Obituary: Joan Samanich, 81

Joan Samanich, 81, of Freehold and upstate New York, died on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011, at The Madison Center, Old Bridge. Born in Brooklyn, Samanich lived in South Ozone Park, NY, Freehold, and Churchville, NY. She was a former communicant of , Freehold and a member of the Catholic Daughters Court #737, Freehold. Samanich was a school bus driver for the Freehold Township Board of Education, Freehold for over 25 years before retiring in 1999.

Samanich was predeceased by her husband, Emanuel, in 2005, and siblings, Blanche Zelinsky and Gerard Savarese. She is survived by her two sons and a daughter-in-law, John and Clair of Neptune and Thomas of Avenel; two daughters and sons-in-law, Joanne and Leonard Zazzarino of Rahway and Barbara and Paul Jepsen of Spencerport, NY; three brothers, Joseph Savarese of Toms River, James Savarese of New Port Richey, FL and Buddy Savarese of Jefferson, NY; a sister, Rosemary Savarese of St. James, NY; four grandchildren; and a great grandson.

Friends and family are invited to visit from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 11, at the Freeman Manalapan-Marlboro Funeral Home, 344 Route 9 North, Manalapan. A Funeral Liturgy will be offered at 10 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 12, at St. Rose of Lima Church, Freehold. Entombment will follow at Forest Green Park Mausoleum, Marlboro. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to American Diabetes Association, Bridgewater, NJ.