Marilyn Beneventine

On October 9th, 2023, Marilyn Beneventine passed away peacefully to her final resting place where she was reunited with the love of her life, Carmine, and beloved grandson, Bryan. She was born on July 16th, 1932, in Bronx, NY to the late Marion and Michael Trutt. Marilyn grew up in Greenwich Village, NY, helping her mother and father with their family-owned laundry business. She went to Washington Irving High School and graduated with high honors.

On November 4th, 1949, Marilyn met the love of her life, Carmine Beneventine at her high school dance. He was so enamored with her that he took a bus, a train, and a subway to get to their first date from Greenpoint, Brooklyn. On Valentines Day, 1951, they got engaged and ended up having to plan a whirlwind wedding, as Carmine was drafted by the Marines during the Korean War. Marilyn’s mother went down to the draft board to convince them to extend his departure date to January 8th, 1952 so they could have their wedding and 2 nights for a honeymoon--she succeeded. They married on January 5, 1952. Marilyn worked as a secretary at Kreski’s in New York City until she followed Carmine to Cherry Point, NC, where he was stationed at the Marine base. In 1954, they moved to Richmond Hill, NY to begin their family. When Carmine was transferred by IBM to Franklin Lakes, NJ in 1970, Marilyn quickly became acclimated to suburban life in New Jersey. Marilyn was a homemaker and a devoted wife. She was generously involved in her children’s school PTA, library and dance committees, and much more. Marilyn also got her driver’s license at the age of thirty-eight in New Jersey, as she realized it was much different getting around there than it was in New York City. She then enjoyed chauffeuring her children to their sports and school activities. One of Marilyn’s greatest joys was hosting all of the children in the neighborhood, as her welcoming and fun home was considered the favorite on the block.

When her children were all in school, Marilyn started working at James Fallon School in Wayne, NJ as the cafeteria playground aide, and later on transferred to John F. Kennedy school in Wayne, where she worked until her retirement in 1994. All of the kids knew not to mess around with “Mrs. B” while they were on the playground, as they did not want to get called out by her infamous whistle. Marilyn’s family recently found this infamous whistle and returned it to her on Christmas Day so she could take it back to the Renaissance and let them know who was really in charge.

Marilyn had a very tight circle of friends in her neighborhood, who began forming groups of their own while the kids were in school. One of these groups was “The Crochet Group,” though they fondly referred to themselves as “The Happy Hookers.” She also had a passion for volleyball and played competitively on a team with those same friends. She spent her Saturdays traveling from one garage sale to the next with her best friend Dolores. Marilyn and Carmine were blessed with an abundant group of friends from high school, and Carmine’s college buddies and their wives, creating lifelong friendships that she still had up to this day.

After her husband was diagnosed with cancer of the larynx, she became an ambassador for the American Cancer Society with Carmine, traveling across the United States supporting other cancer survivors. Marilyn focused on supporting the spouses of the cancer patients, giving them the hope and support they needed to get through this lifechanging journey.

In 2006, they moved to Pequannock, New Jersey, where they stayed until 2018. They then moved to Riverdale, New Jersey, and resided there until 2020 when they moved to The Renaissance nursing home in Lincoln Park, New Jersey. She was grateful to be married to Carmine for sixty-eight wonderful years and was heartbroken when he passed away on November 21st, 2020. In quintessential Marilyn style, she remained devoted to her children and grandchildren, and was blessed to spend many occasions at home with her family, like her 90th birthday. She attended her two oldest granddaughter’s weddings this past year, which brought her immense joy. She will be remembered as the “Matriarch” of her family, and the most cherished angel on this earth. Marilyn was blessed with thirteen grandchildren, who she selflessly took care of, loved boundlessly, and simply adored.

Marilyn was predeceased by her late husband Carmine Beneventine (2020), her parents, Marion (1985) and Michael Trutt (1978), her brother, Thomas Trutt (2007), and grandson Bryan Tereskiewicz (2021). She is survived by her four children: her daughters, Susan Tereskiewicz and her husband Joseph, Carol LaGreca and her fiance Dave Ball, and her sons, Robert Beneventine and his wife Terry, and Steven Beneventine and his wife Rosetta. Marilyn is also survived by her beloved grandchildren, Michael, Katie and her husband JR, Nicholas, Paul, Annamarie, Steven, Ashley, Victoria and her wife Jenn, Kevin, Sophia, Brett, Jason and his wife Liberty.

Private Services will be held in honor of Marilyn.