Lena Mattia

Lena Mattia (nee Nastasi) age 99 of Waterford, NJ passed away peacefully Thursday afternoon, September 21, 2023. She was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY marrying Frank Mattia from Camden, NJ in a double wedding ceremony joined by her sister Mary and her new husband Nick. The couples both moved to Camden, NJ. In the late sixties Frank and Lena bought a small farm in Waterford, NJ.

Lena enjoyed working in her flower beds and she especially loved Tea Roses in brilliant yellow, orange, and red. Inside, she raised African violets and Christmas Cactus plants that she would propagate from cuttings to share with family and friends. Lena’s grandchildren, Frank and Elisabeth, kept her very busy once they came along! MomMom Lena could be found sitting in a lawn chair at the back of the house watching the grands as PopPop took them on a tractor ride before working in his small orchard of prune plums. Every piece of fruit in every basket was carefully rinsed and dried by Lena before being delivered to local farms. She enjoyed life in the ‘country’ but remained a city girl at heart, returning to her family home in Brooklyn as often as possible. Her family, her sisters, and their families, were daily in her thoughts and prayers. She was a woman of faith, believing the Truth of God’s Word, always interceding for others.

Lena was pre-deceased by her husband Frank P. Mattia, her parents Antonio and Petrina Nastasi, and her sisters Grace Fontana (Phil), Mary Falconiero (Nick) and Antoinette Racanelli (Joe).

Lena is survived by her son Frank Mattia and his wife Lora, two grandchildren, Frank J. Mattia and his wife Rachel, and Elisabeth A. Mattia; three great grandchildren, Elijah J. Mattia, Francesca G. Mattia and Jadelynne E. Mattia. She will be sadly missed by nieces, nephews, and their families, as well as many who prayerfully remembered her at Calvary Chapel Hammonton.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend her visitation Wednesday September 27th from 10:30 - 11:00 AM at the Marinella Funeral Home at 102 N. Third St. Hammonton, NJ. Services will be held at 11:00 AM. Entombment at Oak Grove Cemetery 500 N. White Horse Pike. Hammonton, NJ.

In lieu of flowers the family is requesting donations to be sent to Calvary Chapel Hammonton (CCHammonton.org) to be used to expand their youth programs.