Jacqueline Montanaro, 40, of Hazlet died on Saturday, January 14th as a result of a fire at their home.

She was born in Perth Amboy and raised in Fords. Jackie graduated from Woodbridge High School in 2000 and was a 2004 graduate of the University of Delaware with a Political Science Degree, with a concentration in International Studies. In 2007, she joined the Customs and Border Protection Agency at John F. Kennedy Airport, later working at Newark Liberty International Airport. She had risen to the rank of Supervisory Officer.

Jackie enjoyed sharing good wine and good food with family and friends. She was a ballroom dancer, and loved to dance Salsa and Merengue. Jackie loved to travel and, recently returned with her family from a trip to Italy, where they visited Rome and then went south to the Puglia region visiting her husband Will’s family in Polignano a Mare.

Her daughter, Madelyn Rose, died on Saturday afternoon as a result of the tragic fire at their home.

Surviving is her husband, William Montanaro; their daughter, Elena; her parents, Debra and Joseph Autera, and Fred and Jenny Shubert; her grandmother Dolores Pinelli; her sister Marisa Autera and her fiancé Timothy Kinsey; her brothers Anthony Autera and Jason Shubert and his wife Jessy; her Uncle Robert and Aunt Margaret, Her Uncle Bruce and Kremena, her Aunt Vickie, father-in-law and mother-in-law Raffaele and Linda Montanaro and many cousins.

Jackie was to be the matron of honor and Madelyn to be the flower girl at Marisa and Tim’s wedding this coming fall.

Visitation will be Wednesday and Thursday, January 18th and 19th 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Holmdel Funeral Home, 26 S. Holmdel Road, Holmdel. Mass of Christian Burial, Friday, January 20th, 10 a.m., St. Benedict’s RC Church, 165 Bethany Rd, Holmdel, NJ 07733. Entombment will follow at Holmdel Mausoleum, Holmdel.

To share a message of condolence please visit Jackie and Madelyn’s page of tributes at www.holmdelfuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Raine Foundation.

A Message from Will Montanaro:

All,

First, our entire family would like to say thank you to the first responders for their tireless efforts, the nurses and hospital staff for their care and understanding, and our Hazlet neighbors and broader Jersey Shore community for rallying by our side in this extraordinarily difficult and painful time.

Jackie was a devoted Customs and Border Protection officer, and we thank her colleagues and the agency for their ongoing support and love. They have been boundless in their efforts for us, even as they grieve for their friend.

Words cannot express the overall gratitude and outpouring of support for myself and Elena. We are humbled.

I am heartbroken. I have lost the love of my life – my beautiful wife, Jackie – and my sweet, loving, spunky little girl, Madelyn.

Jackie was a hero.

When I rushed back into the house for Madelyn, I became enveloped in a massive amount of thick, hot black smoke. Without hesitation, Jackie then charged in with a mother’s love and the courage of a police officer fueling her attempt to save our daughter.

I am now focused on getting my daughter the support and help she’s going to need, so we can rebuild our lives together.

A search continues for our beloved dog, Duchess. Thank you to our neighbors and the scores of people, the Hazlet Police Department and surrounding communities’ law enforcement who have been, and continue to, press to find her.

At this point in time, I please ask that you respect our privacy. I need to lay my family to rest and put 100% of my attention on my daughter, Elena.

With all my love,

William Montanaro