Marie Zaccardi

Marie Zaccardi 1944-2024

Born December 5, 1944 to Frank J and Theresa Zaccardi (Nee Gargone) in Jersey City, NJ.

She was preceded in death by her parents and sister Angela Szabo, her nieces TerriAnn Truax (Nee Szabo) and Maria Bruno (Nee Szabo).

Marie is survived by her partner Rita Vareltgis, brother Frank F. Zaccardi Jr., his wife Mary Zaccardi (Nee Schneider) of Medford, NJ, their children Michelle Ozgar (Nee Zaccardi) her husband Gregory Ozgar of Forks Township, PA, their children Joseph, Samantha, and Michael; Sandra Davis (Nee Zaccardi) of Greensboro, NC, her children Corey and Anthony; Frank I. Zaccardi and his wife Jessica (Nee Calbos) of North Brunswick, NJ, their children Jaslyn and Julie; nephews Robert Szabo and his wife Patricia of Jackson, NJ, their children Christina, Brittany and Robbie; Thomas Szabo and his wife Bridget of Freehold, NJ and their children Taylor and Ryan.

When Marie was 8 years old, her parents bought a modest Cape Cod house at 53 Wilcox Rd, in Rutgers Village, New Brunswick, NJ. Marie and her brother Frank attended Sacred Heart Elementary School in New Brunswick while Angela preferred public schools. Marie, however, joined Angela in High School where she was a freshman when Angela was a senior.

Marie graduated from New Brunswick High School with a commercial diploma in 1962 and was employed by the Daily Home News in Somerset NJ as an accountant for registering business advertisements where she met her future life partner, Rita.

In 1969, Marie and Rita moved to Franklin Greens Apartments in Somerset, NJ where they lived for 29 years. During that time she showered all of her nieces and nephews with gifts and trips to vacation spots and even cars whenever she needed to purchase a new car she always opted to give her old one away to one of the children of her siblings.

Marie and Rita loved to travel throughout the USA and often include a niece or nephew on the trip and even great nieces and nephews as time went on.

When they were “between” vacation trips they were regulars at casinos playing their favorite slot machines either at Atlantic City or Las Vegas.

In 1995, Marie’s parents passed away and she became the new owner of her childhood home in New Brunswick.

The passion she had for gambling actually evolved into a job when, in 1998, the Daily Home News ceased to exist so Marie applied at the Trump Taj Mahal for a slot attendant job and began commuting everyday from New Brunswick to Atlantic City to work. Soon she realized that it would be much more economical to move closer to Atlantic City so they searched for and found a newly constructed home in Tall Timbers, Little Egg Harbor. She continued to work at the casino in various positions until it closed in 2016 after which she comfortably retired.

While Marie was never wealthy, she always felt compelled to contribute to many charities throughout her life. Giving whatever she could to whatever causes she admired was in the core of her very being.

She was active in the community of Tall Timbers, Little Egg Harbor, helping others and participating on several committees of the HOA.

Her love of cats dominates the décor in and around her house with feline statuary, many pictures and painting of cats, fixtures, towels, bedding, bathroom ornaments, calendars, kitchen mats, outdoor statuary; cats everywhere.

Marie and Rita shared their townhouse with several feral kittens over the years and eventually welcomed them into their household where the wo most recent survivors, Nikki and Sussi, still reside at about 13 years of age.

She was Baptized Catholic and in her adults life not particularly religious, however she did believe in God and the rewards of heaven to those who believed and practiced charity in personal assistance as well as monetary or material donations to worthy causes.

She will be sorely missed by her only sibling, her many relatives and friends, and of course her two cats.

Godspeed dearest sister, may your agony of the past 6 months of suffering be lifted from you, may you finally enjoy the longing company of your departed family and friends for all eternity, and may perpetual light shine upon you forever. I love you more than you will ever know.