Obituary of Michelle Frances Furnari

South Plainfield, NJ - Michelle Frances (Gannucci) Furnari, 49, surrounded by her loving and supportive family, passed away on May 17, 2017 at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan, NY. Born in Bayonne, Michelle grew up in Bergenfield, lived in Wake Forest, NC for twenty years and has resided in South Plainfield for the last four years. Michelle was a National Board Certified Teacher who taught 5th grade at Applegarth Elementary School in Monroe Township. While living in Wake Forest, North Carolina, she taught several grades impacting many children and parents through her kindness, caring and loving nature. She was a faith formation teacher for St. Catherine of Siena RC Church, a Girl Scout troop leader throughout her daughter's years in the scout, but her greatest passion in life was being a mother. She enjoyed nature and all its beauty, but Michelle truly loved the beach and always said she was the happiest when her feet were in the sand. She enjoyed her special times with her daughter Stephanie, loved watching her son Matthew competing at swimming and cross country track meets and simply hanging on the porch with her husband enjoy the night air. Michelle leaves behind her entire loving family; husband of twenty-two years, Christopher Michael Furnari and their two children; Stephanie Rose and Matthew Joseph. She also leaves behind her parents; Peter and Barbara (Rossi) Gannucci of Bayville, sister Monica Castagno and husband Louis, nephews Nicholas and Michael of South Plainfield, along with Mother and Father In-laws, Salvatore and Barbara Furnari of Reidsville, NC, Brother-in-law Stephen, Sister-in-laws, Dianna, nieces Marissa and Kristen of Branchburg, Brother-in-law Joseph, Sister-in-law Francine, nephews Daniel and Nicholas of Sparta, Aunt Maryann and Uncle Robert Rubestello of Vernon, NJ, along with extended family and friends. Visitation will be held in McCriskin-Gustafson Home for Funerals, 2425 Plainfield Avenue, South Plainfield, NJ 07080 on Monday, May 22, 2017 from 2-4 pm and 7-9 pm. On Tuesday, May 23, 2017, family and friends are invited to gather directly to Sacred Heart RC Church in South Plainfield for a 10:00 am Mass of Christian Burial. At the request of the Furnari family, final disposition will take place privately. In lieu of flowers, donations are encouraged to assist with Medical Research to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, https://www.mskcc.org/.