Our Matriarch, Momma Julie, Grammy, Grandma Up-Down, Baba, and Mom, Julia Billy Mandy, age 101 of Parlin peacefully passed on Friday, November 6, 2020, surrounded by her loving family. Born in Perth Amboy in 1919, she had moved to Parlin with her family in 1954 and then relocated her family to Honolulu, HI when her husband William Mandy, who was in the Air Force, was assigned to duty at Hickam AFB, returning to NJ in July 1958. She had always reminded anyone that the time in which she spent in Hawaii was the best time of her life and provided the foundation for the love that she had for that island. Julie was primarily a homemaker who genuinely loved spending time with her family. However, in her long life, she had several interesting jobs and experiences. She needed to leave school to help her family during the Great Depression. During that time, she would clean houses and always talked about scrubbing floors on her hands and knees and that ethic stayed with her all her life. She was married in 1940 and when World War II began, she patriotically did her part as a “Rosie the Riveter”, working at Picatinny arsenal manufacturing ammunition for the military. In the early 1960’s, she worked at Metro Glass on the assembly line evening shift. She then moved to the Pathmark supermarket to work in the bakery section. She always thought that funny since she never baked in her life and always said that Sara Lee and Pillsbury were much better so why bother. She joined the Middlesex County Board of Elections in 1970 in an administrative position and retired in the late 1980’s to pursue her true passion of travelling. She traveled extensively in and around North America and Europe, visited Africa and Asia, where she had a traditional Korean 80th birthday party replete with all manner of dress and food. However, her true love was Hawaii, and she spent every February there from the late 1980’s to 2016. On her 100th birthday, her family threw her a traditional Hawaiian themed luau so that she would feel like she was there.

She is predeceased by her seven brothers and sisters, her grandson Oliver Mandy in 1965, her husband William in 1997 and her son Robert “Bobby” in October of 2020, and her beloved daughter in law, Caroline Mazur Mandy in 2018. Surviving are her loving sons William, Donald and his wife Barby, John and his wife Johanna, her adoring grandchildren Dawn Wolski, Jennifer O’Keefe and her husband Kevin, Greg Mandy and his partner Shannon McGarry, Sarah Mandy, and Grace Mandy, her cherished great-grandchildren Olivia and Abigayle Wolski, Riley and David O’Keefe and Delaney Mandy and a host of other relative and friends.

Julie’s known for telling her family to “Go for it” and never be afraid to try, and if you fail, try again. She had also been asked many times about how she managed to live such a long and vibrant life. Her answer was to stay stress free and don’t worry about the things around you and love unconditionally. Julie’s capacity for love knew no bounds and her response to an “I love you” would always be answered by “I love you more”. If you tried to best her by saying “I love you most”, she would smile, chuckle, and gently shake her head no saying “I don’t think so”. Her family, friends, and anyone who knew her will miss her dearly.
Funeral services will be Thursday 9:15am from the Carmen F. Spezzi Funeral Home 15 Cherry Lane with a 10:00am service at St. Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church in Perth Amboy. Burial will follow at St. Nicholas Cemetery in Woodbridge.

Calling hours at the funeral home will be Wednesday from 4pm to 8pm
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Due to current Covid 19 restrictions, please note that a maximum of 100 visitors will be allowed in the funeral home at once and masks must be worn at all times. We encourage visitors to limit their time in the building to allow the family the maximum number of guests possible. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to St. Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church in Perth Amboy Completed arrangements, letters of condolence to the family, and directions may be found by visiting www.spezzifuneralhome.com.