Stella Mannino Giordano, age 70 years, of Ewing Township, NJ, died on Sunday, May 24, 2020 at home, surrounded by her loving family after a valiant three-month battle against cancer.

Born in Brooklyn, NY on March 27, 1950, daughter of the late Frank and Mattea Cucinella Mannino, Stella was raised in Ringoes, NJ and had lived in Flemington, NJ, and New Hope, PA prior to moving to Ewing ten years ago.

A 1968 graduate of South Hunterdon High School, Stella, along with her cherished husband, Pietro, owned and operated Stella’s Pizza on Scotch Road in Ewing, NJ for the past thirty-nine years.

She and Pietro had one simple philosophy when they took a chance and opened Stella’s: to treat each customer like family and to put love into everything that came out of their kitchen. That mindset made the next four decades fly by with the couple watching generations grow and pass through their doors. It saw a level of love and loyalty the couple only dreamed of when they opened, grow exponentially. It also saw the development of their own family, who help run the business to this day, ensuring that Stella & Pietro’s foundationary principles are adhered to each and every day.

Stella was a business owner, but above all else she was a woman who loved and cherished her family. She was proud to be able to say that every day, no matter what, she met her children’s school bus to ensure they had guidance and felt their parents love. She was a ‘hip’ mom, always staying current with pop culture, and always making sure her children’s friends knew that her home was safe for them, and of course always ensuring they had a proper meal! No chips around Stella; you and your friends had a gourmet meal each and every time. Her spaghetti and sauce, lasagna, and eggies in a basket were legendary.

As her family grew, and she became a ‘NaNa’ to her three grandchildren, her life took on even more meaning. Always caring and loyal, her new role brought out the best in her and her grandchildren surely benefitted from watching her selfless and always accepting everyone for who they are attitude. She possessed a level of caring and love that was the undercurrent for all her actions and much of this was based on her faith and strong catholic upbringing. She was a longtime member of Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Ewing, NJ, where she had a particular love for Our Lady of Fatima and the hope that was brought to the children of the world upon that miracle.

One can not write of Stella though, without speaking of her beloved husband, Pietro, as the two were truly, ‘two peas in a pod’. Meeting in March of 1972, their love was instantaneous, and it was soon after Pietro was asking Frank for his daughter’s hand in marriage. Her parents, seeing the love the two shared, of course approved and on September 24, 1972 the couple wed at St. John the Evangelist Church in Lambertville, NJ. Pietro credits their long marriage to always talking out any issues and simply being their for one another at all times.

In addition to Pietro, Stella is survived by her three children, Geraldine and her husband, Kenneth Fletcher, Anthony Giordano, and Francesco Giordano; her brothers, Anthony Mannino, M.D., and his wife, Katrin, and Gaspare (Reno) Mannino; her grandchildren, Jonathan, Michael, and Lucas Fletcher; her sister-in-law and her husband, Maria and Nino Maniaci; her grand-dog, Walter; many extended family all over the world; her loyal Stella’s family; and many dear friends.

***Due to the inability to have a public ceremony at this time, and knowing how vital the love of family, friends, and the community is when someone passes, everyone reading this is encouraged to leave a detailed note on this page—perhaps a favorite story, or maybe the way Stella touched your heart—something to help inspire a measure of comfort and hope to all who read the comments.***

A public life celebration service and memorial mass is being planned at a later date under the care and direction of Wright & Ford Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Flemington, NJ. Please check back on this page for updated service information; again, the information will not be available until the restrictions are lifted.

Given the current gathering restrictions in place, private family visitation, vigil prayers by Rev. Michael Hall, and entombment at Ewing Church Cemetery Mausoleum are private under the care and direction of Wright & Ford Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 38 State Highway 31, Flemington, NJ.

Please visit Stella’s permanent memorial site at www.wrightfamily.com to light a memorial candle, leave messages of condolence, share words of comfort and recollection, and post photographs of her life.

In lieu of flowers, and honoring Stella’s love of children, she personally requested that memorial contributions in her honor be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. JudePlace, Memphis, TN 38105 or online by clicking HERE.

_____________________________

Wright & Ford, your local, family owned & operated “Life Celebration Home”