Hester Catherine Deritis

With hearts full of love and endless treasured memories, we celebrate the life of our mother, Hester Catherine DeRitis (née Marchetti), who passed peacefully on May 19, 2026, at the age of 88, after a long and courageous journey with dementia.

Our beloved mother is now at peace, and our hearts are full knowing she is bringing her warmth, compassion, and joyfulness to Heaven’s grandest celebration. We know she received the warmest welcome from the loved ones who went before her, including her devoted husband, Gaetano “Whitey” DeRitis.

Hester was born on February 17, 1938, as the eldest daughter of Joseph and Helen Marchetti.

From an early age, she demonstrated natural leadership and dedicated her life to her family and community. Guided by her strong principles, she served on the Board of Bioethics at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, bringing empathy and wisdom to important medical and moral decisions. Later in life, she carried that same organizing spirit into her community, serving as president of her homeowner’s association and delighting residents by planning elaborate, creative theme parties for her neighbors.

Hester expressed her immense love through her cooking. Together with her beloved husband, she established the cherished Christmas Eve family tradition of the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Her kitchen was always the heart of the home, filled with incredible aromas of tomatoes, basil, and garlic, loud laughter, and enough food to feed a small army.

Through these gatherings, she taught her family that a meal was not solely about food but also about connection, culture, and celebration. With her infectious laugh, she demonstrated to those around her how to embrace life to the fullest.

Beneath her fun-loving exterior was a woman of profound and unwavering faith. Her trust in God carried her through every season of life, including times of loss and heartache. Even as dementia altered many aspects of her life, the heart of who she was, her kindness, devotion to family, and enduring sense of humor, continued to shine as a reflection of God’s grace in her life.

She leaves behind a legacy of laughter and love through her children:

Charles (Mary) DeRitis, Dianna DeRitis, Tina (Jon) Shelly, Helen Wall (Mike Villano), and Guy DeRitis (Sara).

She was preceded in death by her son, Thomas (Melissa) DeRitis.

Her 17 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren were the light of her life, bringing her endless pride, joy, and love.

She made each family member feel deeply loved. She was always there, never missing a game, a pre-prom photo, a birthday, and was a fixture at Sunday dinners. Through the meals she lovingly taught us to prepare, such as Sunday gravy and hand-rolled gnocchi, she shared not only recipes but also the warmth, care, and traditions that will remain with our family forever.

She is also survived by her sister, Rose Frank (Paul). She was preceded in death by her siblings Joseph Marchetti, Harry Marchetti, and Catherine Magnani.

We will gather to celebrate her life on Friday, May 29, 2026. Visitation from 9: 00 am to 11:00 am at St. Joseph the Worker Church, 901 Hopkins Road, Haddonfield, NJ, followed by a Mass of the Christian Burial at 11:00 am. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Samaritan, 3906 Church Road, Mt Laurel, NJ 08054 Samaritannj.org.

Their compassionate staff provided our mom with comfort and dignity in her final days, while surrounding our family with comfort and support. We will always be grateful for the gentle care they gave her as she prepared for her journey home.

Please share your memories, photos, and stories of Hester with us below

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