Mary Krawciw Obituary

Mary Krawciw, 83, of Oradell, NJ, died peacefully at home on February 23, 2026.

Mary was born on May 14, 1942, in Burton Joyce, England, to the late Arthur and Florence Vardy. She spent her childhood with her parents and brother Michael in the seaside town of Skegness, where the North Sea was always freezing but the beach was filled with friends and amusements. She attended university near Nottingham, completing an Institutional and Catering Management course in 1963.

She moved to Italy and got her certification in Italian from the Language School of Milan in 1968. She was a teacher - instructing students in English as a Second Language - at the Cambridge School of Languages in Milan for nearly 15 years. It was during that time that she had some of her fondest adventures with dear friends, met her husband, and welcomed their two children, Alexander (1974) and Diana (1981).

The family of four moved to the US in 1982 to be closer to loved ones, staying in Jackson Heights, Queens, for a few years before settling in Bergenfield, NJ. Mary balanced caring for her school-aged children with part-time office jobs over the years. She later completed her Nurse Aide Certification and worked at a nearby nursing home. She became a US citizen in 2000, though never lost her lovely English accent.

The unexpected death of her beloved son in 2006 - when he was just 32 - changed the course of Mary's life. During this extremely sad and difficult time, she stepped up to raise her son's two children, then 4- and 5-years-old, with the support of her daughter and son-in-law. They all lived together in Oradell, with Mary also helping to care for her next two grandchildren when they were born in 2011 and 2014.

Mary - known to most as 'Mum' or 'Gram' for her kind caregiving ways - loved her British detective shows, reading a good murder mystery, browsing antique shops to collect very specific tea cups and saucers, and spending time at the beach, which always reminded her of home.

She is survived by Diana and Norman Dapito, her beloved daughter and son-in-law, and her cherished grandchildren, Jason & Erika Krawciw and Ben & Lila Dapito. They will all miss her dearly, as will other family friends and loved ones, charmed as they were by Mary's British sensibilities and dry humor.

Similar to how she lived her life, Mary did not want a fuss made at her passing. There will be an intimate graveside service on Thursday, February 26, at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus, followed by an open house reception at the Dapito family home in Oradell from 2pm-7pm.

Well wishers looking to make a donation in Mary's name are encouraged to support The Muscular Dystrophy Association.