Marie DePersia

Marie DePersia (née Tamea) age 98, of Haddonfield, NJ, passed away at home with family at her side on July 23, 2024. Marie was born on December 18, 1925, in the small town of Sheppton, PA to parents Theodore Tamea and Susan Kavilla Tamea.
As a little girl, Marie loved dancing and gymnastics and often performed solo onstage in her town hall. She tried out for basketball in high school but soon decided that cheerleading was much more fun. She knew that college was not in the cards for her "because she was a girl" and at 17, she went to Bridgeport, CT and worked in a GE plant on a radio parts assembly line during WWII. While there a friend told her about a Cadet nurse program where the government would pay for her education. She left Connecticut and studied at Philadelphia General Hospital. It was there that she met the love of her life, Dr. Rudolph T. DePersia. They enjoyed 54 beautiful years together until he passed away in 2003.
Marie was a self-taught artist and seamstress, a wonderful party planner, a great baker, fabulous homemaker and outstanding mother. She loved to read. She earned a college degree in the 1970's but never fulfilled her dream of going to law school. Marie was very involved for many years and wore many hats in the Women's Medical Auxiliary of Underwood Memorial Hospital. She served as President, Secretary and Treasurer and chaired many fundraising activities.
Family meant everything to Marie. Sharing holidays was one of her delights and she prepared family dinners every Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and also to celebrate birthdays and special occasions in between. She was a devoted wife, Mother and Grammy. Marie is survived by her children, Cynthia and her husband William Lehane of Saint Davids, PA, Dr. Rudolph T. DePersia, Jr and his wife, Dr. Lori DePersia of Cherry Hill, NJ and Mary Ann and her husband Paul Considine of Haddon Heights, NJ; grandchildren Lauren (née Lehane) and Sean Travers, Lydia (née Lehane) and Stephen Heying, Robert DePersia and Dr. Elizabeth Culnan, Kristen (née DePersia) and Matthew Foley, Dr. Sean and Olivia Considine, Michael and Alissa Considine; and great grandchildren Hadley and August Heying, River DePersia, Everett, Graham and Reagan Foley, and Maeve Considine. She is also survived by her brother, Thomas Tame and his wife Sandy and many nieces & nephews. She was predeceased by her brother, Theodore Tame.
Relatives and friends are invited to pay their respects, 5:00p.m. to 6:45p.m. on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, at St. Rose of Lima R.C. Church, Fourth Avenue and Kings Highway, Haddon Heights, NJ followed by Mass of Resurrection at 7pm. Entombment will be private. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to St. Rose of Lima Church, 300 Kings Highway, Haddon Heights, NJ 08035 or ASPCA, 424 East 92nd Street, New York City, New York 10128 aspca.org.