Marie-Louise Johanna Zeydel

Maria enjoyed a full life. She was born and raised in Indonesia and endured World War II in an internment camp during the Japanese occupation. After the war, Maria moved to the Netherlands for her higher education at University of Amsterdam, graduating with a dual degree in chemistry and botany.

Maria met her husband, Edmond, while at University, and emigrating with him to Canada where they married and started their family. The couple then moved to the United States, first living in Kansas City, Missouri, and ultimately settling in Princeton, New Jersey. Maria worked in the biochemistry department at Princeton University until she was widowed in 1968. She continued her career as a biochemist at Rutgers Medical School and later moved to Manhattan, accepting a position at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Always concerned about bettering the human condition, Maria finished her career as part of a team researching the aging of the human heart.

Following her retirement, Maria worked as a volunteer for the Vatican Mission to the United Nations earning two medals of commendation from Pope John Paul II for her work preparing synopses of papers presented at World Health conferences. Maria had an undeniable "joie de vivre." "What can we do that's fun?" she would ask, clapping her hands together. She enjoyed her retirement years reading incessantly and walking throughout Manhattan discovering every new shop selling baby clothes and toys for her grandson and every chic new restaurant serving delicious food. She loved the theater, the ballet and the opera. She was an actress herself throughout high school, frequently playing the leading role. Maria was always concerned for others and donated whatever she could to help those less fortunate. Every day she chose to focus on the positive and set aside the negative. "I have nothing to complain about," she would say, even though she had her fair share of struggles.

Maria was survived by her only daughter, Diana, and her only grandson, Christian Rivera.

Maria was a light in the darkness. A ray of sunshine on a cloudy day. A butterfly, free to fly from flower to flower. Those her knew her are blessed. May God welcome you into his kingdom, Maria, and may you enjoy eternal peace and happiness.