Maria Tavani

Maria is survived by her loving husband Dominick and her devoted children; Annamaria Carasio and her husband Alfonso, Tina Castellaneta and her husband Andrew, and Lisa Wolfe and her husband Dennis, along with her grandchildren Elise, Daniel, James, Maria, Leonardo and Alexis.

Born in Naples, Italy, in 1935, Maria grew up in a tumultuous time. She had survived the bombings of her city that occurred during WWII, a memory that still brought her to tears all of these years later. But this experience only served to fortify her Christian faith. A faith to which Maria remained devoted and instilled in her family until her final days.

In 1951, Maria met her future husband Dominick, a police officer from Bari, Italy, and assigned to duty in Naples. They were married in 1955 and migrated to America soon after in 1956.

The couple settled in Hillside, New Jersey, to start their family before later moving Millburn. Maria and Dominick remained devoted to each other for 67 years, but now she rejoins her mother, Concetta, and father, Gennaro Tassari, along with her 5 older siblings.

Maria was an amazing wife, mother, grandmother and friend. Always the life of the party, her joy was infectious. Maria loved to cook, to laugh, to sing, to sew, and to play cards. Her's was a life devoted to loving and caring for those closest to her, and she will be deeply missed.

Relatives and friends are invited to visit the McCracken Funeral Home on Sunday January 15, 2023 from 2-6pm. A funeral service will be held on Monday January 16, 2023 at the Funeral Home at 11 am followed by entombment at Hollywood Memorial Park, Union, NJ.

If you would like to make a donation in Maria’s honor, please send it to the St. Anthony’s foundation:

Istituto Antoniano Maschile Padri Rogazionisti, Viale del Pini, 53 - 80131 Napoli, NA, Italy.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.McCrackenFuneralHome.com for the Tavani family.