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Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Wednesday, August 26, 2015 from 2-4 and 7-9 PM.
A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:45 AM on Thursday, August 27, 2015 at Holy Trinity R.C. Church, 14-54 143rd Street, Whitestone, NY. Please meet directly at the church. Interment will follow at Pinelawn Memorial Park, Farmingdale, NY.
Marie T. Martello, age 88 of Wanaque and formerly of Woodside Queens, passed away peacefully on Saturday, August 22, 2015.
Born at home in Woodside Queens, NY, Marie was the third of Ralph and Yolanda Koplar’s ten children and she was also their oldest daughter. After graduating from high school, she worked for a time at a lingerie store, then she met the love of her life, a handsome young man named Rocco Martello. This loving couple married on Sunday, April 20, 1952 and initially settled in their first home together – an apartment in Astoria Queens. They eventually settled in Whitestone, NY where they rented another apartment before eventually purchasing their first home in the same town – a small white cape on 6th Ave.
After marriage, Marie soon found her life’s calling as a wife, mother and homemaker. She and Rocco were blessed with three beautiful children - daughters Rosemarie and Linda and their son Michael. Soon after Michael was born, the family moved once more, this time to 3rd Ave in Whitestone. For the next forty years, Marie called that raised ranch “home” and, by her loving and dedicated approach to her calling as a wife and mom, she provided a warm-hearted, comfortable and welcoming place for Rocco and the children to live. She was an excellent cook and her family especially enjoyed her home-made meatballs, manicotti, and chicken cutlets, as well as her delicious soups. Nobody made meatballs as good as Marie. Until Rocco’s passing in 1995, he and Marie got to share a blessed 43 year marriage including some great times together on exciting trips to Italy, Hawaii, Bermuda as well as to their condo in Florida. Marie also loved the blessing of being a doting grandma and great-grandmother to her four grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Marie remained in Whitestone until 2007 when she moved into Wanaque Reserve, a lovely 55+ retirement community in Wanaque, NJ, so that she could be closer to her daughter Linda.
Throughout her life, Marie professed a deep and personal faith in God and, by following Jesus’ example, she assumed numerous roles of service to countless folks that she was able to meet and bless though out her life.
One example of her selfless volunteerism took place when, as a young wife and mother, Marie was a member of the Maria Montessori Sons of Italy Lodge – a group that raised money to award scholarships and help in other philanthropic endeavors. It was through her involvement with this organization that Marie had her closest brush with fame when the producers of that famous 1972 blockbuster movie The Godfather approached Marie and the other members to be extras in the movie’s wedding scene. These ladies jumped at the chance to be movie stars and eagerly took the ride from Queens to Staten Island where that particular scene in the movie was filmed.
A long-time parishioner of Holy Trinity R.C. Church in Whitestone, Marie was very involved as a member of the weekly prayer group and, as an excellent and very creative seamstress, she designed and sewed an incredible array of huge decorative banners to adorn the church’s sanctuary and to send a message of hope or a life-lesson to her fellow parishioners. Always eager to serve, she also filled the role of Eucharistic Minister in the church as well as during her visits to the shut-in and infirmed residents at local nursing homes. The consummate servant, when Marie visited those residents she was also happy to clean their homes or bring them some special food if it made them happy. Recently she would sometimes say, “I used to visit them and now there are good-hearted people that visit me.”
Marie’s gift of serving was not just limited to helping the elderly. While raising her own children she gladly jumped at the opportunity to care for her neighbor’s daughter Christina so that Christina’s mom could go to work. In all, she took care of Christina for five whole years. It was Marie’s joy as she loved having babies around. Marie and Christina’s relationship lasted throughout the rest of Marie’s life.
