Andrea Morante

Andrea Jane (Gray) Morante, age 48, died suddenly in her home in Wayne, NJ on February 25, 2024.

Following her family's emigration from Belfast, Northern Ireland, Andrea was born in Coventry, England on August 11, 1975.  In 1979, Andrea and her family immigrated from Coventry to Parsippany, NJ where they started their life in the U.S. at Park Lake Village amongst loving family and an extensive cast of characters.  She was the cherished daughter of Andrew and Rose Gray, devoted wife to Tom Morante and loving mother to their children Eva Morante and Rachel Morante, loyal sister to Mark Gray and his wife Lorie K. Smith, and beloved aunt to Mark and Lorie’s son Liam Gray.  Andrea was also adored by her father in law and mother in law Peter and Jane Morante, brother in law Chris Morante along with his wife Robin Morante and their son Michael Morante.  Andrea was very much loved by her extended family and numerous friends, especially her aunts, uncles and cousins.  

Andrea attended Parsippany, NJ public schools and graduated from Parsippany High School in 1993.  A highly accomplished and well-rounded student, Andrea was a member of the National Honors Society and played on the field hockey, basketball, track & field, and softball teams for the high school.  She continued her education at Bentley College in Waltham, MA where she continued to thrive including a semester studying abroad at Cambridge in England followed by a backpacking trek around Western Europe.  During her time in college, Andrea made life-long friends, was a passionate member of Bentley’s Women's Rugby Team and was inducted into numerous honors societies.  She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.S. in Accounting from Bentley in 1997.

After graduating college, Andrea joined then-prestigious public accounting firm Arthur Andersen in Boston, MA, earned her certified public accountant license in Massachusetts and later transferred to the company's office in Stamford, CT.  During her time in public accounting, Andrea formed great friendships with her teammates while primarily covering clients in the high tech and medical industries.  Following the unprecedented (and unwarranted?) demise of Arthur Andersen after the Enron scandal, she joined Diageo in Norwalk, CT as a director of financial planning & analysis until the time of her oldest daughter's (Eva) birth in 2005.  She later worked part-time at Ready, Set, Grow Preschool in Wayne, NJ where she was an adored and invaluable preschool instructor before departing in 2020.  Andrea was proud to have earned her U.S. citizenship during her adult life.

It is impossible to overstate the love, care and effort Andrea put into anything and everything involving her family and friends.  She was the most reliable and dependable person known to her family and friends and willingly took on tasks and responsibilities for the benefit of the group, always with a smile on her face and hugs for everyone.  Andrea loved gatherings with family and friends, large or small.  By the end of each get-together she always seemed to make new friends while strengthening the relationships with everyone she knew. 

Andrea was a beloved member of her neighborhood, local schools and community.  She was an active member of the Wayne PTOs at Theunis Dey Elementary School and Schuyler Colfax Middle School along with the Moms Club of Wayne and, more recently, a volunteer at Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) competitions at Saddle Ridge Riding Center in Franklin Lakes, NJ where her daughter Rachel rides and is a member of the IEA team.  A self-taught cook (with tips early on from cooking shows), Andrea took joy in bringing delicious goodies to every gathering she attended, which were always well received.  An avid and loyal sports fan, she cheered for her local teams especially the legendary NY Yankees and NY Jets (who rarely gave her anything to cheer about) and good-heartedly loathed her teams' rivals (especially a certain despised baseball team in Boston).  Andrea proudly attended and thoroughly enjoyed her children's activities including lots of dance classes and competitions with Eva and horse riding lessons and competitions with Rachel.  In her downtime, she enjoyed unwinding by watching The Golden Girls and Everybody Loves Raymond or catching the end of one of her favorite movies on TV.  

Andrea met her husband and love Tom during their time at Bentley College, though neither knew it until they began dating shortly after graduation.  Andrea and Tom were engaged during their semi-long distance relationship and married on May 5, 2001 at Saint Peter the Apostle Church in Parsippany, NJ before going on their honeymoon in Hawaii followed by many other trips, vacations and adventures as partners and soulmates.  They originally lived in Norwalk, CT before settling in Wayne, NJ in 2007 to be closer to family, especially Andrea's parents Andy and Rose Gray.  

Vacations were precious to Andrea, especially when they included traveling or visiting with family and friends.  Watching the kids grow during annual trips to the New England shores of Weekapaug, RI and York Beach, ME created wonderful memories and special bonds.  The epic family vacation to Ballycastle, Northern Ireland, planned by Andrea (of course), was a rare and magical experience the provided for quality time with Andy and Rose’s family overseas (as well as the local pubs).  Group vacations to Wildwood, NJ solidified familial relationships with special local friends.      

In lieu of flowers, please consider making donations to the Wayne Interfaith Network Food Pantry, a 501 (c)(3) non profit organization based in Wayne, NJ that provides food to community members in need.