Raffaela Macera, a beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, wife, sister, daughter, and matriarch, passed away leaving behind a lifetime of love, strength, faith, and devotion to her family. Raffaela was born on February 12, 1940, and was raised in the beautiful mountain town of San Giorgio a Liri, Italy, the daughter of Giovanni and Marianna. At just three years old, she lost her father, Giovanni, during World War II. From an early age, Raffaela learned what it meant to be strong. She grew up working on the family farm alongside her mother, her younger brother Italo, and her many cousins, aunts, and uncles. Those early years instilled in her a deep appreciation for hard work, family, tradition, and perseverance; values she would carry with her throughout her entire life. It was in Italy that Raffaela met the love of her life, Mauro Nicola Macera, affectionately known as Nick. Their love story would take them across an ocean and into a new life together.

Nick traveled by boat to the United States, arriving at Ellis Island, determined to work hard and establish a future for the two of them. After working to build a life and save enough to bring Raffaela to America, Nick returned to Italy. On July 23, 1960, he and Raffaela were married. Soon afterward, Nick returned to the United States to establish their home in Newark, New Jersey, and Raffaela later made the journey across the Atlantic on plane to join him. Together, they began building their American dream. From Newark, they eventually moved to Upper Montclair, where they created a home filled with family, love, hard work, and Italian tradition. They raised four children: Anna Lucia, Mario Pompeo, Giovanni, and Antonietta.

Raffaela and Nick worked tirelessly to provide for their family. They eventually purchased additional homes around the block and became landlords. When Nick passed away in 1992, Raffaela faced the difficult task of carrying on without her beloved husband. True to the strength that had defined her entire life, she stepped forward and managed the properties herself. She became a true businesswoman; capable, determined, and independent, while continuing to put her family first. But Raffaela’s greatest accomplishment was never measured in homes or business. It was measured in the lives of the people she loved. Her family was the center of her world. She was incredibly proud of her children and grandchildren and celebrated their accomplishments as though they were her own. She made sure her children had the opportunity to be educated and encouraged each of them to build meaningful lives. She taught by example that no matter what life brought your way, you could meet it with courage, faith, and perseverance. She was known for her warmth, her wisdom, and her ability to give the best advice. She often reminded those around her to be strong and to stay positive. Those simple words became part of the legacy she leaves with her family: Be strong. Stay positive. Keep going.

Raffaela found joy in the simple things. She loved gardening and sewing, and she was especially known for her cooking. Her homemade tomato sauce was more than a recipe, it was a taste of home, family, and her Italian heritage, lovingly passed down through generations. She also loved the beach, where she could enjoy the beauty and peacefulness of the shore. Above all, Raffaela’s life revolved around her family, her faith, and her Italian heritage. She had a remarkable ability to put everyone else before herself. Her love was expressed not only in words, but in everything she did: the meals she prepared, the advice she gave, the sacrifices she made, and the countless ways she cared for the people around her.

She leaves behind her four children, Anna Lucia Rizzo (married to Paul), Mario Pompeo, Giovanni, and Antonietta Boeckel (married to Michael), her grandchildren, Nicolina, Michael and his wife Sarah, Victoria and her husband Dmytro, and Paul; and her great-grandchildren, Nicholas and Grayson. She was predeceased by her parents, Giovanni and Marianna; her brother, Italo; and her beloved husband, Nick.

Raffaela’s journey began in a small mountain town in Italy and carried her across an ocean to a new country, where she and Nick built a life through love, sacrifice, and determination. But the greatest home she ever built was the one she created within her family; a home rooted in faith, tradition, strength, and unconditional love. Her family will carry her lessons forward. They will remember her strength when life becomes difficult, her positivity when challenges arise, her laughter and warmth around the kitchen table, the taste of her cooking, the beauty of her garden, and the love she gave so freely. Raffaela lived a life of purpose. She loved deeply, worked tirelessly, gave generously, and never stopped believing in the people she loved. Her legacy is not only in the family she leaves behind, but in the strength she placed within each of them.

“Be strong. Stay positive.”
Those were her words. Those were her lessons. And those will forever be her legacy.

She will be deeply missed, lovingly remembered, and forever cherished.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asked that donations be made in Raffaela’s memory to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, an organization dedicated to helping children and their families facing childhood cancer and other serious diseases. Link: Raffaela Memorial for St Jude