Emelene Lovallo

Emelene DiGisi Lovallo, 90, passed away peacefully on Monday, January 31,2022 at Hampton Ridge Healthcare Center in Toms River. Born in Newark, N.J., she was the daughter of the late Louis and Theresa (Coppola) DiGisi.

Emelene was a 1949 graduate of West Side High School in Newark. In 1951, she married Theodore (Ted) Lovallo at Sacred Heart Church in Vailsburg. In 1966, she and Ted realized their dream of buying their first home in Livingston, N.J. Emelene was employed for many years at Burrelle's Press Clipping Bureau in Livingston. She loved her job which involved reading and searching for news articles in all the largest U.S. city newspapers.

In 1985, she and her husband moved to Holiday City South in Toms River. They enjoyed their new "retired" lifestyle socializing and traveling with new friends and playing shuffleboard and ping pong. Emelene loved writing for the community newsletter and playing RummiKub with friends. In 1996, while working as a secretary at Ocean County College in Toms River, she accomplished her life-long dream of earning an Associate in Science degree. She especially enjoyed her classes in European history, psychology and business management.

Emelene had a great sense of style, loved designer fashions and always had copies of Vogue magazine nearby. She was an excellent cook and made every Sunday dinner and holiday celebration special with her delicious recipes and dedication to keeping the traditions of her Italian heritage alive for the younger generation. She loved all things Italian and didn't let a fear of flying prevent her from traveling to Italy several times to see all the sights described so often by her grandparents.

In addition to her parents, she is predeceased by her husband of 54 years, Theodore. She is survived by her daughter Marianne Beddes and son-in-law Robert Beddes. She is also survived by her sister Diane Santangelo, and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be on Friday, February 11,2022 from 1pm to 4pm at Quinn-Hopping Funeral Home in Toms River. A funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, February 12,2022 at 10 a.m. at Saint Maximillian Kolbe also in Toms River. Interment will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made in Emelene's memory to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, 2361 Hylan Blvd., Staten Island, N.Y. 10306; for information see t2t.org.