Maria Bondarenko (Stambula), 88, passed away peacefully at her home in Hardyston, NJ after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. Maria was born on September 14, 1932 in Mariupol, Ukraine and immigrated to the United States in 1950. In New Jersey, Maria reconnected with the love of her life, Wasyl, and started a family. 

Maria better known as “baba” lived for her family and grandchildren. Maria was not content unless one of her seven grandchildren were over swimming in her pool and eating one of her classic dishes. Maria had a knack for gardening and maintained a pristine yard full of flowers and a garden full of vegetables. She also enjoyed making pierogis every Thursday at her Ukrainian Orthodox Church and getting together with her friends. Maria will be remembered for her small stature but larger than life smile and warm heart. 

Maria is predeceased by her loving husband, Wasyl as well as her son George Bondarenko. She is survived by her beloved children Tina Sili and husband Dean, Irene Upritchard and husband Doug and her daughter in law Patricia Bondarenko; seven grandchildren, Kristen Bondarenko, Jaclyn Karas and husband Steve, Kelly Harclerode and husband Rob, Kathryn Bondarenko, Nicholas Sili, Alexander Sili, Christopher Sili as well as three great grandchildren, Harrison , Juliette and Hailey . All will miss her dearly.

A Funeral Service will be held Thursday, March 18, 2021 at 11 AM at Holy Ascension Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 635 Broad Street, Clifton with interment to follow at Laurel Grove Cemetery, Totowa.
www.pizzifuneralhome.com

Vasilia P Tauriello (Bess), 80, of Northvale, NJ passed away March 13, 2021, with her family by her side. She was born in Bethlehem, PA., and graduated from Moravian College in Bethlehem; consequently, teaching in the Public School System there. She also taught at Charles DeWolf Middle School in Old Tappan, NJ.

She was married to the late Robert A. Tauriello; and was cherished mother of Melanie and Robert and his wife, Stacey and granddaughter, Lexi.  

Bess worked at AAA North Jersey of Oradell NJ for over 20 years.  She enjoyed traveling and took many amazing trips worldwide.  After retiring from AAA, she joined the Northvale senior center and was part of the lovely crochet club, where they met to make items for donation to patients, called Knots of Love.

Services and viewing will be held at Metropolitan Cathedral St. John the Theologian, Tenafly, NJ, Wednesday, March 17^th at 11 A.M (viewing) and 12:00pm (service)  http://stjohntenafly.org/

View the livestream through the link below on Wednesday, March 17, 2021 at 11am:

YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnCLMyhU2m7X_1KhBXlBnRw/videos

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/stjohnthetheologian/videos

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Basil Academy, Garrison, NY.

http://www.stbasil.goarch.org/

This academy provides a loving Christian environment where resident children are nurtured to adulthood and was a favorite place of donation for Bess.

Mary Warner (nee McGovern), Harrington Park resident since 1963, passed away on Saturday, March 13, 2021 at the age of 93. She was the beloved wife of the late John Warner and the cherished mother of Elizabeth Falkenstern and husband William, Margaret Warner and husband Larry Bader, Joseph Warner and wife Anita, John Warner and wife Valerie and Vincent Warner and wife Amy. Mary was the proud grandmother of twelve grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her dear brother Bernard McGovern.

Mary had many interests throughout her life.  She was an avid reader, who enjoyed swimming, walking traveling and gardening.   She graduated with a BS as a registered nurse from the College of Mount St Vincent, spending hours each day on the subway commuting from her home in Brooklyn all the way to Riverdale in the Bronx.  She started her career as a visiting nurse In New York.  After her youngest started school, Mary worked for 22 years at Pascack Valley Hospital. She was a devoted parishioner of Our Lady of Victories Church in Harrington Park.  For many years Mary was a Eucharistic Minister at Mass.  As a long-standing member of the Social Concerns Committee, she helped provide meals and shelter to the homeless in our community.  She also enjoyed the friendship and camaraderie of her weekly Bible Study Group.

On Wednesday, March 17 at 7pm, there will be a memorial for Mary where friends and family can share memories on Zoom.  The Zoom link can be found here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89350610559?pwd=WGpSeHZWR2NGSWJOamxsUDV3Zk83dz09 Meeting ID: 893 5061 0559   Passcode: 555075

Due to the pandemic, the Funeral Mass on Thursday, March 18 at 10am, will be limited to Mary’s children, but other family members and friends can view the livestream Mass through the link below: https://boxcast.tv/channel/mary-warner-funeral-mass-136951

This link will still be active after the Mass.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Mary’s memory may be made to Preston Center of Compassion a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that provides direct services to help women, children and families in need in the Bronx. http://www.prestoncenterofcompassion.org/counseling-service.  Mary started her caring-giving career in the Bronx and Preston Center of Compassion is a charity that is very meaningful to her.    

