Helen Valentino

Helen (Wolff) Valentino, 80, of Sayreville, New Jersey, passed away surrounded by her family on November 23, 2025, at JFK Medical Center, Edison.

Born on June 18, 1945, in Newark, New Jersey, she was the daughter of Madeline (Clauss) Wolff and Martin G. Wolff. She grew up in Newark with her brother and sister.

She married Arnold Valentino in May 1968. After a short time in Newark, they settled in Sayreville. They shared 52 years of marriage until Arnold’s passing in 2020.

She was a private person who preferred the comfort of home, but she expressed her love in clear and unmistakable ways—especially through food and the generosity she showed to her grandchildren. She also cherished her friendship with Lucille Perez of Springfield, New Jersey, her oldest and longest friend, whose companionship remained meaningful throughout her life.

She was an exceptional cook whose homemade tomato sauce with sausage and meatballs and her pot roast with brown gravy and noodles, all prepared from scratch, became a lasting family favorite. She hosted countless dinners and holidays, always preparing far more food than needed. No one ever left her home hungry.

She worked for many years as a real estate paralegal, and before that dedicated herself to raising her children as a stay-at-home mother.

She is survived by her daughter Renee Block and her husband Frederic Block of Sayreville, New Jersey, and their daughters Julia, her fiance Alex Gaspar, and Hailey, along with Hailey’s boyfriend Ivan Selody; her daughter Sharon Mamone and her husband Paul Mamone of Freehold, New Jersey, and their children Vincent, Valentina, and Anthony; and her daughter Dana Roccanova of Brick, New Jersey, and her family. She is also survived by her sister Margaret C. Wolff of North Arlington, New Jersey, Margaret’s husband Joseph J. DeFranco, and their daughters Angela and Christine; her niece Michelle Just Williams of Florida; her sister-in-law Donna Wolff of Williamstown, New Jersey; and her brother-in-law Richard Valentino and his wife Gail Valentino of Florida. She was predeceased by her parents and her brother, Arthur Wolff.

Cremation will be handled by Kurzawa Funeral Home, 338 Main Street, South Amboy, NJ 08879. In keeping with her wishes, there will be no services or visitation