Marie C. Cacciato

Marie C. Cacciato, our angel, passed away peacefully on August 24th surrounded by love. She will eternally be a part of us all.

The mark of a life well lived is to be deeply loved. And the love Marie's family and friends who were family go so deep for her, the depths of it will forever be felt as intensely as every day we were lucky to have her with us. It was an honor to be by her side and have her by our side, because that's how she lived her life -- with honor.

With a quiet boldness, she carried herself with grace. Dignity defined her, from the way she walked with poised shoulders pulled back to how she would raise her pointer finger with soft strength to give direction. She didn't just make choices -- she curated them with an ease of command. She was passionate about design. Her signature style was selecting primary colors as vibrant as her smile, especially fire reds and warm oranges, thoughtfully chosen with clear intention and minimalist perfection. She knew herself, and designed her life with a fiery independence surrounded by love.

For Marie, less was always more, so she could create space for what mattered most -- people, her relationships ... all of us who knew and loved her and whom she loved. We were everything that filled up her life as she filled up ours. She loved us all so well, never holding back. There for us all, thinking about us all, checking in on us all, making time for us all. To give was her trademark. That's why she was also a proud Tzi Tzi -- she was the super Aunt to all the children in her life, and she was amazing at it. Because loving completely came naturally to Marie -- it was the source of all her beauty and the beauty she brought to this world. This was the life portrait Marie painted that we're a part of, as she will always be a part of us.

Marie is survived by her beloved sister and best friend Maryann, nephew and godson James, 21, niece Juliana, 18, nephew Joseph, 13,  brother-in-law John, Aunt Nicolina, Uncle Nino, beloved cousins, her "girls" Andrea, Christine, and Dina, many loving friends and colleagues, and all the children in her life who she was a Tzi Tzi to: Amelia, Lily, Bianca, Max, Massimo and her godsons Peter and Lorenzo. She is predeceased by her mother and father, Maria Carmela and Giuseppe (Carmelina and Peppino) who have now welcomed her back into their arms. May we honor Marie by living like she did with generosity, kindness, and love.

If you plan to attend the services, Marie requested attendees to wear color in lieu of traditional black. If you would like to send flowers, Marie loved vibrant colors. If you would like to make a donation in her memory, Stand Up to Cancer is an organization Marie felt was making a difference.