Jeanne Carmela Restuccia

Jeanne Restuccia, 87, housewife, civic advocate and newspaper columnist, peacefully passed away on November 11, 2014 in New York, surrounded by her family. The funeral will commence on Saturday, November 15, at 9 a.m. from the LaMonica Memorial Home, 145 E. Mt. Pleasant Ave., Livingston, N.J., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Anthony's Church, Belleville, N.J. at 10:30 a.m., with burial in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Hanover, N.J. Visitation will be on Friday November 13, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.

In 1926, Jeanne was born at home in the Silver Lake section of Belleville to Alfonso and Filomena Salerno, above the family’s butcher store. One of six children, she attended Drake Business College whose dean changed her name from Jenny to Jeanne for professional purposes, although she remained “our Jenny” to the family. From 1945 to 1956, she worked in Newark for Murphy Paint and Varnish Company, which became the Interchemical Corporation. In 1951, she married Joseph Restuccia, and moved to Nutley. Her only son, Joe, (Joseph Allen to her) was born in 1957. The family moved in 1959 to Caldwell Township, which later became Fairfield.

She quickly became active in civic affairs. She was a founding member of the Women’s Club of Fairfield, and began events like the annual Luncheon with Santa Claus, the Chinese Auction and many charitable fundraising events. She was an officer in the General Federation of Women’s Clubs in New Jersey. She continued her Women’s Club work until 2011 running senior citizen bus trips to Atlantic City. She was also a devoted gardener. She lead the town’s 1976 U.S. Bicentennial Celebration and the restoration of the Dutch built Van Ness House. She ran her own ceramics studio out her home, both teaching classes and making wedding favors for all her nieces and nephews. Her proudest civic involvement was in Cub Scouting with Fairfield Pack 17. A lack of Cub Scout den mothers in 1966 led her to become one, and she remained in scouting through the late 1970’s, becoming the first female Pack Leader in New Jersey. From 1982 to the late 1990’s she was first a social, then cooking columnist for the Progress newspaper. She was also big fan and regular user of the Fairfield Public Library.

Most of all, she was devoted to her extended family. Jeanne was the family cook, baker, historian and project maker. She knew every detail about the most distant cousins and relatives. With 35 nieces and nephews, 37 grandnieces and grandnephews, and 4 great grandniece and grandnephews, she carved pumpkins, went apple picking, painted flower pots, did decoupage, and sewed patchwork pillows and quilts. She hosted Christmas Eve and the 4th of July and arrived at every other holiday meal with a trunk full of baked goods. She was especially devoted to her son, Joseph Allen. When younger, she followed his career in the theatre and his world travels. In later years, she kept a scrapbook of his work in urban planning and affordable housing in New York City.

She was tough and opinionated; always speaking her mind, there was never any doubt where she stood. At the same time, she never forgot a birthday or to bring her eggplant or special desserts to everyone.

Jeanne was predeceased by her devoted husband, Joe in 2005; her brother Alex Salerno in 1983 and sister RoRo Natale in 2009. She is survived by her son Joe Restuccia of Manhattan, her brothers Ralph Salerno of Bloomfield and Dr. Felix Salerno of Flemington, their wives Dottie and Chris, and her sister Palma Padula of Lakewood. Among many others, she is also survived by her dearest niece and nephew Lucille and Al Balnicki of Bloomfield, their children Alec and Noelle and her closest nieces and nephews: Lois Turner, Annie Pontrella, Stephanie Mozgai, Michael Padula, Peter Natale, Heather Valle, Phyllis Gehringer, Roseanne Stockowski and Marc and Alec Salerno.

Donations in her memory may be made to:

Jeanne Restuccia Fairfield Public Library Memorial Fund

c/o Clinton Housing Development Company

403 West 40th Street

New York, New York 10018