Victoria Ninivaggi Service Details - Manchester, New Jersey | Oliverie Funeral Home

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Victoria Ninivaggi

January 4, 1929 – February 8, 2021

Victoria Ninivaggi
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Obituary for Victoria Ninivaggi

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Victoria Ninivaggi, 92, passed away peacefully surrounded by family Monday, February 8. She was born on January 4, 1929 above a candy store in Manhattan’s Little Italy to Paul and Anna Licandro. She later moved with her parents to Bensonhurst, Brooklyn where she was raised and attended school. Victoria did not learn English until first grade, but she went on to earn degrees in Nursing from the Brooklyn School of Nursing and a B.A. and an M. Ed. From New Jersey City University. She worked for a number of hospitals in New York and New Jersey but spent the better part of her career as an Operating Room nurse at Jersey Shore Medical Center. In the latter half of her career she served as the Director of Clinical Studies at the Ann May School of Nursing where she was respected by her colleagues and students alike for her career experience and passionate dedication to the medical profession. She leaves behind a legacy of Registered Nurses who populate the staffs and hold leadership positions in hospitals and medical facilities throughout the country to this day.

She married James Ninivaggi, her soul mate, in 1952, and they remained husband and wife for 33 years until his untimely death on May 7, 1985. She and Jim raised 5 children together first in Cranford, NJ and then Howell, NJ. She later retired to the Leisure Knoll community in Manchester, NJ in 1994. A devoted Roman Catholic, Victoria was a parishioner of St. John’s RCC, Lakehurst, and, earlier, St. Veronica’s RCC, Howell, where she sang in the choir. Her rendition of “Ave Maria” was a centerpiece of the church choir’s Christmas Eve performance for many years.

Victoria remained active in retirement, including as a volunteer giving out flu shots through the Ocean County Board of Health, as a member of the Columbiettes, and as a member of the singing group the Knollaires. She took great pride in her Sicilian heritage, which was best expressed through the many traditional family recipes she would prepare for her family, especially at the holidays. The highlight of the year was the Christmas Eve feast, which would take weeks to prepare. Her family and friends will sorely miss her delicious food, encouragement, inspiration and wisdom.

Victoria leaves behind a large and loving family that was the center of her life. She is survived by a daughter, Joan McNamara & her husband Stephen, 4 sons & daughters-in-law, Richard & Loretta, James & Dana, Thomas & Theresa and Steven & Cynthia; 10 grandchildren, Michelle, Stephen, Marc, Jack, Matthew, Megan, Alexander, Samantha, Alyssa & Emily and 6 great grandchildren, Kayleigh, Milana, Declan, Isla, Charlotte & Merrick. The Funeral Liturgy is Saturday 10 AM at St John’s Church Lakehurst with entombment to follow at St Mary of the Lake Cemetery, Lakewood.

In lieu of flowers please make donations in memory of Victoria Ninivaggi to the Ann May Center Nursing Scholarships, 1350 Campus Parkway, Suite 101, Neptune, NJ 07753.

To send flowers to the family of Victoria Ninivaggi, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.

Mass Information

When
Saturday, February 13, 2021 10:00am
Location
St John RC Church
Address
619 Chestnut St
Lakehurst, NJ 08733

Interment Information

When
Saturday, February 13, 2021 11:00am
Location
St Mary of the Lake Cemetery
Address
1 Honey Locust Street
Lakewood, NJ 08701
Resting Place Extra Info
ENTOMBMENT
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