Obituaries for Nov. 6, 2024

Patrick Robertson
1953 – 2024

Patrick Robertson, 71, formerly of North Arlington died in Long Beach, California, in the early hours of Oct. 29.  Patrick was born Sept. 14, 1953, in Jersey City, the son of John Robertson and Sarah “Sadie” Robertson (O’Brien). He graduated from North Arlington High School in 1971, then went on to receive an associate degree from Brandywine College.

A few years later, Patrick decided to follow his passion for cooking and enrolled at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. After graduating, he went on to a long and successful career in the restaurant industry. His resume includes some of the finest restaurants in the world, including Le Cirque and the 21 Club in New York. The basketball legend Michael Jordan tapped Patrick to be executive chef at 160 Blue, Jordan’s first restaurant in Chicago.

More recently, Patrick lived and worked in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and also served as executive chef of the Hilton Hotel in Guam, where he supervised multiple dining venues. Patrick will be remembered for his warm personality, his creativity in the kitchen and a fierce loyalty to friends and co-workers.

He is survived by his brother, Michael Robertson.

A celebration of Patrick’s life take place on a date and place to be announced later.

Dolores DeFazio

Dolores DeFazio, (Marcavage), 94, died Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, at home with her loving daughters by her side.

Relatives and friends visited at the Thiele-Reid Family Funeral Home, 585 Belgrove Drive, Kearny. A funeral Mass was celebrated at Our Lady of Sorrows R.C. Church, Kearny. Entombment was in Holy Cross Chapel Mausoleum, North Arlington.

Dolores was born and raised in Simpson, Pennsylvania, to the late Anthony and Casimira Marcavage. Mrs. DeFazio has lived in Kearny for the last 65+ years. She worked in the accounting department at Art Metal, U.S.A. in Newark for many years. Her prior employment was working in the mortgage department at Equity Savings and Loan Kearny.

Mrs. DeFazio was a member of the Polish American Women’s Club and named Polish American Club Outstanding Citizen of the Year in 1989. She was also a member of the Henrietta Benstead Senior Center, Thursday Group. She was an avid bowler at the Bowl-O-Drome in North Arlington, (into her 80s and earned many trophies) and previously bowled at Yeager’s Bowling Alley in Harrison.

Dolores also enjoyed bingo, playing cards with her many friends. Also trips to Atlantic City and many other casinos. She was a great hostess to many family and friends, at home (with her husband cooking). Dolores’s true passion was spending time with her family. People would describe her as being, compassionate, loving, kind, funny, etc., a singer, dancer, joke teller and an all-around entertainer.

Dolores never missed sending cards for birthdays and every occasion to family and close friends. She would always call and sing to her family members on their birthdays.

Dolores is survived by her daughters, Cynthia Enquist and husband John, Diana Davitt and husband, Gary, and a brother Joseph Marcavage. She was the beloved grandmother of John Enquist (Meredith), Ashley Murillo (Steven), Owen Davitt and his fiancé, Peter. She was the great-grandmother of Savannah, Violet, Sofia, Ryan and Matthew. She will be deeply missed by her great-grand pup, Lewis. Also, many, many nieces and nephews, 32 plus.

Dolores was predeceased by her husband, of 53 years, Frank DeFazio and siblings, Evelyn DeGonge, Christine Kresock, Marion Boyd, Joanne Maile, Arlene Gatto, John Marcavage, Anthony Marcavage and Edward Marcavage, plus many brothers and sister in laws.

In lieu of flowers a donation to St. Jude (Dolores’s favorite charity) would be greatly appreciated, in her honor at www.stjude.org.

Christine B. Galioto

Christine B. Galioto (nee Padeski) died Oct. 24, 2024.

She was 79.

Born in Harrison, Chrissy lived in Newark before moving to Kearny in 1976.

Private arrangements were by the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home, Kearny.

Chrissy was the beloved wife of the late Donald Galioto and loving mother of her son Donald. She is also survived by her cherished grandchildren Gaige, Brookelynne and Camila.

In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation to the ASPCA in her memory.

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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.