Maria Recupero

Sadly, we announce the passing of our mom, Maria Recupero, born Maria Graziano on April 7th, 1936, and passed on February 14th, 2023, at the age of eighty-six years old. Mom was born to Onofrio and Grace Graziano and grew up in Carrol Gardens, Brooklyn NY. She married Fred Recupero on April 15th, 1955, living in Canarsie, eventually moving to East 9th St, both in Brooklyn and finally to Tinton Falls, New Jersey where she spent the last thirty years of her life. Our mom was at the very least a full spirited and strong-willed child and woman. It was said that it was not a very good idea for the boys to pick on her! She was a beautiful and fun-loving woman who inherited her perfectly operatic soprano voice from her father who was an accomplished opera singer in Italy. Mom was always singing, many times getting ovations from passerby's outside of our house hearing her from the open windows. Thanks to mom, music was a constant in our lives and ranged from Frank Sinatra to the Supremes to Puccini’s operas such as Madame Butterfly. Mom sang at weddings, mostly at the Church of the Sacred Hearts of Mary and Jesus and St. Edmunds both located in Brooklyn. Weddings would come to a complete halt as she sang Gounod’s Ave Maria effortlessly hitting that high C, bringing tears to everyone. Mom always had our friends at our house and to this day they lovingly recall her and her easy and lovingly way with all of them. She was our champion and always defended us against some of our nasty neighbors who did not want us playing in the streets by their homes. Who could forget 5ft 4in mom going up against 6ft 3in Benny the Swede with an ax in his hand? She saw him yelling at us and came charging down the block. After mom was done with him with, her finger pointing up to his face, he took his tail and his ax and like a little boy who was just scolded, sheepishly went back into his house, and we continued playing. Just one of many memories. Through the years mom worked various jobs but the one she loved the most was working at a nursing home where she assisted and aided the elderly. In her later years she put together a woman’s group and had them over her house feeding them with her wonderful recipes as they talked through different topics. She embraced being a grandmother and like any grandmother adored them and as they have grown into adulthood always wanting to know everything that is going on in their lives. Mom is survived by her two sons, Joseph and Richard, her grandchildren Richard, Christopher, Jessica, Erin and Kevin: her daughter in laws Angelique and Regina, and her brother Thomas. Mom requested to be cremated and any memorial to be private with just the immediate family. Donations can be made to St. Jude’s Hospital for Children. Lovingly, Joseph and Richard

Maria Recupero

April 7, 1936 - February 16, 2023