A daughter of Upper Montclair, Florence Quatrochi, passed away peacefully at home at the age of 94, surrounded by her adoring family.

Born and raised in Upper Montclair, New Jersey, she was the youngest of four daughters and the only one born in a hospital — Mountainside. They were a close knit family, raised in a modest home on the edge of Brookdale Park — before it was a park — near what is now the Rose Garden.

She married for the first time at a young age, and had two sons, Lenny and Gary Always independent and taking charge, she supported her children by hat checking at various clubs in Manhattan, like the Copacabana and the Chateau Madrid, where she met leading crooners and comics of the day, including Louis Prima, who promised to name a song for her, and so renamed a popular tune, "Oh! Florence (The Thousand Islands Song)."

Eventually, Flo met the love of her life, Joe, to whom she was devoted for over 25 years. She admitted that she didn't like her name as a young girl, only gaining an appreciation when she and her husband traveled to Italy and saw the city she was named for, Florence. She would visit the country many more times, including the village of her father's origin, Calitri. After widowhood, she added further trips around Southern Europe, Central and South America to her passport, favoring the Dominican Republic in winter.

She often spent time helping friends, and took great effort and pride in caring for those she loved, including raising her oldest grandchildren.

She was a longtime resident of Clifton. Over the years, Florence could be seen driving in the area with antique, blue, personalized license plates FLO4, cigarette usually in hand and a timeless sense of style recognizable to most, always wearing a shade of coral-orange-red lipstick, even for errands.

Florence enjoyed her travels, the simple beauty in nature, a laugh with a friend, a good espresso and her family. In recent years, she could be seen with her grandchildren on Church Street, walking more slowly than in the past with the aid of an upright walker, but still smiling. She lived a full life, not without its heartache and sadness, but she always focused on tomorrow, as the popular song goes, "I faced it all, and I stood tall, and did it my way."

Florence was predeceased by her beloved husband Joseph Quatrochi and loving sons, Leonard and Gary Ugaro; parents, James Stanco and Rose (Milaccio), and three sisters Anne Dwyer, Judy Castiglia and Frances (Chick) Corsi.
She is survived by her doting grandchildren, Gina, Vincent and Stephanie Ugaro and great grandson, Aaron Caraballo-Ugaro.