Maryanna Jablonski was born in Lodi, New Jersey, minutes after her older identical twin Anne to her mother, Josefa and father, Alexander and a large Polish family of three sisters and five brothers. A fourth sister, Loretta, was born 18 months later. Family legend had her own mother (in this country illegally on another Polish villager's visa), running a small dairy selling milk and cheese from the family cow and her father making "bathtub" liquor for "people who came in Packards from New York." Her father, a handsome, dashing man, played the violin at weddings and celebrations, but sadly, died when she was just six years old. The Depression found the family living in poverty, existing on aid checks her Mother received, small wages from her brothers, most of whom left school early to work wherever they could, and donated food. Maryanna often said that supper frequently consisted of "day old crullers." The three young sisters slept "three to a bed," and her Christmas gift one year - most years there was none-- was a single orange. Her school days were spent surrounded by family and friends in Lodi, and confounding teachers by switching classes with her twin, depending on which boy she or Anne had a crush on. They cleaned the houses of their teachers to earn money. Known as "the Twins," they used to participate in the talent show at the local Movie Theater, and use the excuse of rehearsing to get in free. With great enthusiasm, if average voices, they won first place (and a live turkey) singing Bei Mier Bist Du Shein. She graduated Lodi High School in 1942, a petite woman at 5'2" and 102 pounds. With the advent of the World War II, more work became available. After high school, Maryanna went to work for Hayden Chemical in New Jersey. Soon, the opportunity came to move to Pennsylvania with Hayden, which was expanding its war effort there. Over the objections of her older brother, Maryanna's mother allowed her to go (after consulting a spiritualist who said things would be alright.) Maryanna then proceeded to board in a series of homes in and around Danville and Riverside, Pa. during the war, as housing was at a premium. On the banks of the Susquehanna River, Danville was the largest town in this former iron mining area, settled by a mixture of German, Dutch, and others as far back as the 18th century. Semi-rural, Danville was a town of simple family values, church suppers and card games, and must have appeared like Norman Rockwell America to a young girl from ethnic New Jersey. There at Hayden, she met a security guard, newly discharged from the National Guard for his healthJay Oberdorf. They soon fell in love, and because of a difference in religion - she being raised Catholic; he a Methodisteloped to get married at the United Methodist Church n Bloomsburg, PA on Christmas eve, 1945. The young couple moved in with Jay's parents on Dewart Street in Riverside. It was a simple life, as Frank and Mary Dorothy Oberdorf had an old-fashioned house with an outhouse, no running water, and all washing and Saturday night baths were managed with hot water heated on a wood fired stove that warmed the kitchen. As the war was winding down, Hayden was shrinking and Maryanna got a job in the payroll and billing dept at the Geisinger Hospital. This started a life long admiration for the medical profession and a big interest in healthcare. She often said she used to read the patient files at Geisinger, and she wished she had been a nurse, if only to wear a uniform to work! Later in life, Maryanna bought her own copy of Physicians Desk Reference manualone of many books about health and nutritionand would provide diagnostic and prescription advice to whoever was ill in the extended family. After the war, Jay went to Bucknell College on the GI bill, graduating in three years with a degree in mechanical engineering. Maryanna continued to work to help support them. Jay got a job at Pennsylvania Power and Light and they moved to Sunbury, PA, then Fullerton, then Allentown. After a few years of marriage, they had three children, Linda, Cheryl and Joyce, born within 35 months of each other. By this time, Maryanna was a full time wife and mother. Wishing to further his career, Jay obtained work with Western Electric and the family soon moved to Clifton New Jerseywhere Maryanna's twin sister Anne lived with her husband John. Wishing for a better school district, the family decided to move to Fair Lawnwhere they built a modern, brick house in 1956-7. And here they stayed, on Raphael Street, as the open lots around them turned into even more houses. There, Jay took care of the yard and the car (s), grew tomatoes in the summer, and Maryanna took care of the children and the home and meals. A simple cook, she frequently cooked macaroni and Velveeta cheese, pot roast, and steak on the grill and Duncan Hines Angel Food cake. She was an early devotee of health and fitness, a fan of Jack LaLanne, daily walks, vitamins and low-fat foods. Maryanna instilled a deep appreciation of education in her daughters, telling them to stay in school, go to college, and be independent and able to support themselves as teachers, nurses. She raised them strictly, enforcing house rules, and with a strong focus on getting good grades in school. She and Jay both believed in working hard. She herself never stopped cleaning and ironing. She was also generous to her family and would do and give anything to her children. Perhaps remembering her own childhood, there is not one major Christmas gift that any child wanted and did not receive (excepting the repeated calls for puppies and kittens). With a strong belief that she was always right, she took great pleasure in discussing other's lives, presiding over the home so thoroughly, that her father in law early on named her "the Duchess." As her girls grew up, there was a big emphasis on family. Holidays were with relatives in Lodi and vacations mostly to Pennsylvania to visit Oberdorf relatives, but increasingly also to points of historical interest such as Gettysburg. A trip to Washington DC was legendary, as were treks to the New York World's Fair. When her children were growing up, the family (particularly Jay) was active in the Arcola Methodist Church. As her girls got older, she longed for some other outlet. Never a joiner, of clubs or other institutions, and with only a few select friends outside of family, she began taking courses- to become a dental assistant, x-ray technician and medical assistant. She later helped out in doctor's offices in the area and served as a medical assistant to one for a number of years. As older members of her family got sick and then died, she was always there for them at their bedside. While she might never say it, she was proud that all three of her daughters graduated college and that at one point, all three were teachers. Later, she was proud that Cheryl became a lawyer, and Joyce and Linda received master's degrees. After Jay died in 2002, Maryanna lived by herself at the Raphael Street house, fiercely independent, as she wanted. Until Anne's death in 2012, the twins spoke at least once a day. After Maryanna broke her hip, and later, had a stroke in 2012, Alice joined her as her companion. There she lived until her death this week. She is survived by her daughter and son-in law, Linda and Jim Jacobsen of Saddle Brook, New Jersey; daughter Cheryl Oberdorf of Rochelle Park, New Jersey; and daughter Joyce Oberdorf of Miami Fl and Rowayton, Connecticut as well as by her sister Loretta V. Sulick of Paramus, New Jersey. She has one grandson by marriage, Derek Jacobsen. A major force in her family, Maryanna will be missed. Family and friends are invited to a viewing to be held Sunday, December 28 from 2- 6 pm at the Shook Funeral Home, 639 Van Houten Ave, Clifton, New Jersey 07013. 973-471-9620. Friends are invited to join the family for dinner afterwards at the Royal Warsaw restaurant, 871 River Drive, Elmwood Park, New Jersey. Family and friends will gather at the Shook Funeral Home Monday morning, Dec 29th, at 9:30 am for a brief prayer service before proceeding to the Arcola United Methodist Church, 52 South Paramus Rd, Paramus, New Jersey for funeral services at 11 am with interment to follow at the George Washington Memorial Park, Paramus, New Jersey. While the family appreciates gifts of flowers, they would prefer that donations in memory of Maryanna Oberdorf be made to the following: 1. Geisinger Health System Foundation Nursing Education Fund 100 North Academy Ave Danville, PA 17822 Donate.geisinger.org 570-214-8836 2. Arcola Methodist Church 52 South Paramus Road Paramus, N J Aumcoffice@yahoo.com 201-843-2805 3. Fair Lawn Ambulance Corps 1 Coopers Way P.O. box 282 Fair Lawn, New Jersey 07410