Amelia "Millie" Murino

Amelia "Millie" Murino, age 84, of Wayne passed Monday, September 16, 2024

Millie was born in Bronx, New York to the late Charles Carlo and Tessie Lima.  She lived in Harlem, New York before moving to Wayne when she married Louis where she spent the past 65 years.

Millie met Lou when she walked into his family grocery store, Wayne Food Market at 20 Newark Pompton Turnpike.  Millie, whose parents had a summer bungalow down the street from the store, came into the store with three of her girlfriends.  Lou started talking to them, but in his eyes, Millie stood out.  She agreed to go out on a date with him.  Millie didn't have much interest in continuing to see Lou, but after his persistence, she agreed to go out with him again.  Soon the two fell in love.  They married on June 6, 1959 at Our Lady Queen of Angels on 113th Street in Harlem.  Lou described the wedding reception in the church basement as a "football wedding reception" where premade sandwiches were thrown to the guests.  They spent their first night as man and wife at Aunt Vi & Uncle Joe's apartment in Harlem, where he slept on the floor and Millie on the couch.  The next day they left for Atlantic City.   Fourteen months later they welcomed the arrival of their first child together, Theresa, and were blessed with three more children after that, Vincent, Charles and Joe.

When it came to her family, Millie loved her children unconditionally and was always the proud mama.  She was a homemaker and was very involved with her children's activities.  There were times when she didn't have enough extra money to purchase a candy bar for her children, but she always made sure they had fun and felt they were loved.  Christmas was her favorite holiday and although she and Lou would struggle with finances in those early days, she made sure Christmas was a time her family would always remember.  Every Christmas since, her family would gather together on Christmas morning at their residence...children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and in-laws, to receive the over abundance of gifts she would hand out to all.  

In past years she was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary of Community Firehouse #1 in Wayne and the Wayne PAL.  She enjoyed being involved and would often run fundraising events like pancake breakfasts and spaghetti dinners.  

She  was a remarkable woman known for her strength, determination and vibrant personality.  She had a unique ability to light up a room with her personality and her sense of fashion.  She was always impeccably coordinated from head to toe, with matching purses and jewelry to accent her outfit.  She also had a passion for playing cards and games. Millie and Lou moved to The Four Seasons in Wayne in the early 2000's. They loved their new community and made many wonderful friends.  Millie knew this is where she belonged.  You could always find Millie at her community clubhouse in the throws of a game of poker, canasta or bridge.  She loved MahJong, but had to eventually give that up because of her advanced stage of Macular Degeneration.  What people couldn't understand was that although her vision was not good, when you put a deck of cards in her hand, she could miraculously see those cards and the cards on the table and she was not going to be beat.  For many years she looked forward to her Wednesday bowling league at T-Bowl, she would race home to play afternoon cards, head home for a quick dinner and go back to her clubhouse to play cards until late at night.  She loved the game and she loved the friends she met along the way.  

She was the loving wife of Louis Murino; devoted mother of Theresa Skerlick and her husband Stephen of Leland, NC, Vincent Murino and his wife Kathryn of Sparta, Charles Murino of Ledgewood, and Joe Murino and his wife Karen of Franklin Lakes; she was the cherished grandmother of nine grandchildren: Stephen Skerlick III and his wife Mandy, Dana Leggieri and her husband Albert, Nicholas Skerlick, Marissa Murino and her fiancé Kevin Schott, Matthew Murino, Rachel Murino, Meghan Murino, Myla Murino, and Melina Murino; she was the dearly loved great-grandmother of Dean Skerlick, Luca Leggieri, Matteo Leggieri, and Amelia Skerlick; she was the loved sister of Jack Lima and his wife Wendy of Lincoln Park, Salvatore Lima and his wife Joyce of Lincoln Park, Vivian Spae of Wayne, and the late Mary Mollica (d. 2020).  Amelia will be dearly missed by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family and friends.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to the Wayne First Aid Squad or Community Volunteer Fire Company #1, 97 Parish Drive, Wayne, NJ 07470 would be greatly appreciated.