Susan Accunzo

Susan Accunzo (nee Bartosiewicz), age 65, of Verona passed away peacefully after a courageous battle with cancer on Tuesday, May 28, 2019 while receiving the loving care of her family.

Susan was born and raised in Newark, NJ and was one of seven children to Theodore and Cecelia Bartosiewicz.  She lived in Riegelsville, PA and Belleville, NJ until moving to Verona several years ago.  Susan attended Catholic school in her formative years and later was accepted to Essex County Vocational High School in Newark where she studied Cosmetology.  After graduating with the class of 1972, Susan found employment quickly at Margaret Beauty Salon.  Susan worked there for about seven years and in 1979 she welcomed her first daughter Denise.  Susan took about a year off from work to be with her daughter and then continued her employment for the same company until 1983 when she welcomed her second daughter Darlene.  After the birth of her second child, Susan remained a freelancing Hairstylist for the next twelve or thirteen years.  From 1996 until 2007, Susan branched out on her own.  She started and maintained two Hair Salons, one at Wellington Nursing home in Hackensack as well as one in Clara Maass Continuing Care Center in Belleville.   Susan was able to manage both of these salons until she was forced to stop working due to her illness.

Susan was quite talented in the arts and crafts genre over the years.  There weren’t many things that Susan couldn’t make.  She created countless home and holiday decorative crafts for her friends and family over the years.  Along with her talent for arts and crafts, Susan was gifted at the skill of organization and cleanliness.  She loved to clean and organize, for a while she was given the nickname “Swiffer Sue.  She had a variety of personalized   techniques for folding clothes, sheets and organizing her closets and drawers.  Susan was a great cook and treasured hosting family parties and holidays at her home over the years.  Susan also enjoyed bowling in women’s leagues in Belleville throughout the years.

Aside from all of Susan’s skills, talents and hobbies, her greatest passion was for her family.  Susan’s true calling was to be a mother and this is where she flourished.  She was always there for her children growing up.  She was a member of the PTA for many years and always volunteered to be a class mom and chaperone for her daughters while they were in school.  She was a caring and compassionate person throughout her entire life.  She was a devoted mother and grandmother.  One of the most accurate words to describe Susan was “selfless.”   Susan was an extraordinary woman, she was strong and fearless while facing her illness, yet she was always thinking of others before herself, up until her very last days.  Susan touched the lives of many people and will be sincerely missed by her family and friends alike.

Susan is survived by her two daughters, Denise Accunzo and her partner Miguel of Pompano Beach, FL, and Darlene Fusco and her husband Michael of Pequannock, one sister Dorothy Fichner of Barnegat, four brothers Theodore Bartosiewicz and his wife Jane of Arlington, TX, Edward Bartosiewicz and his partner Alice of Riegelsville, PA, Alan Bartosiewicz and his partner Carol of Belleville, and Mark Bartosiewicz and his wife Debbie of Easton, PA, four grandchildren Mia Fusco, Michael Fusco, Arianna Gonzalez, and Gianna Gonzalez.  She was predeceased by his sister Barbara Brady and by his brother-in-law Tony Fichner.

In lieu of flowers, those planning to make a donation in Susan’s name are asked to consider National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, 12221 Merit Drive, Suite 1950, Dallas, TX 75251.  https://events.ovarian.org/nocc/Donate