Obituary of Maria Orlando

After days of agonizing pain and suffering, the power of God's love compelled the moment and left an everlasting impression on the hearts and souls of all involved.

Maria Orlando "Née Pepe" on December 3, 2019 at 2:45 PM left this earth as the spiritual umbilical cord was separated from the human flesh while God and family welcomed her home. All that knew Maria were gifted with her infectious smile and her ability to spread joy and love. For 89 years Maria, or as her grandkids would call her "Nonna" was as true to the Christian faith, as one outside of being an angel could be. A dedicated sister, wife, mother,  grandmother and friend to so many, Maria, or as I called her "Mom" touched the heart and souls of countless people.  Maria, a traditional Italian woman from Molfetta Bari, loved her seafood and was gifted with amazing cooking and baking skills that made every holiday a feast.  A simple woman who enjoyed nights watching game shows or WWE bodyslams or late night, early morning and mid day TV mass; all while enjoying having her family by her side. Maria was a member of the Women's Society of Modonna dei Martiri in Hoboken during the 1970s and 1980s.  She was a selfless woman who always put everyone before herself and never missed a moment to make her Grandkids happy.  Even right up to the last moments of her life, she answered the calls of her daughters requests and broke through an unthinkable amount of pain, after not being coherent for days to give them a kiss, a smile and a final tear as she drifted peacefully into the arms of Jesus Christ.  We all feel the hurt and pain of her passing, but the beautiful way she left  gives us a warm, comfortable closure.

Maria is predeceased by her beloved husband, Luigi Orlando in 1994 and by her brother, Carlo Pepe.  She is survived by her loving daughters, Antonietta Olivo and Marianna Glover and her husband, Patrick, by her cherished grandchildren, Maria Olivo and Luigi (Gino) and Gianna Glover, by her brothers, Martino Pepe and his wife, Patricia, Cosmo Pepe and his wife, Etta, and Domenico Pepe, and by many nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend the visitation at Nazare Memorial Home, Inc., 403 Ridge Road, Lyndhurst, NJ on Thursday, December 5, 2019 from 4 - 8 PM.  All will gather at the funeral home on Friday, December 6 at 9 AM then to Sacred Heart Church, Lyndhurst where at 10 AM a funeral mass will be offered.  Entombment, Fairview Cemetery, Fairview.  In lieu of flowers, Maria's family requests donations be made in her memory to American Diabetes Association, PO Box 15829, Arlington, VA 22215 or online at diabetes.org/donate or Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, 6520 N. Andrews Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309-2132 or online at msfocus.org/donate