Archives for April 2021

Marie Maltese Piazza, 87, of Northvale, NJ, passed away Sunday, April 25, 2021 surrounded by loving family and friends. She was born on March 28,1934 in Brooklyn, NY to Nancy Rando Maltese and John Maltese.

The love, care, and joy she gave to others not only with her magnificent voice and music, but as a hospice volunteer were immeasurable. Marie and husband John moved to Northvale in 1969 where they entertained many people with their musical talents in and about the Tri-State area as well as in many local churches. Marie also taught music at the catholic schools in Norwood, Closter, and Demarest over the years.

Marie was an amazing woman whose spirit and gifts will live on in all those lives she touched. Her wish would for us all to live in the same spirit she taught us all.

Marie is preceded in death by her husband John, daughter-in-law Barbara Piazza, and son-in-law Thomas Giuliano. She is survived by son John Piazza, Jr., daughter Selena Piazza Giuliano, grandson Brian Piazza, sister Nancy Lombardo, nephew Joseph Lombardo, and step granddaughters Brynn and Kerry. 

Marie’s family will gather at Our Lady of Victories RC Church, Harrington Park on Tuesday, May 4, 2021 at 9 AM. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 AM.

www.pizzifuneralhome.com

Stanley (Stash) Wiklinski was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on July 22, 1933, the son of Stanley and Henrietta Wiklinski; brother of Edward, Dolores, and Halina; loving husband of Barbara; father of Stanley, Stephen, Jennifer and Melissa; grandfather of Matthew, Patryk, Stefan, Konrad, and Daniel; and great grandfather of Yvette.

Stanley graduated from Ohio University, and attended the United States Naval Academy.  He served in the United States Navy from 1959 to 1967, and in the Naval Reserve from 1967 to 1993, when he retired as a Commander.  He was reappointed every four years by consecutive Governors as a New Jersey Commissioner of Maritime and Docking Pilots serving for twenty-one years. 

Stanley also received a Master of Fine Arts from the Yale University School of Drama.  He appeared in regional theatre, commercials, and on Broadway in, “Full Circle,” a play directed by Otto Preminger.  He synthesized all of the Lincoln/Douglas debates into one debate that was sponsored by Knox College, and presented live at the only standing site of the original debates to commemorate the 125^th anniversary of the debates.  Stanley portrayed Abraham Lincoln.  The presentation was entered in the public service category of the Peabody Awards.  He also served as a Lector at Our Lady of Victories Church in Harrington Park, New Jersey for many years.

Recently, Stanley published his first children’s book “The Christmas That Almost Never Was,” that was selected by People Magazine as one of its three picks for, “Best Children’s Picture Books for the 2018 Holiday Season.”  The book was also winner of the, “2020 Royal Dragonfly Book Award 1^st Place for Children’s Picture Books Six & Older.”  Stanley’s second book, “Making Cookies from The Sun,” is in the final phase of illustration, with our continued goal for future publication.

Stanley lived life fully, with passion, adventure, dedication for service to our country, generosity, a zest for artistic expression, and a profound love for family and friends.

Visiting hours are Wednesday, April 28, 2021 from 5 to 8 PM at Pizzi Funeral Home, 120 Paris Ave, Northvale (201-767-3050). A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Thursday, April 29, 2021 at 10 AM at Our Lady of Victories RC Church, Harrington Park. Interment will be at BG William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemtery, Wrightstown, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to the United States Naval Academy Alumni Foundation. Select one of three options for donation: Visit their website at www.usna.com , select Naval Academy Fund,  In memory of Stanley E Wiklinski, or call directly at (410) 295-4115 or mail a check noting IMO: Stanley E Wiklinski, payable to USNA Foundation, at US Naval Academy Foundation, 274 Wood Rd, Annapolis MD 21402 Attn: Elizabeth Root.

Mildred A. Krapels (nee Cincotta), 89, of Closter, passed away at home surrounded by her loving family on the 67^th wedding anniversary to her dear departed husband Fred, on Sunday, April 25, 2021.  Loving mother of Jill Krapels of Maywood and her partner Stephen Fogarty, Jeffrey Krapels and wife Elizabeth of Norwood and Kevin Krapels and partner Cherry Rizzo of Sparta. Proud grandmother of six grandsons and their wives, Kevin and Jasmine, Michael and Sanja, Jack and Erin, Jeffrey and Shari, Justin and Michelle and Marc and Nicole. Adored great-grandmother of eight. Dearest sister of Vincent Cincotta and wife Madeleine and the late Mary, Andy, Josie and Ann.

Mildred was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend. She was an executive secretary for MEM Corp. in Northvale for over 25 years and enjoyed time spent with friends at the Mr. and Mrs. Club of Closter.

