Obituary of Maria Ciancaglini

Maria "Mary" (DeNovellis) Ciancaglini, 87, of Vineland, NJ, passed away on Friday, February 21, 2025, peacefully in her home. Maria was born in San Tomas, Italy, to Ernesto and Ernestina DeNovellis. She immigrated to the United States when she was 19, resided in Vineland, and became a US citizen, but her heart never left Italy. She soon met her husband, Enrico (Ricky), married, and began her life raising her 3 boys while working full-time as a seamstress for DeRossi's and, most recently, Santa's Best before retiring. She followed her faith and became a member of Our Lady of Pompeii Parish (St. Padre Pio) and prayed the Rosary daily. Mary will be remembered most for her love of traditional cooking recipes as she frequently shared her handmade gnocchi with anyone who asked. She found joy and passion in living her heritage and passing down her family traditions. She taught her sons and daughters-in-law to make homemade tomato sauce each summer, gathering the freshest ingredients from local farmers, and then enjoying this sauce and the memories it preserved throughout the year. She looked forward to this weekend-long process that brought her family together, culminating in a shared meal out on the lawn of fresh pasta with this delicious sauce. She looked forward to spending time with her seven grandchildren, in their younger years babysitting overnight and teaching Italian expressions. In later years, she expressed her love through numerous care packages—i.e., chicken parm, baked ziti, escarole soup—in amounts that could feed their entire dorm! If you visited her, you would often find the Italian station on her television or hear a soundtrack from Andrea Bocelli. Later in life, she discovered the casinos in Atlantic City and looked forward to day trips there with her friends or family to try her luck on the slots! Maria is survived by her sons, Anthony (Louise), Gino (Terri), and Enio (Justine); grandchildren, Zachary and his wife Lisa, Kayla and her husband Mark Ferriozzi, Matt and his wife Anna, Eric, Jake and his wife Kristen, Larissa, Brianna and fiancé Joe McKiernan, and Dominic; and great-grandchildren, Evie, Marcella, Francesca, Lucio, Emma, Annalise, and Jack; a brother, Albert DeNovellis; nieces and nephews; and her beloved friends Maria D`Ottavio, Alice Mazzi, Rita Beu, and Donatina Iacobucci. She is preceded in death by her husband, Enrico Ciancaglini; parents, Ernesto and Ernestina DeNovellis; and brothers, Donato, Thomas, and Tony. The family wishes to extend their gratitude to all of the people who have reached out to express their love, sympathy, and memories of their mother/grandmother. A funeral home visitation will be held on Thursday from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, followed by a funeral service at 12:00 Noon in Rone Funeral Service, 1110 East Chestnut Avenue, Vineland. Interment will follow in Our Lady of Pompeii Cemetery, Vineland. Arrangements are under the supervision of Rone Funeral Service, 1110 East Chestnut Avenue, Vineland, NJ 08360. Memorial donations may be made to Saint Mary's Regional Grammar School, 735 Union Rd, Vineland, NJ 08360. To send online condolences, please visit our website at [www.RONEFUNERALSERVICE.com](http://www.RONEFUNERALSERVICE.com).