Mary E. Ihne

Mary E. Ihne (nee Vojvodich), age 90 of Cedar Crest Village in Pompton Plains, formerly a 58 year resident of North Bergen, passed peacefully on Tuesday, October 6, 2020.

Mary was the loving wife of twenty-five years to the late Robert Ihne (d.1981); loving mother of John Ihne and his wife Bernadette of Wayne, and Joseph Ihne of Denville; cherished grandmother of John Ihne, Jr. and his wife Katelyn of Parsippany, and Gina Fernicola and her husband Joseph of Randolph; she was the dearly loved great-grandmother of John “Jack” Ihne, III, Nicholas Fernicola, and Madison Ihne; she was the loved sister of Mario Vojvodich and his wife Barbara of Pompton Plains; and dearly loved aunt of Laura Eisen.

Mary was born in Jersey City to Martin and Jaka Vojvodich.  She was raised on 12th Street in Union City and graduated from St. Michael’s High School in Union City with the Class of 1948.  Just out of high school, she soon found work as a secretary at the Netherlands Trading Society Bank in New York City.  She often spoke of how she would walk in heels from her home in Jersey City to the Path Train then to the office in the city through the rain and snow. During this time, she also worked as a seamstress helping friends and family with wedding and evening gowns.

Mary met the love of her life, Robert Ihne, through mutual friends, Marian and Don Addas.  They married on November 24, 1956, at St. Joseph’s Church in Union City, then drove to Niagara Falls in their blue and white Dodge Coronet for their honeymoon.  They started their life together on Congress Street in Jersey City where their first son, John was born.  Shortly thereafter they purchased their first and only home on 76th Street in North Bergen where their marriage was again blessed with their second son, Joseph.  They had a loving and devoted marriage of twenty-five years before Robert’s passing in August of 1981.

After dedicating herself to raising her two boys, Mary returned to work as a bookkeeper at the Balance Foods Store in North Bergen and eventually retired from the law firm of Verde, Steinberg & Pontell, LLC in Hackensack at the age of 87 after 25 plus years.  She was known as “Miss Mary” by all of her co-workers and was loved and respected by all who worked with her.

Mary was always particular about her appearance and never went out without her accessories and the right shoes. She loved New York City, and was always out on the town with her many friends to see Operas, Ballets and Plays and was a member of the Metropolitan Opera Society.

Those who knew Mary knew she couldn’t sit still.  She was at the movies each month, went out to dinner with friends, and loved to attend dances, aside from her love of dancing, she also traveled extensively.  Newly widowed, she booked trips to Bermuda and Hawaii with travel tours.  However, she was never alone for long as she met and kept friends from each trip she was on.  Mary could and would talk to anyone.  She had a kind and compassionate way about her and many of whom she met quickly became fast friends.  She cruised the Mississippi on the River Boat Queen, went to England and boarded the Queen Mary II for a cruise.  She loved the casinos and visited Las Vegas many times.

Being of Croatian descent, Mary visited her family and friends in Korcula many times over the years.  In fact, Mary was the first stop for family who emigrated from Croatia. She helped with translation, locating housing, and employment while assisting them through everyday life in America. She often was the NYC ‘tour guide’ for many of her overseas family who stayed with her for weeks at a time - never saying no to their visit no matter when they planned to arrive.

Most of all Mary cherished her family and friends. She was a caring friend to anyone who needed her help in times of need. She would visit, bring food, and comfort not only her family and extended family, but her friends and did so without hesitation.  Mary volunteered at a nursing home after her dear friend Rose passed and quickly made more friends who also cherished her friendship till this day.

She attended church every Sunday and afterwards would join her friends at the area diners for brunch. Mary enjoyed dancing and could often be found at The Bayway in Elizabeth, The Coupe in Fairview, or the Fort Lee Senior Center dancing up a storm. . Whenever you visited Mary, you could find her sitting at the kitchen table with her feet up, phone on her ear, laughing and chatting away. She was always there when you needed her, she was selfless, loyal, and an easy-to-talk-to confidant. Her children, grandchildren and family will always remember the holidays and the delicious Histula and Christmas Cookies she prepared with so much love and hard work.  The cookies were put in her dozen or more tins and the Histula would be placed gently in huge coat boxes and stored on the bed in the guest room.  When the cookies came out on Christmas Day, everyone enjoyed the love she put into them.

Mary adored her grandchildren and was fortunate enough to know and love her three great-grandchildren.  Her grandchildren, John and Gina, were her pride and joy. They could do nothing wrong. She was their ‘Grandma’ and they loved her more than anything.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to Saint Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN would be greatly appreciated.