Visiting hours are Wednesday 11 AM to 1 PM at Pizzi Funeral Home, 120 Paris Ave, Northvale with a graveside service at 2 PM at George Washington Memorial Park, Paramus.

In lieu of flowers, those who wish may make donations in Mildred’s memory to the Sparta VFW, 66 Main St., Sparta, NJ 07871 or to CLAWS, PO Box 172, Closter, NJ 07624.

www.pizzifuneralhome.com

Louise Annunziato (nee Cecchini), 91, of Norwood, NJ and New York City, passed away on Thursday, April 15, 2021. Beloved wife of the late Morris Annunziatio. Loving step-mother of Mark and wife Roseann of Warwick, NY and David and wife Jeannette of Mahwah,  and their families. Cherished cousin of Mary Ann Sarno McCarthy, Charles Sarno, Regina Sarno Castle and Louis Sarno.

Louise was predeceased by her mother Margaret Barbato, father Sam Cecchini and step-father Joseph Barbato.

Louise attended St. Joseph Elementary School, Saint Dominic Academy, Jersey City, NJ and NYU where she received her degree as a dietician. Before retiring, Louise was the Food Director at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital and worked at St. Lukes/Roosevelt Hospital and taught at NYU in NYC.

Louise loved to travel, sing, dance and follow all the sports teams. She was a diehard Yankees fan and Giants fan. She will be dearly missed.

A Memorial Mass will be held at St. Anthony’s RC Church, 199 Walnut Street, Northvale, NJ on Thursday, April 29, 2021 at 11 AM. Louise’s ashes will be buried at her family plot at the Historic Jersey City and Harsimus Cemetery, Jersey City, NJ.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation or St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

www.pizzifuneralhome.com

Charles E. Stevens, “Chuck”, 76, of Blauvelt, NY, formerly of Northvale, NJ, passed away on Monday, April 19, 2021.  Beloved husband of Debbie (nee Stark).  Devoted father of Kelly, Matt and Kevin and his partner Gina D’Amico.  Loving brother of Bonnie Malady and her husband Carl.  Cherished uncle of Brian, Stephanie, Dawn and the late Barry and great-uncle of Grace, Jack and Ben. Loving “Dad” to Jake, Cooper and Molly.

Chuck was a manager for AT&T for 20 years. Before and after AT&T he was an educator and retired from the Northern Valley Regional High Schools in Demarest and Old Tappan.

Although funeral services were private, a memorial service is planned at a later date.

Those who wish may make a donation in Chuck’s memory to the Hi-Tor Animal Care Center, www.hitor.org.

www.pizzifuneralhome.com

Wesley Atkinson Evans, 81, of Old Tappan, passed away on Sunday, April 18, 2021. Beloved husband of Patricia Ann (nee Helmers). Loving father of John of Old Tappan.

Wesley was a packaging engineer for various companies before retiring.

Visiting hours are Thursday, April 22, 2021 from 6-8 PM at Pizzi Funeral Home, 120 Paris Ave, Northvale (201-767-3050). Burial will be Friday, April 23, 2021 at 10 AM at George Washington Memorial Park, Paramus.

www.pizzifuneralhome.com

AnnaMarie DeMarco (nee Sabino), age 79, of Deland, FL, formerly a long-time resident of Norwood, NJ, passed away on Thursday, April 15, 2021.  Loving mother of Jennifer Kauffunger and her husband Dennis of Deland, FL.  Proud “Mima” of two grandsons, Kyle and Logan. Cherished sister of Paula Sabino and Barbara Sunden and husband Richard. She is also survived by her loving nephews, Richard (Kristine) Sunden and Ryan Sunden, and niece, Marian (Anthony) Russo.

AnnaMarie was born in Englewood, NJ on June 16, 1941 to Marion (Frasco) and Frank Sabino and grew up in Norwood. She worked as an office manager for Allied Outdoor Advertising, Inc. for 15 years and then was office manager for Empire Erectors and Electrical Co Inc. for five years until she retired.

She had a passion for cooking and family gatherings. Loyal and supportive, always ready to listen or lend a helping hand, AnnaMarie will be deeply missed by her family and fondly remembered by all who knew her.

All are invited to pay their respects in person on Thursday, April 22, 2021 from 10-11:30 AM at Pizzi Funeral Home, 120 Paris Ave, Northvale (201-767-3050). The viewing will be followed by a Funeral Mass at 12 PM at St. Anthony’s Roman Catholic Church, Northvale with internment to follow at Rockland Cemetery, Sparkill, NY.

