Loretta O’Hara

Beloved Mother, Sister and Aunt, 97

Loretta (nee Palangio) O’Hara of Nutley passed away on Tuesday, November 14, 2017 with her daughter at her side.  Relatives and Friends are invited to attend a Funeral Mass at Immaculate Conception Church, 372 Woodside Avenue, Newark on Saturday, November 18 at 10:00 a.m.  The interment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington.   

Loretta was one of seven children born to Lucy and Patsy Palangio in Newark on December 16, 1919.  She resided there until 1977 when the family moved to Nutley.

Loretta cherished her Catholic Faith and loved her family, always organizing and helping in times of need.  She lived a simple life as a devoted wife and mother who took pride in her home and her role as homemaker.

Loretta enjoyed music and was a loyal Frank Sinatra fan from the early days at the Paramount Theater in New York to his later appearances in Atlantic City.

During World War II she joined a local woman’s group whose members supported neighborhood men serving in the military by sending newsletters and care packages.  This was important to her since her future husband, Tom, and her brother Dominick were both in the United States Army.

Above all, Loretta was happiest spending time with her family and with her lifelong friend Lilly Damiano.

Loretta was predeceased by her adoring husband Thomas, her beloved parents Lucy (De Carlo) and Patsy Palangio, her loving siblings Dominick Palangio, Lottie and her husband John Di Meo, Minnie and her husband John Doganier, Dolores Mazziotti, and Dorothy Pontoriero, her special nephew Michael Doganier, her beautiful niece Nancy Testa Eineker, and her best friend Lilly Damiano.

Loretta is survived by her devoted daughter Carol, her dear sister Teresa and her husband Charles Testa, her brothers-in-law Frank Mazziotti and Pat Pontoriero, a sister-in-law Ann Palangio, and several wonderful nieces and nephews and their children. 

Whether she was affectionately called Mom, Loretta, Aunt Retta, or girlfriend, we have all been blessed to have her in our lives,

 and she will always be remembered with our love and prayers.

For those wishing to honor Loretta, donations to the Nutley Volunteer Emergency and Rescue Squad, P. O. Box 172, Nutley, NJ 07110, www.nutleyrescue.org, or to Immaculate Conception Church, c/o Reverend Jorge Acosta, 654 Summer Avenue, Newark, NJ 07104 would be sincerely appreciated by the family.

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