Marie had numerous interests in life. Always busy enjoying doing something, she developed a real interest in artistic painting so she took some formal classes and began oil painting still life creations – especially fruits and flowers as well as landscapes being her favorites. Always believing that a sharp mind needed to be exercised, Marie regularly challenged herself with word puzzles and she played a lot of games – especially canasta and the Chinese game of Mah Jongg of which she was a master and both of which she played about twice a week when she was living at Wanaque Reserve.
Living in Wanaque Reserve, Marie was affectionately referred to by many as “little Marie”, but despite her diminutive stature, she quickly earned the reputation of being able to do extraordinary things. She rediscovered her love of crocheting and with that gift she made beautiful hats and blankets as well as outfits for little dolls and cute little stuffed bears. She also painted and did needlepoint from the designs and pictures she created, not designs pre-stamped on the canvas. All of these creations she lovingly made – some for family or friends but much to be donated to hospitals for sick children or anyone else who would be blessed by them.
Marie was graced with a dear life filled with the blessings of a great family and many friendships which developed as a result of her sweet, giving, charismatic nature. She lived with her heart tightly knit with God’s often reading and quoting scripture. It was this extraordinary faith that enabled her to bless others and sustained her through life’s trials such as the tragic loss of her son Michael in 2009. Through the bad and the good, Marie’s outlook is best summed up in what she would often tell others: “Live life in the present because it is a present.”
Marie was the loving wife of Rocco Martello who predeceased her in 1995; dear mother of Rosemarie Maldonado of Savannah, GA, Linda and husband Michael Firriolo of Wayne, and Michael Martello who predeceased her in 2009; cherished grandmother of Justine, Thomas, Jennette, and Andrew; adored great-grandmother of Evren; and dear sister of John, Christine, Dolores, Ralph, Roseann, Raymond, and Thomas. She was also predeceased by her brother Dominick and sister Regina.
Those planning an expression of sympathy in Marie’s name are asked to consider St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P.O Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148-0142 (www.stjude.org).
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Wednesday, August 26, 2015 from 2-4 and 7-9 PM.
A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:45 AM on Thursday, August 27, 2015 at Holy Trinity R.C. Church, 14-54 143rd Street, Whitestone, NY. Please meet directly at the church. Interment will follow at Pinelawn Memorial Park, Farmingdale, NY.
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Wednesday, August 26, 2015 from 2-4 and 7-9 PM.
A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:45 AM on Thursday, August 27, 2015 at Holy Trinity R.C. Church, 14-54 143rd Street, Whitestone, NY. Please meet directly at the church. Interment will follow at Pinelawn Memorial Park, Farmingdale, NY.
Marie T. Martello, age 88 of Wanaque and formerly of Woodside Queens, passed away peacefully on Saturday, August 22, 2015.
Born at home in Woodside Queens, NY, Marie was the third of Ralph and Yolanda Koplar’s ten children and she was also their oldest daughter. After graduating from high school, she worked for a time at a lingerie store, then she met the love of her life, a handsome young man named Rocco Martello. This loving couple married on Sunday, April 20, 1952 and initially settled in their first home together – an apartment in Astoria Queens. They eventually settled in Whitestone, NY where they rented another apartment before eventually purchasing their first home in the same town – a small white cape on 6th Ave.
After marriage, Marie soon found her life’s calling as a wife, mother and homemaker. She and Rocco were blessed with three beautiful children - daughters Rosemarie and Linda and their son Michael. Soon after Michael was born, the family moved once more, this time to 3rd Ave in Whitestone. For the next forty years, Marie called that raised ranch “home” and, by her loving and dedicated approach to her calling as a wife and mom, she provided a warm-hearted, comfortable and welcoming place for Rocco and the children to live. She was an excellent cook and her family especially enjoyed her home-made meatballs, manicotti, and chicken cutlets, as well as her delicious soups. Nobody made meatballs as good as Marie. Until Rocco’s passing in 1995, he and Marie got to share a blessed 43 year marriage including some great times together on exciting trips to Italy, Hawaii, Bermuda as well as to their condo in Florida. Marie also loved the blessing of being a doting grandma and great-grandmother to her four grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Marie remained in Whitestone until 2007 when she moved into Wanaque Reserve, a lovely 55+ retirement community in Wanaque, NJ, so that she could be closer to her daughter Linda.