A livestream of the funeral mass will be available through the link below:

https://boxcast.tv/channel/annamarie-demarco-funeral-mass-883584

www.pizzifuneralhome.com

John D’Ercole was born November 15, 1938, and entered into eternal life on December 20, 2020.  He is survived by his wife Gaynor, daughter Adrienne Devine, son John D’Ercole, his grandchildren: Sean, Sarah and Savannah Devine, Nicole and Mike Liloia, and Cheyenne and Michele Spafford and his siblings; Marie, Larry, Frank, Anna, Joe, Carol and their families.. He was sadly predeceased by his cherished daughter Michele Spafford.

John was a kind and funny man who would give you the shirt off his back, even if it was the only one he had.  He welcomed family and friends alike into his home and office.  He always treated everyone with respect and had true compassion for all.  His family was life to him.  Along with his beloved Michele, he has gone to join others, including his brother, Gus, four sisters; Lucy, Philly, Jo and Adeline, his parents Frank and Carmela, and many other dear family and friends in heaven.

A graveside service will be held on Thursday, April 22, 2021 at 10 AM at Rockland Cemetery, Sparkill, NY.

www.pizzifuneralhome.com

Garry Leo Lazarewicz, 72, of Northvale, passed away on Tuesday, April 6, 2021. He was the beloved uncle of Mark Svevar and his wife Ashley of Charlestown, MA; Lynn Svevar and her fiancé Peter Canigiani of Port Washington, NY; and Grace Accardi of Newark, NJ. Proud great-uncle of Vivienne Svevar of Charlestown, MA. Brother of Deborah Svevar of San Antonio, TX.  Also survived by many other loving friends and extended relatives.

Garry was born to Leo and Margaret Lazarewicz on December 20, 1948 in Queens, NY.  He grew up in Middle Village, graduating from Christ the King High School in 1966.  He studied business administration, earning a bachelor’s degree from Baruch College in 1971 and later a master’s.  Garry lived in Edgewater, NJ before settling in Northvale in 1979.

Following a distinguished career in the IT industry, Garry retired in 2015.  He had most recently served as Vice President of IS and Chairman of the Security Committee at Infocrossing, Inc. in Leonia, NJ.  There, he was responsible for the development and support of internal systems and customer applications, integration projects with the global parent company, and corporate security.  Garry joined Infocrossing in 1995 upon the acquisition of MCC Corporation where he was Vice President of Corporate Research and Development. At MCC, he directly supported the company’s largest client, a multi-billion dollar Japanese transportation company. Prior to joining MCC, Garry was Director of MIS for Global Terminal and Container Services.

A lifelong sports fan, Garry embraced the free time that retirement afforded him by attending countless high school, college, and professional events.  He was especially fond of horse racing and the Yankees, though he also indulged niece Lynn’s preference for the Mets.  He enjoyed dining out, film, and conversation.  His trusty Fitbit tallied many long walks in pursuit of 2,500 miles each year—a goal Garry handily exceeded.  Above all, Garry was generous and kind, always ready to help family and friends in any way he could.

Visiting hours Friday, April 16, 2021 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Pizzi Funeral Home, 120 Paris Avenue, Northvale, NJ (201-767-3050). Burial will be Saturday, April 17, 2021 at 11 AM at St. John’s Cemetery, Queens, NY.

www.pizzifuneralhome.com

Frances D. Semler (nee D’Aloia), 102, of Closter for 57 years, formerly of West New York, passed away on Sunday, April 11, 2021. Beloved wife of the late George J. Semler for 61 years. Devoted mother of Mary Paul, George, Mark and wife Alexis, Paul and Susan. Loving grandmother of Claire Mey and husband Mark and great-grandmother of Lydia, Cecilia and Julia. Dear sister of the late Ciriaco D’Aloia, Lucille DellaPietro, Olga Semler and Frank D’Aloia.

Mrs. Semler was a graduate of Mt. St. Dominic Academy, Caldwell and Georgian Court College, Lakewood and later obtained her teacher’s certificate from Jersey State Teacher’s College. She taught at Burnet Street School in Newark for over 20 years. She was a professed Third Order Carmelite for more than 20 years, still actively participating as a formator. A devout Catholic and daily communicant, she was a parishioner of St. Mary’s Church, Closter and taught CCD, served on the Parish Council and established the RCIA program. In her later years she attended daily mass at Our Lady of Victories, Harrington Park. Mrs. Semler was a member of White Beeches Golf & Country Club, Haworth for over 50 years.

Mrs. Semler became an avid Yankees and baseball fan in her mid-80’s and enjoyed going to games and meeting the players for many years.

Mrs. Semler enjoyed a long and healthy life and remained extremely active right up to the day she went home to the Lord. She will be greatly missed.

The family will gather at Our Lady of Victories Church, Harrington Park on Wednesday, April 14, 2021 at 9:30 AM. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 AM with interment to follow at Rockland Cemetery, Sparkill, NY.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Our Lady of Victories, 150 Harriot Ave, Harrington Park, NJ 07640, would be greatly appreciated.

www.pizzifuneralhome.com