Mary Baccolla, age 97, passed away peacefully in her home in Hackettstown, NJ on March 14, 2019 with her loving family surrounding her.  

Mary Eleanor Ippolito was born on April 22,1922 in Johnstown PA, she was the last surviving sibling of the Ippolito family.  Mary moved to Paterson, NJ after graduating from Johnstown High school.  She studied beauty culture and became a hairdresser.  Mary met her husband, Jack Baccolla and they married on June 1, 1947 and were blessed with a baby girl, her one and only child, Catherine.

Mary truly had a full life.  She was a young entrepreneur, owning and managing a beauty shop in Paterson, NJ for almost 20 years.  After closing her shop, they moved to Ridgewood, NJ where she lived for the next 20 years.  

Mary and Jack moved to Coral Springs, Florida, where they lived for several years until Jack passed away in September 1981.  Mary was 61 years old.  She moved back to New Jersey to be close to her family. She later became a licensed real estate agent and worked in the Wayne NJ area for many years until she moved to Toms River in the 1980’s .She soon became anxious for another career so at 68 yrs old she  became a certified medical assistant for prominent eye surgeons in Toms River.  She enjoyed her new job and never retired until her late 70’s.  She was now free to enjoy what she loved most, gardening and her family.  

Mary lived for many years in Toms River, where she had an active social life, playing canasta, reading countless Danielle Steele novels and cooking for her family. Her grandchildren have fond memories of a freezer full of fresh homemade meals from their Nana Mary.

In 2014  Mary moved to Hackettstown to again be near her family. She still loved to read but her new favorite pastime was coloring in her new Adult Coloring Books and colored pencils.  She loved her new hobby.  

Mary is survived by her daughter, Catherine Ottilio and Victor Ottilio, her grand-daughter Cara Ottilio-Cooper and David Cooper, her granddaughter, Kathryn Ottilio, great-grandsons Michael and Evan Cooper and loving friends, nieces and nephews.  

On Monday March 18th, the family gathered for a memorial at the Calvary Cemetery in Clifton to honor Mary’s life.