Muriel “Mickey” McDonald (nee Vlahos), 84 of Palisades, NY for over 60 years, passed away at home on Tuesday, March 9, 2021. Loving life partner of the late Thomas Wentland. Cherished mother of Deborah Castro and her husband Thomas of Albuquerque, NM and Jude Navarro and husband Harry of Brewster, NY. Proud grandmother of Thomas, Eric, Marissa, Jessica, Ryan and Jhair and great-grandmother of Sydney, Malania, Scottlynn, Cyrus and Ryker. Loving sister of George Vlahos and his late wife Carol and Elaine Taiani. Mickey was loved by many nieces and nephews.

Mickey was a nurse at Englewood Hospital for many years before retiring.  She was a devoted supporter of the Christian Children’s Fund and supported at least eight children until adulthood.

Visiting hours are Thursday, March 18, 2021 from 4-6 PM at Pizzi Funeral Home, 120 Paris Avenue, Northvale with a memorial service to be held at 5:30 PM.

The service can be viewed through the link below:

https://boxcast.tv/channel/muriel-mickey-mcdonald-nee-vlahos-854375

In lieu of flowers, donations in Mickey’s memory may be made to Hi-Tor Animal Shelter, www.hitor.org.

www.pizzifuneralhome.com

Haxhi Gashi, 86, of Nanuet, NY, formerly from Albania, passed away peacefully on Sunday March 7, 2021. 

Beloved husband of 65 years to Sanije. Loving father of Mithat Gashi (and his wife Meryeme) of Nanuet, Luan Gashi (and wife Shukrie) of New City, and Ilber Gashi  (and wife Vjollca) of Huntersville, North Carolina, Drita Nerguti (and husband Haxhi) of Fairview, NJ, and Anila Selmani (and husband Tomorr) of Cresskill, NJ.  Proud grandfather of  13 grandchildren (Anisa, Visar, Suzanne, Adriana, Bekim, Arlind, Blerim, Erna, Arber, Lindita, Siera, Dardan, Merita), and four great grandchildren (Drini, Blini, Riti and Muço); beloved brother of Remzije Guri (of Albania). Haxhi was predeceased by his brothers Ramiz, Gani, Qemal, and sister, Zelfie. 

Haxhi was one of the last survivors of the communist internment camp of Berat, Albania.  His family opposed the communist ideology. For this reason, Haxhi’s  home was burned and destroyed,  his property  confiscated and the Gashi family was deemed as enemies of the state.  At age 11, Haxhi and his family were sent to a concentration camp in Southern Albania -where many children, and the elderly died of malnutrition and lack of medical attention.   After decades of persecution by the communist regime, in 1986, Haxhi escaped from communism with his wife and children and settled in the land of freedom — the United States. 

Those who feel comfortable are invited to pay their respects in person on Wednesday, March 10th  from 4-8 PM at Pizzi Funeral Home, 120 Paris Ave, Northvale (201-767-3050). 

A Funeral Prayer will be celebrated Thursday starting at 9:00 AM with burial to follow at 11:00 AM at Laurel Grove Cemetery, Totowa.

Please strictly adhere to proper social distancing and no physical contact, for the safety of the family and all guests.

George Kittan, 90, of Northvale, died Friday, March 5, 2021. Beloved husband of Johanna Maria Kittan (nee Moncalieri). Loving step-father of Jeanne Ann Scarano (nee Frassa) and husband Pasquale and Marie Rose Peterson (nee Frassa0 and late husband John. Cherished uncle of JoAnn Perry, Jeannette Criscione and Linda Hirst. Adored grandpa of seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

George was a proud US Army Veteran of the Korean War and belonged to the Northvale American Legion where he was past commander and the Northvale VFW. He retired from the Tenafly DPW. George will be dearly missed by his family and friends.

Funeral services were private.

www.pizzifuneralhome.com

Nicholas A. Repole, 81, of Demarest for 48 years, passed away at home surrounded by his loving family on Friday, March 5, 2021.  Beloved husband of 58 years to Geraldine (nee Troy). Cherished father of Anthony Repole and fiancé Cookie and Theresa Repole and fiancé Skip. Proud grandfather of Peter Scott and Nicholas Anthony. Dear brother-in-law of James and Frances Troy. Loving uncle of John and Carol Troy and their sons, Salvatore and James.

Nick was a Banquet Manager at the Astorian Manor in Queens, NY for over 40 years before retiring. During that time he was fortunate to meet people from all types of cultures and would often say he didn’t have to travel the whole world because he experienced so much while at work. Whether he was meeting politicians, dignitaries, celebrities, law enforcement, clergy or everyday people, he prided himself by going above and beyond with great attention to detail for every customer. He had a love for people and creating spectacular events for them.

Nick’s attention to detail was displayed in his beautiful carpentry work in and around his home, as well as his children’s homes. His hobby of carpentry led to an amazing creation of a Dept. 56 Village he built.

