Obituary of Geraldine Eva Colitti

Geraldine Eva (Petrosino) Colitti passed away on Wednesday, June 21, 2023, at her home in the Puddingston Heights neighborhood of Parsippany, New Jersey. 

Geraldine (Gerri) was born in Bronx, NY to Jean and Prospero Petrosino, a NYPD detective. Gerri was very proud of her heritage in the NYPD especially being the great niece of famous NYPD Lieutenant Joseph Petrosino, who was assassinated in 1909 in Palermo, Sicily on a secret mission to infiltrate the Black Hand (mafia) in Italy. 

Geraldine grew up in the Bronx along with her sister Gloria Perrone (96) of Long Branch, NJ and brother Anthony Petrosino (deceased). Geraldine and her family enjoyed summers at the Jersey Shore in Long Branch, NJ, where she ultimately met the love of her life, Olindo A Colitti.  Geraldine and Olindo were married on October 26th, 1952, in Manhattan, NY and had two daughters, Susan and Lori. Olindo was a chemical engineer and worked at Picatinny Arsenal for over 40 years. Geraldine graduated from secretarial school and worked as a secretary for Catholic Charities in NYC until having her first child.  She then dedicated herself as a full time mother and home maker.

In 1965 they moved from the Bronx to their first house in Parsippany, NJ where they raised their family.  They also spent their summers in the Shore Hills section of Lake Hopatcong, NJ where Geraldine  enjoyed socializing with friends, going to the beach, swimming and boating.

Geraldine and her late husband Olindo had a love for traveling and became travel agents organizing many trips and cruises around the world for friends and family. She worked at Empress Travel in Madison, NJ and later became owner of the G & O Travel Agency. 

Geraldine also enjoyed helping others and dedicated many years volunteering at Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital in Morris Plains, NJ.  Other volunteer positions included being on the PTA at Lake Hiawatha Elementary School where her daughters attended school and being a member of the Puddingstone Heights Garden Club. 

Geraldine loved the ocean and enjoyed many vacations at the Jersey Shore, especially in Atlantic City where she and Olindo enjoyed playing the slot machines! 

But nothing was as important to Geraldine as spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren. She was a great cook and loved entertaining and hosting large family holidays. 

Gerri will be greatly missed by all. 

Geraldine Colitti is survived by: daughter Susan (Colitti) Bolger and husband Richard Bolger of Herndon, VA, daughter Lori (Colitti) Jablonowski and husband Stanley Jablonowski of St Petersburg, FL;  six grand children, Chris, Jessica, Kevin and Lindsey Bolger; David and Daniel Jablonowski; and her recent great granddaughter Harper Bolger.  She is predeceased by her husband Olindo A Colitti who passed away in 2020.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, July 1, 2023, from 9AM-12PM at Tuttle Funeral Home, Randolph. A funeral mass will follow at 1PM at St. Virgil's Church, Morris Plains. Interment is private

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to either The American Heart Association, https://www.heart.org, The Market Street Mission, https://www.marketstreet.org/ , or The Macular Degeneration Association https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/macularhope/mobile