Obituary for
Mary J. Galizia
Mary J. Galizia, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great grandmother, passed away peacefully on December 24, 2020 at Jersey Shore University Medical Center with her family by her side. She was 97 years old and lived a long, healthy life filled with joy, laughter, and family.
Born in Brooklyn, NY to the late Thomas and May Arpino, Mary was the oldest of four children. She was nicknamed Dolly at a very young age and was raised in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, where she met her husband John Galizia. They were married on July 4, 1943 and raised their four children in Brooklyn before moving to Staten Island in 1962. She relocated to Jackson, NJ five years ago.
Mary attended St. Joseph’s High School in Brooklyn. She worked various jobs as she raised her four children. After the World Trade Center tragedy, Mary ended her career at Bessemer Trust in Manhattan when she was 78, and probably would not have ever retired if it wasn’t for that.
Mary was the most vibrant, loving, kind, funny, generous, and caring person with a heart so big that touched so many. She is the true definition of a person beautiful both on the inside and out and was loved by all that knew her. Mary, with her many years of wisdom and life lessons, became everyone’s mother and grandmother, but her family was her greatest joy.
Mary was predeceased by her husband, John, in 1974 and her daughter, MaryAnn Van Hoesen, earlier this year.
Mary is survived by her son, John Galizia (wife Lois), her two daughters, Joanne and Theresa Galizia, and her son-in-law, Thomas Van Hoesen. She is also survived by her four grandchildren, Karen Van Hoesen, Thomas Galizia, Kristen Macula and Jessica Vaughn, six great-grandchildren, Kurtis Swinson, Joanna Hosie, Victoria Macula, Livia Vaughn, Trevor Galizia and Juliette Galizia and two great-great grandchildren, Benny Swinson and Mia Palazzo.
