Jennifer Anne (Wood) Granito

Jennifer “Jen, Jenny” Anne Granito (Wood), 62, of Manalapan, NJ, and Seaside Park, NJ, passed away peacefully (at around 3:30 in the morning, in true Jen fashion) on Saturday, May 23, 2026, around her beloved family. 

Jen was born in Queens, NY and raised in Staten Island, NY until marriage. She lived in her first home with her husband in Old Bridge, NJ then raised her family in her beloved Freehold, NJ home for 20 years. She lived in Manalapan for the remaining years of her life and spent plenty of time enjoying her shore house (her happy place in which she designed and decorated herself, from the ground up) in Seaside Park, NJ for the last decade. 

Jennifer worked as Assistant Vice President of Risk management in the Compliance Department at Merrill Lynch in New York City for over 15 years. After her girls were born, she was a longtime, beloved employee of Applegate Elementary School (her twin daughters’ elementary school) for nearly 20 years. Jen’s most proud and important job of all was being a mother. The only thing Jen ever wanted in life was to be a mommy, and she sure was successful.

She was a parishioner of the Parish of St. Junipero Serra, St. Catharine of Siena Church in Seaside Park, and was a former member of St. Rose of Lima Church in Freehold, NJ.

Jennifer was predeceased by her precious parents, Dexter and Lucy Wood. She is survived by her beloved husband Robert Granito, her twin daughters Jessica Granito and Alyssa Granito, Jen’s brother Steven Wood, and Jen’s sister Susan Gannon. She is also survived by her brother and sister in-laws, and many nieces and nephews who all loved and cherished her dearly.

Jen was described by her friends and family as vibrant, fun, warm, generous, special, courageous, funny, kind, extremely wise, resilient, creative, perceptive, and loving. Jen was often called “Jen the gem”— she saw the magic in the mundane and the beauty in the everyday. Her twin daughters were her entire world.

Some of Jen’s favorite things were hosting her friends and family/throwing parties, sunrises at the beach, horror movies, the Christmas season, and a good glass of wine. Per Jen’s request, turn on “Mama, I’m Coming Home” by Ozzy Osbourne in memory of Jen, and she will be there rocking right with you.

A memorial gathering will be offered on Friday, May 29, 2026 6:00pm – 9:00pm at the Timothy E. Ryan Home for Funerals, 809 Central Ave., Seaside Park, NJ. A Christian Mass will be offered on Saturday, May 30, 2026 11:00am at St. Catharine of Siena Church, Seaside Park, NJ. 

Please note that her Celebration of Life party will be determined at a later date. Stay tuned for updates from Jen’s family.

Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.ryanfuneralhome.com. Donations in lieu of flowers can be sent to the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance - https://ocrahope.org/get-involved/ways-to-give/make-a-donation/.