Mafalda Castellano

Mafalda Castellano, age 95, of Wayne, passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 1, 2025, surrounded by the loving presence of her family.

Mafalda was born in Frosinone, Italy, the second eldest of four children born to Crescenzo and Antonia (Capozio) DiCocco. Her early childhood was spent in Italy, and she often shared stories with her children about milking cows and tending chickens. At the age of eight, Mafalda, her mother, and her older brother immigrated to the United States to join her father, who had come ahead of them to work as a house painter and mason. Crescenzo helped lay Belgian block to construct the streets of Newark, NJ, all to establish a foundation for his family’s future in their new country.

One evening at a church dance in Newark, Mafalda caught the eye of a handsome young man with a big smile named Carmen Castellano. With his natural warmth and charm, Carmen quickly won Mafalda’s heart, and soon they were a steady couple. They married on April 24, 1949, at Saint Philip Neri Church in Newark. Their first home as newlyweds was a cold-water flat in Newark, where they welcomed their first child, Alex. Before long, they upgraded to a hot-water apartment in Belleville, where their second son, Raymond, was born. When that apartment became too small, the growing family moved again—this time just around the corner—to a larger home where their daughter Diane was born. Mafalda and Carmen raised their family in Belleville until 1988, when they relocated to the Packanack Woods section of Packanack Lake in Wayne.

Mafalda was the quintessential Italian mother and homemaker—capable of just about anything. She painted, wallpapered, gardened, cut the lawn, trimmed the bushes, and even changed electrical outlets and switches all by herself. Most people would think twice about tackling electrical work, but Mafalda’s resourcefulness knew no bounds. Her home was always filled with the mouthwatering aromas of her Italian cooking, and her husband Carmen often said no restaurant could hold a candle to his wife’s culinary talents.

Mafalda also had a gift with a needle and thread. She sewed many of her own clothes and crafted beautiful knitted and crocheted blankets and quilts, which she shared generously with family and friends. To most, her daily work might have seemed exhausting, but to Mafalda, it was a labor of love—she truly enjoyed every minute. There was one other passion that brought her joy: shopping. Wherever Mafalda went, she loved hunting for stylish clothing that would keep her looking her best.

Once her children reached a certain independence, Mafalda entered the workforce. She held positions at Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company in Newark and later at Lummus of Bloomfield, where she served as an engineering administrator.

Family vacations were a cherished tradition, especially the annual trips to Wildwood Crest down the Jersey Shore. Later in life, Mafalda and Carmen enjoyed traveling with friends—visiting Europe several times, taking a memorable trip to Hawaii, and embarking on a number of cruises. After retirement, the couple began a new chapter in a retirement community in Lakewood, NJ, before returning to Wayne in 2013, where they remained for the rest of their lives.

Mafalda’s Christian faith was a cornerstone of her life. While living in Belleville, she was a devoted parishioner of Holy Family Church in Nutley, where she attended Mass regularly and took great comfort in her faith. Her belief in God’s grace gave her strength through life’s challenges and joy in life’s blessings, and it remained a guiding light throughout her years.

Despite her many interests and talents, Mafalda’s greatest love was always her family. Her children and their spouses were her pride and joy, and her grandchildren were the apples of her eye. She cherished every moment spent with them. A weekly gathering with her sisters and her mother was another treasured tradition that Mafalda always eagerly anticipated. Her beloved husband Carmen was her forever sweetheart, and together they enjoyed a remarkable 73-year marriage until Carmen’s passing in 2023.

Mafalda was the loving mother of Alex and his wife Nancy Castellano of Colonie NY, and the cherished grandmother of their son Mark Castellano and daughter Laura, along with Laura’s husband Nicholas Stong. She was also the adoring great-grandmother of their children Dylan and Cameron. She was the loving mother of Raymond and his wife Maryellen Castellano of Bradley Beach NJ, and the proud grandmother of their son Steven Castellano. She was the loving mother of Diane and her husband Alfred Ascione of Wayne NJ, and the cherished grandmother of their daughter Nicole and her husband Christopher Diaz, as well as their son Jesse and a daughter on the way, and their daughter Kristen Ascione. Mafalda is also survived by her dear sisters, Norina Fuschetti (predeceased by her husband Alfred in 1999) and Cleo Boiko  (predeceased by her husband John in 1997). She was also predeceased by her brother Dionisio DiCocco in 2013 and his wife Messina in 2012.

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In lieu of flowers, those who wish to honor Mafalda’s memory are kindly asked to consider a donation to:

Alzheimer’s New Jersey

Attn: Development Department

425 Eagle Rock Avenue, #203

Roseland, NJ 07068

Please make checks payable to Alzheimer’s New Jersey.