Mary Louise Winters

Mary L. Winters, the daughter of Italian-American immigrants and former executive secretary of the popular but now-defunct New Jersey department store Bamberger’s, has died at the age of 93.

She was the author of the book, “I Remember Papa…A Sicilian American’s Century,” a favorite among senior citizens of ethnic backgrounds about the everyday lives during the Great Depression and World War II of her parents, James and Lena Accardo, in Vauxhall, N.J., then an Italian-American enclave in Union.

Mary was an early female athlete, playing varsity field hockey for the Union New Jersey High School team. Her appreciation for sports led her to become a lifelong New York Yankee fan with a sweet spot for Derek Jeter.

Mary was married to and raised a family with long-time Union, N.J., firefighter Joseph P. Militano, Sr., who died in 1979. She later remarried John J. Winters, former State Deputy of the New Jersey chapter of the Knights of Columbus, who died in 1996.

She lived in Union and Brick, N.J. and is survived by her brother, Nick Accardo of Clifton, N.J.; three children, Richard Militano and his wife, Connie Caruso, of Yardville, N.J.; Jane Terhune of Brick, N.J.; and Joseph Militano, Jr., and his wife, Debra, of Brick, N.J.; six grandchildren including Marcy Militano, Lauren Keilitz and her husband, Matt, Jacqueline and Alexandra Militano and John Michael and Brendan Terhune; and one great grandchild, Sean Ellie Keilitz.

In her senior years, Mary enjoyed spending time with her children and their families on the backyard deck of her home on a lagoon at the Jersey Shore, tossing bread to appreciative ducks. She died of cancer in her sleep with all of her children at her side the evening before.

Services will be held at McCracken Funeral Home, 1500 Morris Avenue, Union, N.J., from 6:00 p.m. till 9 p.m. Tuesday, December 9th, and 8:00 a.m. till 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, December 10th. The funeral mass will be held, at St. James Church, 41 S. Springfield Ave., Springfield, at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, December 10th. Entombment will be at Hollywood Cemetery in Union, N.J., alongside Mary’s first husband, Joe Sr.