Obituary of Marie R. Cimino

Marie Rose Cimino – (97) February 25, 1928 – December 8, 2025

Marie R. Cimino of New Providence, NJ passed peacefully into God’s arms on Monday, the 8^th of December, 2025 at her residence in Lantern Hill.

Marie was born in Brooklyn, New York, daughter and one of 7 children of the late Joseph and Louise (Aprea) Guarracini.

Marie was predeceased by the love of her life, Vincent S. Cimino, with whom she was married for 63 years.  At a time when few women were going to college, Marie got both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in early childhood education.  She became a teacher in the New York City school system and but for a short time as an Assistant Principal, taught kindergarten for 35 years before retiring from P.S. 32 in Staten Island in 1987. Marie truly loved teaching children and after she retired, she found a new joy as a youth counselor on cruise ships entertaining children with her charisma and wonderful singing voice.  For a couple of weeks a year, she got to travel to many amazing places and teach and help children on board the ship at the same time.  Later into her 80s, Marie chose more close to home activities, volunteering at her church and at Easton Hospital.  She had an enormous heart and gave generously to a long list of charities while also sponsoring underprivileged children around the globe.

After leaving Staten Island, she and Vince lived in Winston Salem, NC for 10 years.  Marie had a professional quality soprano singing voice and even in North Carolina, she and Vince would continue to visit New York several times a year to see the Metropolitan Opera.  In 1997 they moved to Winchester, VA and then in 2003 to Allentown, PA briefly before settling in Easton, PA.  Together with Vince, they were always hosting family and friends at their home and were often found in the kitchen cooking the most amazing home-made pasta and other meals full of life and love.  She relished family and friends and especially enjoyed the holidays with a house full of people, whether it be at hers or others.

Marie was a trailblazer in many ways and getting her Master’s degree in the 1950s was only the start.  She dedicated herself to making things better often part of, or president of clubs and groups such as school parent-teacher associations and local societies.  She was an advisory board member to HIP in the ‘70s, one of the earliest HMOs.  She was also very active in the Order Sons of Italy and always wished to retain her and Vince’s Italian heritage even as she blended it with everything modern. Marie was dedicated to God and a bible or catholic daily missal and rosary were always with her or close by.  She was an advocate for greater roles for women in the catholic church and first became a lector, then one of the earliest female Eucharistic Ministers.  Through her days in Easton, she assisted with Communion including bringing the Eucharist to those who were homebound.  To Marie, there was nothing you could not do if you put your mind to it and among her many positive-looking phrases, “perseverance conquers all” was a favorite.  After Vince passed in 2016, Marie eventually moved to an independent living residence in Lantern Hill.  She was a terrific seamstress who knitted sweaters for her children and grandchildren.  In her 90s, she got a reputation for hemming pants and repairing clothes for other residents which she did for a very small fee.  At 91 she started a knitting club calling it “Sit and Stitch” which continues to this day.  The club would knit squares that Marie would then finish into blankets as comfort for residents in the Memory Care residence.  Marie eventually got to enjoy those blankets as a resident in Memory Care herself.  Through all her life, she saw God’s role for her as to bless others through her help.

Marie is survived by her son Antonio and wife Jeanette and their daughter Radha; her son Paul and wife Donna and their sons Andrew and Luke.  Calling hours will be held on Friday 12/19 from 4-7 p.m. with additional time on 12/20 from 9-9:45 a.m. at the Burroughs, Kohr, & Dangler Funeral Home, 106 Main Street, Madison, NJ.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday 12/20 at 10:am in St. Vincent Martyr Church at 26 Green Village Road, Madison, NJ.  Interment will be private at the convenience of the family.

Marie was always giving back and often donated to many charities.  In lieu of flowers, she would have loved it if you chose to make a donation to a charity that helps others including some she supported like the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (www.stjude.org), Alzheimer’s Association, (www.alz.org), or Tunnel to Towers (www.t2t.org).