Throughout her life, Marie professed a deep and personal faith in God and, by following Jesus’ example, she assumed numerous roles of service to countless folks that she was able to meet and bless though out her life.
One example of her selfless volunteerism took place when, as a young wife and mother, Marie was a member of the Maria Montessori Sons of Italy Lodge – a group that raised money to award scholarships and help in other philanthropic endeavors. It was through her involvement with this organization that Marie had her closest brush with fame when the producers of that famous 1972 blockbuster movie The Godfather approached Marie and the other members to be extras in the movie’s wedding scene. These ladies jumped at the chance to be movie stars and eagerly took the ride from Queens to Staten Island where that particular scene in the movie was filmed.
A long-time parishioner of Holy Trinity R.C. Church in Whitestone, Marie was very involved as a member of the weekly prayer group and, as an excellent and very creative seamstress, she designed and sewed an incredible array of huge decorative banners to adorn the church’s sanctuary and to send a message of hope or a life-lesson to her fellow parishioners. Always eager to serve, she also filled the role of Eucharistic Minister in the church as well as during her visits to the shut-in and infirmed residents at local nursing homes. The consummate servant, when Marie visited those residents she was also happy to clean their homes or bring them some special food if it made them happy. Recently she would sometimes say, “I used to visit them and now there are good-hearted people that visit me.”
Marie’s gift of serving was not just limited to helping the elderly. While raising her own children she gladly jumped at the opportunity to care for her neighbor’s daughter Christina so that Christina’s mom could go to work. In all, she took care of Christina for five whole years. It was Marie’s joy as she loved having babies around. Marie and Christina’s relationship lasted throughout the rest of Marie’s life.
Marie had numerous interests in life. Always busy enjoying doing something, she developed a real interest in artistic painting so she took some formal classes and began oil painting still life creations – especially fruits and flowers as well as landscapes being her favorites. Always believing that a sharp mind needed to be exercised, Marie regularly challenged herself with word puzzles and she played a lot of games – especially canasta and the Chinese game of Mah Jongg of which she was a master and both of which she played about twice a week when she was living at Wanaque Reserve.
Living in Wanaque Reserve, Marie was affectionately referred to by many as “little Marie”, but despite her diminutive stature, she quickly earned the reputation of being able to do extraordinary things. She rediscovered her love of crocheting and with that gift she made beautiful hats and blankets as well as outfits for little dolls and cute little stuffed bears. She also painted and did needlepoint from the designs and pictures she created, not designs pre-stamped on the canvas. All of these creations she lovingly made – some for family or friends but much to be donated to hospitals for sick children or anyone else who would be blessed by them.
Marie was graced with a dear life filled with the blessings of a great family and many friendships which developed as a result of her sweet, giving, charismatic nature. She lived with her heart tightly knit with God’s often reading and quoting scripture. It was this extraordinary faith that enabled her to bless others and sustained her through life’s trials such as the tragic loss of her son Michael in 2009. Through the bad and the good, Marie’s outlook is best summed up in what she would often tell others: “Live life in the present because it is a present.”
Marie was the loving wife of Rocco Martello who predeceased her in 1995; dear mother of Rosemarie Maldonado of Savannah, GA, Linda and husband Michael Firriolo of Wayne, and Michael Martello who predeceased her in 2009; cherished grandmother of Justine, Thomas, Jennette, and Andrew; adored great-grandmother of Evren; and dear sister of John, Christine, Dolores, Ralph, Roseann, Raymond, and Thomas. She was also predeceased by her brother Dominick and sister Regina.
Those planning an expression of sympathy in Marie’s name are asked to consider St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P.O Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148-0142 (www.stjude.org).
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