr and his wife Kirsten of Mystic, CT, a daughter; Debra Barmore and her husband David of Roxbury, NJ, and four grandchildren; Kaitlyn and Jocelyn Barmore, and Michael and Abigail Pacca. She was predeceased by her husband, Robert, in 2021.

Those planning an expression of sympathy in Barbara’s name are asked to consider National Kidney Foundation, Finance Department, 30 East 33rd St, New York, NY 10016. www.kidney.org/donate

Slawko Lenyk, age 69 of Ringwood and formerly of Wayne passed away peacefully on Tuesday, January 4, 2022 while receiving the loving care of his family.

Slawko was born in Nuremberg, Germany following the Second World War and was one of seven children to Wasyl and Anna Lenyk. When Slawko was only five years old, his parents immigrated to the United States in the search for a better life and the “American Dream.” The family traveled to New York and came through the historic immigration station Ellis Island. Slawko’s family settled in Paterson, NJ where they remained for about six years until moving to North Haledon. While living in North Haledon, Slawko attended Manchester High School where he graduated with the class of 1970. Following his graduation from high school, Slawko enrolled at Lincoln Technical Institute where he studied and earned certification in Automotive Repair.

In 1971, Slawko felt within himself the urge to serve his country and enlisted in the United States Marine Corp. Slawko went through basic training at Parris Island, then was stationed with the 3rd Marines Division at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, NC, Camp Pendleton in Southern California, and was also stationed in Okinawa, Japan. While in the Marines, Slawko’s automotive skills were utilized and he was placed in the Marine Corp Motor Pool. Slawko served honorably in the US Marines from 1971 until his discharge in 1973.

Slawko found work quickly after being discharged from the service with BFI Sanitation located in Elizabeth. Slawko worked as a mechanic for BFI for a few years when he purchased a Getty Gas Station (Lenyk Bros Getty Gas) in Wayne, NJ. Eventually Slawko sold the gas station and opened his own business Lenyk Automotive, which he was the owner and operator of more than twenty years until his passing. One of his oldest and most prized accounts was the United States Post Office located in Wayne.

As a young man still in high school, Slawko had a part time job at the local ShopRite in Fairlawn. There he worked with a young attractive girl named Peggy. It was the very first job for each of the two teenagers. The two hit it off great and quickly became “High School Sweethearts.” As fate would have it, they fell in love and were married on November 16, 1974 at St Catherine’s Church in Glen Rock.

The newlyweds settled in Saddle Brook, NJ where they rented an apartment. They were there for a couple of years then bought their first home in North Haledon. While living in North Haledon, Slawko and Peggy welcomed the births of both of their children, Michael and Jennifer. As the family grew, they moved to Wayne, NJ in 1983 and remained there for the next thirty-two years. In 2015, Slawko and Peggy moved to Ringwood where they have been ever since.

In his earlier years, Slawko enjoyed building and flying radio controlled airplanes. He enjoyed the taste of a fine cigar along with a glass of Sambuca. He took great pleasure in frequenting Atlantic City where he would try his chances at Roulette and often times leave as a winner. He treasured riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle with friends and family and began a yearly tradition of riding with all those who could, to Seaside Heights (at the Jersey Shore) on Columbus Day weekend for hot wings and pizza.

Slawko was a wonderful and friendly person who made friends wherever he went. He was known by his family as “Mr. Mayor.” This was due to the fact he always met people wherever he went and knew them by their full names. His automotive clients were more like an extended family than just plain customers. Slawko was a friendly easygoing guy who had an enormous heart and offered kindness to everyone he met. When someone presented him with a problem or difficult situation, he would always make an effort to comfort them with his calming tone and reassuring words, “Don’t worry about it.” He and Peggy enjoyed traveling to various destinations in the Caribbean by way of cruise ships. Their favorite place to visit was clearly the island of Bermuda. Over the years, Slawko and his family would vacation at Ocean Beach at the Jersey Shore where they owned a summer home. Over the years, Slawko owned a Chevy Corvette and a 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle. He was proud to be a two time cancer survivor and donated to Hackensack Cancer Center and also supported the PAL in the Township of Wayne

Aside from all of Slawko’s talents, hobbies and interests, his greatest passion was for his family. Nothing in the world meant more to Slawko than providing for and spending time with his children and grandchildren. He spoiled his grandchildren to no end and it earned him the affectionate title “Papa.” Whenever or wherever his grandchildren had a recital, school play, or sporting event, Slawko was always there. He was truly a devoted father and grandfather. He and his wife Peggy treasured forty-eight years of loving and loyal marriage together. Slawko was a very special individual and will be sorely missed by his family and friends alike.

Slawko is survived by his wife Peggy (nee Schatmeyer) of Ringwood, NJ, daughter Jennifer Ness and her husband Shawn of West Milford, NJ, son Michael Lenyk and his wife Joelene of Ringwood, NJ, three grandchildren, Allison Lenyk, Lauren Lenyk and Ethan Ness , two sisters; Lesia Frawley and her husband Ray of South Seaside Park, NJ, and Orisia Dwyer of Wayne NJ, and two brothers; Igor Lenyk and his wife Diana of Ocala, FL, and Wasyl Lenyk and his wife Vivian of Randolph, NJ. Slawko was predeceased by his brother Miron Lenyk only a week prior to his own passing.

