Mary Ellen Ferraro

Mary Ellen Ferraro, 80, of Bridgewater, NJ, passed away peacefully on Monday, July 25, 2022, with her children by her side.

Mary Ellen was born in New York City, NY, on April 22, 1942, to John E. and Edith Lutz Pettigrew. Her family moved to Morristown, NJ in 1946 where she stayed until graduating from Morristown High School with the Class of 1960. She attended Maryville College in Maryville, TN where she received a Bachelor of Science in 1964. In 1965 she married Joseph Ferraro and shortly after moved to Ibadan, Nigeria for Joe's job. They spent the next 10 years back and forth, living in Africa and in NJ. Their daughter Stacey was born in Cape Town, South Africa, and their son Kevin, born in Morristown, NJ, lived in South Africa as a toddler. They moved to Bridgewater, NJ in 1975, where Mary Ellen lived for 47 years.

Mary Ellen was a programmer and system analyst by profession and retired from Zinsser in 2008. Throughout her adventurous life, she loved to travel, including the Galapagos, Russia, Italy, New Zealand, and most recently the length of the Pacific Coast Highway.  She was an avid reader who loved games, all foods and had an affection for all animals, especially birds. However, her two biggest loves were quilting and her grandsons, whom she visited with in South Carolina every winter. She was kind, thoughtful, intelligent, and she had an enthusiasm for life that was contagious to all who had the great fortune of knowing her.

Mary Ellen is survived by her daughter, Stacey Ferraro and son-in-law, Craig Cascio Sr; her son, Kevin Ferraro, daughter-in-law Nicole Ferraro, and grandsons Griffin and Logan; her brother, Walter Pettigrew and sister-in-law, Laurie Pettigrew; her sister Kathryn Zunich; her brother David Pettigrew; and her nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents, John E. and Edith Lutz Pettigrew, and sister Barbara Bacon.

A private service will be held at a future date for the family and friends. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to New Jersey Audubon Society in Bernardsville, NJ or St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center in Madison, NJ.

Expressions of sympathy may be viewed or submitted online at mcalister-smith.com.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to McAlister-Smith Funeral & Cremation, 1520 Rifle Range Road, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464.