Obituary of Mary F. DiRienzo

Mary F. DiRienzo, longtime Madison resident, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Saturday, March 26, 2022 at the age of 97.

Mary was born in Brooklyn, NY to her loving parents, the late Giuseppe and Giuseppina DeFina, where she was raised with her siblings.

She married her beloved husband, Michael J, DiRienzo after he returned from World War II, and the couple settled in Brooklyn where they raised their family. They welcomed three sons and two daughters into their young family.

Mary was a wonderful mother and loved her family deeply. She was especially proud to be a grandmother to nine and great-grandmother to thirteen.

Mary had a warm-hearted nature, was always thoughtful to others and went out of her way to check on her friends. She was well known for her hand-crafted needlepoint keepsakes which she made for everyone she met. To know Mary was to love her.

In their retirement Mary and Michael moved to Madison from Brooklyn to be closer to their children and grandchildren. She was a devout Catholic and parishioner of St. Vincent Martyr Church for 28 years.

Mary is survived by her two daughters Rachele Ramirez and her husband Henry & Joan Ferrigno and her husband Anthony ; two sons, Michael DiRienzo and his wife Theresa & Joseph DiRienzo and his wife Lisa; one daughter-in-law, Theresa DiRienzo; one sister, Anne Ianno; nine grandchildren, Frank, Danielle, Michael, Allison, Alyssa, Gregory, Christopher, Joseph & Brittany; thirteen great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews; and many dear friends at Chateau Thierry.

She was predeceased by her beloved husband of 66 years, Michael J. DiRienzo in 2012; one son, Frank DiRienzo in 2000; one brother, John DeFina; and one sister, Rose Natoli.

Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend a visitation on Sunday, April 3, 2022 from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM held at the Madison Memorial Home, 159 Main Street, Madison.

All are kindly invited to gather at the funeral home at 9:00 AM on Monday, April 4, 2022 prior to the Liturgy of Christian Burial that will be held at 10:00 AM at St. Vincent Martyr Church, 26 Green Village Road, Madison. Those who wish to attend the Funeral Mass virtually can visit svmnj.org.

Interment will follow at Brig. Gen. Wm. C. Doyle Veteran’s Cemetery, Wrightstown, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, charitable contributions may be made in Mary’s memory to the Madison Volunteer Ambulance Corps, 29 Prospect St, Madison, NJ 07940 or the Madison YMCA, 111 Kings Road, Madison, NJ 07940