Johanna Vivolo (nee Rigolli), age 85, of Wayne passed away peacefully on Tuesday, January 4, 2022 while receiving the loving care of her family.

Johanna was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York and was the older of two children to Anthony and Dorothy Rigolli. She attended high school in Brooklyn then enrolled at a Secretarial School also located in New York.  Following her certification from secretarial school, she found work quickly at a New York City toy store and remained employed there for a few years.

When Johanna was only fourteen or fifteen years old she became “High School Sweethearts” with a handsome young schoolmate by the name of Henry Vivolo.  The two dated through high school and as fate would have it they fell in love and on October 13, 1956 Johanna and Henry became husband and wife.  The newlyweds settled in Brooklyn, living in a basement apartment in Johanna’s parent’s house.  Johanna and Henry lived there for about four years when they decided to move to Paterson, NJ.  Before they moved to NJ, the couple welcomed the birth of their first son Chris.  After moving to Paterson, Johanna and Henry had their second child Glenn.  Johanna and her family were there less than a year when they decided to move to Wayne.  In 1961, the family moved to Wayne where they welcomed their next two sons, Gregg and Scott.  Johanna and Henry have been in Wayne ever since.

Immediately after getting married, Johanna decided that she would become a full time homemaker. This was truly Johanna’s calling and where she flourished.  In 1973, after spending 16 years working in the field of textiles in Passaic, NJ, Johanna’s husband Henry started his own business as a Schwinn Bicycle Dealer in the town of Wayne called Four Sons Cyclery.  The bicycle shop was truly a family affair where Johanna worked along with her husband and four sons for the next thirteen years.  In 1986 Johanna thought that she would try her hand at a different career and accepted a position as a letter carrier at the United States Postal Service in Wayne.  Johanna was a loyal and beloved employee at the US Post Office in and around the Packanack Lake area of Wayne for twenty-six years until retiring in 2012.

Johanna was not only devoted to her family but also to her Catholic Faith.  She and her family were parishioners of Our Lady of the Valley RC Church in Wayne since moving to Wayne in 1961.  Johanna was very active at church as a Eucharistic Minister and volunteer.  Over the years she also participated in a number of DeColores and Cursillo Retreats which is a method of Catholic spiritual renewal.  Johanna also gave generously to a variety of charities including St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Operation Smile, and various veteran’s charities.

Johanna enjoyed needlepoint and gardening in her backyard.  There in her backyard she would grow an amazing variety of flowers during the entire year.  She treasured entertaining guests in her home and was a wonderful Italian cook.  Though her cooking was excellent, her specialty was baking.  She was famous by family and friends for her Christmas Cookies, her Creampuffs, and her Chocolate Lollipops.  She was a selfless person, almost to a fault.  Every holiday season Johanna would make sure that every child (and young adult) on her mail route in Packanack Lake received her special holiday Chocolate Lollipops.  Johanna’s generosity did not go unrewarded.  During the holidays, Johanna would come home with cards and gifts from a majority of the people on her mail route.

Aside from all of Johanna’s talents, hobbies, and interests, her greatest passion was for her family.  Nothing in the world meant more to Johanna than spending time with her children and grandchildren.  For many years, Johanna and her family traditionally spent the week of Fourth of July renting a house in Long Beach Island.  She and her husband Henry cherished forty-two years of loving and loyal marriage until Henry’s passing in 1998.

Johanna could be quiet and reserved around people she didn’t know well but was wonderfully outgoing with friends and family.  She cherished entertaining family and friends in her home and truly touched the lives of everyone she met.  Johanna will be sincerely missed by everyone that knew her.

Johanna is survived by her four sons, Chris Vivolo of Durango, CO, Glenn Vivolo and his wife Eileen of Pompton Plains, NJ, Gregg Vivolo and his wife Christine of Wayne, NJ, and Scott Vivolo and his wife Jeanine of Toms River, NJ, one brother Roger Rigolli and his wife Paulette of Brooklyn, NY, one sister-in-law Anita Simone of Athens, IL, nine grandchildren; Dr. Jon Vivolo and his wife Darcy of Durango, CO, Sophia Vivolo of Pompton Plains, NJ, Jake Vivolo of Pompton Plains, NJ, Daniel Vivolo and his wife Caley of Manassas, VA, Brian Vivolo of Wayne, NJ, Matthew Vivolo of Wayne, NJ, Joseph Vivolo of Wayne, NJ, Anthony Vivolo of Toms River, NJ, and Michael Vivolo of Toms River, NJ.

Those planning to make a donation in Johanna’s name are asked to consider St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorials Processing, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959.

Robert “Bob” J. Maiberger, age 93, a sixty year resident of Wayne, passed Monday, January 3, 2022.

