Mary Ellen Behnke,72, of Lincoln Park, NJ passed away Tuesday, June 27, 2023 after a brief but devastating fight with cancer.

Mary Ellen was born in Paterson, NJ on August 14, 1950. She was the youngest of John and Lillian Maher’s seven children. She graduated from Felician College with an Associate degree in nursing in 1973. She was a certified oncology nurse and worked for close to 40 years at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Paterson, NJ.

In 1975, she married her soulmate. They moved to a home in Lincoln Park, NJ in 1978 where they raised two daughters and still presently reside.

She was a devoted member of St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church. She deeply loved and cared for her friends, neighbors, and family.

She is survived by her loving husband of 47 years, Richard J Behnke. She also leaves behind her daughters and sons-in-law Kristen and Michael Peterson, and Susan and John Stefani. Her four grandchildren were her absolute pride and joy, Nora and Ryan Peterson, and Emma and Sophia Stefani.

She leaves behind brothers John Maher and Frank Maher, sisters Lillian Rooney and Sharon Schulze, brother-in-law Gerald Behnke, and sister- in-law and childhood best friend Sharon Diddio. She was predeceased by her brother William and sister Kay, and brother-in-law Thomas Behnke. She was also a devoted Aunt to her many nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Friday June 30 at 10am (PLEASE MEET AT CHURCH) at St. Joseph’s Church, 219 Comly Road, Lincoln Park NJ. Visiting hours will be held on Thursday, June 29 from 4-7 pm at Keri-Lozito Funeral Home, 125 Main Street, Lincoln Park.