Margaret Rizzo

On December 16 2021, Margaret “Greta” Rizzo peacefully passed away at the age of 94 in her home in Livingston, New Jersey. Margaret was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Samuel, as well as her dear son, Richard. She is survived by her loving children, Dr. Robert J. Rizzo (Livia) and Donna Tito (Anthony); her adoring grandchildren, Brett (Devon), Blair (Brian), Livia, Coleen, Ryan, Kathleen, Gianna, and Sam; her great-grandchildren Archer, Frankie, Willow, and Rayna; her sister, Inge Puhringer, as well as her daughter-in-law Fawn.

The daughter of Ferdinand Gruber and Josefa Pfeffer Gruber, Margaret was born on April 14th, 1927 in Linz, Austria. Margaret enjoyed growing up with her older siblings Ferdinand, Irma, and Hans, and younger siblings Franz and Inge into a growing Roman Catholic family. Unfortunately Josefa passed away when Greta was only 14 years old. Greta was raised thereafter by her grandmother, Anna Pashinger Pfeffer, and her Dante Ida Pashinger, who ran a restaurant and taught Greti how to make delicious soups like kartoffel (potato) suppe, and meals like Wienerschnitzel, Hungarian goulash, Marillenknodel (apricot dumplings) and Apfel (apple), Kase (cheese) and Mond (poppy seed) Strudels.

During World War II, Greta met an American GI soldier, Samuel Rizzo, who now had a great incentive to learn the Austrian dialect of German language, and they fell in love. After eventually gaining the approval of Sergeant Rizzo’s commanding officer, Sam and Greta were married in 1946, and came to the USA on a military ship through rough seas, and settled in East Orange, NJ at the home of Sam’s parents, Archie and Caroline Rizzo. She learned to cook great Italian meals of lasagna, eggplant parmigiana, macaroni pasta and ravioli with gravy (sauce), from her Italian-American mother in law, Caroline DeStefano Rizzo along with her sister’s in law Josephine, Joan, Eleanor and Violet.

As Greta adapted to American culture she learned English, with Italian and German also spoken at home. She moved with her husband and three kids to a wonderful neighborhood in Livingston, NJ, where she lived for the next 65 years. She enjoyed walking to town to shop at supermarkets and the German butcher store, visiting with her beloved neighbors, sharing whatever they cooked or baked, or created by crochet, gardening and watching her childrens’ sporting events. She also enjoyed returning to Austria to visit with her family there, and together they enjoyed excursions to Salzburg and climbing in the Austrian alps looking for her beloved edelweiss flowers. She embraced the conservative values of hard work and good discipline, treating others as one would want to be treated, respecting everyone, caring for those in need, and being generous with whatever you had to share.

Greta might be best remembered by those who ate her zaples, eggplant parm, lasagna and strudel. She embodied patience, kindness and generosity. During her life, she went to great lengths to pass these traits onto her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, for which we are all forever grateful.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, December 21 from 5-8 PM at the Quinn-Hopping Funeral Home, Livingston. Funeral mass will be offered on Wednesday, December 22 at 10AM at St. Philomena’s Church, Livingston, with interment to follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Hanover.