Maria Ramona Hart

Maria Ramona Hart (1963-2025), a loving and spirited human being, and lifelong advocate for progressive social justice and education, has passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. She will be deeply missed and remembered forever by those lucky enough to have loved her. We hope and pray that God will always continue to watch over Maria and bless her.

Maria was born and raised in Staten Island, New York, as the eldest of the four daughters of Carolyn Rosa Hart, a homemaker and teacher, and George Maxwell Hart, an attorney and community leader. Educated in part at Notre Dame Academy High School, Maria was driven by a strong sense of cultural curiosity, and a commitment to working to make a better world.

Maria earned a B.A. in Archaeology and Anthropology at Sarah Lawrence College, then obtained a Master’s Degree in Anthropology at the City University of New York (CUNY) Graduate Center. Despite lifelong hearing challenges, Maria learned to speak Spanish and Italian, and adventured to faraway places including Mexico, Italy, and Cyprus; learning about the world, excavating ancient artifacts, seeking knowledge, reuniting with distant family, and making friends.

In June 1997, Maria’s passions led her to Chiapas, Mexico, where she lived and carried out anthropological fieldwork until August 1999, attending Zapatista marches, rallies, and protest events that were largely focused upon what is known as “Catholic liberation theology.” The crowning academic achievement of Maria’s life was the completion and publication of her dissertation two decades later, which she successfully defended, and which led to her attaining her Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology from the CUNY Graduate Center. Her dissertation deeply analyzes the Zapatista struggle for liberation of the poor and oppressed through social and political change; its focus is upon efforts to obtain autonomy for the Indigenous Mayan Peoples of Chiapas, Mexico.

Maria shared her scholastic knowledge and her enthusiasm for anthropology by working as an adjunct professor in the CUNY system. There she taught generations of immigrant students, many of whom were the first members of their families to attend college. Due to her skills, sincerity and love of teaching, she earned glowing student reviews throughout her lengthy academic career.

Maria’s love for travel also remained a constant in her life. In addition to return trips to Mexico to conduct ongoing research and to build upon personal connections she had made during her studies, she enjoyed recent trips to her beloved Brooklyn, New York, and to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket with her sisters, as well as multiple vacations with the Winocour family in Maine.

At heart, though, Maria was a loving and devoted mother to her two beloved sons. Up until recently returning to Maria’s side, Benjamin, 22, had been traveling solo by bicycle for months, riding from the British Isles across the Continent; Ben will soon be returning to Europe to continue his quest, following in his mother’s adventurous footsteps. Meanwhile, Leonardo,18, has already been building a business of his own, and will begin college at Quinnipiac University this Fall.

Maria is survived by her husband, Gabe Winocour; her two dear sons, Ben Winocour and Leo Winocour; her sisters, CaraMia Hart, Elena Hart-Cohen, and Veronica Hart; parents-in-law, Janet and Michael Winocour; brothers-in-law including Jason Winocour, Ronald Musselwhite, Paul Cohen, and James Babister; and nieces and nephews. Also special to Maria were her aunts, uncles, and cousins who mostly originated from Staten Island and have always remained close, and who communicated with, visited, and/or prayed for Maria throughout the end of her lifetime.

Maria confronted her illnesses with incredible strength and amazing grace. Her devotion to her family was reciprocated, as Gabe personally cared for her full-time at home for a year, and Ben and Leo steadfastly remained by her bedside into the final days and nights of her life. Always close, Maria and her three sisters became increasingly loving and devoted towards one another into advancing adulthood, making frequent trips amongst Marblehead, New York, and Florida to share family time together. To Maria, her family – starting always with Gabe, Ben, and Leo – meant everything.

Maria will be deeply missed by all those who knew her and loved her, and she will never be forgotten. She left her own unique mark on innumerable people who she always tried to help.

A Celebration of Maria’s Life will be held on July 19th at 12 Noon at the Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea, located at 85 Atlantic Avenue, in Marblehead, Massachusetts. A Catholic Mass will be conducted at that date and time by Monsignor Timothy Moran, Pastor.

Maria’s final resting place will be at Moravian Cemetery in Staten Island, where she will be interred next to her maternal grandparents, Mary and Anthony Rosa, and beside her loving and beloved parents, Carolyn and George Hart. We thank you all for your continued prayers for Maria.