Patricia D. Fossella Longtime Resident of Cranford, N.J.
Patricia D. Fossella, a resident of Cape Coral, Florida, and former resident of Cranford, New Jersey for 40 years, passed away peacefully on Saturday, May 17, 2025, at Hope Hospice in Fort Myers, Florida. She was 82 years of age.
Born and raised in Jersey City, New Jersey, Patricia was a true child of the Jersey City streets, who at a very early age learned her “Street Smarts.” Those experiences taught her how to communicate and interact with all those whom she would meet throughout her life.
Patricia met her future husband, James (Jim), on a blind date. They were married on the 25th of June 1966. Patricia and Jim had one son, Joseph Keith.
She opened her home, starting in 1983, to exchange students with the American Field Service organization, known as AFS, initially with Vega Riano Gomez of Burgos, Spain, then Joana Santa Marta Granger of São Pedro do Estoril, Portugal, both of whom became daughters to her. Jim and Pat also opened their home to AFS students from many different countries during their end-of-year bus trips. Patricia also opened her home to Elizabeth Genao Cezer; over time they developed a deep bond, adding a third daughter to her life.
Her career began with New Jersey Bell, then moved on to various teaching assignments within the Archdiocese of Newark. She volunteered her time in 1979 to the Township of Cranford, at the time running a Federal Funds SEED program. Her volunteering led to her being assigned by the township to Cranford’s Centennial Avenue Pool, a relationship lasting 30 years. During Patricia’s three-decade-plus career with the Cranford Swim Pool Utility, she taught countless children to swim and also mentored countless young people at both of Cranford’s pool facilities: Orange and Centennial. Pat’s objective with her staff was to provide them the opportunity not just to work, but to learn many life skills such as CPR, First Aid, Lifeguarding, and most importantly, responsibility. Her efforts were acknowledged by the Township of Cranford naming the driveway of the Centennial Avenue Pool “Pat Fossella Pl”.
Patricia also found joy in her life by providing service to the AEA, the Aquatic Exercise Association. Her affiliation with the AEA led to her traveling the world with people who would become some of her best friends.
She is survived by her beloved husband, James Vincenzo; son, Joseph Keith; three daughters, Vega Riano Gomez, Joana Santa Marta Granger and Elizabeth Genao Cezer; her brother, George Devlin; her sister-inlaw, Antoinette Cox; nephews, Timothy Jude Carey, Timothy Michael Cox and Jeffrey Devlin, and nieces, Deborah Krass, Maria Di Maggio, Roberta Soriano and Meghan Godesky. She is also survived by multiple grandchildren.
A Funeral Mass for Patricia D. Fossella will be offered on Friday, June 13, 2025, at 11:30 a.m., at Saint Helen’s Roman Catholic Church in Westfield, New Jersey.
June 5, 2025
