Obituary of Phyllis C. Giannone

Phyllis Carol Giannone, Madison wife and mother of four sons, her will was strong and her faith stronger.

Phyllis Carol Giannone, 76, of Madison, N.J., passed away peacefully on Wednesday, May 13, 2015, at home. She was the beloved wife of Anthony Giannone Sr. of Madison.

Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, May 16, at 10 a.m. at St. Vincent's Church in Madison, N.J. Interment is in St. Vincent's Cemetery. Visitation will be at the Madison Memorial Funeral Home, 159 Main St., Madison, from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, May 15.

Phyllis was born in Middletown, N.Y., on Sept. 30, 1938, and grew up in both Albany, N.Y., and Madison, N.J. She was the daughter of the late Phil and Dorothy Forno. Phyllis, upon graduating from Katharine Gibbs, began her career at IBM as an administrative assistant. After a long hiatus as a loving Mom, she continued her working career at St. Vincent's Church as their business administrator, and ultimately as office manager at VIP Printing in Cedar Knolls, N.J. Phyllis was as special as they come. Her personal motto was "God First, You Second, Me Third." She was a very involved wife and mother at her parish, school and in the community, and volunteered on countless committees. She served as the principal of the St. Vincent's religious education program and taught as a CCD teacher for 11 years. She was appointed by the superintendent of schools to maintain open communications between the community and the board of education, and served for many years on the PTO. As a mother of four sons, she did all she could to provide each of them with their own set of life tools for a responsible and independent adulthood. Her will was strong and her faith stronger. She succeeded in all she set out to do.

She is survived by her husband of 54 years Anthony Giannone Sr.; four sons, Anthony and wife Laura, John and wife Lisa, Michael, and Steven and wife Laura; grandchildren, Matthew, Caroline, Anthony, Allison, Gabriella, and Jamal; two brothers, Larry Forno of Morristown, N.J., and Daniel Forno of Brewster, Mass., and one sister, Trisha Brown of Greer, S.C.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Atlantic Home Care and Hospice, 465 South Street, Morristown, N.J. 07960.