Mae Ann Pepe

Mae Pepe, age 92, of Wayne, passed away on Sunday, July 2, 2023, surrounded by her children and grandchildren.  Mae was born to Thomas and Angelina Grossi on January 7, 1931, in Paterson, NJ.  She graduated from Central High School and soon after, married Florie Pepe, of Wyoming, Pennsylvania.  

Shortly after having their first child, Florie and Mae moved to Wayne, where they raised their three children, Patricia, Gregory, and David, sending each of them to catholic elementary and high schools and then on to colleges of their own choosing.  In addition to raising her own children, Mae cherished spending time with her three brothers and three sisters, Bette, Jimmy, Rosie, Lou, Tommy, and Emmie.  And through her altruistic nature, she treated their spouses and children as if they were her own - Sam (wed to Bette), Patricia (wed to Lou), Ralph (wed to Rosie) and especially much like a fourth sister to her, Alice (wed to Thomas).

Contrary to social norms, in the 1950’s and 1960’s, Mae began working as a bookkeeper at Nu-Dye in Paterson, as she and Florie raised their family.  She attended William Paterson University part time for business, prior to being hired to work in the accounting departments at both GAF and Becton Dickinson.  Mae officially retired from Becton Dickinson at the age of 62.  However, in true Mae fashion, she knew that keeping busy was important to staying healthy.  She began working for Sterns (renamed Macy’s) in the Wayne Preakness Mall, on a part-time basis.  She officially ended her working career at 87 years old, when Macy’s finally shut their doors.

Mae and Florie were blessed with five grandchildren - Michael Pepe (wife Regina), Lori Schmatz (husband Pete) and Kristin Pepe, children of Gregory (wife Judy), Rebecca Cecala (husband Patrick) daughter of Patricia, and Amanda Pepe, daughter of David (wife Doris).  In addition, they were also blessed with nine great-grandchildren.  As family was so very important to her, Mae always made sure to never miss a birthday party, a gathering, or any outing if it was within her ability to do so.  She was always present, always positive, and grateful for her blessings. 

One of Mae’s greatest pleasures was spending time at the Jersey shore, with her family.  You could often find Mae sitting outside of her beach house, breathing in the saltwater air, and listening to the Yankee game on the radio.  And if she wasn’t there, she would have been at the dining room table, playing cards with her great-grandsons or completing puzzles, which she continued to enjoy until the very end.

Very rarely would Mae take the lead in a situation, but she certainly led by example.  It was always important to her that everyone felt loved and welcomed.  And even in times of struggle and adversity, Mae always demonstrated grace, compassion, and forgiveness.  She never gave herself enough credit for her knowledge and wisdom that she inadvertently imparted to others.  She never acknowledged the profound influence that she had on those who were blessed enough to know her, as she always remained humble.  However, her legacy and the impact that she had on her family and friends will continue to live on in our hearts and minds.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the American Heart Association would be greatly appreciated.  www.heart.org