Doris Marshall Cuocci, 80, of Holmdel, entered eternal rest on Friday, April 22 after a life filled with love, family, and a multitude of caring relatives and friends.
This love of family has been evident throughout her life. She was a composite of compassion, generosity, dependability, goodness, and bravery.
Doris was a woman of faith and her faith afforded her much comfort and peace. Her sympathy for those less fortunate has been the foundation of her life.
She was born August 3, 1935 at 292 Oak Street, Melrose section of Sayreville, with Dr. Joseph Weber and Mrs. Anne Flynn, practical nurse attending.
She moved to Cheesequake in 1940 and attended Cheesequake Grammar School. The family returned to Melrose in 1947.
Doris graduated from St. Mary’s High School, South Amboy, in 1952 and from St. Peter’s School of Nursing, New Brunswick, in 1955. She was awarded the Sister Ruth Hickey nursing scholarship upon graduation. Her pediatric training was at Babies Hospital Columbia Presbyterian New York. She received her R.N. and also attended Maternity Center in New York. She entered Mount St. Mary Novitiate in Plainfield under the Sisters of Mercy from 1958 to 1959.
Doris was employed at St. Peter’s Hospital in the operating room, was charge nurse for 12 physicians in private practice at the Sayreville Medical Group in Old Bridge, and also an instructor of Prospective Parent classes until 1965.
She married Matthew Cuocci on May 7, 1960 and had six beautiful children: Louis, Lisa, Jerri Anne, Beth, Robin and Matthew. They moved from Cheesequake to Holmdel in 1964.
Doris was involved in the Indian School P.T.A. and served as classroom mother from kindergarten through fifth grade. She was supportive of the HYAA softball, basketball as well as cheering the Holmdel Hornets during football season.
She was a member of the Monmouth Council of Girl Scouts, a Brownie leader, Troop 612, and Brownie Consultant for Holmdel neighborhood. She operated a small daycare center at her residence from 1971-1977.
She returned to nursing November 11, 1977 at the Holmdel Convalescent Center evening charge nurse and supervisor until her retirement in 1997.
Her love of babies prompted her part-time employment as an infant care giver at the Goddard School and then Tutor Time both in Holmdel from 1998-2006.
Doris belonged to several professional organizations and contributed to the Nurses Health study conducted by Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital since 1976 to the present.
She was a communicant of St. Benedict’s Roman Catholic Church from 1964 to 2004 and of St. Catharine’s Church in Holmdel from 2004 to the present.
She was a Catholic Daughter member of St. Joseph #884 Keyport from 1987 to 2006. She was presented with the Madonna Award in 1993 for her outstanding contribution to the Court. She joined Court Fulgens Corona #1684, New Monmouth, from 2006 to the present and also received special recognition for her spirit of giving.
Charitable and volunteer works of endeavor were an intricate part of her life including St. Benedict’s Hospitality Committee; Cliffwood Boarding Home, Cliffwood; Garden State Manor Nursing Home, Holmdel; Jesus the Lord Church, Keyport; Manna House, Cliffwood; and Parker Boarding Home, Aberdeen.
The family sponsored four seminarians; two have been ordained to the priesthood. They sponsored a child in Bogota, Colombia, from 1994 to 2014. Most recently she was sponsoring a little girl in Mexico through Christian Foundation of Children and Aging (currently known as Unbound).
Doris was a longtime member of the Holy Souls in Purgatory Association and the Marian Circle of Light Friends of Mercy.
The annual American Cancer Society, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk in Point Pleasant was a very special event. Her family and friends participated since 2005 and raised in excess of a hundred thousand dollars for this worthy cause. Team Cuocci was the recipient of a 2012 Community Team Achievement Award which she proudly displayed.
Motherhood and being a grandmother were her proudest accomplishments and her life was focused on her family. This was evident by the numerous photographs lovingly displayed throughout her home.
Rocking babies, humming, vacuuming, reading, volunteering, baking, gardening, and preparing treaty bags for the grand-babies provided her with endless hours of pleasure not to forget all the sleepovers with her wonderful grandchildren.
She was predeceased by her parents, Sena and John Marshall; a step-mother, Grace Palmer Marshall; her husband Matthew; a son, Louis Francis; a daughter, Robin Lynn; brothers-in-law, John Nixon and Michael Cuocci and his wife Florence; and her faithful companion, Chelsea.
Survivors to cherish her memory include: a daughter, Lisa Cuocci of Benton, Illinois, and partner Lisa Dawn Fowler, a daughter, Jerri Anne and husband Jim “J.T.” Tanella of Westfield, a daughter, Beth Cuocci-Horan and husband Steve Horan of Tinton Falls, and a son, Matthew Christopher William Cuocci of Spring Lake and Houston, Texas; her wonderful, beautiful and talented grandchildren: Haley Robin Tanella, Julie Lynn Horan, Annalyn Grace Tanella, James Baker Tanella, Sara Nicole Horan, and Trevor Matthew Tanella; her sisters, Anita Nixon and husband William Sirnack and Evelyn and husband William Shenko; a brother-in-law, Maurice “Moe” Cuocci and wife Lois; her nieces, Amy and husband John Abramski, Sandee, Corryne and Jessica Nixon and Debra and husband Frank Fuller; her nephews, William Nixon and wife Tina, and Michael “Ricky” Cuocci and wife Teresa; as well as many beloved relatives and friends.
John F. Pfleger Funeral Home, Middletown, was in charge of arrangements. Memorial donations may be made to Mary’s Place by the Sea, 22 Main Ave., Ocean Grove (a place for women with cancer to heal: mind, body and soul). Please perform random acts of kindness; say a prayer; light a candle for Doris in her memory – her strong and beautiful spirit will always be with us.
