Lucille Fulco Rehak

Lucille Fulco Rehak, artist, wife, mother, grandmother, friend, and life-long New Jersey resident, died unexpectedly on Sunday, March 22, 2020 surrounded by her loving family. She was 76 years young. Born in Paterson, New Jersey in 1943 to Concetta Carierre Fulco and Frank Fulco, Lucille lived with her mother and her Italian immigrant grandparents, Palma and Giuseppe Carierre, in the Marshall Street apartment building that her grandparents built prior to the Great Depression. Lucille dreamt of escaping city life and living in the countryside. Living in West Milford and then Kinnelon for well over 40 years meant being surrounded by the trees, lakes, birds, bears, and other wildlife that Lucille loved so dearly. Lucille touched all who knew her with her limitless capacity to love. She extended an extraordinary level of compassion and kindness to anyone lucky enough to receive it. Lucille expressed her deep love of people and of life itself through her generosity and through her many artistic pursuits and professions. She was an entrepreneur who owned her first business, the Golden Cherub Hair Salon, when she was only 22 years old. While advertising for her shop she met her husband Richard who worked in advertising for the Paterson Evening News. She later went on to become a florist, painter, and owner of the charming Winding Vines gift store in Oakland and Midland Park before her retirement. Above all, Lucille's most valued treasures were her children and grandchildren, whom she loved deeply and for whom she was a best friend, confidant, giver of the finest hugs and kisses, matriarch of the family, and maker of the most delicious meatballs, asparagus soup, cheesecake, and blueberry pie. She is deeply missed by her husband, Richard Rehak, of Kinnelon; daughter Robyn Rehak McGuinness and son-in-law Michael and their children Madeleine, Maris, and Jared of Mendham; and son Richard Jr. and his children JT, Aidan, Adam and Annie of Eastern Pennsylvania. Due to the Corona Virus pandemic, the family is unable to hold either a wake or funeral right now. The family is planning a celebration of Lucilles life within the next few months and will post the details once arrangements are made. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to either the Chilton Medical Center Foundation or a charity of your choice. Please send a check, payable to Chilton Medical Center Foundation, 97 West Parkway, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444. To donate by phone, call 973-831-5165.