Dear Marguerite--------------Your Mom was such a kind and loving lady. I was so sorry to hear of her passing. I tell everyone that I got my love of Italian food from your Mom's terrific cooking. Growing-up, I know that I ate every day at your house. Take care of yourself and give my love and sympathy to your family. Marie Kerwin Kretowitz

A candle was lit by Diane Mannarino on 2019/01/16

So very sorry for your loss. Remember her with much love and affection.

My Grandmother Ada was so much to so many people, but this is just a little something I wrote from a Grandchild's point of view. As sad as I am to write this, I cannot help but to also feel so proud at the same time. So proud of my Grandmother who overcame so many obstacles in her almost 91 years. After my Grandfather Michael died, She was left to raise six young children alone, in a country where she did not speak the language, or did not even drive a car. But, she did it, and she did it well. Throughout her life, She lost two Husbands, She lost two Children, and She lost a Grandson. Somehow, Her resilience and love for her family took her to 90 years old. She took pride in her family, and boy did she love us Gandchildren. She was exactly what you would want a Grandma to be. It's hard to explain, but she gave us an unconditional love that made you just feel like you were so special. She played with us, She would try to scare us to be funny, and when we would get hurt, no matter how small the injury, She would always make a big deal out it. It was like She really felt your pain. She was Very compassionate. When we were all young and She lived in Virgina, It was the most exciting time when She would come back to NJ. I remember just sitting at the door of my house anxiously awaiting Pop Pop Sal's luxury sedan to roll down the street. One memory that will always stick in my head is a sleepover at Uncle Tony & Aunt Neva's house with the cousins. We sat at the kitchen table after everyone else went to bed playing king in the corn, (Actually Corner) eating peanuts in the shell, while Nonna cracked a cold can of beer... and then passed it around the table so we could all taste it. One(a) sip each. We played that game at alot of tables, and we ate alot of those peanuts, and alot of everything she made. As she would say, "I maka piga myself". Sidenote; She was known to have eaten a record breaking amount of corn on the cobs in one sitting. You couldn't go to her house without getting a three course meal. If you brought friends, they would eat too, because they were too skinny. Speaking of Virginia, We all took our turns going there. Sometimes cousins together, sometimes seperate, but always the best time. She would take us to Bush Gardens and we would have garage sales. One of her most favorite things. The last garage sale was about eight years ago at my parents house where we caught her arguing with a potential customer who offered .25 cents for an old plastic drain board, when we were asking .50. We eventually convinced her, and she chased the lady all the way down the yard to make the sale. She had the best sense of humor, she was like a big kid. If I was sick in bed I could count on her coming in with a sheet over her head and 2 spatulas in hand pretending she was a ghost to cheer me up. She was funny and fun. She loved dancing, and she loved singing. She had a beautiful voice. You could bet she would call you every year on your birthday and sing to you. And ALWAYS hold the last note. (I have these saved) She obviously loved cooking, but didn't really like it when you cooked something and brought it to her table. Although, she humored you. She also loved chinese food. My Mom once told me that was the first thing she wanted to eat when she got off the plane on a trip to Italy. She never really liked any of the gifts I gave her, she always told me "you like, you keep" because she never needed anything! I started gifting her food. Worked out better. She loved getting cards in the mail, and if you didn't send one, your photo came down temporarily. She loved her soap operas (stories), and she loved Wheel of Fortune! Even though she never REALLY mastered the English language. Us Grandkids never stopped teasing her for it. We would torture her to repeat words and phrases that were difficult for her to say because we thought it was so funny. Our friends loved it too. She played right along, that's who she was. I'll miss the chalkboard on her wall with everyone's phone numbers that looked something like a soduku puzzle. Only she could figure out, and we would have so much fun trying to decode her grocery lists. Whatever language those were in. She had an endless amount of phrases that we will carry with us forever like "boy oh boy holla joy". She loved telling her favorite joke that had something to do with "mustard". She loved dogs, she called them all "jubooboo". She helped take care of me when I was born, and when I was a bratty teenager, she let me live with her. She was so strong, I will remember her cooking, her stories about Italy, family, and the old days (that we all wondered if were true), digging my car out of the snow so I could sleep in, (and backing it out), making me laugh, and getting mad at me for always laughing at everything. She called me Anna Maria, Enn, or Anuccia." "Annuccia, Annuccia, meeta cap rin du cappuccia." I'll I will forever be grateful and carry her with me always. I know I'll see her again one day, so like her, I won't say "Goodbye Jack" just a "See you lata". Rest in Peace, My Nonna. Love you Forever

Please accept our deepest condolences for your family's loss.