Obituary of Matilda Palamara

Matilda "Mattie" Palamara passed over the rainbow bridge on December 27, 2021, at the tender age of ninety-five.  She was greeted at the other side by her husband Joe, her first born Jo-Jo, her best friends Elsie and Father Joel, her German Shepherd Emby, and many other loved ones.  She is survived by her children Dean (partner Mary), Frances Mesagno (husband Jack), Kathy Keehn (husband David), George (wife Ginger), and Paul (wife Maria), and her ten grandchildren (Laura, DJ, Joe, Christopher, Michelle, Lisa, Katherine, Lauren, Michael, and Anthony), and seven and one-half great grandchildren (Genevieve, Annabelle, Seraphima, Harper, Melania, Callie, Samuel, and Baby on the way).

Mattie graduated from The Cooper Union in 1946 with a fine arts degree, where she met her husband Joe.  She used her artistic talents on-and-off over the years, but focused on raising her children for much of her adult life.  She always found time to help others, whether it was volunteering for school functions, reading for the blind, cooking meals for the needy, helping autistic children or many of the other things she somehow found time to do.

Joe was the love of her life, and they retained a close and loving relationship - still holding hands often - until Joe died in 2004 when she moved in with Paul, Maria, their three children, cats and dog.  She got to watch her grandchildren grow to adulthood and many of them marry, and saw a small brood of great-grandchildren join the family.  Until a few years ago she continued to keep busy cooking, baking, and the occasional artistic effort.

Her children and grandchildren have all inherited various traits from both her and Joe.  Some share their artistic capabilities, some her delicious cooking or fine baking skills, while others have carried on her complete inability to follow a tune or lack of grace on the dance floor.  But none could match her ability to recite endless poems and tongue twisters.  All have grown to admire her strength and fortitude, and enjoyed her sense of humor and of telling family stories.

At ninety-five, few of her peers survive, but she has touched many lives and she will be missed by all whom have had the honor and pleasure to have known her.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, January 1^st at 10:30 am at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, 15 Myers Avenue, Denville. Please consider attending the Mass remotely via https://stmarys-denville.org/, as it will be live-streamed. Burial will be private. Public Walkthrough Visitation will be held on Friday, December 31^st from 3 – 5 pm at Norman Dean Home for Services, 16 Righter Avenue, Denville. *Masks covering your nose and mouth and social distancing is required*

Mattie requested that, in lieu of flowers, please send donations to Carmelite Missions (http://www.carmelitemissions.org/donations.php) or Heifer International (https://www.heifer.org/), two of her favorite charities.