Obituary of Elizabeth "Betty" Iannarone

Elizabeth “Betty” Iannarone (née Fanelli), a longtime Florham Park resident, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, January 1, 2025. She was 85. During her last days, Betty was surrounded by family and caretakers who so lovingly cared for her.

Betty was born in 1939 to Jenny (née Castoro) and Frank Fanelli in New York City.  Betty grew up in East Orange and Springfield, New Jersey.  She was a graduate of Jonathan Dayton High School in Springfield then graduated from Katharine Gibbs Secretarial School.

Betty met her husband, Frank Iannarone on a blind date.  The couple lived in Hillside then settled in Florham Park where they raised their son and daughter. Betty was a stay-home mom for many years then returned to the workplace as the children became older.  Betty worked as a secretary at Macy’s then moved on to work as a legal secretary at various pharmaceutical companies. 

Betty was a dedicated volunteer at the JBWS (Jersey Battered Women’s Shelter) for over twenty years.  Helping women and children was a passion of Betty’s.  She spent many nights and Saturdays with JBWS. She was also a member of Long Hill Chapel in Chatham.

Betty’s favorite role was that of grandmother and she made sure everyone knew it!  Betty (along with Frank) made attending every grandchild’s event a priority, never missing a game, meet, concert or play.  She cheered on every child at every event (not just her grandchildren). Betty also loved Christmas!  She turned her house into a Christmas wonderland and loved having the family over the holidays. She was a great cook and everyone loved her gravy and eggplant parm. She also kept a menagerie of animals: dog, birds, and frogs.

Betty is survived by her son, Frank Iannarone, III and his wife Karen of Madison; her daughter, Krista Caracciolo and her husband Vincent of Chatham; five cherished grandchildren, Nicole Craig (née Iannarone) and her husband Nick, Frank Iannarone, IV and his fiancé Elizabeth Garrison, Elizabeth Caracciolo, Katherine Caracciolo and Bruno Vincent Caracciolo II; her sisters Mary Werbicky and Linda Meros and her brother Michael Fanelli and his wife Laura; sister-in-law, Laurie Iannarone of Union; brother-in-law, Ronald Iannarone and his wife Phyllis of Naples, FL, and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, Betty was predeceased by her beloved husband of 62 years, Frank A. Iannarone, Jr. in 2022 and her brother, Nick Fanelli of Florida.

Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend the visitation for Betty to be held on Monday, January 6, 2025 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Madison Memorial Home, 159 Main Street, Madison.

A funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 7, 2025 at the funeral home.

Entombment will follow at Gate of Heaven Mausoleum, East Hanover.

In lieu of flowers, charitable contributions may be made in Betty’s memory to the Florham Park Memorial First Aid Squad, 60 Felch Rd, Florham Park, NJ 07932.