Stella Palumbo

1920 - 2017

Stella Palumbo

Little Silver - Stella M. Palumbo, 97, a 51 year resident of Little Silver passed away peacefully on Thursday, December 28th, 2017. She was born in Easton, Pa. to the late Joseph and Mary (Sanguinita) Yacone .

Stella was a communicant of the Church of the Nativity, Fair Haven.

In 1942, Stella joined the war effort as a volunteer nurse's aide at the Easton Hospital. Her primary responsibility was that of a care giver to returning military personnel from overseas.

In 1943, she was employed by the Joshua Hendy Iron Works of Sunnyvale, CA. within the material logistics department for production of WWII marine engines.

In 1944, Stella was hired by the US Army, and assigned to the Van Nuys Army Airfield (formerly Metropolitan Airport). Her responsibilities included material requisition during the deployment of the first experimental test flights of the Navy Lockheed P-80 "Gray Ghost" Turbojet; America's first production fighter jet, later called the "Shooting Star".

She often recalled witnessing the first test flights at Van Nuys, as well as additional test flights from nearby Lockheed Air Terminal (Burbank), and Muroc Air Base (now Edwards Air Force Base).

An avid golfer, she was a member of the Navesink Country Club in Middletown, and the Broken Sound Country Club in Boca Raton, FL. Stella was an active traveler, and loved to cook. Most of all, she loved her family.

Stella is predeceased by her husband John R. Palumbo, and four siblings. Her remaining sister, Grace Demarco, resides in Easton, PA. Surviving are her three children: John R. and Mary Lou of Oceanport, Jeffrey J. and Nancy of Little Silver, and James J. and Dinny of Rumson; and her four grandchildren: Bryan, Chad, Brett, and Amy, and 6 or 7 great-grandchildren, depending on our welcoming Amy's newest due any day.

Visitation will be held from 3-5 & 7-9 pm on Tuesday, January 2nd at John E. Day Funeral Home, Red Bank. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place 10:00 am Wednesday, January 3rd at the Church of the Nativity, 180 Ridge Rd. Fair Haven, NJ followed by Entombment at Woodbine Cemetery. Please visit Stella's memorial page at www.johnedayfuneralhome.com