Maria Fatima Calcado, 63 (née Silva), known to all who loved her as Fatima, passed away Monday, November 6th, 2023 surrounded by her beloved family after a very brief fight with cancer.
Fatima was born in Belleville, NJ and grew up in the Portuguese community of the Ironbound in Newark before moving to Livingston. She earned a BA in accounting from Seton Hall University and an MBAfrom Fairleigh Dickinson University. Fatima worked for PSE&G for nearly 41 years and was honored twice for her extraordinary volunteer efforts.
Fatima is survived by her husband of 39 years, Tony, her three daughters Nikki and her husband Ben, Lexi and her husband Paul Dale and Katie and her fiancé Dennis, her beloved grandchildren Lucas, Charlotte and Eleanor, her siblings Natalie and Tony, her brother and sister-in-law Telmo and Patricia and numerous nieces and nephews. Fatima is predeceased by her parents Antonio and Maria O. Silva.
Fatima had a passion for the arts. In 2006 she helped create Children’s Theatre of Livingston (CTL) around her kitchen table, so she could share her passion with future generations. Now, over fifteen years later, the theatre company she started and still served on as Co-President and Treasurer is flourishing. Fatima’s vision has given over 1400 children from Livingston the chance to develop a love for theatre, both on the stage, and behind the scenes. Fatima adored helping the children at rehearsals and applying the makeup on the young actors for the performances. She was especially proud watching her grandson Lucas and niece Raquel perform.
Fatima served as a member of the Arts Council of Livingston and as the treasurer for the Council for the Arts of the Livingston Area, (CALA), for fifteen years to help promote the arts in Livingston. She regularly volunteered for Saint John’s Soup Kitchen in Newark and participated in Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s Cycle for Survival for many years.
Fatima loved life and lived by the motto “Carpé Diem,” never failing to seize the day. She and Tony loved to travel, loved to sit on their deck overlooking the water and loved to spend fun times with special friends and family. She was unfailingly generous and will be greatly missed.
The viewing will be held at Buyus Funeral Home, 426 Lafayette Street, Newark, NJ 07105 on Friday, November 10 from 2:00-6:00 P.M. All are invited to meet for The Mass of Christian Burial, which will be held on Saturday, November 11th at 9:00 A.M. at St. Raphael Roman Catholic Church, 346 E. Mt. Pleasant Avenue, Livingston, NJ 07039. The funeral cortège will then proceed to Holy Cross Cemetery in North Arlington. In lieu of flowers the family hopes that you would consider making donations to St. Jude’s Childrens Research Hospital or Cycle for Survival Donations in Honor of Fatima Calcado, both of which are organizations that Fatima passionately supported.
