Mary Carufe

Mary Carufe, 61, of Naples, Florida and formerly of Cold Spring, died at Avow Hospice of Naples on March 11, 2017.

Mary was born in Queens on July 3, 1955. She grew up there before her family moved to Cold Spring  in 1966. She graduated from Haldane in 1973 and on July 22, 1974, married Joseph Carufe in Penticton, British Columbia. He survives her.

Mary and Joseph subsequently lived in San Francisco; Eugene, Oregon; Las Vegas; Holden and Scituate Harbor, Massachusetts; and Charlottesville, Virginia, before returning to Cold Spring. They moved to Naples in 1994.

Mary was a lover of plants and animals, especially dogs. A gourmet cook, Mary delighted friends and family alike with her legendary cooking and baking. She was also vice president and executive secretary of Earthtech Unlimited, a Naples-based landscape company that she and her husband owned together.

Besides her husband, Mary is survived by her daughters Sarah Martinez and Rebecca Carufe, grandchildren Anthony Martinez and Dalia Martinez, brothers Robert Mele, Philip Mele and Paul Mele, brother-in-law Michael Carufe and sister-in-law Maria Carufe. She also is survived by her nieces Anna Mele, Margaret Mele, Melanie Mele, Antonia Mele and Anna Maria Ingram and nephews Michael Carufe and Thaddeus Mele.

A celebration of Mary’s life will be held on March 18 in Naples. Memorial donations can be made to your local humane society chapter.

Behind The Story

Type: Obituary

Obituary: Reports the death of an individual, providing an account of the person’s life including their achievements, any controversies in which they were involved, and reminiscences by people who knew them.

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One reply on “Mary Carufe (1955-2017)”

  1. I was blessed to raise my family side-by-side with Mary, who was my sister-in-law. She was always kind, patient and loving. She will be missed everyday but forever remembered for her warrior spirit. May she be pain-free and our forever angel! “Simply the Best” –Tina Turner

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