Ann T. Matakevich

Ann Teresa Matakevich, 90, of Toms River, NJ, passed away peacefully with her family at her bedside on Wednesday, July 9, 2025.

Born in Scranton, PA in1935, she lived in Elizabeth, NJ before moving to Toms River in 1970.

A common theme throughout Ann’s life was her devotion to serving others. Professionally, Ann was a graduate of the Scranton State Hospital School of Nursing and went on to serve as a Registered Nurse and Nursing Administrator at Paul Kimball Hospital in Lakewood, New Jersey for 35 years before retiring in 2005. She took great pride in taking care of her patients, and applied the same devotion and compassion from her time as a nurse to her family and friends as well. She dedicated herself to caring for her late husband, Robert, throughout the last several years of his life. She was also a longtime parishioner of St. Justin the Martyr Roman Catholic Church, Toms River and served in the church’s choir.

Those who knew Ann will miss her warm smile, her hospitality, her wit and spunkiness, and her genuine ability to find joy in all life had to offer. Visitors to Ann’s house were always greeted with a hug, non-stop service, and inordinate amounts of homemade food. She was particularly famous for her eggplant, meatballs, crabs, and Old Forge-style pizza. Over the years, she always traveled near and far to support her children and grandchildren at life events both big and small, from hockey games and wrestling matches to births and weddings, where she was usually the first (and always the last) person on the dance floor. She was a closet sports fanatic and night owl, never one to go to bed if the Mets, Jets, Giants, or a Penn State game was still on TV. Throughout her life and even in her final years, she always enjoyed taking a ride over the bridge for a stroll on the boardwalk or a dip in the ocean, and of course such excursions typically ended with an ice cream cone.

Ann was predeceased by her husband Robert E. Matakevich in 2008 and her brothers, Joseph and Vincent Cherundolo.

She is survived by her two daughters Pamela Powers and her husband Thomas of Swansea, MA, Dr. Barbara Matakevich of Carmel, IN, five grandchildren Jenna Applegate and her husband Blake, Thomas (T.J.) Powers, Jr. and his wife Renae, Kiley Kunzmann and her husband Alex, Daniel Frascella and his wife Marie, James Frascella and his wife Megan and five great grandchildren Charlotte, Annabelle and Eli Applegate, Kayce Powers and Luke Frascella.

The family will receive relatives and friends on Sunday, July 13, 2025 from 2:00pm– 5:00pm at the Timothy E. Ryan Home for Funerals, 995 Fischer Blvd., Toms River.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered Monday, July 14, 2025 at 9:30am at St. Justin the Martyr Roman Catholic Church, Toms River.  Burial to follow at St. Joseph Cemetery, Toms River.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital (stjude.org).

Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.ryanfuneralhome.com