Eufemia "Emma" Rotella

Eufemia "Emma" Rotella (née Pagliuca), age 93, passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 8th, 2022, at her home in Garwood, New Jersey. She was born on October 14th, 1928 in Aiello del Sabato, Avellino, Italy, to Clelia and Corrodino Pagliuca. Emma was one of sixteen children and spent her life putting the needs of others, especially her family, before her own. After the death of her father, she left school at age 8 to care for her siblings and tend to the family farm beginning her life making sacrifices for the betterment of others. After overcoming many losses and surviving World War II, Emma was blessed with three children Serafino Rotella, Carmelina Hurewitz (née Rotella), and Raffaele Rotella before immigrating to the Westfield, NJ in 1968. Emma was a single mother that immigrated to America speaking no English, with no family to assist her in order to provide her children with a chance at the American Dream. Emma worked as a maid for several families in Westfield and at the Diamond Communications in Garwood to provide for her family. After decades of working multiple jobs, Emma turned her focus to her grandchildren putting all of her energy into their wellbeing. Emma also gave her time caring for friends in their time of need. She lived a very simple life focused on cooking and providing all that she could for her family and friends, she was always the last to sit down and the first to get up at any meal. Emma is survived by her children and their spouses, Raffaele and Elizabeth Rotella, Carmelina and Steven Hurewitz and Serafino and Cathy Rotella, her grandchildren Richard and Jacob Rotella, Stephanie Trano, Robert and Amanda Hurewitz, and Sara, Nicholas, Michael, and Benjamin Rotella, her four great grandchildren Craig, Alexander, and Zachary Trano, and Eleanor Hurewitz, and her sister, Clorinda Pugliuca Sasso and sister-in-law Brigita Pugliuca and countless nieces and nephews still in Italy. Emma's family would like to thank Cecelia O'Neil for all she has done over the last year making it the best it could be. Her care and compassion was appreciated by her family and we knew they both loved each other. Whenever you would say goodbye to Emma she would always tell you that she loved you! In lieu of flowers donations in her memory to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. www.stjude.org.. Emma's visitation will be on Thursday January 13th, from 2-4 and 6-8PM at Gray Memorial Funeral Home, 12 Springfield Ave. Cranford. Her funeral mass will be celebrated at 10AM Friday January 14, 2022 in the Church of St. Anne, 325 2nd Ave., Garwood, NJ. Entombment will follow in Woodbridge Memorial Gardens Mausoleum. Woodbridge. Please go to: www.grayfuneralhomes.com to offer condolences.