He was born in the Bronx, New York and lived in Rochelle Park, NJ and Saddle River Township having graduated from Lodi High School with the Class of 1945.

Just after high school Bob enlisted in the US Navy on September 19, 1945 and served for three years and nine months before being honorably discharged in July of 1949. He attained the rank of Boilerman Third Class and served aboard the USS Navasota for 8 months and the USS Macon for 28 months. He was awarded the WWII Victory Medal for his service. For many years Bob would annually attend the Macon Reunion.

After his service Bob attended Florida Southern University on the GI Bill for one year then went to work.  He initially worked as a truck driver for Menzel Trucking in Bergen County, as a Heavy Equipment Operator for PTL in Paramus, and retired in 1997 as Director of Public Works after 16 years with the Township of Cranford.

Bob was a founding parishioner of Our Lady of the Valley Church in Wayne.

Bob will be remembered for his quiet way, famous unrepeatable sayings, and dry wit. He enjoyed Lionel model trains and because of his many years aboard Navy ships could be referred to as an “Old Salt.” Most of all Bob was happiest when his family was all around him. He was a great husband, loving father, and devoted grandfather. He was also a pet lover and was devoted to his late cat TopGun and his grand-dog Bailey.

Bob met Connie on a blind date she didn’t want to go on. Her friend Ginger pressed her and she finally agreed to go to a movie so she wouldn’t have to talk to him so much.  They saw the movie Magnificent Obsession.  Their first real date was to a New Year’s Eve party at Donohue’s Restaurant on Route 23 in Wayne. Bob asked Connie’s mother for her hand in marriage and she reluctantly agreed as Bob was just a truck driver. They married on October 19, 1952 at Saint Mary’s Church in Passaic and had a reception at the Belmont Park in Garfield. The Butts family who owned the reception hall gave use of the hall as a gift as they were family friends. Bob’s brother-in-law offered his blue Ford Fairlane, as it was a new car, to them to drive to Florida. They honeymooned at a hotel in Hollywood, Florida, which was owned by a cousin, and given to them complimentary as well. They enjoyed a loving and devoted marriage of sixty-nine years that was blessed with two children Robert and Cindy.

Bob was the loving husband of Connie Maiberger; devoted father of Robert (Ann) Maiberger of LaMarque, TX, and Cindy LaMin of Wayne; he was the cherished grandfather of Matthew (Kaitlin), Andrew, Robert, and James LaMin, and Zachary Maiberger; he was the loved brother of Betty Dearstine of Frederick, MD and the late Lorraine Hare.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to the Navy League - https://www.navyleague.org/giving/ would be greatly appreciated.

Nino DiMinni, age 81 of Wayne, passed away peacefully on Monday, January 3, 2022.

Nino, also known as Anthony and Tony, was born in Fraine, Italy, the son of Rosario and Maria (Sisti) DiMinni. When he was just eleven years old, he boarded a ship, all by himself, and headed for a new life and lots of great opportunity in the United States. While on that ship, Nino had the privilege of meeting fellow travelers that would turn out to be lifelong friends. When the ship pulled into port in New York City, Nino was greeted by his uncle and his sisters who had come before him. Later, his parents would join them too. The family eventually settled in Paterson in a home on East 26th Street and later in a house on the corner of Liberty Street and Maple Street.

Nino attended and graduated Don Bosco Technology Academy in Paterson.  In 1963, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and proudly served for the next three years in Germany during peacetime. For his service, he was the recipient of a Medal for Good Conduct.   Upon his return to civilian life, Nino went to work as a carpenter for his brother in law. Nino loved this work and went on to own and run his own general contracting business primarily building homes in North Jersey for over fifty years. He took great pride in his work living by the philosophy that “your craft was like putting your signature on something for all to see, so always do it right.”

In 1966, while working on a customer’s home, Nino had the good fortune of meeting the homeowner’s daughter. Her name was Judith Festa. Nino and Judy ultimately fell in love and married in 1967 at St. James R.C. Church in Totowa. After a reception at the Hickory Hill Country Club (currently called the Barnyard and Carriage House) on Totowa Road in Totowa, the newlyweds honeymooned in Bermuda. They started life in Wayne, raising their son and two daughters and enjoying a thirty-two year marriage full of sincere love and devotion until Judy’s untimely passing in 1999. Nino was grateful to find love once more when he met Mary Poalillo while doing a construction project for a mortgage company she was working for. They married at Victoria’s Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2003 and enjoyed the blessing they were to each other to this present time.

For Nino, there was nothing that was more important to him than his family. Whether it was vacationing together or just enjoying each other’s company at home, nothing made Nino happier that time spent with his family. He simply adored his grandchildren and “fur grandbabies” – his own dogs Snoop and Dash and his grand-doggies Payton, Walter, Romeo, and Dolce. In 2016, Nino returned to his home country of Italy for the first time since immigrating to the USA. He traveled with his wife and his daughter Sarah and her family.  While there he enjoyed the highlights of meeting up with some old paisans and seeing the house once more where he spent the first eleven years of his life. They must have stood in front of that house for a while because eventually the present owner came out and asked “You like my house?” Nino’s reply was “I like MY house” and, of course, he went on to explain it was the house of his childhood. To their surprise, the man invited them in to see the inside. A flood of memories washed over Nino in that moment. While in town, Nino got to see other landmarks including the school he attended and his hometown church where he was baptized.

