Obituary of Mary C. Brocaglia

Mary Catherine Brocaglia (DeSantis), of Madison, passed away peacefully on Monday, March 4, 2024 surrounded by the love of her family. She was 97.5 years old. 

Mary is survived by two daughters, Pamela Standley Jamison and her husband Michael & Susan Brocaglia and her partner, Milt Melamed; two sons, Thomas Brocaglia and Richard Brocaglia; four cherished grandchildren, Douglas Standley and his partner Morgan Watt, Nicholas, and his wife Samatha, Anne Marie Graddy and her husband Jacob & Michael Anthony; and three great-grandsons, Lucas, Gabriel and Rowan in addition to many extended family members and dear friends. 

She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Albert Thomas Brocaglia, her granddaughter, Marisa Standley; three brothers, Vincent DeSantis, Guy DeSantis and an infant brother Edward DeSantis; and two sisters, Carmel Thomas  & Dorothy Clark. 

Mary was born on May 17, 1926 in Chatham, NJ to the late Carmen and Agnes DeSantis. She was born prematurely and was one of the first babies to be saved by an incubator, when it was first introduced in Newark in 1926. She was raised in a house across the street from the Presbyterian Church located at 295 Main Street in Chatham with her four siblings in a loving and hard-working family. At a young age Mary learned the importance of family and of her devout Catholic faith, which provided her with tremendous strength throughout her 97.5 years. 

After graduating Chatham High School, Mary went on to be accepted to the nursing program at St. Michael’s Hospital in Newark despite being told she had too small of a frame to be a nurse. Mary was chosen to do the ribbon cutting for the then new Morristown Memorial Hospital. She invited her favorite patient,  a young boy that was badly burned, to be the first patient to enter the new hospital, and to cut the ribbon with her. She took superb care of the boy until he was well enough to leave and Mary never forgot him. 

Mary married her beloved husband, Albert on May 12, 1956 and they settled in Madison where they would raise their four children. Mary was an active parishioner of St. Vincent Martyr Church and was loved by many people at the church. 

Mary loved jigsaw puzzles (she had a puzzle going right up until the end), playing at the arcade in Wildwood, NJ  and spending time with her family. She was especially proud of her grandchildren and her great-grandchildren. Mary traveled the world, Italy, Canada and Israel and numerous trips to New England.

Although Mary will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her, we all take peace in knowing that she is at peace and with the Lord and is reunited with her husband and family that passed away before her.

Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend the visitation for Mary on Friday, March 8, 2024 from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at St. Vincent Martyr Church, 26 Green Village Road, Madison.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, March 9, 2024 at 11:30 a.m. at St. Vincent Martyr Church, 26 Green Village Road, Madison. Those unable to attend the mass in-person may attend virtually by visiting www.svmnj.org

Interment will follow at St. Vincent’s Cemetery, Madison.

Charitable contributions may be made in Mary’s memory to Africa Surgery: Hope & Healing for Sierra Leone, 70 MacCulloch Avenue, Morristown NJ  07960