Obituary of Theresa Mary Maciag

Theresa Mary Redling Maciag of Pompton Plains, New Jersey, formerly of Wayne, NJ, a beloved wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, grandmother, and greatgrandmother, passed away peacefully on Friday, July 17, 2020 at Cedar Crest, Pompton Plains, at the age of 91.

Born August 25, 1928 in her family’s ancestral village, Nagyganna, Hungary, Theresa emigrated to Canada in 1929, then to the United States with her parents and siblings in 1937. She was a proud American Citizen, and kept up on history, politics, and current civic and national events, right up to the final weeks of her life.

Theresa attended St. Louis Grammar School in Montreal, Canada, was an 8th grade graduate of St. Anthony School in Hawthorne, NJ, and graduated from Fair Lawn High School, Fair Lawn, NJ in 1945. Theresa was an honors graduate of Seton Hill College, Greensburg, PA (Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics, Class of 1949), and became a schoolteacher. She began her teaching career at Our Lady of Mount Carmel School, Ridgewood, NJ, served more than 20 years as a substitute teacher in Catholic schools throughout northern NJ, and taught two years full-time at St. Mary's School, Pompton Lakes, NJ.

Theresa enjoyed helping her parents John and Elizabeth in their family business, Karl's Restaurant, a Hungarian-American restaurant and tavern in Hawthorne, NJ, which was the location for many family celebrations.

Theresa married Anthony E. Maciag, Jr. January 26, 1952, at St. Anne's Church, Fair Lawn, NJ.  Theresa and Tony first met in the St. Anne’s young adult group, and enjoyed a long, loving, and extremely happy marriage, celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary in January 2002. They resided in Fair Lawn before moving to Wayne, where Theresa lived for 51 years until moving to Cedar Crest in 2008.

Theresa loved being a mother, and raised her children in a house full of books, education and learning. She was a teacher each and every day of her life, particularly as to her own children, to whom Theresa and her husband gave both "roots and wings". Theresa was always actively involved in her children's and grandchildren's schools, and in their academic and community activities, scouting, competitions, and sports.

A member of the Annunciation of the BVM Church in Wayne, NJ from its founding, Theresa was an active and involved member of Annunciation Parish for almost 50 years, serving several terms as President of the Parish Rosary Society, Council of Women, the Prime Timers, and taking a leadership role in many Parish activities. Theresa also served several years as a parish secretary and bookkeeper at St. Anthony's Parish and School, Hawthorne, NJ.

Theresa enjoyed the challenge of almost any kind of intellectual game, enjoyed cards or word games with family and friends, and joined her husband Tony in Annunciation Parish Bowling Leagues. Tony was an accomplished musician and trumpet player, and, in sharing her husband’s love of music, Theresa and Tony loved to dance at weddings or dinner dances.

A devout Catholic her entire life, in 1998 Theresa set a goal of having 200 decades of the Rosary said each day, by the year 2000.  Family and friends helped her exceed that goal, and by the year 2000, more than 400 decades of the rosary were being said daily by the members of the Living Rosary group organized and led by Theresa.

Theresa was predeceased by her loving husband of 50 years, Anthony E. Maciag, Jr. in 2002, and by her parents John and Elizabeth Redling, her parents-in-law Anthony and Julia Maciag, her sister Mary Redling Blackburn, her brother-in-law Robert Blackburn, and her brother-in-law Thomas J. Kelley. She is survived by her brother John F. Redling and his wife Geraldine Maltese Redling of Lakewood, NJ, and her sister-in-law Judith Maciag Kelley of Alpharetta, GA.

She is survived by her children, Theresa Anne Henninger of Milltown, NJ; Thomas Anthony Maciag and his wife Patricia Donnelly Maciag of Charlotte, NC; Thaddeus (Ted) Maciag and his wife Mary Pixley Maciag of Belle Mead, NJ; and Tina Maciag Franke and her husband Albert (Bud) Franke of Milford, CT.

Her seven grandchildren include Elizabeth Henninger Conway and her husband Murry Conway, Jr. of Milltown, NJ; Katherine Henninger of Norwalk, CT; Stephen Maciag and his wife Meghan of Charlotte, NC; Colleen Maciag Willis and her husband Hayden Willis of Charlotte, NC; Emily Maciag Mathis and her husband Harrison Mathis of Charlotte, NC; Timothy Maciag and his wife Brittany of Mechanicsburg, PA; and Sam Davis of Bernalillo, NM. Her eight great-grandchildren include Declan, Evan, Owen, Everett, Madeline, Marie, Walter, and Michael.  

 Arrangements are under the direction of the Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home, Freehold Township, NJ.  Due to the present pandemic, initial funeral services were private. A private Memorial Mass will be held on Thursday, July 30, 2020 at 10:15 AM at St. Thomas the Apostle RC Church, Old Bridge. Relatives and friends are invited to participate via The Church’s Stream. A private inurnment will follow at Calvary Cemetery, Paterson, NJ in the family plot. Relatives and friends are also invited to participate in the inurnment via Zoom at 12:30 PM using Meeting ID: 220 342 9819 and Passcode: 064083. At this time, the family requests that you say a decade of the Rosary or other special prayer for Theresa. For information or to leave condolence messages to the family, visit www.claytonfuneralhome.com