Obituary of Mary Jane Sedwick

Mary Jane Sedwick passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loving family, on September 4, 2022, in the VNA Hospice Center of St. Clare’s Hospital in Dover, New Jersey. Though we are deeply saddened by her passing, we take comfort knowing that she is reunited with the loved ones that have predeceased her; her husband, Floyd (Joe), and her sons, Martin and Gerard.

Mary Jane was born on January 26, 1938, in Newark, New Jersey, to John and Jane Pierz. She spent her childhood in Harrison, New Jersey, growing up alongside her sister, Claire. She attended Queen of Peace High School in North Arlington and then went on to earn her Bachelor of Science in Education from Newark State College. She began her lifelong career as a Special Education Teacher in the Boonton School District where she taught for 27 years. She took pride in being instrumental in the development of the Preschool Disabled Program in Boonton. As an avid seamstress and crocheter, Mary Jane started her own business where she designed, created, and sold beautiful handmade items at craft fairs. She also crocheted hundreds of afghans to donate to hospitals and Habitat for Humanity.

  Mary Jane and Joe were married in 1959 and soon made the move to the Beacon Hill area of Denville and began to grow their family. They brought 5 wonderful children into this world and shared over 50 years together. She enjoyed time with her children and grandchildren at her beach house in South Seaside Park, NJ and was an ardent supporter of their academic and athletic pursuits. She loved to entertain and was happiest when her house was filled with the laughter and energy of the people she loved most. She cherished gathering to celebrate and sing carols with her family at Christmas.

Mary Jane’s social calendar was always full with card games, lunch with friends and enthusiastically rooting for Villanova basketball.  If you were to give her the choice of where to eat when going out, Mary Jane’s answer would probably be a classic NJ diner, where she would order her favorite hamburger.

Mary Jane is survived by her loving family; her children, Christopher Sedwick (Dawn) of Denville, NJ, Mary Beth Sedwick (Helen Wortham) of Narberth, PA, and Joanne Ervey (Jason) of Andover, NJ, her grandchildren, Danielle (Malik), Julia, Lindsey, Sean, Benjamin (Shannon), Hannah, Matthew and Alex as well as her great-grandchildren, Eve and Myles and daughter-in-law Shelley Sedwick Donald of Glendale, AZ. She also leaves behind her beloved sister, Sister Claire Pierz.

In memorial, donations can be made to The Sisters of Notre Dame Retirement Fund, 468 Poquonock Ave., Windsor, CT 06095.

A visitation for Mary Jane will be held from 4 to 7 PM on Friday, September 9^th, with a vigil service beginning at 6:30 PM, at Norman Dean Home for Services, 16 Righter Avenue, Denville, New Jersey 07834, (973)627-1880. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10 AM on Saturday, September 10^th, at St. Mary’s Church in Denville, NJ, with a procession to follow to Gate of Heaven Cemetery, 225 Ridgedale Ave, East Hanover, NJ, at 11:30. For those unable to attend the Mass, please visit https://stmarys-denville.org/ and click on MASS - LIVE during the scheduled mass time to see a livestreamed mass service. The mass will also be available on their youtube channel afterwards.