One of Nino’s happiest pastimes was playing cards and nothing added more to the joy of that activity than playing with the chance of making a little money. As the past president of the Italian American Club in Totowa, Nino would regularly get together with friends on Tuesday and Friday nights to play cards. He loved life at the club and was always glad to donate his time to do whatever carpentry-related improvements that were needed. When not playing cards there, Nino and Mary enjoyed trips to visit his daughter Maria and her family in Las Vegas. Of course, while there, he would always visit the casinos in Las Vegas to test his luck. He and Mary also took many cruises including all the islands, but his favorite cruise of all time was the Alaskan cruise.

Nino loved life in America. He loved the American spirit and all that this country had to offer – great opportunities and all of the usual pastimes. In the early evening he enjoyed watching gameshows, especially Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune and The Price is Right. He’d get so passionate when watching the Price is Right! You could often hear him yelling at the television, something like “That price is too high” or “Choose door number 2!” Nino loved watching American westerns like Gun Smoke, The Rifleman, and any movies featuring John Wayne or Clint Eastwood. He loved watching all sports including the Brooklyn Dodgers until they moved to Los Angeles, the New York Mets, the Rangers and the Giants. When it came to listening to some good music, Nino gravitated to pop music of the 1950’s, old school country music, and Italian artists, especially Andrea Bocelli.

Nino was a great guy who prided himself and always tried to being an example of someone who approached life with a spirit of integrity. Among other factors, this desire was fed by his faith in God which was important to him, especially in the last thirty years when he started attending Mass regularly at Our Lady of the Valley Church in Wayne. When he couldn’t make it to church, he would often tune in to Mass on television. Nino enjoyed loving relationships with his entire family. When he was raising his children he was known to say, “I’m not always right but I’m never wrong” and “Do as I say, not as I do.” Of course, as they got older, his kids questioned the wisdom of these sayings but, as they reflect on their childhoods, they are grateful for his guiding discipline. As they grew into adulthood and started families of their own, it was always comforting to know they could go to him for advice and what they received was always smart, logical, insightful, and shared in a spirit of mentorship. Nino had a big heart and he was a true believer in giving people a chance. He would help anyone with any legitimate need, care or concern.

Nino is survived by his beloved second wife Mary (Poalillo), his three loving children: Maria and husband Anthony Veltri of Henderson, NV, Rosario and wife Jennifer DiMinni of Short Hills, and Sarah and husband Michael Panebianco of Wayne; his adored grandfather of: Anthony, Michael, Ava, Tiffani, Judith, R.J., Alessandra, Natalia and Brendan; and his dear sisters: Vinnie and her husband Leonard Locantore of Wayne, and Mary and her husband Pat DelVecchio of Totowa. He was predeceased by his beloved first wife Judith (Festa) in 1999, his younger sister Elda Barca in 2006 and his brother-in-law Ugo Barca in 2011.

Those planning an expression of sympathy in Nino’s name are asked to consider: Wayne Animal Shelter, 201 Pompton Plains Crossroads, Wayne, NJ 07470, 973-694-0767

Please take note of visitation and service change below.

Mary Ann Tarpey of Wayne, NJ, died peacefully at her daughter, Carolyn´s and son-in-law, Robert´s, home in Highland Lakes, NJ, surrounded by her children and grandchildren on January 3, 2022.  

Born in Brooklyn, NY, on December 19, 1936, she was the eldest daughter of Richard and Margaret (Gallagher) Corney. Mary, as she was known by all who loved her, was predeceased by her husband, Gerard Tarpey, in 1992. She is survived by her sisters and brothers-in-law, Madeline and Lance Erickson of Franklin Square, NY, Helen and Theodore Freund of Remsenberg, NY, and Margaret and Paul  Red Cloud Owen, also of Franklin Square, NY. She is also survived by her brother-in-law, Kevin Tarpey, of Dingman´s Ferry, PA, and her sister-in-law, Patricia Larkin, of Brooklyn, NY.

Mary, or “Ma,” as she was affectionately called by her children, is survived by her 9, yes 9, loving children and their spouses: Rich and Regan Tarpey of Jupiter, Florida, Mary Ellen and Steven Cappuccio of Vero Beach, Florida, John and Donna Tarpey of Austin, Texas, Carolyn and Robert Acker of Highland Lakes, NJ, Maggie and Chris Tsakiris of Nashville, Tennessee, Colin and Lisa Tarpey of Holgate, NJ, Brian and Penny Tarpey of Wayne, NJ, Susan and James Neusch of Schwenksville, PA, and Brendan and Amy Tarpey of Scottsdale, Arizona.  

