Marie Elizabeth Colonna

Marie Jarotsky Colonna passed away May 2, 2026, after a lengthy fight with Alzheimer's Disease. Born November 11, 1948, in New York City to Joseph and Mary Jarotsky (nee Yanko), she moved to Orange, New Jersey and grew up on Washington Street. Nicknamed and known to many as Cookie, she narrowly and presciently avoided being called “Snookie” instead.

Marie (Cookie) attended St. John Grammar School and graduated from East Orange Catholic High School. It was of utmost importance to her father that she received a quality education. Cookie was the first in her immediate family to attend college, graduating from Caldwell College with a degree in Business Administration.

After college, she worked for Royal Insurance, where she was in claims. While at Royal, she met Peter Joseph Colonna, Jr., the love of her life, and they were married in 1975. They welcomed their son, Peter Joseph Colonna, III in 1979, and in 1986, moved to Charlotte, North Carolina when Royal Insurance relocated their headquarters. Marie then took some time off to be a stay-at-home mom and, a couple years later, decided to return to work at Knauff Insurance as a claims manager for the remainder of her career.

After retirement, she enjoyed going to concerts, plays, and musicals with her friends, as well as traveling abroad to places as varied as Italy, Scotland, Ireland, Alaska, and Mexico. She also loved her cats and was always prepared to buy a new kitschy cat decoration for her house. She will be remembered by all as a good friend who loved to joke, laugh, sing, and dance.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Mary Jarotsky, and her husband, Peter Joseph Colonna, Jr. She is survived by her son, Peter Joseph Colonna, III, and one of her oddball cats, Bella.

A service will be held at Forest Lawn East Cemetery on June 6, 2026, at 1:00pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.