Mary Simard

Mary Simard, whose home was always a place of happy gatherings, died peacefully on April 15 at age 94, surrounded by loved ones.
If you were fortunate enough to be part of G's Sunday dinner crew, you were truly blessed. Mary hosted dinners every Sunday evening, drawing a reliable crowd into her 90s. Preparing delicious food was her language of love.
Mary was born in the Bronx, but became a Rockaway resident at age 2. Her family ran the popular Rockaway Market on Wall Street in the Borough's downtown. After graduating high school, she worked at McWilliams Forge. She met her husband Ralph Simard and they married in 1951. They had three children Suzette, Andre and Victoria.
Mary took a position with Fran's Basket House of Rockaway. As the business grew and relocated to Succasunna, Mary's position grew affording her the opportunity to attend furniture shows across the nation.
Mary retired in 1995 and became a worldwide traveler. Kenya, Madagascar and the Seychelles Islands are among the destinations she visited including five trips to Italy. She also traveled extensively in the U.S. with the seniors group from St. Cecilia Roman Catholic Church in Rockaway, where she was a devoted parishioner and a member of the choir.
She was an avid bowler that enjoyed going to the racetrack, casinos and playing cards with her friends.
Mary is preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Victoria Amato, her husband Ralph, and brother, Ralph Amato. She is survived by her three children, Suzette Simard; Victoria Scholtz and husband Douglas; and Andre Simard and wife Dawn. Mary had seven grandchildren: Angeline Boyer and husband Ricardo Oliveira, Tina Boyer and husband Jamie Hecht, Michael, Brandon and Erika Scholtz, Andre John and Erik Simard. She had two great grandchildren, James and Lina Oliveira. She will also be missed by her devoted caregiver Winnie Alano.
Visitation will be held Thursday, April 18, 2024 from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. at Whitham-Kanapaux Funeral Home, 20 Keller Ave., Rockaway NJ. A funeral Mass will be held Friday, April 19, 2024 at St. Cecilia Church, 70 Church St. Rockaway NJ at 10:00 a.m. Entombment will follow at Holy Rood Cemetery in Morristown NJ.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mary's name to: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (stjude.org).
Condolences may be sent to RockawayFuneral.com.