“Nanny” as she was called, is also survived by her 22 grandchildren and 4 step-grandchildren: Iain, Finn, Declan, Gianna, Nicole, Brianna, Michaela, Tristan, Chelsea, Lauren, Erin, Kevin, Emily, Alexa, Kyle, Gabby, Maeve, Marin, Nicole, Christina, Delaney, Connor, Colin, Mary Kate, Sloane and Rory.

Born in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY, the daughter of an Irish immigrant mother who emigrated from County Mayo, Ireland, Mary attended Our Lady of Angels elementary school and the Academy of St. Francis Xavier high school where she developed her love of literature and history. Mary went on to study at Fordham University where she earned an Associate Degree. Mary met her husband Gerard “Jerry” Tarpey in 1957 and the two were married in November, 1958. In 1959 Mary and Jerry wasted no time in starting a family. No strangers to big families, Jerry was one of 10 children and Mary’s own mother Margaret was one of 14 children in Ireland. Mary spent the next 21 years as Mom, cheerleader, life coach and part-time triage nurse to her growing family.

In 1977, Mary and Jerry moved the clan to Packanack Lake in Wayne, NJ. Mary came to love all that Packanack had to offer her and her children. Outgoing, friendly and positive, Mary made many life-long friends from Packanack Lake whom she loved dearly. After her husband, Jerry, died in 1992, Mary worked as a unit secretary for the Operating Room at Wayne General Hospital for 17 years. Mary lived in Wayne until 2019 when she moved to St. Joseph’s Home in Totowa.  

Mary lived at St. Joseph’s Home for the Elderly in Totowa until recently. She once again made friends easily, enjoyed all of the social activities, and basked in the strong faith and love that fills St. Joseph’s home. She often said to her children of St. Joseph´s, “Living here is a home run!“

In all, Mary loved life. She loved spending time with her sisters and traveling with them to lands near and far over the years. Whether it was to Rocky Point, Long Island, Ocean City, Maryland, County Mayo, Ireland, or several other countries in Europe, Mary was always ready for an adventure. She loved spending time with her children and was fiercely proud of them. She loved being Nanny to her grandchildren and was always keen to hear how they were doing. She loved spending time with her friends, old and new, and was always up for a luncheon with the ladies. Throughout her life, Mary had an unwavering faith and brought a sense of humor, a big smile and an unbridled joy to all who met her. Slainte’, Mary, on a life well-lived.

In-lieu of flowers, donations to Little Sisters of the Poor/St. Joseph´s Home for the Elderly would be welcomed and may be made on their website at https://littlesistersofthepoortotowa.weshareonline.org.

Jack Joseph Laplaca, age 78, of West Milford passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 1, 2022 while receiving the loving care of his family.

Jack was born and raised in Passaic, NJ and was one of two children to Joseph and Mary Laplaca. As a young man, Jack was genuinely devoted to physical fitness and body building.  Immediately after leaving Passaic High School in 1962, Jack started his own business in the physical fitness industry.  Jack’s company was based out of Clifton NJ and was known as Laplaca Fitness.   There, Jack designed a line of weightlifting equipment which he called Natural Motion Gym Equipment.  For many years Jack manufactured and distributed his designs.  As time went on, Jack continued to design, patent, trademark, and license his equipment.  He contracted with a well-known company, Universal Gym Equipment.  Universal licensed many of Jack’s fitness equipment designs over the years and had them distributed all over the world.  Jack continued to design and distribute his multisystem gym equipment until his retirement in 2008.    

As a young boy in the eighth grade, Jack went to school with a young girl named Michele Lombardo.  The two young teenagers became a cute couple and as fate would have it, they stayed together, fell in love, and were married on November 21, 1964.  After Jack and Michele were married at Our lady of Sorrow Church in Garfield, the newlyweds settled in Passaic, NJ.  While living in Passaic, Jack and Michele welcomed the birth of their first son, Joseph.  The family then moved to Garfield where they welcomed their second son, Jack.  As the family grew, they moved to West Milford in 1972 and have been there ever since.

Jack was a member of the Elks Lodge #2236 of West Milford.  He was also a proud lifelong member of the National Rifle Association and enjoyed target shooting at Meadowbrook Rifle and Pistol Club in West Milford.  Jack was not only a devoted father and husband, he was also devoted to his Christian Faith.  He and his family were active members of the Calvary Bible Church in West Milford for many years.  Jack enjoyed bodybuilding as a young man, he also treasured boating and riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle with his friends and local motorcycle clubs.  He and his wife Michele enjoyed traveling throughout the country to various trade show and expos to showcase his innovative gym equipment designs.

Aside from all of Jack’s talents, hobbies, and interest, his greatest passion was for his family.  Jack and Michele cherished an amazing fifty-seven years of loving and loyal marriage. Jack was a unique person with a wonderful sense of humor and was always quick with a joke or a witty remark or retort.  His ability to bring a smile to someone’s face or make someone laugh was truly a gift.  His joyful personality was infectious and he was someone that everyone loved being with.  Jack touched the lives of everyone he met and will be sincerely missed by his family and friends.        

