Obituary of Jean R. Souza

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Jean R. Souza, age 90, formerly of Maplewood, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at Care One Assisted Living in Livingston, New Jersey.

Visitation will be on Monday, July 13, 2026, from 4:00 to 8:00 PM at The Jacob A. Holle Funeral Home, 2122 Millburn Avenue, Maplewood, NJ.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at 10:00 AM at St. Joseph's Church, 767 Prospect Street, Maplewood, NJ. Entombment will follow at 11:30 AM at Hollywood Memorial Park in Union, New Jersey.

Jean was born on April 24, 1936, in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania to the late John & Julia (Levulis) Estwanick.  She was raised in Vailsburg and moved to Maplewood in 1954.  She was married to the late Joseph Muratore, Jr., in 1956, who passed away in 1963.  She was married to Gilbert J.R. Souza in 1966 and resided in Maplewood until 2023 when they relocated to Livingston NJ.

Jean was a legal secretary for 30 years before working as an Administrative Assistant in the Engineering Dept. at Nabisco in East Hanover for 15 years.  In her “retirement years” she worked at St. Anthony’s Rectory in Belleville.

Jean was a communicant of St. Joseph’s Church in Maplewood where she was a Eucharistic Minister, and member and past president of the Rosary Altar Society and the Prayer Shawl Ministry.  Through the years she also had been a Girl Scout Leader and Bingo worker at St. Joe’s.

Jean was known for her kindness, devotion to her family, and the love she shared with everyone fortunate enough to know her.

She is survived by her devoted husband of 60 years, Gilbert J. R. Souza; her four beloved children, Joseph Muratore III (the late Audrey), Philip Muratore (Betsy), Laura Lieb (Jeffrey) and Christine Strickland (Steven). She also leaves behind eleven cherished grandchildren: Ashley, Kylie, Stefani, Austin, Jayne, Sarah, Briana, Susan, Philip, Marianna, and Lucy; as well as many adored great-grandchildren, all of whom will treasure her memory.  She was pre-deceased by her sister, Jule Mornhinweg and her loving brother, John Estwanick.  She will be greatly missed by her many relatives and friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association Greater New Jersey Chapter, 23 Vreeland Road, Suite 105, Florham Park, NJ 07932 or St. Joseph’s Church would be appreciated.