Margaret Dzienis

Margearet H. Dzienis, age 96 and a seventy-five-year resident of Wayne, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, July 8, 2025.

The only child of Joseph and Pauline (Petrick) Mraz, Marge was born in Somerville, NJ and raised in Raritan. She attended St. Peter’s High School in New Brunswick, graduating with the Class of 1948.

After high school, Marge began working as a telephone operator—maybe she even connected one of your calls!

Life often brings unexpected connections, and Marge was fortunate to have hers intersect with a handsome gentleman named Lucius Dzienis—better known as “Dennis.” Their paths crossed when Marge was living with her aunt in Piscataway, next door to Dennis’s brother. At first, it wasn’t love at first sight—in fact, they didn’t like each other much at all! But over time, something changed, and the two fell in love. They were married on Saturday, July 1, 1950, at St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church in New Brunswick.

After a honeymoon on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, they settled temporarily in a two-family house shared with Dennis’s mother before purchasing their home in Wayne—where Marge would live for the next 75 years. Back then, homes cost just a fraction of what they do today. The deposit on their house was a mere forty dollars—Marge and Dennis each contributed twenty.

Together, Marge and Dennis were blessed with three wonderful children: Patricia, Linda, and Robert. Marge devoted herself to being a nurturing mother and homemaker during their early years. Later, she took a job as a machine operator at General Hose, an auto hose manufacturer in Fairfield, NJ. Dennis worked during the day and got home about half an hour after Marge left for her shift. During that brief window, the kids managed on their own. Marge remained at General Hose for 28 years, retiring in 1985.

Throughout their married life and into retirement, Marge and Dennis loved to travel. They took several senior group trips to Las Vegas, visited Aruba and Disney World, and traveled to Washington, D.C., to see the World War II Memorial—an especially meaningful visit for Dennis, a proud veteran. For their 25th wedding anniversary, their children surprised them with a fully paid trip to Hawaii, which included a one-week cruise and a one-week stay on the Big Island.

Marge also loved visiting New York City, especially for Broadway shows and performances at Radio City Music Hall. She had a passion for gardening—a hobby she shared with Dennis. She took care of the flowers while he tended the vegetables. At home, she enjoyed puzzles, needlepoint, and reading American authors like Danielle Steele, James Patterson, and Nora Roberts.

Marge was a longtime parishioner of Our Lady of the Valley Church in Wayne. She attended faithfully until physical limitations made it too difficult. She will be remembered as a warm-hearted, outgoing, and kind person who made friends easily and was always ready to help someone in need.

Marge was the beloved wife of Lucius “Dennis” Dzienis, with whom she shared 57 years of marriage until his passing in 2006. She is survived by her two daughters, Patricia Dzienis and Linda Dzienis, both of Wayne, and her son, Robert Dzienis of Tucson, Arizona.

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In lieu of flowers, those wishing to make a memorial contribution in Marge’s name are kindly asked to consider the American Cancer Society P.O. Box 6704 Hagerstown, MD 21741, or a charity of your choice.

Please make sure to indicate that your gift is in memory of Margaret Dzienis.