Laura Puccia

Laura D. Puccia (nee Arrighi), age 90, of Riverdale passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 15, 2019 while receiving the loving care of her family.

Laura was born in Secaucus and raised in North Bergen and was the oldest of three children to Louis and Angelina Arrighi.  After high school, she  worked for The Gibraltar Corrugated Paper Company in North Bergen and had her eye on one particularly handsome employee: A young Nicholas Puccia and his new convertible.  Laura told her friends on many occasions, “That’s the man I’m going to date!”  As fate would have it, the two started dating, culminating with Laura and Nicholas falling in love and marrying on February 18, 1950 at St. Brigid RC Church in North Bergen.

Laura and Nicholas settled in North Bergen after getting married and lived there for several years.  During those several years, the couple welcomed their three daughters: Sharon, RoseAnn and MaryAnn.  As their family grew, they moved to Fort Lee and purchased their first home.  Laura and Nicholas remained in Fort Lee for the rest of their lives together and were happy to have raised their children there.  Nicholas and Laura cherished forty-five years of loving and loyal marriage until Nicholas’ passing in 1995.  In 2007 Laura moved to Riverdale where she remained until her passing.

Laura decided to become a homemaker and dedicated her life to nurturing and caring for her family.  Over the course of her life, Laura held a few part-time jobs, but her true calling and where she shined brightest was as a devoted mother and wife.  Laura was always there for her children, volunteering at the PTO in her girls’ schools and as a Girl Scout Leader.  Laura enjoyed many crafts, such as needlepoint, knitting and crocheting baby items for her friends and family. She loved to read, shop, and do word searches. She was a member of the Riverdale seniors and enjoyed spending time with her friends. She was a parishioner of Madonna Church in Fort Lee for many years, as well as Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Oakland.  Laura’s personality was equal parts funny and stubborn, with a dash of  feistiness and a surplus of vitality.  While of Laura’s interests and hobbies help characterize her as an individual, her most defining trait was her  passion and devotion to her family.  Nothing in the world meant more to Laura than spending time with her children and grandchildren.  Laura was a very special person who touched the lives of many people and will be sincerely missed by her family and friends.

Laura is survived by her three daughters; Sharon Krysiak and her husband Michael of Montvale, RoseAnn Mauro and her husband Christopher of Manchester Center, VT, and MaryAnn Dunn and her husband Andrew of Oakland, two brothers Louis Arrighi of North Bergen, and Roy Arrighi and his wife Janice of Smyrna, DE, four grandchildren; Nicole Scalice and her husband Michael, Kaitlyn Funtsch and her husband Michael, Andrew Dunn, III, and Christopher Mauro, and numerous nieces, and nephews.  Laura was predeceased by her husband Nicholas Puccia in 1995.