She was born on November 2, 1934, in Brooklyn, New York, the youngest child of Michael, a New York City firefighter, and Filomena “Mamie” Fortunato Roberti. All four of her grandparents had emigrated from southern Italy in the late 1890s.

Dorothy had a wonderful childhood in Brooklyn, living within the same neighborhood as 36 of her first cousins. She married Joseph Madonna on May 3, 1952, in Brooklyn. They remained in Brooklyn in the home of her parents until they all relocated to Hackettstown in 1967. She was employed at the former Kmart in Hackettstown for many years before retiring in the 1990s.

Dorothy was hilarious and sharp witted. Her stories and expressions would keep everyone laughing at holidays and she was the true matriarch of her family. She was a fantastic cook and baker and never used a recipe for anything. She loved scrabble, word games, and Hallmark movies, but most of all she loved her family. She spent many years in her life with children running around her small apartment and hosting Sunday dinners for everyone. Her grandchildren especially will always remember being loved.

After her husband’s death in 1999, Dorothy lived with her son and daughter-in-law, Salvatore and Colleen, for 18 years until moving to House of the Good Shepherd in 2017. After moving she was visited very often by her family and was rarely alone.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Joseph, in 1999, daughter, Jo-Ann, in 1956, sister, Rose, in 1964, brother, Dominick, in 2001, and sister and best friend, Angie, in 2016. She leaves behind her daughter, Janet Bejarano and daughter-in-law, Lori Van Ness, of Hackettstown, son, Salvatore Madonna and daughter-in-law, Colleen, of Hackettstown; four grandchildren, Natalie White and her husband, Grant, of Bear, Delaware, William Bejarano and his wife, Genevieve, of Union County, NJ, Michael Madonna and his wife, Amanda, of Sussex County, NJ, and Anthony Madonna and his fiancée, Erin McGall, of Baltimore; five great-grandchildren, Iggy and Margo Bejarano, Vincent and Maeve White, and Josephine Madonna.

Visitation will be held 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Thursday, September, 5, 2019, at Cochran Funeral Home, 905 High Street, Hackettstown, NJ, service will begin at 7:30 pm with Father Antony Arockidoss officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorials contributions are asked to be made to the Lupus Foundation of America (lupus.org) or Lupus Research Alliance (lupusresearch.org)

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