Ms. Genevieve M. Mager, 86, died at home in West Caldwell on Sunday, February 25, 2024.
A funeral mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of the Lake Church, 28 Lakeside Avenue, Verona on Friday, March 1 at 10 a.m. Interment will follow at Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Upper Montclair.
Born and raised in Newark, Ms. Mager lived in South Orange and Maplewood from 1960 until 1991 when she moved to Verona. She lived in Verona for 22 years before moving to West Caldwell in 2016.
Ms. Mager graduated from Our Lady of the Valley High School and went on to earn a degree from Newark State Teachers College and a Master’s degree from Kean University. She was an inspired educator for most of her life, teaching the sixth grade in East Orange and Millburn, retiring from the Millburn Board of Education.
Even in her retirement, Ms. Mager remained an active member of her community. She worked as a realtor and served her faith community at Our Lady of the Lake Church as a lector, Eucharistic Minister and a member of the choir.
Genevieve moved into Cranes Mill retirement center in 2016. She quickly made friends with many of the residents as well as with the staff there. She was known for her positive and cheery disposition. She always made it a point to learn people’s names and to use those names as she greeted them. Her candy-red three wheeled scooter became an iconic sight as she moved about the hallways. She will be missed by many.
Ms. Mager was predeceased by her parents, Francis and Madeline Mager and by her sister, Judith Cecere and her brother-in-law, Ron.
She is survived by her brother, Reverend Martin Mager, OSB and her niece, Rachel Cecere and her husband, John Filippini.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Our Lady of the Lake Endowment Trust, 22 Lakeside Avenue, Verona, NJ 07044 would be appreciated.
Condolences, memories and photos may be shared on her obituary page at www.proutfuneralhome.com.
