Obituary of Lois A. Vuono

Lois Adeline Vuono, 82, of Madison, NJ, passed on July 15th, 2023, with her loving Daughter Jeannette and her beloved tabby cat Bentley by her side.

Lois was born and grew up in Brooklyn, New York, within walking distance of Prospect Park. She was the youngest Daughter of Louis Vuono and Adeline (Casale) Vuono and had an older sister, Angela Di Mare, who preceded her in death.

Lois was a wonderful and much beloved Mother, Grandmother, and friend.
She is survived by her Daughter Jeannette, her Son-in-Law Stephen Killea, and her Grandson Thomson Killea, as well as her Daughter Rebecca Sodano, her Son-in-Law Patrick Sodano, and her Granddaughters Megan and Kylie Sodano.

Lois attended St. Johns University in NY, earning her bachelor's degree in the early 1960s. She met her future husband, John Francis Mullarkey while attending St. Johns.

Lois and John lived in Brooklyn, NY, after marrying in 1963.
They soon moved to Summit, NJ, where they welcomed their two daughters into the family. After their divorce in the early 1980s, Lois continued to raise their daughters in Summit and later moved to her home in Madison, NJ, where she lived for the rest of her life.

Lois was a beautiful, intelligent, creative, complex, and very determined woman.
She went to college at a time when few women were encouraged to pursue higher education. Although her Mother was skeptical, she convinced her Father how important it was to her, and he agreed that she should follow her dreams.
She worked to help put herself through college.

Throughout her life, Lois loved reading, thinking, questioning, and learning.
The bookshelves in her house were always brimming with books, current newspapers, and magazines. She was a talented artist who worked in oil paint, made etchings, and did pen and ink political drawings often published in the local papers during the 1970s and early 80s.

Lois was a woman who always believed that you should work for and pursue your ambitions. She was a true advocate for Women's rights and advanced the cause of the Women's movement of the 1970s through her speech, art, and activism. A leading member of the local branch of the National Organization of Women, Lois was active in the fight for Title IX protections for gender equality and was delighted to see it signed into law in 1972. She also advocated for the cause of the Equal Rights Amendment in her artworks and writings.

Before working in the women's movement and somewhat ironically, Lois briefly participated in beauty pageants and was eventually a runner-up Miss NY in her youth.

Lois worked in real estate for much of her career. She also worked in the pharmaceutical industry.

She was always very stylish, excelled at the aesthetics of life, and had a flair for all things creative, from her artworks to her nature photography, creative writing, and home design.

Lois's homes were always beautifully decorated and filled with her art, other artists' work, and the exotic plants and elegant antiques she collected. She was also a passionate gourmet and adventurous chef.

She enjoyed writing and penned many letters to the editor and also to her favorite and least favorite politicians. She was never afraid to voice her firmly, convincingly, and intelligently expressed beliefs about the importance of fairness and justice.

She always encouraged her children to be creative and to find and follow their passions. She instilled in them her love of nature and animals and always emphasized the importance of kindness and compassion for all living things.

Lois was an extraordinary woman who lived an interesting life on her own terms. Her memory will shine on in the love and remembrances of her dear ones.