Maria R. Mazarese

Maria Mazarese, 57, a beloved mother, aunt, sister, daughter, lover of all animals and friend, lost her long and hard battle to cancer Saturday, December 18th. No matter what the cancer threw at her she never let it stop her fight all the way up to her last days. She never took no for an answer, even if that meant what she would have to endure later on. She always knew her time on this earth was limited so on the good days she tried to make each moment count whether it was a phone call, FaceTime, or an event and tried to remain positive all the way through. She always knew how to smile past the pain or any challenge she was facing at the time to focus on getting better and being with her family.

Throughout her life she was always known for her loyalty, courageousness, willingness to give, and her genuinity for others, asking for nothing in return but respect and love. She gave the best advice and knew how to tackle any situation. She has been a crutch for people when they really needed it the most. She knew how to light up a room and fill it with love and laughter. Just the same as she would love watching and sharing memories with her loved ones. Family was everything to her and her daughter was her world. Maria was an incredibly hard worker as a fraud claim law specialist for an insurance company to which she worked for the majority of her life. She had a passion for helping people and enjoyed what she did. She loved her dog Bella and was her loyal companion through the majority of her cancer journey. Though what she most loved was cooking and finding new recipes to share. She was exquisitely known for her tomato sauce, lasagna and running the show when it came to holiday gatherings especially “her” Thanksgiving Day. She was so grateful to have been able to spend it this year with her family and it was one of the things she wanted most for this year. Maria, the matriarch of the family, has left behind a legacy in our family such as how to communicate with others, how to make the most of a hard situation, to find the good or the lesson in everything that life throws at you, to be there for each other, work through the hardest problems, and to most importantly never be afraid to fail or take chances-Family is everything. We carry her spirit on by following these lessons and by making her proud each day. She has touched the lives of so many people that a simple thank you doesn’t seem to be nearly enough. She is tremendously loved and missed and will remain in our hearts forever.