He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather and also enjoyed time with his friends at the Norwood Senior Center and Northvale Golden Agers.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, March 10 at 9:30 AM at St. Anthony’s RC Church, Northvale with entombment to follow at Madonna Mausoleum, Fort Lee.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Nick’s memory to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, www.stjude.org, would be greatly appreciated.

www.pizzifuneralhome.com

John T. Merriman, 88, of Norwood, NJ, formerly of New Milford, NJ, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 4, 2021 surrounded by his loving children. He was born January 16, 1933 to the late John T. and Christine (nee Larsen) Merriman in Washington Heights, NY. Beloved husband of the late Patricia A. (nee Dugan), who was the love of his life. Devoted father of Robert Dennerlein and wife Carla, Jean Marie Petro and husband Christopher, William Merriman and wife Jennifer and Richard Merriman and wife Traci. Proud grandfather of Rob, Mary Kate, Kristen, Sara, Jessica, Kelly, Emily and Patrick. Dearest brother of Elizabeth Gallagher and husband James, William Merriman and wife Christine and the late Robert and Michael.

John was a US Navy Veteran of the Korean War. He attended Marquette University on the GI bill and was awarded the distinguished Wall Street Journal award for Finance. After graduating from Marquette, he worked for the NY Telephone Company for his whole career before retiring in 1989.

A devoted husband, father and grandfather, John loved time spent with his family and was the proud patriarch. He spent many summers vacationing with his children and grandchildren on Long Beach Island.  In his spare time, he followed the stock market, completed Sudoku puzzles and always made time for a good joke.   He enjoyed Friday night pizza with his gang and poker with his buddies. He will be fondly missed by all who knew him.

Visiting hours are Monday, March 8, 2021 from 4-7 PM at Pizzi Funeral Home, 120 Paris Avenue, Northvale, NJ (201-767-3050). A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Tuesday, March 9, 2021 at 10 AM at St. Anthony’s RC Church, Northvale with interment to follow at Maryrest Cemetery, Mahwah.

In lieu of flowers, donations in John’s memory to Holy Name Hospice,

http://www.villamarieclaire.org/InMemoryof

would be greatly appreciated.

www.pizzifuneralhome.com

On Friday March 5, 2021 Carmine Loiacono passed away at age 95. Carmine was born on October 27, 1925 to loving parents Anna and Nicholas Loiacono. He served in the Navy as a Pharmacist’s Mate from October 1943 until his discharge in April 1946.

He ran a Broadway Theatre for 40 years and was a proud member of Local 751. He served the union on the Executive Council for over 20 years.

Carmine married the love of his life, Frances Butts in 1954. Frances predeceased him in August of 2014. Carmine is survived by his children, Gordon (Elaine), Ann and Nicholas (Susan), his grandchildren, Nicholas (Lindsay), Victoria (John Howe), Christopher and Brittany. Also, his great-grandchildren who called him GiGi, the delights of his life, Nicky and Stella Loiacono and Siena and John Howe.

Visiting hours are Tuesday, March 9, 2021 from 2-5 PM at Pizzi Funeral Home, 120 Paris Ave, Northvale, NJ (201-767-3050).

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Actors Fund Home, 155-175 W. Hudson Avenue, Englewood, NJ  07631, www.actorsfund.org, would be greatly appreciated.

www.pizzifuneralhome.com

On Wednesday, March 3, 2021, Jaesup Choi (최재섭), devoted husband, father, and grandfather, passed away at the age of 67.  

Jaesup was born on December 20, 1953 in Gangwon-do, South Korea.  When he was young, he moved to Seoul. After graduating from college in Seoul, Jaesup married Kyunghee Ahn and together, they moved to New York City in 1981.  They had two daughters, Marie and Jane, and the family moved to Harrington Park, NJ in 1987.  Jaesup received his MBA from St. John’s College of Insurance in 1983, where he graduated as valedictorian of his class.  He worked as an insurance executive for many years.  

Jaesup loved hiking and found peace in the mountains.  Near home, he often hiked in Hudson Valley and the Catskill Mountains.  He reached the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro and the Mount Everest base camp, and returned time and again to some of his favorite places: the Canadian Rockies, Zion National Park, and Bryce Canyon.  He enjoyed traveling around the world.

Jaesup had a generous spirit and cultivated lifelong friendships.  He had a strong moral compass and was meticulous in all aspects of life.  He found refuge in the Korean Catholic Church and volunteered much of his time to St. Joseph’s Korean Catholic Church, Korean School of New Jersey, Beautiful Foundation, and Habitat for Humanity.  

Above all, Jaesup was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather.  He loved and supported his wife, children, and grandchild unconditionally.  He showed his love through sharing life lessons: never live more than 30 minutes from your place of work, live within your means and avoid debt, be generous with the people you love.  

In death, Jaesup is reunited with his mother and grandmother whom he loved deeply.  He is survived by his wife, Kyunghee, his daughters, Marie and Jane, and his granddaughter, Olivia.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will be holding a small, private funeral mass at St. Joseph’s Korean Catholic Church.  Friends are welcome to come and say goodbye at a socially-distanced, outdoor memorial on Saturday, March 13 from 11am-4pm at the Choi family home in Harrington Park, NJ.  In lieu of flowers and gifts, we welcome contributions in memory of Jaesup Choi to St. Joseph’s Korean Catholic Church or the National Park Service.