Obituaries/Services

At 3:01 AM on Wednesday, September 20, 2023 at the incredible age of 104 years young, Mary Rose (AKA Maria Rosa) Tufariello (nee Calise), a lifelong resident of the Gravesend area of Brooklyn, ascended to Heaven to join her predeceased love of her life and husband of 68 years, Peter Tufariello along with her son James Tufariello, her daughter Barbara Gravius (nee Tufariello), her beloved parents, her five treasured siblings, in-laws, nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews along with the rest of her beloved family who all welcomed her home in Heaven with a homemade feast of her very own famous New Year's Eve Midnight Meatballs.

Once Mary graduated from PS 95, both her and her older sister Lu would often take the train into Manhattan to look for work in the city. Mary always loved to tell the story to family and friends about how this was during the Great Depression. In the warmer weather, when the two sisters couldn't find a job, they would often return home, change into their bathing suits and walk to the beach in Coney Island because, "Who had extra money for the subway?" This became a beloved ritual that she would tell over and over up through shortly before today when she was reunited with those who paved her smooth journey Home.

Mary had a few jobs as a Seamstress before she found her way to her career as a Manager of Mays Department Store in Downtown Brooklyn. She loved her job, and her bosses all loved her, so much so that Mary would find a little cash bonus in her pay envelope from time to time.

Mary is survived by her loving nieces / Goddaughters Lorraine Franceschetti (Nee Calise) and husband Steve; Susan Conte (nee Costa) and husband Tom; along with a large Italian family full of loving nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews and quite a few Great-Great nieces and Great-Great nephews.

In lieu of flowers please make donations in memory of Mary Tufariello to any of the following charities:

· St. Mary Mother of Jesus Roman Catholic Church

· The American Heart Association - https://ahatribute.funraise.org/fundraiser/patty-gioffre?x_firstName=Patty&x_lastName=Gioffre&x_email=patty%40gioffre.com&fundraiserPrompt=3565290

Girl Scout Troop 30725 for our military outreach program. Please make checks payable to "GSCSNJ Troop 30725" Memo: "Mary Tufariello - Troops 4 Troops" and mail to Patty Gioffre at 4 Seth Drive, Hammonton, NJ 08037). We will ship care packages to military members serving overseas in Mary's memory. Each package will have a picture of Mary along with a request for prayers for her, our family and yours for your generous donation.

If you are not moved by any of these charitable options please feel free to make a donation to the charity of your heart in Aunt Mary's memory. Thank you for your consideration.

Funeral arrangements are as follows:

Wake:

Aievoli Funeral Home

718-331-2100

1275 65th Street, Brooklyn NY 11219

Thursday, 9/28/23:

1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

& 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Catholic Mass:

St. Mary, Mother of Jesus Roman Catholic Church

2326 84th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11214

Friday, 9/29/22 at 10:45 AM

Burial:

St. Charles Catholic Cemetery

631-249-8700

2015 Wellwood Avenue, Farmingdale, NY 11735

Repast to follow after burial. Info for restaurant will be provided at St. Charles on 9/29