‘Very Happy’ Tarrytown Couple Is Archdiocese’s Longest Married

Josie Maciocha knew instantly her husband Stanley was her perfect match.
“I always liked people who are friendly and sociable. From the first day we met, we liked each other,” Josie, a 99-year-old parishioner of Transfiguration in Tarrytown, told CNY.
The Maciochas, who celebrated their 76th wedding anniversary Jan. 24, are being recognized as the longest-married couple in the archdiocese following an annual search conducted by the archdiocesan Family Life Office.
The search is done in conjunction with World Marriage Day, which is celebrated on the second Sunday in February near St. Valentine’s feast day of Feb. 14.
Stanley, 97, and Josie were living in the same Yonkers neighborhood when Stanley approached her one day and they began conversing. They went canoeing on their first date.
“I tried it,” Josie said of canoeing. “I was scared. I didn’t know how to swim, but I didn’t want to tell him that.
“I knew right away he was the right person. It was a nice life. We are very happy.”
The two were married at St. Casimir Church in Yonkers, the second of four generations of Maciocha family members to be married at St. Casimir. They have two daughters, Marilyn Gizzi and Barbara Rose; one granddaughter, Kristen Gizzi; and two great-granddaughters, Sophia and Olivia Flynn.
Ms. Gizzi and Ms. Rose attended St. Casimir School and Sacred Heart High School in Yonkers. Josie, who said she loved to sing, sang in the St. Casimir choir and volunteered at the parish church and school.
“Whenever there was any kind of problem that we had to deal with, we did novenas at all the different churches in Yonkers. Something always good came out of it,” said Ms. Rose, who lives in Vero Beach, Fla.
She said her parents “made us the people we are today. Most people will tell us we’re very strong. We learned a lot from them, that determination to go forward and not getting discouraged.”
Stanley and Josie are very proud of their Polish heritage and participated in many activities at the Polish Community Center in Yonkers, where Josie was employed as a hostess. Stanley, an avid golfer, was a welder and mechanic.
“My father to this day is still in love with my mother. She could do no wrong,” Ms. Rose said.
Stanley and Josie left Yonkers in 2016 and now reside at Brightview assisted living community in Tarrytown.
“Their determination stands out. They’re a very determined couple,” said Ms. Gizzi, a parishioner of St. Patrick’s in Bedford.
Alan Zale, a second cousin to Stanley, nominated the couple for the recognition after seeing the search publicized in his parish bulletin at St. Anthony of Padua in West Harrison.
“They’re warm and friendly,” said Zale. “They are very positive and fun to be around.
“We love listening to their stories. They’re just a joy to visit. They’re so uplifting and kind. Seeing people like that, they reinforce in me what we should aspire to be in terms of kindness.”

The longest-married couples
in the Archdiocese

Josie & Stanley Maciocha
76 years, Transfiguration, Tarrytown

Marion & Joseph Scaramuzzo
76 years, St. Charles Church, Staten Island

Virginia & George Rod
72 years, Holy Innocents, Pleasantville

Helen & Eugene Niminski
72 years, St. Gregory Barbarigo, Garnerville

Myrtle & Angelo Eugene Prisco
72 years, Our Lady of Perpetual Help/St. Catharine,
Pelham Manor

Michele & Anthony Flora
71 years, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Shrub Oak

Patricia & Donald Boyce
71 years, St. Joseph, Kingston

Rose & Ralph Federici
71 years, St. James the Apostle/Our Lady of the
Lake Mt Carmel, Carmel

Jennie & Gennaro Sepe
70 years, St. Eugene, Yonkers

Mary & Chester Bruskewicz
70 years, St. Denis, Hopewell Junction

Theresa & Joseph Siclare
70 years, Corpus Christi, Port Chester

Marion & Steven Scacca
70 years, Holy Child, Staten Island

Catherine & Vincent Tambone
70 years, St. Denis, Hopewell Junction

Dorothy & Martin J. Galvin
70 years, St. John Evangelist/St. Charles Borromeo, Pawling

Victoria & Conrado Torres
70 years, St. Ann, Yonkers

Catherine and William Simons
69 years, Immaculate Conception/St. Mary, Port Jervis

Carol & John White
69 years, Annunciation/Our Lady of Fatima, Crestwood

Rose M. & Leonard L. Kardas
69 years, St. Mary/St. Joseph/OLMC, Poughkeepsie

Thelma & Thomas Heinchon
69 years, St. John the Evangelist, Pawling

Helen & Dominick Palmeri
69 years, St. Joseph, New Platz

Bernice & Lawrence Hughes
69 years, St. Anthony, Yonkers

Eleanor & Joseph Lifrieri
69 years, St. Ann, Yonkers

Diana & Frank Besignano
69 years, St. Ann, Staten Island

Anna & Vincent Puglia
69 years, St. Charles, Staten Island

Rita & Anthony Manca
69 years, St. Mary, Our Lady of the Falls, Wappingers Falls

Irene & Thomas Sacco
68 years, St. Matthew/St. Stanislaus/OLPH, Ardsley

Celia & Thomas McEvoy
68 years, St. Augustine, Larchmont

H. Janet & John A. Morrison
68 years, Transfiguration, Tarrytown

Betty & John Heitzman
68 years, St. Joseph, Kingston

Melbarosa & Cornelius Thomas
68 years, St. Aloysius, Manhattan

Helen & Theodore Rozzi
68 years, St. Lawrence O’Toole, Brewster

Mary & Pasquale Ferrara
68 years, St. Charles, Staten Island

Wilma & George Mann
68 years, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Shrub Oak

Rachel & Richard DiBari
67 years, Our Lady of Pity, Staten Island

Vincenza & Jerome LoCascio
67 years, St. Charles, Staten Island

Anna May & Julio Anthony Petitti
67 years, Immaculate Conception/St. Mary, Port Jervis

Rose & Mario Bruno
67 years, St. Teresa, Staten Island

Anita & Thomas Liguori
67 years, St. Mary, Our Lady of the Falls, Wappingers Falls

Mary & Patrick J. Hart
67 years, St. Mary of the Assumption, Katonah

Dolores & John Kotalik
67 years, St. Christopher/St. Patrick, Buchanan

Ann T. & Joseph Giandurco
66 years, St. John Bosco, Port Chester

Jeanne & Russell Gilmore
66 years, St. Stanislaus, Pleasant Valley

Nancy & William J Hogan
66 years, Sacred Heart/Our Lady of Pompeii, Dobbs Ferry

Patricia & Edward F. Kiley
66 years, Holy Name of Mary, Croton on Hudson

Constance L. & Vincent Lazzaro
66 years, Immaculate Heart of Mary, Scarsdale

Ann & Angelo Rubino
66 years, St. John Bosco, Port Chester

Dolores & David Griffin
66 years, St. Joseph, Bronxville

Louise & Richard Marchetti
66 years, St. Martin de Porres, Poughkeepsie

Alice & James McDonnell
66 years, St. Rita, Staten Island

Marie & Joseph Mazzuca
66 years, St. Clare of Assisi/St. Francis Xavier, Bronx

Ann & Martin Downs
65 years, St. Paul /St. Ann, Congers

Joan & Robert Lockwood
65 years, St. Augustine, New City

Marian & Peter Senatore
65 years, St. Patrick, Bedford

Johanna & Joseph Criscuolo
65 years, St. Teresa, Staten Island

MaryJo & Dominick Santagate
65 years, St. Martin de Porres, Poughkeepsie