Madeline C. Grasso

GRASSO Madeline C. (nee Marra), 85, of Saddle Brook, passed away on January 17, 2009. She was the wife of the late Andrew W. Grasso who predeceased her in 2005, and the loving mother of Andre' of Garrison, NY and Katherine of Park Ridge, NJ. She was the youngest of six children and the last of the Marra siblings to pass. Madeline worked for Stern's Dept. Store for many years and was a very active, independent and outgoing person, with a talent for being resourceful. Her pride was her gardening, cooking, baking and sewing skills in which she excelled, and she was always very happy to share her accomplishments with others. Madeline, a parishioner of St. Philip the Apostle Church in Saddle Brook, was a member of the Saddle Brook Senior Center. She was very social and seemed to be happiest when she was around her friends. She was a caring and generous friend to many and a beloved aunt to nieces, nephews and their children. Madeline was a strong and determined woman with a very positive outlook, and these traits helped her as a two-time cancer survivor. It was rare that Madeline would meet a challenge that she felt she couldn't overcome, and she faced life's challenges with dignity and practicality.Her relatives and friends will be received at Vander Plaat Memorial Home, S-113 Farview Ave. in Paramus, NJ on Wednesday from 2-4 and 7-9 PM. A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Philip the Apostle Church, 488 Saddle River Road, Saddle Brook on Thursday 9:30 AM with burial to follow at Holy Cross Cemetery in North Arlington, NJ.Madeline's favorite charities were the Tomorrow's Childrens Fund, as well as the Hospice Program, both at Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, NJ 07601.For further information www.vanderplaat.com