Obituary of Martha Valentino

Martha Valentino, 103, passed away peacefully Friday, November 7, 2025 in Bethesda, Maryland.

Born in Brooklyn, Martha later moved to Plainfield before settling in Scotch Plains in 1961. Alongside her late husband, she relocated to Flemington for several years before making Bethesda her home after his passing in 2021. She moved to Brightview Grosvenor assisted living facility where she was loved by residents and staff alike.

Martha was much more than a housewife. She was the wife of a Merchant Marine who was often at sea for months at a time. Throughout those years, she raised two children, cared for her mother, and oversaw the construction of a new family home, primarily designed and built by her brothers and other relatives.

An exceptional cook, Martha's specialties included Neapolitan dishes, with her eggplant parmigiana being particularly renowned. Her talents extended to crafts such as knitting, crochet, needlepoint, and sewing—creating many of her own and her family’s clothing and sweaters. She was also the first woman in her family to get a driver’s license and own a car, which was essential for transporting her husband to and from his ship’s dock, often late at night.

Martha took great pride in her garden and, in later years, found joy in her grandchildren (Max, Jennifer, Amy, Michael, Mark and Margaret) as well as six great grandchildren, Caitlin, Jacqueline, Anthony, Brandon, Giovanni, and Kaia.

Family and friends may gather in McCriskin – Gustafson Home For Funerals, 2425 Plainfield Avenue South Plainfield NJ 07080 on Friday, November 14, 2025 from 4-6PM.A funeral mass will be held on Saturday, November 15, 2025   in Our Lady of Czestochowa RC Church, 809 Hamilton Blvd, South Plainfield, NJ 07080 at 10AM, family and friends may gather in the funeral home at 9AM.  Burial will follow in Hillside Cemetery, Scotch Plains.