Carmen S. Cecere, 78, of West Caldwell

Carmen S. Cecere, 78, of West Caldwell, N.J., died on Sunday, June 12, 2011, at Saint Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston, N.J., surrounded by his loving family.

Visitation will be held in the , 9 Smull Ave., Caldwell, N.J., on Wednesday, June 15, from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. A Funeral Mass will be offered at St. Aloysius R.C. Church, Caldwell, on Thursday, June 16, at 10 a.m. Interment will follow at , Caldwell.

Carmen was born in Glen Ridge, N.J., and raised in Bloomfield, N.J. He lived with his wife, Rae, in Newark, N.J., for three years before moving to West Caldwell 47 years ago. Mr. Cecere was a veteran who served in the U.S. Army, 82nd Airborne Div., during the Korean War. He was a correction officer with the Essex County Jail for many years, retiring in 1984.

After his retirement he worked with his sons in their business, Cecere Brothers Landscaping. Mr. Cecere was a good man with a lot of friends, but most of all he was deeply devoted to his family.

Carmen is survived by his devoted wife of 50 years, Raffaella Rae A. (Padovano), and devoted children, Michael, with his wife, Susan, of Essex Fells, N.J., Joseph, with his wife, Julie Anne, of West Caldwell, N.J., and Maria, with her husband, David Mudrick, of Wyckoff, N.J. He was the loving grandfather of Jenna, Rachel, Luke, Jiana, Dominica and Carmen S. Cecere II, and Michaela and Connor Mudrick. He was predeceased by his brothers, Peter and Michael.

In lieu of flowers, donations made in Carmen's memory to the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org), or to Mt. Pleasant Animal Shelter (www.njshelter.org), would be deeply appreciated by the family.