Marie Saykanic

CLIFTON - Maria Santa “Marie” (Solazzo), 94, of Clifton, died peacefully and was granted her angel wings on October 14, 2023, surrounded by family at her side. Born in Passaic, NJ on June 20, 1929 to Sicilian immigrants Giuseppina (Richiusa) and Antonino Solazzo, she lived in the Clifton/Passaic area for her entire life, growing up near the corner of “Myrtle and Monroe.” She was raised with Sicilian dialect as her first language, learning the English language when she attended the Passaic public school system, graduating from Passaic High School in 1946. Marie was an assistant librarian at BASF Inmont before retiring in 1990. For many years she was a parishioner at St. Philip the Apostle R.C. Church in Clifton.

Beloved wife of 49 years to the late George Saykanic, a Passaic Firefighter who passed away in 2001. Loving and devoted mother of Dr. Donna Saykanic and John Vincent Saykanic, Esq., she is survived by her children and her sister Vivian Martin (and her husband Joseph), and predeceased by her brother the late Dr. Anthony Solazzo of Watchung.

She is survived by her nieces and nephews, Anthony and Robert Apostolico (and their wives Ikumi and Edith and children Nicholas, Christine, Thomas and Joshua), Robyn Klein, Scott Solazzo, Chris Solazzo, Lisa Lesser, and Anthony Solazzo, along with many cousins and close friends.

Marie was not only a gourmet cook but the world’s cooking and baking champion, preparing traditional Sicilian and Italian specialties from recipes passed down from her mother. Her kindness, warmth, generosity, sincerity, love of family and dignity were matched by her zest for life (including a love of dancing), and these qualities made her greatly loved and admired by many. Always happy and upbeat, she was undoubtedly the type of individual that lit up a room whenever she entered.

In lieu of flowers, donations made in Marie’s memory to Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 ( www. stjude.org) would be greatly appreciated.

Visitation will be held Thursday, October 19, 2023 from 4:00 to 8:00 pm at Bizub-Quinlan Funeral Home, 1313 Van Houten Ave., Clifton. Funeral services will be held Friday, October 20, 2023 at 9:45 am from the funeral home followed by a 10:30 am Mass at St. Philip Church, 797 Valley Road, Clifton. Entombment at St. Nicholas Cemetery, Lodi. Visit www.bizubquinlan.com to leave condolences on the Tribute Wall section of the obituary.