Obituary of Mary A. Pelliccio

Mary A. Pelliccio

January 17, 1925 – September 20, 2022

Loving wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother passed away on September 20, 2022 at the age of 97.

She lived an adventurous life.  Born in Hoboken, NJ from immigrant parents they did their best to thrive in the United States. She had two sisters, Madeline and Rose and a brother, Ferdinando Jr., who have also passed.

She was originally named Angela Maria Bianco and later baptized as Mary Anita Bianco. She grew up during the depression and made the best of her modest life.  She only had two dresses in high school and alternated them accordingly.  She was a shy young lady by her own admission but had a small group of friends that she shared adventures with.

After graduating High School, Mary found a job and would socialize with her girlfriends. They often went to New York City and took in the sites, movies and restaurants. She was a city girl at heart and loved the hustle, bustle and excitement that the city offered.

She met her future husband, John Pelliccio, at a dance and they dated for just 9 months before they married when she was 22 years old. They initially struggled financially in the early years until her husband became a very successful life insurance salesman.  They lived in Lodi, New Jersey for many years and had five children.

In 1962, her husband was offered an opportunity to work in Europe. Mary loved to travel and wanted to see more of the world, so she packed up her children and took them all on a ship to Europe to join her husband. The family lived in France initially for the first four months and then moved to Germany for the remaining three years.

The family returned to the United States in 1965 and moved to Oak Ridge, NJ a short time later.  The house was on two acres and next to a lake.  The family enjoyed the many benefits of the lakeside location especially in the summer and winter months.

Mary liked to garden and grew flowers which lined the outside of the house. She would feed the birds and hang the bed sheets outside to let the soft wind dry them.  She would often sing as she attended to the housework and there was always music in the house.

She loved the Shirley Temple movies and aspired to be a dancer herself.  She admired the Hollywood actors and singers at the time, especially Frank Sinatra! Another favorite was Connie Francis.

She was a dedicated mother and loyal wife.  She was a friend to everyone in the neighborhood and had a teasing and quick wit in conversation.  One never knew what gems would come from her inquisitive mind at any time. 

The marriage lasted for 25 years. Her children were grown and four of them were on their own by then.

“If it is to be, it is up to me” was the motto that Mary lived by. After her divorce, the family house was sold and she moved to Honolulu, Hawaii knowing only one person there to help her set up her new life. She lived there for 14 years, spending many days enjoying the ocean and the beauty of the tropical island.

At 70 years old she retired and moved back to the mainland, settling in the sunny town of Delray Beach, Florida. At first, she rented a condominium and then purchased it a few years later. That was a major step for her and every day she would marvel at the fact that she owned this comfortable, lovely place.

She enjoyed her life walking in the sunshine and swimming often until she was in her 90s. In February of 2022, her daughter, Janet, moved to Florida to take care of her.  In March of 2022 at 97 years old, she was diagnosed with metastatic cancer. She was not in pain but the consequences of the disease proved critical to her health and she passed away quietly with her daughters at her side.

She is survived by her five children, Rosemarie, John, Janet, Michael and Anita. Five grandchildren, Michelle, Joseph and Christine, along with two step grandchildren Jacob, and Isaac Marcinuk, two great grandchildren, James and Mila, a daughter-in law, Ellen, wife of Michael, son-in- law, Keith Ryan, husband of Anita, and nephew in law, Adam Harrison, husband of Michelle.

We celebrate the unique life of Mary A. Pelliccio – loved by all.

Memorial Service is October 1^st, Saturday from 2-4pm at M.John Scanlan Funeral Home, Pompton Plains.  A repast will follow.