Obituary of Doris Jean Iafelice

Doris Jean Iafelice (nee Hoeppel), 90, passed peacefully into eternal rest on Friday, July 7, 2023.  Doris was born in Jersey City, NJ and was the first child of Frank and Susanna Hoeppel. She lived in West New York, NJ and graduated first in her class from Saint Joseph’s High School in 1950, where she was also a cheerleader and made several lifelong friendships. She met her husband, Vincent, on the street where she lived, when he came to hang out with his friends. She worked at the Port Authority of NY, where she became famous for artistically painting the office windows for Christmas. She moved to Ridgefield Park in 1961, and became a member of St Francis of Assisi Church, being active in the PTA and working on the annual St. Francis parish carnival. She was most well-known for the incredible costumes she created for the St. Francis Players, even sacrificing her own wedding gown for the cause. She adored her grandchildren and never came to babysit without a Disney movie and a box of Entenmann’s chocolate donuts. She was an amazing cook and would fill your plate until you said ‘when’. She was also an avid couture seamstress, making amazing clothing without a pattern, and designing and making her daughters’ wedding gowns. When her children were grown, she went on to have a fulfilling career as a secretary in a number of different fields.  Upon retirement, she moved with Vinny to the Poconos, and remained there until 2015 when she moved back home to NJ, residing in Barnegat. She lovingly leaves behind her daughter Linda and her husband Ed Palange, and her daughter Karen and her husband Ed Thomas, both of Barnegat NJ. She has 6 adoring grandchildren - Edward Palange and his wife Jessica, Edward Thomas and his wife Christina, Dr. David Palange and his wife Erin, Stephanie Zimmerman and her husband Steven, Michael Palange and his wife Jacqueline, and Jennifer Thomas and her fiancé Robert Michael. She was blessed with 7 great-grandchildren. She also leaves behind her brothers Dennis Hoeppel and Douglas Hoeppel and his wife Thomassina, as well as several nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her husband Vincent and her brother Frank Hoeppel.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, July 12^th, beginning at 4 pm and concluding at 8 pm.  Funeral Mass Thursday, July 13^th, 10 AM at St. Joseph R.C. Church, Bogota.  Entombment will follow at Madonna Mausoleum, Fort Lee.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105-9959