 Marie Carroll Halachik Nunes passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her loved ones on February 28, 2023 at the age of 81.
Born in 1941 in Little Falls NJ, Marie was the daughter of the late Michael and Eva Halachik of Cedar Grove. She attended Passaic Valley High School and held a Bachelor of Arts from Boston University with a Master of Education from UMASS. Marie was a lifelong career educator. She began her teaching career at Cedar Grove High School and later retired after more than forty-five year tenure as a SUNY Professor in Cobleskill NY. She inspired countless students to pursue their dreams and achieve their goals. She was a gifted educator who had a profound impact on the lives of those who were fortunate enough to learn from her. She was well known as "the hard grader" and held her students to very high educational standards. She married Joseph Nunes in 1971 with whom she raised two sons, Eric and Jonathan. She was a devoted mother who instilled the importance of education, strong work ethic, integrity, kindness, and compassion in her children. Marie will be remembered for her unwavering kindness, gentle spirit, and generosity. Marie is predeceased by her beloved brother Michael Halachik. She is survived by her husband Joseph, her two sons, Eric (Maria) of Cedar Grove, and Jonathan (Melissa) of Manhattan, and her two grandchildren (Gianna and Michael) whom she adored. She will be deeply missed by her family, friends, former students and colleagues, but her memory will live on through the countless lives she touched during her time on this Earth as both a mother and an educator. Viewing will be held on March 5, 2023 at Gaita Memorial Home, 154 Newark Pompton Turnpike, Little Falls, NJ from 3 PM - 7 PM with Parastas at 6 PM. Funeral Services will be held on March 6, 2023 at 9:30 AM at St. John the Baptist Russian Orthodox Church, 29 Weaver Street, Little Falls, NJ. Please arrive at funeral home at 8:30 AM. Burial will follow at East Ridgelawn Cemetery, Clifton, NJ. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in her memory to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741 or www.donate.cancer.org Envelopes will also be provided by the funeral home during visiting hours for your convenience.
4 Comments
 Anthony John "Duke" Balady Sr, of Durham, North Carolina, and previously of Wayne, New Jersey, died peacefully at his home on February 27, 2023. He was 64. The sixth of eight children, Duke was born on May 23, 1958 in Paterson, New Jersey, to Michael and Sadie Balady. He attended St. George's Elementary School and Dom Bosco Technical High School in Paterson, graduating in 1976.
Being the sixth born, Duke learned to be independent at a young age. He spent many days of his youth playing stick ball in the street and bowling at the Bowl O Mat in Paterson, honing his skill to become an accomplished bowler and a member of the Professional Bowlers Association. He competed in many bowling tournaments and was the proud winner of the Golden Pin in 1993. Duke also established himself as a sharp, disciplined poker player, and he regularly traveled to Las Vegas and Atlantic City to play the tables. In 1981, on an otherwise uneventful day at the Bowl O Mat, Duke met the love of his life, Patricia Ann "Pati" Lacatena. From that point on, Pati was Duke's biggest fan, cheering him on at the Bowl O Mat and at tournaments throughout the country. Duke and Pati married in 1986. Three children- Anthony Jr, Jessica, and Cynthia- were soon to follow. Duke had a long, successful career with the Passaic Valley Water Commission, where he was known for his outstanding work ethic, quick wit, and sense of humor. Duke's big-hearted personality led him to develop close bonds with his co-workers. He made a number of life-long friends who were never more than a phone call away. Through the course of his career, Duke learned how to do pretty much everything involving construction and maintenance. Duke developed a particular affinity for painting, and his benevolent spirit led him to share his skills with friends and family. Duke took great pride in helping his children with any number of projects as they grew older and bought homes of their own. After retiring from the water commission in 2012, Duke and Pati moved to North Carolina to be closer to the kids. Over the years, the family continued to grow- Jessie married Ryan, Cindy married Willson, and Anthony married Hilary. In 2019, Duke became a grandfather to Jessie and Ryan's son, Owen Balady Bostian, and in 2022 to Cooper James Bostian. Duke's immense love for his children and grandchildren was clear to anyone who spend time around him. He loved spending time with Owen and Cooper, and most recently developed a new hobby- hand painting vintage toy cars and trucks for Owen. Since that day at the Bowl O Mat, Pati never strayed from Duke's side. This paid off in 2022, as Duke surprised Pati with her dream car for her 60th birthday- a red Lexus convertible. Duke loved his family and friends with all of his heart. He was an amazing father, grandfather, brother, colleague, and friend. He touched the lives of countless people. Duke will truly be missed, and he will never, ever, be forgotten. In addition to his wife, Pati, Duke is survived by brothers Mike Balady (Cathy) and Sam Balady (Darlene); sisters Diana Ferughelli (Paul), Linda Salerno, Judi DeRosa (Jim), Karen Jasterzbski (Tom), and Bernadette Scarano (Joe); his son, Anthony John Balady Jr. and his wife, Hilary Merica; and daughters Jessica Lynne Balady Bostian, and her husband Ryan Archer Bostian and Owen and Cooper; and Cynthia Jeanne Moss, and her husband, Willson Joseph Moss. Duke is predeceased by his father Michael Balady, mother Sadie Balady, brother-in-law Joe Salerno, and adored family dog, Teddy. A viewing will be held on Friday, March 3, 2023 from 6PM -9 PM at Gaita Memorial Home, 154 Newark Pompton Turnpike, Little Falls, NJ. A mass will be held on Saturday, March 4, 2023 at 9 AM at Our Lady of the Holy Angels Roman Catholic Church, 473 Main St., Little Falls, NJ. Please meet directly at church. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Duke's favorite charity, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or www.stjude.org Envelopes will also be provided by the funeral home during visiting hours for your convenience.  August 8, 1938 - February 17, 2023
Anthony Statuto, 84 of Boonton, NJ, peacefully began his journey with the angels on Friday, February 17, 2023, reuniting with his parents and siblings. Tony was born and raised in Paterson, NJ, to Joseph and Jennie Statuto. Tony was a loving father, brother, uncle, and friend to all. He enjoyed spending time with his friends, family, and neighbors, and never missed a good party or cook-out. He was extremely hard-working, had a great sense of humor and a heart of gold. Tony was a loyal and devoted employee of Manheim- Skyline Auto Auction, retiring after dedicating 30 + years of service. After retirement, Tony was missing his work life and later accepted a position at Dover Dodge. He is survived by his daughter, Kimberly Licari (Statuto), and her husband Salvatore, sister-in-law, Carmella Statuto, nephew (s) Joseph Statuto and his wife Bonnie, Paul Statuto and his wife, Elizabeth, niece Cynthia Statuto along with many other nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his "adopted" families, Dawn and Paul Flores, and the Compolo Family. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, April 1, 2023, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Gaita Memorial Funeral Home, 154 Newark Pompton Turnpike, Little Falls, NJ 07424. (973)256-2224.  Ann "Pudgy" Shark (nee Mirowsky), 79, formerly of Little Falls, NJ, passed away on Saturday, February 11, 2023 in Melbourne, Florida.
