Marlene Coviello

Marlene Coviello, affectionately known as Ma, Lovely, Mimi, Mar, Puffy, and Round by her family and friends, passed peacefully at her home in her sleep on the morning of Friday, July 10th, 2026 at the age of 89.

Born in 1936, Marlene grew up in Paterson and subsequently lived in Lodi and Verona, New Jersey. She graduated from Montclair State Teacher’s College in 1957 and went on to have a 34-year career in public education. Marlene was a worldly traveler, having seen much of the United States and visited countries as far reaching as Zimbabwe,
Egypt, Norway, Argentina, and China. She was a prolific life-long reader, finishing an impressive average of 140 books per year. Marlene enjoyed tanning at the beach, playing bocci in Cedar Grove Park, volunteering at the Church of the Holy Spirit food pantry, attending shows in Manhattan, visiting the Verona Public Library and playing
mahjong. Above all, she loved spending time with her family and friends, of which she accumulated an enormous amount over the course of her long life.

Marlene will be remembered forever for her fierce independence, her attentive and careful listening, and above all, her deep love and loyalty to her family and friends. Through her many roles, as a daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, godmother, aunt, teacher, volunteer, and friend, she has had an immeasurable impact on everyone
lucky enough to have met her.

She was predeceased by her parents Eva (nee Mignone) and Carmine Sabio,
her brother Stephen Sabio, her husband Patrick Coviello, and her partner Joseph Soccio.

She is survived by her children Michael Coviello and Lisa Freschi, her son-in-law David, her grand-daughter-in-law Alexis, and her three grandchildren, “the treasures of my heart”, Nicolas, Marco and Lucas.

Visiting will be held at the Dancy Funeral Home, 9 Smull Avenue, Caldwell from 2 to 5 PM on Sunday, July 12, 2026.

Condolences, photos and memories may be left on her obituary page at proutfuneralhome.com.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Church of the Holy Spirit Food Pantry, 36 Gould Street, Verona, NJ 07044 (www.holyspiritverona.org/food-pantry) or Friends of the Verona Public Library, 17 Gould Street, Verona, NJ 07044 (www.veronalibrary.org/friends-of-the-library). For either, please include that the donation is in memory of Marlene Coviello, so we can appropriately acknowledge the donation.