Madeline Therese Cruoglio

Madeline Therese (Sullivan) Cruoglio (94) of Litchfield, CT passed away peacefully in

her sleep on November 24, 2025.

Madeline was born in East Orange, NJ on March 21, 1931 to Mary Katherine (Keaney)

and John Sullivan and was raised also by Beatrice (Keaney) Sullivan. She graduated

from Our Lady of All Souls elementary school in East Orange, NJ and Immaculate

Conception High School in Montclair, NJ. She went on to complete a program in

Nursing at Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck, NJ and to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in

English and Philosophy, with minors in Elementary and Secondary Education, from

Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ. She later earned a Master of Arts in Library

Science from Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles, CA and completed post-

graduate work at Steubenville College and Duquesne University in PA and the County

College of Morris and Rutgers University in NJ.

Madeline was a member of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Newark (now the Sisters of

Saint Joseph of Peace), for 22 years. During that time she was known as Sister Francis

Martin, and worked as a nurse, an elementary school teacher, a secondary school

English teacher, a principal, and a school librarian in New Jersey, West Virginia, and

California.

In 1965 she met the love of her life, Leonardo Cruoglio, and shortly after recognized a

new calling. They married in 1971 in Spring Lake, NJ and in 1975 Madeline became a

mother at age 44, giving birth to her daughter, Kara.

Madeline lived the next phase of her life as a wife and mother in Morristown, NJ, where

she worked as a librarian at the Morris County and Jefferson Township libraries and

then as an intermediate school librarian in Byram Township and Randolph Township,

eventually retiring from fulltime work in 1998. Shortly afterward, Madeline moved to

Manahawkin, NJ where she was an active volunteer at Southern Ocean County

Hospital and Saint Francis of Assisi Parish. She spent many winters in Palm Coast, FL.

In 2010, Madeline moved to Seabrook Village in Tinton Falls, NJ, where she

volunteered her time with the Seabrook Catholic Council and made a treasured circle of

late-in-life friends. Madeline's final move was to Brandywine Senior Living in Litchfield,

CT in 2023, which made it possible for her to spend a great deal of quality time with her

daughter, son-in-law, and grandson in her last years with us.

Throughout all of her adventures, Madeline's top priority was her family. She enjoyed

telling everyone about her large Irish family that included 16 aunts and uncles and an

ever-changing number of first and second cousins. She loved keeping up with all of

them and with her many nieces and nephews. She was instrumental in building and

maintaining the Keaney family tree.

Madeline is survived by her devoted husband Leonardo, daughter Kara, son-in-law

Michael Zakriski, grandson Cormac Loughlin Zakriski, and child of her heart Patricia

(DiMarzo) Green, as well as her sister Maureen Frischmann, and brother James and

sister-in-law Sharon Sullivan. Madeline was pre-deceased by her mothers Mary

Katherine and Beatrice Sullivan, father John Sullivan, sister Katherine and brother-in-

law Charles Walsh, and brother-in-law Thomas Frischmann.

Madeline was generous, kind, and made friends and connections easily wherever she

went. She will be deeply missed by her immediate family, her large extended family, and

her wide circle of friends.

The family will receive visitors on Tuesday, December 9 from 4-7 pm at Dangler Funeral

Home, 600 Speedwell Avenue in Morris Plains, NJ and on Wednesday, December 10

from 9-10 am at St. Mary's Abbey, 230 Mendham Road in Morristown, NJ. A Mass of

Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Mary's Abbey on Wednesday, December 10 at

10:30 am. Burial to follow at Holy Cross Cemetery in North Arlington, NJ.

Throughout her lifetime, Madeline gave generously of her time and her money to many

charitable causes. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages you to make a contribution in

Madeline's name to St. Joseph's School for the Blind in Jersey City, NJ

(https://schoolfortheblind.org/support-us) or simply remember her with a gift to the

charity of your own choosing.