Vincenza Papa

Vincenza Papa was born on July 24, 1928, to Lucia Forte Papa and Salvatore Papa. She was one of three daughters and a lifelong resident of Bound Brook. She graduated from Bound Brook High School in 1947.

Vinnie worked as an executive secretary at Johns Manville, in Manville, NJ, until the company relocated to another state. At that time, she continued to work as a secretary for a company in Highland Park, until her retirement. She was also a lifelong parishioner of St. Mary’s Church in Bound Brook, a devout Catholic, and sang in the Church Choir for several years.

Vinnie had two sisters, Chris Becci and Jean Morgan. She is predeceased by Jean. The three sisters shared a week of birthdays, with Vinnie’s birthday on July 24, Jean’s on July 20 and Chris’s on July 18. The sisters shared a strong bond, which lasted throughout their lifetimes.

Before Jean married, Vinnie and Jean enjoyed going on vacations to Florida yearly and celebrating St. Patrick’s Day together. She also enjoyed playing cards with her brother-in-law, Leo Becci, her sister Chris, and her cousin Mille, and taking trips to Atlantic City to play the slots.

Although Vinnie never married, she was very close to her nieces, Jeanne Newell and Carol Becci-Youngs, and their husbands, Dwight and Ed, respectively.

Vinnie enjoyed spending time with her family, and until recently, never missed a family gathering for holidays, birthday, and anniversaries.

She loved her nephews, Brooks, Kyle, Shane, and Reese, and was their chief babysitter for several years. She walked them home from school when they lived in Bound Brook, and drove to Hillsborough to watch them when the family moved there. When her nephews were little, she often flew to Michigan to see them.

Vinnie also was very close to her nephews’ wives, Lynne, Devon, and Jessica, respectively. She also loved spending time with her great-great nieces and nephews, Mason, Capriana, Essex, Braxton, Carter, Siena, Colton, and Emma.

Vinnie spent the last years of her life living with her cousin, Millie Della Peruta. The two were inseparable, and were fondly referred to as “Millie/Vinilly” by her family.

Vinnie was basically healthy for her 93 years, until she contracted Covid and was hospitalized on December 5. She passed away peacefully at Laurel Circle Rehab on January 10, 1922. She will be so missed by all of those who loved her.