Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Calls outside of office hours? No worries! Our team will respond within 10–15 minutes.
September 12, 2013
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Sunday, September 15, 2013 from 2-6 PM.
A funeral service will be held at 10:30 AM at the funeral home on Monday, September 16, 2013. Burial will follow at the Christ the King Cemetery, Franklin Lakes, NJ.
Shirley Losito, age 78 of Wayne, died peacefully at home on Thursday, September 12, 2013. Her family was gathered at her bedside when she passed. Shirley and her husband Vito have been residents of Lions Head Lake in Wayne since 1961.
Shirley was born in Windsor, England, home to the famed “Windsor Castle.” She grew up in Staines, just outside of London. Her earliest years were defined by the events of World War II, when life around London was very difficult and dangerous. Throughout her life, she shared stories of having very little food for their family and no meat in their diet for days on end during the war.
During her early career, Shirley was a switchboard operator at the newly constructed Stansted Airport, just outside of London. She also worked a few nights a week at a café which also served as a base for the local taxi service. On one particular evening, an American soldier came into the café needing a taxi. His name was Vito Losito, and while waiting for a car to arrive, Shirley served him a cup of tea and they started talking. Vito was stationed right at the Stansted Airport and he came back a few more times to have tea with Shirley. They soon fell in love and in 1957 the two of them came to America. They married on June 22, 1957 at St. Francis de Chantal Parish in the Bronx and enjoyed a honeymoon to the Poconos. They settled in Lions Head Lake, Wayne and have been living there for fifty two years.
Over the years, Shirley was an active tennis player, founding member of the Wayne Tennis Club, and also played in Fairfield. She had occasion to umpire a few professional matches. She loved to tell the story of when she was a line umpire at a professional match in Roseland. After spotting the ball “out”, the player, who is an internationally well-known tennis player, came over to Shirley and called her an “old bat!” She got the biggest kick out of that. She also traveled extensively with Vito, visiting Italy a few times, Florida and the Jersey Shore. Her favorite restaurant was Sam’s Maple Grove in Lincoln Park, where they used to serve the best whiskey sours and shrimp cocktail. She loved listening to Dean Martin sing and had speakers installed throughout the house and outside too, so no matter where you went you could still hear Dean crooning away. She loved gardening as well and was often outside manicuring the shrubs, flowers and trees. She kept their Japanese maple tree trimmed perfectly.
Her sons recall her being the most loving mother. She never let them want for anything and at Christmas and birthdays, she spoiled them every time. She had a big heart with a caring soul and with each scraped knee, stubbed toe or boo-boo, there was no better place to be than in her loving arms. She was the best mom they could have ever dreamed of having and will miss her dearly.
Shirley is survived by her loving husband of fifty six years; Vito, two sons; Anthony and his wife Paula, Robert and his wife Terry, six grandchildren; Alexis, Alyssa, Anthony, Ashleigh, Alyson, and Aiden, and one sister; Leslie Khalaf and her husband Majid of Vero Beach, FL.
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 Sunday, September 15, 2013 from 2-6 PM.
A funeral service will be held at 10:30 AM at the funeral home on Monday, September 16, 2013. Burial will follow at the Christ the King Cemetery, Franklin Lakes, NJ.
September 12, 2013
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Sunday, September 15, 2013 from 2-6 PM.
A funeral service will be held at 10:30 AM at the funeral home on Monday, September 16, 2013. Burial will follow at the Christ the King Cemetery, Franklin Lakes, NJ.
Shirley Losito, age 78 of Wayne, died peacefully at home on Thursday, September 12, 2013. Her family was gathered at her bedside when she passed. Shirley and her husband Vito have been residents of Lions Head Lake in Wayne since 1961.
Shirley was born in Windsor, England, home to the famed “Windsor Castle.” She grew up in Staines, just outside of London. Her earliest years were defined by the events of World War II, when life around London was very difficult and dangerous. Throughout her life, she shared stories of having very little food for their family and no meat in their diet for days on end during the war.
During her early career, Shirley was a switchboard operator at the newly constructed Stansted Airport, just outside of London. She also worked a few nights a week at a café which also served as a base for the local taxi service. On one particular evening, an American soldier came into the café needing a taxi. His name was Vito Losito, and while waiting for a car to arrive, Shirley served him a cup of tea and they started talking. Vito was stationed right at the Stansted Airport and he came back a few more times to have tea with Shirley. They soon fell in love and in 1957 the two of them came to America. They married on June 22, 1957 at St. Francis de Chantal Parish in the Bronx and enjoyed a honeymoon to the Poconos. They settled in Lions Head Lake, Wayne and have been living there for fifty two years.
Over the years, Shirley was an active tennis player, founding member of the Wayne Tennis Club, and also played in Fairfield. She had occasion to umpire a few professional matches. She loved to tell the story of when she was a line umpire at a professional match in Roseland. After spotting the ball “out”, the player, who is an internationally well-known tennis player, came over to Shirley and called her an “old bat!” She got the biggest kick out of that. She also traveled extensively with Vito, visiting Italy a few times, Florida and the Jersey Shore. Her favorite restaurant was Sam’s Maple Grove in Lincoln Park, where they used to serve the best whiskey sours and shrimp cocktail. She loved listening to Dean Martin sing and had speakers installed throughout the house and outside too, so no matter where you went you could still hear Dean crooning away. She loved gardening as well and was often outside manicuring the shrubs, flowers and trees. She kept their Japanese maple tree trimmed perfectly.
Her sons recall her being the most loving mother. She never let them want for anything and at Christmas and birthdays, she spoiled them every time. She had a big heart with a caring soul and with each scraped knee, stubbed toe or boo-boo, there was no better place to be than in her loving arms. She was the best mom they could have ever dreamed of having and will miss her dearly.
Shirley is survived by her loving husband of fifty six years; Vito, two sons; Anthony and his wife Paula, Robert and his wife Terry, six grandchildren; Alexis, Alyssa, Anthony, Ashleigh, Alyson, and Aiden, and one sister; Leslie Khalaf and her husband Majid of Vero Beach, FL.
Guestbook