Marie Matteace

With heavy hearts, we share the passing of our family matriarch who left us peacefully with a full heart surrounded by her family and knowing she was loved by many. She passed in Lantana, Florida on February 15th, 2025, at 88 years young. Born on June 2nd 1936, born to Giacomo and Costanza (Esther) in Lucera, Italy she is survived by her devoted husband, Sam of 69 years. Having lived in Toronto, Canada, before settling in Essex County, she retired to Hypoluxo, FL and spent her summers in Lakewood, NJ.

As a determined girl at 16, she boarded a ship with her 13-year-old baby brother in hand to emigrate to America and reunited with her mom and siblings. She caught her husband’s eye as he helped her find her suitcase and their life journey together started there.

As a cherished mom, grandma, great grandma, aunt, comara and true friend to many, she lived for her family in full faith and conviction. She is eternally cherished by her two children, Frank Matteace, MD (Kathy) and Stella Matteace- Esposito (Arthur). Her legacy, light, compassion, and boundless heart are her true legacy and eternal light. She was a true inspiration to her five grandchildren: Dana LoRegio (Luigi), Ashley Matteace, Cara, Marc, and Jaclyn Esposito and great grandma to Valentina and Jayce.

She is predeceased by 5 of her 6 siblings: Josephine Calisanti, Vincent Guerriero, Mafalda DeNichilo, Theresa Guerrieri, and Mario Guerrieri, and survived by Salvatore Guerriero.

She was the root of our family’s strength and resilience. As a 15-year pancreatic cancer survivor, she was a prayer warrior and loved deeply. She lived for our visits, chats, FaceTiming her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

She was a seamstress, a business owner, housekeeper, realtor often working multiple jobs to ensure her children were supported in their life pursuits. Her devoted husband was always the wind beneath her wings and always at her side. As hard as they worked, they equally fought through life’s challenges so they could cook, entertain and dance together.

She truly lived a full life in retirement cooking her most delicious Italian recipes each and every day with her dedicated husband and sous chef, at her side. She showed her compassion, support, and love for many by sharing her cooking talents and delivering homemade pasta, pizza, cheeses, biscotti, limoncello and so much more.

She lived with gratitude, devotion to Padre Pio, and celebrated by poolside dancing as the power couple and healer in the HMB community. They were respectfully nicknamed the Mayor and Mayoress.

Rest easy, keep planning the daily feasts knowing your legacy will carry on. Her family has gained the strongest, most heartful and beautiful guardian angel looking out for each of them.

A Visitation for Marie will be held Sunday, February 23, 2025 from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Quinn Hopping Funeral Home, 145 East Mount Pleasant Ave, Livingston, NJ 07039. A Funeral Mass will occur Monday, February 24, 2025 at 10:00 AM at Saint Philomena Roman Catholic Church, 386 S Livingston Ave, Livingston, NJ 07039, with a Committal Service to follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery & Mausoleum, 225 Ridgedale Ave, East Hanover, NJ 07936.

Condolences may be sent to Dr. And Mrs. Frank Matteace and family at [email protected]; and Stella Matteace-Esposito and Arthur Esposito and family at 9 Old Dutch Road Warren, NJ 07059 or [email protected]

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Johns Hopkins Medicine Pathology and San Pio da Pietrelcina, please see links below.