Julia Besante

It’s impossible to briefly summarize the rich life of Julia Besante, 69, of Beachwood, NJ, known to many fondly as Jule, Mrs. B or Mrs. Besante and to us, her lucky daughters, as Mom. She was born in Elizabeth, NJ on December 13, 1954 and grew up in Roselle Park for 21 years in the home her dad built. 

She was a full blooded Irish Catholic with all the fierceness and stubbornness built in as birth right.

Her first strike of Irish Luck came in being born to Jim and Jane (McQuaid) Donnelly. Her most important strike for us was where she worked at the Rectory of Church of the Assumption in her hometown. It was while there, she met our dad, the nerdy nephew of the late Monsignor Joseph Loreti. Only due to his thoughtful heart, brilliant mind and lineage as the son of Michael A and Rose (Loreti) Besante was this Italian boy able to marry this young lass. This November 25th would be 48 years of a marriage to her sweetheart, Michael J Besante, full of devoted love, exciting travels and unconditional support and respect.

Jule’s all too short but significant and full life was a cascade of good luck. Having 3 of the best friends in her siblings- and then their spouses, Nancy Turner, Pat and Nancy Donnelly and Liz and Chuck Fiume, adoring nieces and nephews and meeting lifelong friends in her youth, at her first teaching gig at Central, at her long time career at Lacey Township High School and through her church family at St. Joseph’s Church in Toms River, NJ. She is also survived by her mom through marriage, Rose (Loreti) Besante, brother in law John Besante and his wife, LuAnn Besante. Many of whom were able to share their mutual love and adoration during this final trial and surrounded her during her transition to heaven. If this woman’s soul didn’t basically transcend then we are all doomed. She was embraced into paradise by God, her parents, Jim & Jane, and father through marriage, Michael A. Besante, grandparents Tim and Cenie (Ellingham) McQuaid and Patrick & Julia (Crowley) Donnelly, nephew Jimmy Fiume, amongst other family and friends. She placed a strong emphasis on life skills and education, attended college at Saint Elizabeth’s and went on to obtain a masters. She was a hell of a jeopardy player and made a killer Bundt, perfect with a cup of tea. 

She shared her passions of sewing, cooking, baking, reading and God generously with everyone she met. She was always helping others, hemming a dress, cooking a meal, sending her delicious chocolate chip cookies (the secret was the butter flavored crisco), teaching pre-Cana, knitting prayer shawls or administering the Eucharist to only name a few. She never let another’s needs go unnoticed or unaddressed. It was always a joke that mom would meet someone she knew everywhere we went, including even her final days showing that her teaching impact has unknown limitations.

Her zenith was becoming a mom to us, Mary Highton and Jamie Scomak. Her proudest achievements and legacy until meeting her sons through marriage, Tom and Justin, and her grandkiddos, each named with her in mind. Teddy James Highton, Lucy Jane and Julian Joseph Scomak. A testament to her life- well lived, well loved and well traveled.

Our streak of luck was interrupted by her untimely death after a tough fight from this strong woman-  who did it her way until the end. To know her is to know love from a sassy, clever, wise woman of God. And may we continue to be reminded that the heaviness of the grief is nothing in comparison to the tremendous love this insanely loving and fun woman experienced.

There will be a viewing for Julia on Sunday, October 6, 2024 from 2pm-6pm at Mastapeter Memorial Home, 270 Atlantic City Blvd, Bayville, NJ 08721. A funeral mass will be held on Monday at 10am in St. Joseph's Church in Toms River with a burial immediately following at St. Joseph's Cemetery in Toms River. In Lieu of flowers, please donate to one of Jule’s favorite organizations to support, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

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