Joan Marie Bongort Laezza

Our dear mother, Joan (Bongort) Laezza, 91, passed away peacefully at home on January 13, 2026 with her family, including her loving caregiver, Pettol by her side.

Born in New York City, Joan was raised in Leonardo, New Jersey. She graduated from Red Bank Catholic High School, then went on to Drake Business School. She took a job at Joseph J. Seaman & Co. Certified Public Accountants as a Statistical Typist. There she met John Laezza, a young accountant who became the love of her life. They were married on September 28, 1957 and spent the next 63 years together in Cranford, New Jersey until his passing in 2021.

Joan gave up her job to become the best mom ever, staying home to raise their three daughters Edie, Maria and Joan. She was also well loved by the many children in the neighborhood who all called her Auntie Joan. We always said she had a “play gene” and was truly a “baby whisperer”. If she put out a little blow-up pool in the summer, a crowd of neighborhood kids came across the field to our house with their towels. In the winter she would use the sprayer from the kitchen sink to turn the patio into an ice-skating rink.

Joan was very active in the Cranford community as a member of the Village Improvement Association, PTA, women’s division of the Lions’ Club, Heritage Corridor Committee, Master Tree Steward Program, Tree Advisory Board, and Echo Lake Country Club where she was a skilled and competitive golfer, winning many tournaments. Joan was also passionate about gardening. She designed and created a streetscape using barrels to plant and maintain flowers in front of the neighboring houses on both sides of the street. For her efforts in beautifying the neighborhood, she was a recipient of the Pride in Cranford Award.

 No matter how busy life became, Joan was always home after school to listen to our tales of what had taken place that day. She celebrated our successes and supported us in all the ups and downs of life. She was universally loved by all those she mothered, even those beyond her own blood family. She gave advice freely and whether you accepted her wisdom or not, it always stuck with you. Her legacy lives on in her own words “Gumption – Courage – Faith.” Once she became a grandmother in 1983 she became “Grandy” to not only her grandchildren but all those who knew her, children and adults alike. Grandy was very special to so many and she will be missed by all.

Joan was pre-deceased by her loving husband, John, her Father, Theodore E. Bongort, her mother Wilhelmina and brothers Theodore and Carl. Joan is survived by her daughters Edie Merkel (Jack), Maria Singer (Billy) and Joan Genova (Frank), grandmother of Katie Cannon (Patrick), Joy Merkel (Praveen), John Merkel (Tabitha), Will Singer (Faye), Robert Merkel (Erin), Vincent Genova and Mary Rose Genova, great-grandmother to Emily Grace, Clara Mae, Liam Patrick and Kayleigh Adeline Cannon, Ellis Jonah Daniel, John Philip and Yael Fay Merkel.

Her faith and the love of family, were the most important part of our Mom’s life, knowing these were truly gifts given to her by God. Her wisdom, kindness, and unwavering support touched the lives of everyone she met. Grandy’s love was fierce and we know she was sent off with so much love.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Joan’s name may be made to Saint Michael Church, 40 Alden Street, Cranford, NJ 07016

Joan’s Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 10:00 AM at St. Michael Church, 40 Alden Street, Cranford. Entombment will follow at Saint Gertrude Cemetery Mausoleum, Colonia, NJ. Arrangements by Gray Memorial Funeral Home, Cranford, NJ. Please go to: www.grayfuneralhomes.com to offer condolences.