Jane Dolores DeCristoforo

1943 - 2023

Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend

Jane Dolores DeCristoforo (nee McGuigan) passed away peacefully with her family close by on Saturday, Nov. 11th at Seaview Rehabilitation Center in Staten Island. Jane, the daughter of the late William Joseph McGuigan and Irene Sibley McGuigan, was born on March 15, 1943. She was 80 years old.

Jane was a proud alumna of St. John Villa Academy and attended Seton Hall University before becoming an elementary school teacher. Though she did not teach long due to becoming a full time stay-at-home mother to her four children - her true vocation - her impact was substantial. For many years Jane would run into a former student who would excitedly tell her and any of her children with her how she was their favorite teacher.

With her mother being one of seven siblings, and Jane herself being one of five, the McGuigan household was exuberantly Irish, unapologetically loud with laughter and music and within it was never found an empty room, or heart.

In the late 1960's, Jane met Carmen "Chris" DeCristoforo, a Boston native who charmed her with his ability to play piano by ear and his distinguished habit of smoking a pipe. Their courtship and love story didn't take long to bloom, and Jane and Chris were married in August of 1969. Their first child, Susan, was born in June of 1970.

After Susan's birth, the DeCristoforo family found their perfect home at the pivotal corner of Alpine Court and Brookside Avenue - a beautiful lot that faced Brooks Pond Park. But even better than the scenery, the house was down the street from Jane's childhood home. This afforded Jane and her family a tremendous closeness, both physical and emotional, to her parents and her children's grandparents.

With Jane as the second oldest of five, her youngest siblings became almost like older siblings to her children. After Susan, they welcomed Amy, Mark, and Megan. As her siblings married and had cousins, these family connections blended generations seamlessly - both the McGuigan household and the DeCristoforo household were full of joy, laughter, coffee and tea in the afternoons, pool parties and bbqs in the summer, holiday get togethers - and St. Patrick's Day parade celebrations.

Jane was born to be a mother. She did everything and lived every moment for her children and then her grandchildren. An avid sewer and craftswoman, she handmade her children's Halloween costumes. Jane made wreaths and fabric Christmas trees for Blessed Sacrament's holiday fair. As the children grew older, Jane was the go-to for bridal shower towel cakes and baby shower diaper cakes. She loved creating these beautiful additions for her family.

Jane was a cherished "Eema" to her ten grandchildren. She loved Christmas and would only tone down the mountains of gifts for them after her children urged her they didn't have large enough estates to house the gifts. She was unabashedly proud of her children and grandchildren, and would attend every cabaret performance, read every news story, and be the most loyal football fan.

Jane adored her family, both immediate and beyond. There was nothing more important to her than these family ties. And she would defend them vigilantly.

For Jane, the only thing equally powerful to family for her was her faith. She was a lifetime parishioner of Blessed Sacrament Church and prayed daily. When her illness made it harder for her to attend Mass in person, she watched the live stream. And if her family member was getting married, she had a special rosary to chase away the rain clouds. Jane felt closest to the Blessed Mother, Mary, which makes sense as a blessed mother herself.

Jane is survived by her devoted husband of 54 years, Chris, her children: Susan Shultz and her husband Jamie, Amy Downey and her husband Adam, Mark and his wife Meaghan, and Megan Sylvester, and her husband Michael. She is also survived by her ten grandchildren, Andrew, Austen, Lucy Jane, Annabelle, Kali, Mark Jr., Shane, Rory, John and Kathleen. Jane is also survived by her siblings, Nancy Lapham, Kathy Ahearn, William McGuigan Jr. and his wife Colleen, and Maureen (Missy) Soos and her husband Rob. Jane will be lovingly remembered by 11 nieces and nephews and many more cousins and extended family, in addition to her lifelong best friends, Mickey McDonald and Sister Anne Dolores, who never left her side throughout her illness. Jane's family is especially grateful to her sister Kathy for her devoted love and care throughout the last year of her life.

The family will receive friends on Wednesday, Nov. 15 at Harmon Funeral Home, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. The funeral will be at Jane's beloved Blessed Sacrament Church at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 16.

Donations in Jane's name can be made to the Alzheimer's Association.