Mario N. Cortese, 73, of North Caldwell

Mario N. Cortese, 73, of North Caldwell died Wednesday, March 9, 2011, at Mountainside Hospital, Montclair, with his wife, sons and daughters-in-law at his side.  

Relatives and friends are invited to visit with the Cortese family on Sunday, March 13, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Dancy Funeral Home, 9 Smull Ave., Caldwell. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Monday, March 14, at 10 a.m., at Notre Dame Church, North Caldwell, followed by the interment at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Hanover.

Born in Newark and raised in West Orange, Cortese lived in North Caldwell for 40 years and was active in the American Legion Post 185, Caldwell.  

Cortese was a graduate of Seton Hall Prep and Seton Hall University, and held a master's degree in education from Kean University. He was a physical education teacher with the Newark School System for 28 years, having taught at West Side High School and JFK School for the Handicapped.  

He was a sports enthusiast, had a special love of skiing, enjoyed coaching his sons in little league sports, and was a big fan of the New York Yankees and the New York Jets. He enjoyed the arts, especially movies and Broadway musicals and loved woodworking. Above all, he derived the most joy from spending time with his family and his adoring eight grandchildren, ages 14 months to 12 years.     

Cortese enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corp in 1961, attended Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Va. and, and reached the rank of 1st Lieutenant in June, 1963. He was stationed in Beaufort, S.C. and served during the Vietnam era.  

He was pre-deceased by his parents Daniel and Josephine (Dispenza) Cortese and is survived and will be missed by his beloved and devoted wife of forty six years, Antoinette (Scardilli); loving sons Christopher (and Dawn) of Oakland, Marc (and Becky) of Fairlawn, and Michael (and Melanie) of Linden; dear brother, Vincent and Carol Cortese; dear sisters, Constance Szefczek and Geri Cortese; his cherished grandchildren, Nicholas, Timothy, Joseph, Kathryn, twins Sophia and Isabella, Julia and James; and extended family, including sisters-in-law, Domenica DelGuercio, the late Grace Scardilli, and Marie Cappuccio. He will be missed, too, by his many loving nieces and nephews. 

In lieu of flowers, donations to The Spinal Cord Injury Project at the W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience at 604 Allison Road, D-251, Piscataway, NJ 08854, www.sciproject@biology.rutgers,edu, would be appreciated by the Cortese family.