Mary Elizabeth Gusky

Mary Elizabeth Gusky, beloved wife of Lenny and mother of Diane, David, and Leslie, lived to the grand age of 100 years. As Mary told her children, "I've lived a good life." Born March 25, 1920, Maplewood NJ, Mrs. Gusky was the first of Joseph and Christine Frayne's six children. Her close and supportive family guided her life of helping others and community involvement. Mary loved socializing with her family and friends and was happy when entertaining at home. By embracing life with extraordinary fortitude, creativity, and kindness, she was an inspiration and a hero to her children. Mary died peacefully at her home on June 4, 2020. After graduating from Columbia High School, Maplewood, which recently honored her as a "Distinguished Centenarian," Mary worked at the Prudential Insurance Company, Newark, until she met the dashing Sgt. Marvin Leonard Gusky at a dance in Ft. Dix, NJ. Their love blossomed and while Lenny served in Europe during WWII, Mary served her country enlisting in the Navy WAVES in 1944. Mary and Lenny married in 1945, and moved to Livingston, NJ in 1951, where they raised their three children and were active in the community. They shared a happy and contented marriage until Lenny's sudden death in 1962. Mary and her children stayed in Livingston until 1973 when she moved to Verona,NJ. Mrs. Gusky was employed at The Landmark and the Afton restaurants where working with the public was a perfect fit for her affable personality and good sense of humor, and with her easy-going confidence, Mary touched the lives of many people in countless ways. In 1999 Mary moved to her son's home in Maryland, and in 2012 she moved to Fairfax VA. Mrs. Gusky is registered at The Women in Military Service for America Memorial, which recently honored her with a "Living Legend Proclamation," and The National World War II Memorial, both in Washington, DC. Mary was involved in community and civic organizations in NJ and MD: St. Barnabas Hospital, Doctors Community Hospital, New Jersey Democratic Club, St. Philomena Church Rosary Society, St. Raphael Parish, Our Lady of the Lake Church, St. Ambrose Rosary Society, Holy Family Church, Navy WAVES clubs, and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Mary was the cherished mother of Diane Gusky, her husband John Broster, Nashville TN; David, his wife Sonna, Melbourne FL, and Leslie Morris, Fairfax VA, and beloved grandmother of Dana, Emma, and Adrian Gusky. She was predeceased by her siblings, Jean Greenfield, Joseph Jr., Richard, Ann Sheehan, Jayne (Nancy) Donohue. Mary's many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and longtime friends will remember and miss her. Private service at 12 p.m., Tuesday, June 16 at Quinn-Hopping Funeral Home, Livingston; burial at 1:30 p.m. at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Hanover.Mary was the cherished mother of Diane Gusky, her husband John Broster, Nashville TN; David, his wife Sonna, Melbourne FL, and Leslie Morris, Fairfax VA, and beloved grandmother of Dana, Emma, and Adrian Gusky. She was predeceased by her siblings, Jean Greenfield, Joseph Jr., Richard, Ann Sheehan, Jayne (Nancy) Donohue. Mary's many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and longtime friends will remember and miss her. Private service at 12 p.m., Tuesday, June 16 at Quinn-Hopping Funeral Home, Livingston; burial at 1:30 p.m. at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Hanover.