Clotilde Dongo
Clotilde Dongo, 74, died on the morning of May 20, 2026.
She was a beloved mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin and friend.
She was born on Jan. 18, 1952, in Peru to Rosa and Abraham Garcia. She grew up in Lima, Peru.
Clotilde was known for her kindness, sense of humor and love of trying new foods, going to the beach and spending time with her loved ones. She found great joy in the simple pleasures of life — reading her Bible each day, which brought her comfort and strength, and caring for her beloved puppies, Chip and Gaia, who were her faithful companions.
Clotilde loved to dance, bringing energy and laughter to any gathering. Above all, she cherished time spent with her family and friends, whether sharing meals together, celebrating special occasions or simply enjoying each other’s company.
Her home was always filled with warmth, good food and the sound of loved ones gathering around her dining room table watching Spanish-language television. Her love, wisdom and generosity touched countless lives and will be deeply missed by all who knew her.
She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Patricia and David; grandchildren Isabel, Sofia, Jovan and Joshua; sisters, nieces and nephews; and cousins here and in Peru.
She was preceded in death by her daughter, Rosa A. Garcia, who died March 21, 2013.
Michael Fulginiti
Michael Fulginiti died May 25, 2026.
He was 97.
Born in Italy, he moved to Kearny in 1955.
Visiting was at the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home, Kearny. Mass was celebrated at St. Stephen’s Church, Kearny. Entombment was in Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington.
Michael proudly served in the Italian military and was a retired welder from J. Supor in Harrison. He was a devoted father and grandfather who cherished spending time with his seven grandchildren. He loved cooking for his family, a gift he learned from his beloved wife, Nina, as well as singing, playing the lottery, all while bringing laughter and life wherever he went.
Husband of the late Marianna Voci, he is survived by his children Mary Ann Maltz, Sam (Judy) Fulginiti and Diane Biancamano and his nephew Joseph (Rita) Voci. Michael was the loving grandfather (pop pop) of Kimberly, Elise, Jacqueline (Frank), Steven, Anthony (Alyssa), Giuliana and the late Carissa. Brother of Antonio Fulginiti, Raffaela Grande, Rosetta Agresta, Carmella De Filippo and the late Vincenzo Fulginiti.
In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation to the American Heart Association.
Dorothy Coppola
Dorothy Coppola (nee Cebilski) died May 22, 2026.
She was 86.
Born in Newark, she lived in North Arlington before moving to Kearny in 1969.
Private cremation was handled by the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home, Kearny. Her ashes will be interred with her late husband at Arlington National Cemetery.
Dorothy was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She enjoyed her membership at the Henrietta Benstead Senior Citizens Center in Kearny.
Wife of the late Gerald “Jim” as she called him and loving mother of Jerry J. (Annie) Coppola and Michael A. (Tina) Coppola, she was the last of six siblings and sister-in-law of Marianne “Sis” and Gary Greeley. Also surviving are her beloved grandchildren Adam, Michael, Julia, Hunter and Pierce.
In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association at donorservices.alz.org in her memory and to help others.
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.