Eleanore Buoncristiano

Eleanore Buoncristiano, nee Raab, has joined her beloved husband, Joseph, and son, Vincenzo in the arms of the Lord on December 12 th, 2025. The youngest of six children, she was born in Newark, NJ, on February 2 nd, 1931, but also considered New York her home as a child, eventually settling in Toms River, NJ, with Joe and the kids. After the passing of her soul mate in 2009, she moved to Yorktown, VA., in 2014 and resided with her daughter, Gloria, and family until her death.

She attended the Arts High School in Newark, NJ, with aspirations of becoming an artist. Her life took another turn when she met Joseph one day after school at the corner store in Newark. He was staring at her because of her beauty. In true Eleanore style, she responded with sass- "like what you see!" The rest is history. They married on July 3, 1949, and Eleanore gave birth to three children, Vincenzo, Michael, and Gloria.

She had a variety of jobs, which she looked back on fondly and with humor, but her favorite job was being a mom and grandmother. She loved doing jigsaw puzzles and passed this love to her daughter, Gloria, as well as a sense of competitiveness as she would never let Gloria win at board games. Any victory was earned through blood, sweat, and tears. This said, Eleanore had a generous heart and would give you the shirt off her back.

She had a love of crocheting as well as playing bingo at the local Senior Center. At the age of 94, she had many stories to tell: living through the depression, seeing President Franklin D. Roosevelt, going to the World's Fair, and her crazy family. Even in her last moments in the hospital, the staff thought she was a hoot with her stories.

Eleanore was preceded in death by her parents, John Edward Raab and Susan Smith, her five siblings: Edith, George, Marie, Darien/Helen, and Doris; as well as her husband, Joseph, son, Vincenzo, daughter-in-law, Hazel, and granddaughter, Jeanne.

She is survived by her son, Michael (Gladys), daughter, Gloria (Chris), and her grandchildren: Kimberly (Steve), Angela, Cara (Kyle), Gina, Gabrielle (Cody), Alexander (Hilari), K'Ehleyr (Jacob), and Rose (Hope). She is also survived by her great-grandchildren: Martin, Joseph, Christopher-Robin, Kennedy, Anna, Ayla, Avyn, and Ronan, and many nieces and nephews.

Eleanore will be remembered for her wit, tenacity, generosity, and love for baking, cooking, and crocheting. Her smile and stories were gifts to everyone who knew her. She will be dearly missed.

Services will be held at a later time in NJ at the BG William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.