Josephine “Mary” Reda passed away on October 19, 2026, surrounded by her loving family. Born in 1928 in Calabria, Italy, she was the beloved daughter of Luciano and Angela Bruno and sister to Giovanni Baptista, Francesco, Luigi, Alfred, and Teresa.
Mary shared 68 years of marriage with her beloved husband, John Reda. She was the loving mother of Carol Anne Karol, Marcella Rosato (John), and Patricia Colangelo (Gino), and the cherished grandmother of John (Johnny) Rosato, Brittany Karol, Stephen Colangelo, Chelsea Karol, and Juliana Colangelo.
In her quiet and unassuming way, Mary was a force of nature. She didn’t have to say much to make her feelings and opinions known. She presided over her household with quiet strength, guided by her integrity and an unwavering sense of what was “right.”
An immigrant from Italy, Mary arrived in New York in 1946 at the age of 18, shortly after World War II. A skilled seamstress, she worked in a dress shop owned by her future husband, John Reda, who came from the same small town in Calabria.
After marrying John in 1954, Mary devoted herself to raising their three daughters and managing an active household filled with family and friends in Westchester County, New York. Brought up in a culture celebrated for its cuisine, Mary was an exceptional home chef. She had a natural gift for preparing delicious, balanced, and healthy meals, which may well have contributed to John living to the age of 100 and Mary enjoying 98 years of remarkably good health.
Mary's devotion extended beyond her immediate family. She was always willing to lend a hand, caring for sick relatives and friends with the same generosity and attentiveness she brought to her own household. She was nonjudgmental, accepting others with equanimity and kindness. Her natural hospitality and genuine goodness drew people to her. Spending any appreciable amount of time with Mary made one want to be good and do right.
In retirement, Mary and John enjoyed traveling together. Mary embraced an active and fulfilling life in their communities of Barnegat, New Jersey, and Boynton Beach, Florida, before eventually making Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida their home. Wherever she lived, she cultivated lasting friendships and remained deeply devoted to family and friends. Surrounded by friends and family, she continued to cultivate the relationships that had always been at the heart of her life.
Mary lived an enviable life, rich in family, friendship, love, and good health. Her legacy lives on not only in those she loved and cared for, but in the quiet example she set simply by being herself.
Salute to a life well lived.
A private service for immediate family was held at Ponte Vedra Valley Funeral Home on October 21.
A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Ponte Vedra Beach January or early February, followed by a Celebration of Life.
Additional details will be shared as arrangements are finalized. Please check back here for updates.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorial donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Mary’s memory.
