Dora Minnefor, Almost 103 Years Old

Aunt Dora continues in our hearts. Below, please read about Aunt Dora's life. We invite you to share comments below. To see pictures of Aunt Dora, please click or cut and paste the following website address, where you can download and upload photographs: http://bit.ly/auntdora 

Dora Minnefor, almost 103 years old, passed quietly at home surrounded by family and her aide of five years on April 1, 2011.

The daughter of Italian-born Antonio Minnefor and Carmela Rosciano, Dora Minnefor was one of nine children (one sister and seven brothers) who were born in Newark, New Jersey. She was named after Adea, her maternal grandmother. Bilingual as a child, she translated for her mother.

Her first job after Central High School in Newark, and completing a short secretarial course, was with the Miele Brothers in Maplewood. Later, Dora worked as a secretary and bookkeeper for her three brothers’ business, Minnefor Brothers. She was the principal clerk-stenographer at the Board of Beauty Culture, State of New Jersey in Newark, and retired on March 1, 1976. She helped out as a bookkeeper at her nephew Ronald’s dry cleaning store.

Dora cared for many people throughout her life. After her mother passed young, she cared for her father. Later, she helped to raise many of her siblings’ and other relatives’ children. She always continued to work, travel and be close with family. As family matriarch, she brought people together around the table to eat her chicken soup and mandelbrot cookies. Many will continue to prepare her recipes.

Dora cherished spending time with family, cooking and traveling to many places, including Italy, Egypt, Spain and Israel. She took a train from coast to coast to find her brother who was on-duty in California in early 1943 during World War II.

Dora, known as “Aunt Dora” to many, is survived by numerous nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, great great nieces and nephews. As she said often while waving from her front door, “So long, not goodbye!”

The wake will be held at Mastapeter Funeral home (400 Faitoute Avenue, Roselle Park) on Monday, April 4, from 2 - 4 pm and 7 – 9 pm. The funeral mass will be on Tuesday, April 5, at 10 am at The Church of St. Theresa (541 Washington Avenue, Kenilworth.) Please be at the funeral home at 8:30am. Interment Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in East Orange. 

In lieu of flowers, you are welcome to donate in Dora Minnefor's name to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

A shorter version of this was published in the Star Ledger.