Mary F. (Doyle) Sarte

Mary Frances Sarte (Doyle), age 89 of North Plainfield, NJ, loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, passed away on Saturday, November 9, 2024 at Overlook Hospital in Summit, NJ after a brief battle with kidney disease.

Mary was born in New Brunswick, NJ on August 16, 1935 to James M. and Frances C. Doyle (Eganey). She grew up in Bound Brook, NJ, loving the memories she made with her family there. She married the love of her life, Kenneth R. Sarte, on July 14, 1956 at St. Joseph’s Church in Bound Brook. They reside in Green Brook before moving to North Plainfield in 1963 to raise their family. They enjoyed 68 years of love, laughter, and memories together.

Mary was predeceased by her parents, her step-mother, Katherine Marie Doyle, her sister, Patricia Perkins, and her grandson, Ryan Rhoads, all of whom she deeply missed. Mary is survived by her loving husband, Kenneth Sarte, Sr., daughter Beverly MacGorman (Doug) of Warren, son Kenneth Sarte Jr. (Denise) of Bridgewater; son Kevin Sarte (John) of Wall Township; daughter Barbara Rhoads (Trent) of South Plainfield along with her grandchildren, Douglas MacGorman (Kimberly), Kristen MacGorman Boylan (Brendan), Matthew and Christopher Sarte, Andrew Rhoads, Hannah Rhoads-Hingley (Ashley Peter) and five great-grandchildren, Sawyer, Brady, and Landon Boylan and Jackson and Alexander MacGorman. Dear sister of Katherine Mary Doyle and brother James M. Doyle and survived by many nieces and nephews. She shared her love and kindness with every single one of them.

Mary was a graduate of Mount Saint Mary Academy in Watchung, NJ. She stayed involved with the school for many years and often spoke fondly of her memories from her time there. After graduating, she was employed as an assistant buyer at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York. She was then fortunate enough to be able to stay home and raise their children. She volunteered often and supported her kids in both Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts as a leader. She was always willing to step up to lend a hand to support the causes and people she loved. She set an example of character and citizenship that her children and grandchildren have aspired to follow. She returned to the workforce once her children were grown and was employed at Raritan Valley Hospital in Green Brook and First Atlantic Savings and Loan (formally Queen City) Bank in North Plainfield. We all have fond memories of visiting her at the bank. After her retirement, she continued to make a loving home for her entire family in every way she could. She and Ken were the first ones you called in an emergency. The first ones you’d ask to babysit your children or pick the grandchildren up from school when they were sick. She was always just a phone call away and ready to drop anything she was doing to show up for her family, friends, and neighbors. She was counted on in more ways than we can say and set a true example of what it meant to live a life of generosity.

In 1968, she and Ken began building a lifetime of memories on Princeton Avenue in Lavallette, NJ, creating a tradition they shared with their children and grandchildren until 2017. So many days spent at the beach together, on the porch, or sitting on a bench at the top of the street listening to the waves. So many mornings that the house would be filled with the smell of french toast, eggs, and bacon, waiting to nourish the people she cared about the most. She showed her love so often through food, making sure you never went hungry in her presence.

Her faith was a pillar of her life. She was part of one of the founding families of St. Luke’s Church, North Plainfield. She was a member and president of the Altar Rosary Society, Lector and Eucharistic Minister, bringing weekly communion to residents at the nursing home in Green Brook and participated in many of the church committees at St. Luke’s and as an alumni of Mount St. Mary Academy. She was always volunteering her time to help those less fortunate or who needed support, giving herself to those around her.

She spent much of her life with her nose happily in a book or crossword puzzle. One of her favorite weekly spots to visit was the local library. When she wasn’t reading, she was often crocheting or knitting blankets, scarves or hats or cooking/baking delicious things to share with her family, including her famous eggplant parmesan, cupcakes, and apple pies. She was a big fan of Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. We were all always amazed at her vast amount of knowledge. She was an incredible letter writer with enviable penmanship. She used her letter writing skills to remind her grandchildren especially of how loved they were often, whether it was letters to them away at school, on trips, serving in the military or her signature birthday cards. She never missed a chance to show you in words how much you were loved and thought about. Along with traveling down to Lavallette, she and Ken spent thirteen years creating magical memories at Disney World and in Atlantic City as a couple and with the “kids.” There was never a place they went where they didn’t make new, often lifelong, friends. She enjoyed camping trips with her family and a trip to Greece, on which she was known to pack everything she needed in the world’s smallest suitcase. She was known for her signature color purple. She believed strongly in the importance of sustainability and using what you have - especially old peanut butter jars. She could find almost anything you needed somewhere she had saved it and if she couldn’t, she’d be the first to offer to help you find it. It is hard to put into words what an irreplaceable gift Mary was to her family and how lucky they feel to have had her in their lives for so long. She loved us all “to the moon and back,” and we were lucky to just be in her orbit. Although she is gone, her legacy of love and family and our cherished memories will carry on in each one of us. In her honor, please think of calling or sending a card or a letter to someone you love. We hope we all can remember to be a little bit more like Mary every day. She will be deeply missed by all who had the blessing of knowing her.

Visitation is on Wednesday, November 13, 2024 from 4:00PM – 7:00PM at Sheenan Funeral Home, 233 Dunellen Avenue, Dunellen NJ 08812. Funeral services are on Thursday, November 14, 2024, 9:00AM at Sheenan Funeral Home. 10:00AM Mass at St. Luke’s RC Church, North Plainfield, N.J. Interment will be in Holy Redeemer Cemetery, South Plainfield, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Mount St. Mary Academy, 1645 US Highway 22 West, Watchung, NJ 07069 with a notation & quote; IMO Mary F. Doyle Sarte, Alumnus & quote; Or use this link: Donation IMO Mary Doyle Sarte (https://mountsaintmary.myschoolapp.com/page/giving/donate-now?siteId=1473&ssl=1)

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