Jack is survived by his wife Michele (nee Lombardo) of West Milford, NJ, two sons; Joseph Laplaca of Deer Park, NY, and Jack Laplaca and his fiancé Michelle Angelo of Passaic, NJ, one brother James Laplaca and his wife Linda of Garfield, NJ, two sister-in-law’s; Doreen Steinberg and her husband Stuart of Wayne, NJ, and Mary Landy and her husband Anthony of Wayne, NJ, one brother-in-law John Cardaci and his wife Roberta of Holmdel, NJ, and many nieces and nephews.

Austin J. Burka, age 42 of Greenville, South Carolina, and formerly of Lincoln Park, died suddenly and unexpectedly on December 31, 2021 at his home in S. Carolina. He had most recently been a Quality Control Engineer with Henkel North America, in Enoree, S. Carolina.

Austin grew up in Lincoln Park and Vernon, NJ, graduating from Vernon High School with the class of 1997. He went on to earn his Bachelor’s Degree from William Paterson University. He was very close in age with his three brothers and they were always playing together. Some of their best memories were at grandma Burka’s house, playing in her yard and swimming in the pool there. The Burka family is a very large family in Lincoln Park, and grandma’s house is where Austin and his cousins traditionally gathered. Some of Austin’s cousins are decades apart in age, but he was very close with all of them and able to make real connections with each of them. He cherished his cousins and they were all like best friends to him. When he moved to S. Carolina last year, he invited many of them to come and visit his new home. He would take them mountain biking, touring around Greenville, and he always loved to eat out. Sampling the foods at local restaurants was a passion of his – he simply loved food! His newer friends may not know this, but Austin was quite the guitar player in his high school days. He played lead guitar in the band “Super Burka” with his brother, Justin, and they performed in several ‘battle of the bands’ competitions. Austin was a rock star, or at least he thought he was! At some point, he traded in his electric guitar for a mountain bike, and that became his new passion. He loved the outdoors and always knew how to have fun.

Austin was a kind soul and treated everyone like a genuine friend. He cast a wide net and easily made friends in many circles. He knew how to make real connections with people, and his relationships were always meaningful. There wasn’t a judgmental bone in his body and he knew to do the right thing in most any situation, even if it was to his own detriment. Generous to a fault, but always generous, no matter what. He touched many lives, helped many people, and he will be sadly missed by everyone.

Austin in survived by his mother; Marian McGlew and her husband Daniel of Murrells Inlet, S. Carolina, and by his father; Joseph Burka and his wife Karen of Brant Lake, NY, two brothers; Joey Burka and his wife Jackie of Mooresville, NC, and Justin Burka of Westtown, NY, his niece and nephew; Juliet and Jackson Burka, and many loving aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Robert Wilson Landis, age 94, of Boynton Beach, Florida, passed away peacefully into the presence of the Lord on Thursday, December 30, 2021.

Bob, Ruth's beloved husband, was born in Shamokin, Pa. on March 29, 1927.  He would always speak highly of his grandparents and spending time with them on their farm.  He had two sisters:  Madeline (Dutch) and Sarah Jane (Becky).  He and his family moved to the Jersey shore where his dad worked at Fort Monmouth.

After finishing high school, he enlisted in the Navy during WWII and served as yeoman. He married his first wife, Mary Johnson, and after being honorably discharged from the Navy, he returned to civilian life and eventually moved to Nutley, N.J.  He went to the Kerpel School for Dental Technology and worked in N.Y. as a dental technician.  He and Mary had 4 daughters:  Mary Jane, Gail, Susan and Patricia.  As time went on, he eventually formed a business partnership with a friend, the Haarde-Landis Lab, working out of Kenilworth, N.J., and remained at this work until he retired.

Bob had many outside interests.  He was musically inclined and loved playing the organ, the banjo and the ukulele.  He was a bit of a crooner and would sing solos or duets in a local annual variety show.  He also enjoyed playing sports:  tennis, golf & ping pong, to name a few.  He and the family also enjoyed relaxing at the family's summer house at Chadwick Beach, where being at the shore and boating made him happy.

He was a member of the Masonic order in Nutley and continued to move on to the Shriners organization.  It was there that he was involved in the string band playing his banjo.  He enjoyed getting to march in the Mummer's parades wearing the big-feathered outfit while playing his banjo.  Eventually he became the "potentate" of the organization and loved raising money for the Shriners Hospital, which helps many disabled children.

In December 1981, Bob married "his Ruthie".  They enjoyed their common interest in music and the love for graciously hosting get-togethers.  They shared many adventures together, one being Deacons of their church.  They spent their summers at Green Pond where they met and enjoyed spending time with their friends and family.  Eventually they moved there permanently from Short Hills.  As time moved on, and the winters got colder, they started looking to a move down to Boynton Beach, Fla. to enjoy the warmer weather.

