Maria Giovanna Giavatto

Born in Santa Croce Camerina, Sicily, she came to the US in 1969 and graduated from Passaic High School. After their son Tommy was born, she and her husband, John, settled in Toms River. Maria went on to obtain her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in education with a certificate as a guidance counselor from Georgian Court University.

Prior to retiring, she was a teacher at Monmouth Regional High School in Tinton Falls, where she worked for 10 years. Maria also worked as an adjunct professor at Georgian Court University and taught Spanish.

Surviving is her loving husband, John, of 41 years; her son, Tommy and his wife Jamie; her mother, Lucia; a brother, Nunzio and his wife Giusseppina; a niece, Lucy and her husband Antonio; a nephew Pietro; a great-nephew, Alessandro; and many other extended family members.

A visitation will be held on Thursday from 4-9PM at D’Elia Funeral Home, 1300 Vermont Ave., Lakewood.

A funeral Mass will be held on Friday at 10AM at St. Joseph RC Church, Toms River. Entombment will follow at St. Mary of the Lake Cemetery, Lakewood. For further information or to post a tribute online, please visit www.deliafuneralhome.com

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Maria’s name to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD) at www.theaftd.org.