Constance Ann Marchese

Constance Ann Marchese (Connie), age 82, of Bluffton, South Carolina died Saturday June 29, 2019 at her home after being ill for several months. Ms. Marchese was born on July 24, 1936 in Passaic, NJ. She was the daughter of the late Ignatius Potorenski and the late Mary Sudol. She had formerly resided in Edison, NJ for 45 years before moving to Sun City in Bluffton, SC 13 years ago. 

She valued education for herself and for her children and grandchildren.  She studied at Middlesex County College in the evening for ten years while working full-time and raising her daughters to obtain her Associates Degree.  She spent her career working at Colgate Palmolive R&D in Piscataway, NJ. She started as a temporary technician in 1971 and retired as a research scientist developing many consumer products.  She was part of the team that was awarded the United States patent for the Murphys oil soap formula and worked on the development of many other products. She embraced life and lived it to the fullest traveling the world and taking many cruises after her retirement in 1997.  She even went skydiving at the age of 60. She was an avid reader and enjoyed the challenge of the New York Sunday Times crossword puzzles.  She also enjoyed the beach, especially the New Jersey shore where she vacationed with her children and grandchildren for many years. Throughout her life she was always involved in community service in some way whether as a girl scout leader for her daughter’s troop, on the PTA to heading the NJ Women’s Task Force on Alcoholism, as well as volunteering for the Centurion Ministries to help free those who are wrongfully convicted and most recently helping to get medical equipment to those in need. 

She is predeceased by one grandson Kevin Davis. Surviving are her four daughters Judy Marchese of Harlem, Georgia, Lauren Davis and her husband Jim  of St. Helena Island, SC, Lisa Marchese of Sacramento, Ca and Claudia Marchese of Hampton, NJ; twelve grandchildren  Audbrey Massler and her fiancé Andrew Patterson, David Massler and  his wife Allison Massler, Amy Giles, Nick Davis and his fiancé Samantha Brooke Lollar, Eric Davis and his finance Niyalee Essenmacher, Jimmy Davis, Matthew Crummy, Caitlin, Crummy, Meghan Crummy, Jack Billowitz, Thomas Billowitz and Claire Billowitz; four great-grandchildren Elijah Patterson, Mason Ham, Chase Massler and Phoenix Johnson; her brother Thomas Potorenski and his wife Lydia of Ingleside Texas , her sister Barbara Bristol of Waldwick, NJ and many loving nieces and nephews.

The funeral services will take place on Wednesday July 3rd, 2019 at St Gregory the Great Catholic Church in Bluffton, SC with visitation at 9:30 am and funeral mass at 10:30 am. Internment will follow at Lowcountry Memorial Gardens, Bluffton, SC.

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