Obituary of Helen M. Salerno

Helen M. Salerno – 88 – Monroe Township, NJ Helen M. Salerno (nee Marko), 88, resident of the Ponds adult community in Monroe Township, Shawl Knitting Group at Nativity of Our Lord Church and vice president of the now defunct Chapter 2055 of the National Active & Retired Federal Employees passed away on October 23, 2014. Born in Sterling, she later resided in North Plainfield where she was married in 1957 to Joseph T. Salerno at St. Joseph's RC Church. She raised her family in South Plainfield and following the "empty nest syndrome" relocated with her husband to LeisureTowne in Southampton Township in 1988 prior to settling at the Ponds in 1995. A graduate of Morristown High School she graduated during the war years and in patriotic support of the war effort she joined the staff of the Veterans Administration Hospital at Lyons where the returning war casualties of World War II were being cared for together with the war wounded of World War I. After an interruption of federal career service in order to raise a family; a time frame when she also served in part-time administrative positions with the South Plainfield school system, she returned to the veteran care facility. She served in progressively responsible administrative positions including that of executive secretary to the assistant hospital director and retired in 1986. A lady with a voice, she was active in various church glee clubs in Sterling, North Plainfield and the glee club at LeisureTowne where she also participated in the community's drama club, "The Funnybones". She was a member of the LeisureTowne TownWatch, a community policing unit. In South Plainfield she was in local community affairs, including the South Plainfield PTA, Junior Baseball Auxiliary and the high school Booster Club. A spousal life member of the American Ex Prisoners of War Association and the 106th Infantry Division Association, she was also a member of the Ponds Italian-American Club, as well as the Ponds Residents Association. She was an active member with NARFE (National Active & Retired Federal Employees Assn) serving in various leadership positions and the church sewing group. She was a member of the Auxiliary to the Isabella McCosh Infirmary at Princeton University for well over 28 years. She was a communicant of the Nativity of Our Lord RC Church, active with the church sewing group. She was predeceased by her brothers Frank Jr. and William and parents Frank Sr. and Katherine, who emigrated from Europe, met and married in New Jersey. The proud daughter of immigrant parents, she considered her greatest achievements to have been the good fortune of a loving family, caring husband; and the mother of her daughter Ellen DeMaio and son Joseph Francis, who combined in blessing her with six grandchildren; Joseph and Thomas DeMaio, Katelyn, Rachel, Dana and Joseph A. Salerno. In addition her survivors also include her son-in-law Joseph P DeMaio and her daughter-in-law, the former Della Titterall. Visitation will be on Monday October 27, 2014 from 2-4pm and 7-9pm at the M. David DeMarco Funeral Home – 205 Rhode Hall Rd., Monroe Twp., NJ 08831 – 732-521-0555. Funeral services will begin on Tuesday October 28, 2014 at 8:45am at the funeral home. A funeral liturgy will be celebrated at 9:30am at Nativity of Our Lord RC Church – Monroe Twp. followed by interment in Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery – Wrightstown. In lieu of flowers, donations in Helen's name may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital - www.stjude.org