Beloved wife of the late Raymond Shark and daughter of Paul and Anne (Danilack) Mirowsky. Devoted mother of Steven and his wife Christy, Michael, and Andrew and his wife Christina. Cherished grandmother of 9 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. Also survived by her loving brother-in-law Leonard and several nieces and nephews. Born in Wilkes-Barre, PA, Ann moved to Little Falls, NJ and then to Melbourne, Florida where she resided for 53 years. She worked at University Park Elementary School for many years. She was a member of St. John the Baptist Russian Orthodox Church in Singac, NJ. She is predeceased by her husband Raymond (1986). Her brothers Paul (1997), Myron (2009) and Lawrence (2022) and sisters Dora Dzama (2008) and Helen Marshall Sanagorsky (2015). There was a visitation held in Florida on Thursday, February 16, 2023. Visitation in New Jersey will be held on Thursday, February 23, 2023 from 5-7 PM at Gaita Memorial Home, 154 Newark Pompton Turnpike, Little Falls, A Funeral Service of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, February 24, 2023 at 10 AM at St. John RO Church, 29 Weaver Street, Little Falls, NJ. Please meet directly at church. Interment to follow at Laurel Grove Memorial Park Cemetery, Totowa, NJ. In lieu of flowers, donations to St. John the Baptist RO Church, 29 Weaver Street, Little Falls, NJ 07424 would be appreciated. Envelopes will also be provided by the funeral home during visiting hours.  Adolph David Bracho, 65, of Edison, New Jersey, passed away peacefully on the afternoon of February 10, 2023.
David was an avid outdoorsman. He was a member of a biking and hiking club, enjoyed the beach, and walking along the boardwalk of Asbury Park. David had an ear for music. He used to be in a band, where he played the bass guitar and sang. David was a car enthusiast who enjoyed storytelling and making jokes. Most importantly, David was a proud father. He would express to anyone who would listen about how happy he was for his two children and their accomplishments. David is survived by his loving children, Gabriella Bracho and Maximillian Bracho. Caring brother of Kathy Kayran and her husband, Zeki, Alice Aran and her husband, Jose “Pepe”, Sally Bracho and her husband, Ray Castle, Rudy Bracho and his wife, Rosemary, and Paul Bracho and his wife, Patty. David is also survived by many cherished nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. A Memorial Gathering will be held on Saturday, March 11, 2023 from 9:00 am – 11:00 am at Gaita Memorial Home, 154 Newark Pompton Turnpike, Little Falls, New Jersey 07424. A Memorial Service, beginning at 11 am, will immediately follow the Memorial Gathering at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations in David’s memory may be made to the The Raptor Trust, a bird rehabilitation and education center where David and his children often frequented together. Donations to The Raptor Trust may be mailed to 1390 White Bridge Road, Millington, New Jersey 07946 or online at https://theraptortrust.org/  Joyce DeMattia, 89 passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones on Thursday, February 9, 2023. She was born on November 20, 1933, in Paterson, NJ to Julie and Ignatius Unger.
She graduated from St. Mary's High School in Paterson, NJ, and married John DeMattia, a Paterson Firefighter in 1956. They moved to Totowa, NJ in 1963 where they raised their family. She is survived by her two sons, John Steven DeMattia and his wife Gretchen of Wilton, CT, and Alan Anthony DeMattia and his wife Sandra of Little Falls, NJ. Joyce is also survived by her three sisters, Margaret, "Marge" Minchin, Carole Unger and Grace Taurus. Her greatest accomplishments were her three grandchildren, Morgan Taylor DeMattia, Alexandra Nicole DeMattia and John Leo DeMattia. Joyce was a loving mother, wife, mother-in-law and an active dog mom. She was a voracious reader, loved to travel and a true Jersey girl who loved walking on the beach collecting shells and sea glass. She could not pass up a tag sale or a Macy's excursion. A private memorial ceremony will be held at a later date. |