Obituaries for July 25, 2018

Matthew A. Mastrofilippo

Matthew A. Mastrofilippo, 84, died July 20, 2018 at home.

Visiting was at the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home, 596 Belgrove Drive, Kearny.  A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at Queen of Peace Church, North Arlington. Interment was in Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington.

Born in Jersey City, Matthew lived in Hoboken before moving to North Arlington in 1967.

He was an import manager with Allied Federated Department Stores, New York City, for 31 years. He served in the United States Army and was a secretary for the Chief Surgeon in Germany while in the Army.

Matthew was an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, a member of the choir, former president and member of the parents’ association, was a rector for both the Pre Cana Program and the Emmaus Adult Retreat Program, was an active volunteer and was in charge of the piety shop and named it “The Welcome Matt,” all at Queen of Peace Church, North Arlington. He also was a member of the Third Order of the Franciscans.

He was the beloved husband of 57 years of Marguerite Calabrese Mastrofilippo. He was the father of Mauro Mastrofilippo (Karen) and Esta Ann Ammerman (Paul). The brother of the-late Claire Van Kleeck, Anna DiPaolo, Beatrice Lanner, Pauline Braitsch and Anthony and Madeline Mastrofilippo, he was the grandfather of Kaitlyn, Christina, Marguerite, Michaila, Michele and Erica. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Visit www.armitagewiggins.com to send condolences.

Please make a donation to Spectrum for Living, 210 River Vale Road, Suite 3, River Vale, N.J. 07675 (www.spectrumforliving.org) in his memory.

Brendan McAlea

Brendan McAlea, 85, of Kearny, died July 20, 2018.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Cecilia Church in Kearny on Thursday, July 26, at 10 a.m. Interment will be in Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington. Visitation is at the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home, 596 Belgrove Drive, Kearny, on Wednesday, July 25, from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.

Born in Northern Ireland, Brendan lived in Kearny since 1960. He worked for Engelhard Precious Metals, and later for Wallace & Tiernan as a tool and die maker for many years before retiring. A longtime member of the Pioneer’s Total Abstinence Association of the Sacred Heart, Brendan had a passion for cycling and for music, and was an avid runner and an exceptionally talented carpenter.

He also loved going on a yearly retreat to the Loyola Jesuit Center in Morristown, and always put his family first. A devout Catholic, he was a longtime communicant at St. Cecilia Church, as well as an extremely loyal choir member there and at St. Stephen’s Church, Kearny.

Brendan was the beloved husband of the late Claire (nee McCarthy); loving father of Una McAlea, Kevin McAlea, Margaret Carpen and her husband Mitch, Mary Frech and her husband Gerard, and Deirdre Tonero and her husband John; dear grandfather of Robert, Rachel, Kieran, Patrick and Aidan, he was also the brother of Kathleen McAlea, Anne Creed, Tony McAlea and the-late Moya and Patrick McAlea.

Nancy Kalevas

Nancy Kalevas (nee Tsitouris), 82, of Kearny, died July 20, 2018.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Union on Wednesday, July 25, at 11 a.m. Interment will follow in Crest Haven Memorial Park, Clifton. Visitation will be at the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home, 596 Belgrove Drive, Kearny, on Tuesday, Juy 24, from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.

Born in Greece, Nancy moved to the United States in 1960, settling in Kearny in 1972. A member of St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, she was a great cook, avid reader and had a love for gardening, flowers and all animals.

Nancy was the beloved wife of the-late Arthur; loving mother of Dennis (Helen), George and Christopher Kalevas. She is also survived by her grandson Athanasios J. Kalevas, and by many loving nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Cecilia Church in his memory.

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