Obituary of Ernestine M. Ricelli

Ernestine M. Ricelli, 78, of Freehold Township passed away on Monday, November 11, 2019 at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center.  She was born in Jersey City, raised in Union City and had lived in California and North Bergen before settling in Freehold Township in 1987.  Ernestine was a parishioner at the Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine and was blessed to be the personal chef at the rectory.  She took great pride in her job and treasured her Parish family and priests.  Ernestine loved to cook and bake, was famous for her chocolate cake, and even won a Pillsbury Bake-Off in 1981.  She enjoyed watching Netflix but more than anything else, she loved sitting with her dog, Sophie, talking with her friends and family, especially her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her husband, Flavio Ricelli in 2004.  Ernestine is survived by her daughters, Rosemary Wilson Maratta and her husband, Charles of Toms River, Brenda Aparicio Gotz of Freehold Township, Denise Santiago of Freehold Township, and Judy Douglas and her husband, Robert of Freehold Township; grandchildren, David, Roque and his wife, Cristina, Bobby, Christopher and his wife, Cheryl, Erich, Nicholas and his wife, Stefani, Marissa, Danielle, Anthony, Tyler, Olivia and Breanna; and great grandchildren, Luci, Frankie, Nicholas, Logan and Amberle; two sisters, Carmella Errico and her husband, Ralph of Maywood, and Mary Nasto and her husband, Raymond of Jackson; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held at the Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home, 100 Elton-Adelphia Road (Route 524), Freehold Township on Friday, November 15, 2019 from 3:00 to 7:00 PM.  Relatives and friends are invited to attend her 10:00 AM Funeral Mass at the Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine, 61 Georgia Road, Freehold Township on Saturday, November 16, 2019.  Entombment will follow in St. Gabriel’s Cemetery & Chapel Mausoleum, Marlboro.  For those who desire, donations in memory of Ernestine may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065.  For information, directions or condolence messages to the family, visit www.claytonfuneralhome.com