Mildred Madonia

Mildred R. Madonia, age 95, of Wayne passed away Saturday, March 21, 2026.

Born in Hackensack Hospital, in Hackensack NJ, on December 20, 1930, to parents John and Mildred Ferraro, Mildred grew up in Lyndhurst, New Jersey alongside her brother Jack, and her two sisters, Barbara and Joann. 

Mildred was a bright and ambitious young girl who was so proud to have skipped the third grade. After graduating from Lyndhurst High School in 1947, she got her first job at Prudential Insurance in Newark, NJ as an office worker. She stayed with Prudential for 15 years before starting a new quest at the former Haband Clothing Store in Prospect Park, NJ.

Mildred met her husband of 60 years, Vincent “Jimmy” Madonia, at a dance in Passaic, NJ on October 29, 1949. They married a year and a half later at Sacred Heart Church in Lyndhurst, NJ on Sunday, January 7, 1951, during an ice storm. They honeymooned at Split Rock Lodge in the Poconos. 

After the wedding, Mildred and Jimmy moved to Virginia for a few months so that Jimmy could complete boot camp before being deployed to the Philippines. With Jimmy serving his country in the Philippines, Mildred moved back in with her parents in Lyndhurst. Two years later, Jimmy was discharged and the two moved in with Jimmy’s parents before buying their house together in Wayne, NJ in 1963.

When she wasn’t working, Mildred found joy in baking, making ceramics, and being a member of the American Legion, as well as being a member of the Elks Lodge in Wayne. In her retired years, Mildred loved attending her grandchildren’s sporting events, as she was an avid supporter of theirs. 

Mildred was best described by her family and friends as outgoing, smart, charismatic, and of course, stubborn! Even until her final days, Mildred was as bright as ever and loving to all who were around her. 

Mildred was the loving wife of Vincent “Jimmy” Madonia, blessed in marriage until Jimmy’s passing in 2011. She is survived by her son Jim Madonia, daughter Janice and husband Tom Flaherty; four grandkids: Matthew, Samantha, Alex, and Nick Madonia; and her sister Joann Luzzi. Mildred was also predeceased by her parents John and Mildred Ferraro, her sister Barbara Smith, her brother Jack Ferraro, her brother-in-law Nunzi Luzzi and her sister-in-law Shelley Ferraro.