Bob was the beloved husband of Ruth Landis, loving father of Mary Jane Landis of Clifton, N.J., Gail Telesca (Mike) of Avon, N.Y., Susan Burgess (Bruce) of North Haledon, N.J., Patricia Madsen (Joe) of Gulf Breeze, Fla.; dear brother of Sarah Jane Valenti and the late Madeline Wall; loved Grandfather of Dawn Goldstein (Rob), Scott Salisbury (Patience), Pamela Hernandez (Paul), David Burgess (Ruth), Kristin Taylor (Orlando), Heather Jagar (Cris), Robert Vater (Erin).  Great grandfather of:  McKenna, Zoe, Violet, Daellin, Colby, Reid, Marcus, Desiree, Nicholas, Gianna, Arianna, Charlotte, Ryan, Jessica, Andrew, Henry and Hazel.

He was the stepfather of Pamela Savage (Donald), Clifford Vander May (Tammy), Kenneth Vander May, Brenda Paddock.  The step-grandfather of: Jennifer, Christopher, Daria, Elise, Callen, Garrett, Courtney, Emily, Nicholas and Jackson.

Rest in the love of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and know you will be truly missed.

Robert C. Bongiovanni, age 80, of Jersey City passed away peacefully on Wednesday, December 29, 2021 while receiving the loving care of his family.

Robert "Rob" was born and raised in Jersey City and was the only child to Anthony and Theresa Bongiovanni. Robert attended St. Aloysius High School in Jersey City.  After graduating high school in 1958, Robert attended and graduated from St. Peter’s College in Jersey City in 1963.  While in college, Robert was enrolled in the ROTC.  Upon graduation, he was sent to Infantry and Officer Basic Training at Fort Benning Military Base.  While serving in the US Army, Robert earned the position of Infantry Company Commander at the US Army Installation Fort Knox, then spent five years in the Army Reserves.  Through these experiences, Robert met his lifelong friends, Lew Haskins, Gerry Manna, Frank Edmonson, and Gary Cademartori.  

After his service, he worked in the finance realm for a number of different accounting firms. His jobs brought him to various locations, including NJ, Marina del Rey, and finally, Falls Church and Williamsburg, Virginia. Through the years he worked at Citicorp, and Cordiem in high-level finance positions.  He then became CFO for the Curtiss-Wright Corporation in Ashburn, VA where he remained for the next ten years until his retirement in 2011.

Music was Robert's heart and soul and his parents gave him the gift of music at a young age.  He started with piano, accordion, organ lessons and learned how to read and write music. He started as a teenager on the Ted Mack TV Amateur Hour to include a season's keyboard chair in the Radio City Music Hall Orchestra.  He played in bands, notably, "Bernie and the Blue Notes", throughout high school and college, playing dances and popular venues in Jersey City, Bayonne, and Hoboken. Eventually he moved on to join a "set group" of talented musicians, where he began writing, arranging, and composing music.  Drawing on their weekday careers in finance, they became "The Sound Investment," headlining on weekends in New York and New Jersey nightclubs, jazz clubs, and recording sessions. They were also a house band for many years in the 1970's and 1980's at the Wayne Manor.  In his later years, Robert produced many successful shows at the Kimball Theater in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Robert was a man who was full of life and had an abundance of charisma.  He enjoyed being the center of attention and could captivate an audience with his ability to tell a story or a joke.  He was an entertainer at heart and kept people singing and dancing with his music.  He was an avid golfer and photographer. Robert was proud of both his Polish and Italian heritage and was a wonderful cook, famous with family and friends for his Linguini with Clam Sauce. Being Italian, it was no surprise that his favorite travel destination was Sorrento, Italy. He remained proud of his Jersey City roots and had many stories to tell of life in the "old neighborhood."

Aside from all of his hobbies, talents, and interests, his greatest passion was for his family.  Nothing in the world meant more to Robert than spending time with his children and grandchildren.  He lived a full life, with many memorable experiences and tons of stories to tell.  Robert was a truly special person who touched the lives of many people and will be sincerely missed by his family and friends alike.

Robert is survived by his daughter Nicole Marquez and her husband Ed of Wayne, NJ, two sons; Jeff Bongiovanni of Wayne, NJ, and Greg Bongiovanni and his wife Julia of Hoboken, NJ, three grandchildren; Gigi Marquez of Wayne, NJ, Colin Bongiovanni of Hoboken, NJ, and Maggie Bongiovanni of Hoboken, NJ, and many other loving extended family members.  He was predeceased by his loving wife of 20+ years, Barbara Mayo, in 2011.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Robert’s name may be made to Vietnam Veterans of America, 8719 Colesville Rd Suite 100, Silver Spring, MD 20910, http://www.vva.org

Miron Lenyk, age 71, of Ringwood passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 28, 2021 while receiving the loving care of his family.

