Mary Catherine Bracali
Mary Catherine Bracali passed away peacefully on June 22, 2024, after a long and courageous battle with Leukemia at the age of 78. Born September 25, 1945, in Easton, Pennsylvania, she was the daughter of Anthony Sagliani and Concetta Piazza and was the oldest of seven children.
Mary Catherine was a graduate of Phillipsburg Catholic High School in 1963 and eventually went on to be the owner and operator of Personal Hair Designs. She was beloved by her clients for her kindness and talent and loved making each and every person feel beautiful.
She had two loves in her life: her family & the theater. As the typical Italian mother, she doted endlessly on her children and grandchildren. Fiercely loyal and unwavering in her faith, it didn’t matter if you weren’t blood — with her, you were family, and there was always room at her table. She celebrated your every success, cried with you when times were tough and, with impeccable comedic timing, always managed to find a way to laugh.
Mary Catherine was the consummate performer. Music was in her blood. Her house was always full of the sound of her beautiful voice rehearsing the latest tune for an upcoming show or singing along to the radio. Her children, John & Jean, grew up watching her in the wings, always her biggest fans. She loved being involved in theater since she was a young girl and never really stopped, whether she was a part of the cast, designing costumes or doing hair & makeup. Some of her favorite roles were Dolly in Hello Dolly, Adelaide in Guys & Dolls, Grace in Annie, Golde in Fiddler on the Roof, Ella in Bells are Ringing and Doris in Cemetery Club. Her last project was one of her most cherished, appearing in the movie Lucky Louie with her husband John, her nephew Hal and with music from her granddaughter Emily.
Outside the theater, her favorite activities were performing with her husband, laughing with her siblings, catching a sunset at the shore with her children, and cheering on her grandchildren at a host of dance recitals, jazz performances, and sporting events.
In her final act, even when the days were uncertain and long, she gave us what she always has: the gift of living it together. Blessed are we to have called her Mom, Nana, sister, wife, aunt, niece and friend.
Even though the world will look & sound different without her, her music will never stop: it’s in the legacy of love she leaves behind. She is survived by her loving husband, John Bracali; son John Stana and daughter-in-law Belinda; daughter Jean Calvani and son-in-law Mike, stepsons Anthony Bracali and Thomas Bracali and step daughter-in-law Kirsti Bracali; her siblings Rita Brandsma, Anne Marie Clymer, Joanne Sagliani, Anthony Sagliani, Gemma Miers and Joseph Sagaliani; and her treasured grandchildren John Anthony Stana, Isabel Guadalupe Stana, Ashley Feula, Emily Calvani, Michael Calvani, Mia Bracali, Anna Bracali and Avery Bracali.
We will be celebrating the life of Mary Catherine with a viewing on Thursday, June 27th, 2024 from 6 – 8 pm at Finegan Funeral Home, 924 2nd Avenue in Alpha, NJ. A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, June 28th at 10am at St. Philip & St. James Catholic Church in Phillipsburg, NJ. She will be laid to rest after the service.