Virginia Di Maria

Virginia Di Maria (nee Baldanza), age 100, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, with her family at her side.

She was born at home in Passaic to Liborio and Rosina Baldanza on July 5,1924. Virginia graduated from Passaic High School with the Class of 1941. Virginia met the love of her life Charles Di Maria in high school when Virginia passed a candy heart to Charles in homeroom. They enjoyed their first date at Rutt’s Hut and the rest is history! In 1943, Charles was called to serve in WWII and was stationed by the US Army in California. Virginia, accompanied by her sister Sara, followed soon after traveling cross country by train. Charles was able to get a leave from the Army just long enough to marry Virginia on September 17, 1943, at St. Patrick's Church in Watsonville, California. While in California, Virginia worked at a bus depot where she became a skilled bookkeeper. Just before the war ended, her husband was transferred to the Hawaiian Island of Oahu and expecting her first child Virginia moved back to Passaic, NJ to live with her mom. She gave birth to her first daughter Barbara while her husband was stationed in Hawaii. Soon after the war ended, Charles returned to the States and they lived in the Army barracks in Passaic. As the family grew, they moved to Wayne in 1954, where they would live the rest of their lives and raise their family. Their marriage was blessed with three more children: Charles, Linda, and Diane. Virginia and Charles were married for nearly 75 years before his passing in April of 2018.

Virginia was the epitome of the perfect wife and mother with a reserved demeanor that exuded grace and elegance. Her family would tease her as she would sometimes refer to herself as “Ginny Perfect”!  She was known for her meticulous attention to detail in her dress, always appearing immaculately “put together”.  Her home reflected her impeccable standards, always taking pride in maintaining a pristine home. While she had a passion for fashion, she began her retail career at Wechsler’s in Passaic, followed by several area retail boutiques including Belle’s at Willowbrook Mall and Fun & Fashion, both in Wayne. Behind her gentle exterior, she possessed a strong-willed, independent, and determined spirit, always standing firm in her beliefs and values. Above all, her love for her family was unwavering, serving as the foundation of her strength and devotion.

For many years she enjoyed traveling with her husband, spending summers at Green Pond, and wintering at PGA National in West Palm Beach, FL. All while maintaining her home in Wayne as a place for her family to gather for holidays and family get-togethers. Her children fondly remember Sunday Macaroni dinners, fighting over the last meatball, and Christmas celebrations in the basement of their home. Her grandchildren and great-great grandchildren will always remember her as being the Mrs. Claus to her husband’s Santa Claus. Virginia loved to read and enjoyed visits to the Wayne library and the weekly “beauty parlor” visits! Both she and Charles were members of the Wayne Elks and the North Jersey Country Club in Wayne.

Virginia was the loving wife of the late Charles Di Maria (d. 2018); loving mother of the late Barbara Sova (d.2022) and her surviving husband Dr. Robert Sova of West Milford, Charles E. Di Maria and his wife Geraldine of Barnegat, Linda Finke and her husband Frank of Wood-Ridge, and Diane Di Maria of Voorhees. She was the proud grandmother of Laurie Dittmeier (Paul), Robert Sova, Jr. (Gissela), Charles Di Maria (Cara), Joseph Di Maria (Holly), Stephen Di Maria, Kevin Finke, Melissa Crews (Raymond), and Stephanie Finke (Karin). She was also the cherished “Mema” of Kylee and Ryan Dittmeier, Louis and Ashlynn Di Maria, Gianna and Vincent Di Maria, Anthony Finke, Emilie Christensen, and Kameron, Makayla, Lexi, and Ryleigh Crews. Affectionately known as Aunt Ginny to many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital would be greatly appreciated.