Matthew M. Marakovitz

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Matthew M. Marakovitz, age 86, of Wayne NJ.

Matthew, the older of two sons, was born to Matthew and Elizabeth Marakovitz. While growing up, he and his family lived in Garfield and Clifton before settling in East Paterson, now known as Elmwood Park. He attended St. Leo’s Catholic School for several years, often recollecting that this is where he acquired his facility with math facts and calculation.

As a teenager living in Elmwood Park, Matthew attended Lodi High School. He played on the varsity basketball team and was a member of the glee club. He made friends easily, culminating in being crowned “king” of the junior prom and voted Typical High School Boy and Most Popular. Fifty years and many memories later, he served on the reunion committee, celebrating his high school years and bringing together his classmates.  

Following his graduation from Lodi High School with the class of 1956, Matthew found employment quickly as a teller at the Bank of Passaic and Trust Company. In 1957, he enlisted in the United States Army. He was stationed in Schweinfurt, Germany, which whetted his appetite for travel, a passion he avidly pursued later in life. He was a member of the Color Guard and the recipient of the Good Conduct Medal. Matthew served honorably and proudly in the US Army from 1957 to 1959.

After being discharged from the US military, Matthew returned to banking. He honed his skills and advanced to Assistant Vice President at the Bank of Passaic and Clifton. In 1968, he moved to National State Bank for five years. He returned to the Bank of Passaic and Clifton/Valley National Bank where in 1976 he was promoted to Senior Vice President of Marketing. He made two more moves in his career, first to North Jersey Savings and Loan Association and, finally, to the Trust Company of New Jersey. In 2000, he retired from his position as Senior Vice President, Regional Business Development Officer, at the Trust Company of NJ.

Throughout over 40 years in banking, Matthew brought his indefatigable energy, creativity and business acumen to roles in marketing, personnel, and business development. He built strong professional and personal relationships, never hesitated to serve as a mentor, and valued giving back to the community. He was an active member of numerous organizations including Junior Achievement, Passaic Jaycees, The Red Cross, Salvation Army, The Heart Fund, and United Way. He served on the Board of Directors of the Clifton/Passaic Regional Chamber of Commerce. In 1999, he was unanimously elected as Chairman of the Board of the North Jersey Regional Chamber of Commerce. He was known for his strategic vision, passion for local businesses and community engagement.  

Matthew met the love of his life, Lois Jane Keyser, roller skating. Saturday night at the local rink was ‘pick-up night;’ Matthew asked her to skate with him and the rest was history. After dating for a few years including the time that Matthew served in the US Army, he proposed to Lois in Goffle Brook Park while they were listening to the “Caballeros” band play on the lawn. As fate would have it, on July 1, 1961, they were married at St. Leo’s Roman Catholic Church in Elmwood Park. The two went on to cherish nearly fifty-two years of marriage until Lois’ passing in February of 2013.  The couple settled and remained in Wayne where they raised both of their daughters - Susan and Sharon.

Nothing in the world meant more to Matthew than providing for and spending time with his family. As a provider, he worked hard and maintained a beautiful home. As a father, he led by example. He took care of the day-to-day and passed on his values. He was a parishioner of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church and raised his daughters in the Catholic faith. He truly held his wife and girls close to his heart throughout his life, celebrating their successes as if they were his own and supporting them however he could.  

He rounded out his full life with many hobbies and interests, always sharing these with others and making many friends along the way. He was a sports enthusiast, holding season tickets for the Giants and following the Yankees. He was also an avid bowler, ping pong player, and ice skater. He enjoyed skiing, a sport which he and his wife Lois first learned in their forties. Matthew and his wife Lois took ballroom and country western dance lessons regularly.  With their close friends, they enjoyed musicals at the Paper Mill Playhouse. After retiring, Matthew and Lois traveled together extensively along with their close friends. They visited many places in the U.S. and went abroad to Europe, traveling to Austria, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and Russia. They also visited many of the U.S. National Parks and covered the Eastern Seaboard from Maine to Florida on their many family vacations.

Matthew will be forever remembered as a devoted husband, father, and man who had a magnetic personality that drew people to him. He had friends from every walk of life and maintained some friends for over 60 years. He could easily strike up a conversation and captivate an audience with his talent for public speaking and storytelling. He was kind, generous, disciplined and civic minded. He will live on in our loving memories and be forever missed.

Matthew is survived by his two daughters; Sharon Marakovitz of Lincoln Park, NJ, and Susan Marakovitz of Cambridge, MA, one brother Edward Marakovitz and his wife Dorinda Jaquith of Somerville, MA, and two nephews; Christopher Marakovitz, and Matthew Marakovitz.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Matthew’s name may be made to the Wayne Township Memorial First Aid Squad or the United Way of Northern New Jersey