Miron was born in Brussels, Belgium and was the second oldest of seven children to Wasyl and Anna Lenyk.  When he was only about six years old, Miron’s parents left their homeland of Belgium and brought their family to the United States in search of a better life and the “American Dream.”  Upon arriving in the United States, the family settled in Paterson, NJ where they resided for about six years.  The family then moved to North Haledon where they lived for seven years and then finally moving to Wayne they have been ever since.  While growing up, Miron attended Manchester High School and graduated with the class of 1967.

Immediately following his graduation from high school, Miron made the brave decision to serve his country and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps.  During his service with the US Marines, he was stationed on the island of Okinawa, Japan.  Miron was called to serve in the Vietnam War and was on his way to South East Asia.  Fortunately for Miron, the war ended while in route to Vietnam and his ship turned around midway then headed for home.  During his time with the US Marine Corp he reached the rank of Corporal.  Miron’s service to his country was always something of which he was extremely proud.  Miron served honorably and proudly in the Marines from 1972 to 1976.

After being honorably discharged from the military in 1976, Miron found employment quickly working at the Berles Carton Company in Paterson, NJ where he was employed as a machinist for a couple of years.

Miron and his brothers always had a fondness for automobiles and would together attend local car shows over the years.   While Miron was working as a machinist, his brothers decided to purchase a Getty Gas Station on route 23 in Wayne.  Miron joined his brothers at the gas station and worked there as an auto mechanic.  Miron treasured working alongside his brothers for many years.  Eventually the brothers sold the gas station and opened their own auto repair shop in Wayne known as Lenyk’s Auto.  Miron continued to work beside his brothers at Lenyk’s Auto until his passing.

Miron truly enjoyed his work and treasured spending time with his brother Slawko at local car shows and other similar events.  He also took pleasure in target shooting at the local rifle and pistol ranges.  He had a great appreciation for music.  He would rather listen to music than watch television, and his favorite genre of music was classical, although he also listened to the oldies of the 1950’s and 60’s.  

Aside from all of Miron’s talents, hobbies, and interests, his greatest passion was for his family.  Nothing in the world meant more to Miron than spending time with his brothers, sisters, nieces, and nephews.  Miron was a quiet and reserved man and very private.  He was always generous with his family and friends.  Miron was a truly special person who touched the lives of all the people around him and will be sincerely missed by everyone that knew him.

Miron is survived by his two sisters; Lesia Frawley and her husband Ray of South Seaside Park, NJ, and Orisia Dwyer of Wayne, NJ, three brothers Slawko Lenyk and his wife Peggy of Ringwood, NJ, Igor Lenyk and his wife Diana of Ocala, FL, and Wasyl Lenyk and his wife Vivian of Randolph, NJ, eight nephews; Kyle, Matthew, Jon, Michael, Robert, Justin, Jesse, and Christopher, and six nieces; Lindsay, Leanna, Jennifer, Bobbi Jo, Christian, and Orisia.  He was predeceased by his sister Oczanna Davis in 2006.

Nancy Ann Parietti, age 78, of Wayne and formerly of Pompton Lakes and West Milford, passed from this life into the presence of God on Christmas day, Saturday, December 25, 2021, while her loving family stood by her side.

Nancy was born and lived in Nyack, NY along with her parents and two brothers.  She was a graduate of Pearl River High School in New York. She later moved to West Milford and also lived in Butler and Pompton Lakes before moving to Wayne in 2011.

Nancy was a born caregiver. For many years she worked as a nurse’s aide at Mar Del Manor in Haskell. She was a hard worker who always did her best to care for her patients, making sure they received the most loving care possible. She also worked as a babysitter and grew very close to the children she cared for. Her gift of hospitality was evident in her home also. All of her son Michael’s friends always felt so loved and welcome when they came over. They would tell Mike how cool they thought his mom was.

Nancy loved to travel, especially with her mother Bessie to Florida where they stayed in many different resorts. She and her mom were like best friends and her heart was truly broken after her mom passed away in 1993. As the saying goes, Nancy had a true green thumb and loved caring for her beautiful houseplants. She also enjoyed a wide range of different types of music. She especially liked pop music, top 40 hits and some of her son Mike’s rock music. Sometimes he’d come home and Nancy would be playing it loud. In fact, one time, she even blew out his speakers. As a more recent resident at Wayne View in Wayne, Nancy always looked forward to singing in the chorus, playing bingo, doing craft projects and taking day trips to Walmart and Willowbrook Mall. She was known to really keep the activities director on her toes!

Throughout her life, Nancy walked very close with God. Many years ago, she attended St. Joseph’s R.C. Church in West Milford and she always gave God thanks for the blessings she received and for being a source of strength and encouragement during the challenges in her life.

Nancy will always be remembered as a very fun-loving and caring person. She will be missed by all who had the pleasure of being loved by her.  

Nancy was the loving mother of Michael Parietti and his wife Victoria of Haskell, dear brother of Albert Parietti and wife Dorothy of Peachtree, GA and the late Robert Parietti, dear grandmother of Toni Anne Estrada-Lopez and husband Bryant of Butler, and Randy MacLean of Haskell, and dear aunt of two nieces and two nephews.