Obituary of Maria Rosa Merren

Maria Rosa Merren, "la mia adorablie", passed away at home on Friday, October 5, 2018, with her beloved husband by her side. Relatives and friends are invited to visit at the Codey & Jones Funeral Home, 54 Roseland Avenue, Caldwell, NJ on Monday, October 8th from 4-8 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Aloysius R.C. Church, 219 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell, NJ on Tuesday, October 9th at 11:00 am. The interment will follow at Prospect Hill Cemetery in Caldwell, where she will be laid to rest with her daughter, Gina. To extend a condolence or share a memory, please visit www.codeyjonesfh.com. Maria was born in a small mountain village, Centenaro, in Northern Italy to Dominico and Ida Villa. She was raised on a farm along with her two brothers. She came to America and lived in Manhattan as well as Queens, New York. On Valentine's Day 1964 while on vacation in Massachusetts she met a young man, Gene Merren (also from New York), it was love at first sight. They married two years later in St. Patrick's Cathedral. Together Maria and Gene raised their family in Caldwell. Maria worked for many years as a supervisor for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and as a Service Representative for the Social Security Administration in Montclair, Passaic and Clifton New Jersey before her retirement. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her daughter, Gina, in 2012. Surviving are her beloved husband of 52 years, Eugene M. Merren, Psy.D.; a loving son, Christopher and his wife, Lilia, of San Diego, CA; dear brothers, Joseph Villa of Caldwell and Dario of Queens; adored grandchildren, Madeline and Michael.