Maureen Rose Penta

Maureen Rose (McGinnis) Penta passed away peacefully in her 80th year at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, NJ on Tuesday, December 9, 2025.

A much-loved wife, sister, aunt, great-aunt, grandmother, daughter, godmother, cousin, friend, and teacher who gave of herself tirelessly and unceasingly, Maureen will be hugely missed by many, for a long time. Born in Paterson, NJ on September 6, 1946, the first year of the baby boomers, Maureen grew up in Allenhurst NJ as the eldest of seven children. A proud product of her Catholic upbringing -- Holy Spirit School (1960), St. Rose High School (1964) and Cabrini College (1968 - highest grade point average in the Education Dept), Maureen went on to earn an MS from Monmouth University (1972), published a voluminous research guide to language arts resources, and was certified as a K-12 Reading Specialist. Maureen ran the reading lab at Ocean Township Middle School for many years, teaching and tutoring generations of Ocean students who still fondly remember her.

A lover of the Shore, Maureen lived her life in Long Branch, never residing more than two blocks from the ocean. Among her many little-known skills from the 60s and beyond, were master sun tanner, telephone switchboard operator, carhop, diaper-changer, walker (70,000 kilometers in all 50 states) and marathoner (9 marathons and several half marathons in the US and Europe). Maureen was volunteer President of the Princeton Area Walkers for many years, and the recipient of six Presidential Sports Awards. Her two special loves were travel -- whenever and wherever by plane, train, automobile, sailing yacht (Caribbean, Labrador, Canada) or bicycle -- and attending Broadway shows (too many to count). In short, Maureen loved life and made the most of every opportunity. Most of all, she loved unwaveringly her family and friends. Everyone she met felt acknowledged and loved her back.

Maureen was predeceased by her beloved parents Joseph A. and Ruth (Thomas) McGinnis, her dear husband Garry M. Penta, nephew Eric Ayalik Pelly and brother-in-law Paul P. Gallagher. Among those who will miss her greatly are her four sisters Marcy McGinnis (NYC and Ocean Grove); Laurie Pelly (David) (Quebec); Janet Mercadante (Joe) (Long Branch and Delaware) and Susan McGinnis (Point Pleasant Beach); brothers Joseph McGinnis (Patricia) (Hallendale, FL) and Mark McGinnis (Shanna)(Marlton NJ); nieces Michelle, Jackie (Alex), Rosie (Bill), Elizabeth (James), Christine (Chris) and Ellen (Jordan); nephews Brian, Kevin (Mallory), Joe, and Dan; great nieces Sydney, Bella, Emma and Savannah; brother-in-law Joe Forino, sister-in-law Patty Quinn McGinnis, numerous cousins, extended Penta family members, and many friends.

A memorial gathering will be held on Friday, January 9, 2026 from 4-7 pm at the Damiano Funeral Home in Long Branch. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, January 10 at 10:30 am at St. Michael's Church in West End, Long Branch. Interment will follow at Woodbine Cemetery in Oceanport. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to The Ayalik Fund for Inuit Youth (www.ayalikfund.ca), established in memory of Maureen's much loved nephew Eric, or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (www.stjude.org). The family invites you to leave a note of condolence by selecting the tribute/guestbook link.