Obituary of Jennifer Y Paragano

Jennifer Y. Paragano passed away on November 3, 2023. She was 36 years old.

Born to parents Vincent and Kathryn (Ringhausen) Paragano, Jenn was a lifelong resident of Bernardsville, NJ. She was a woman of great faith and a parishioner of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Bernardsville. Jenn found great joy in teaching 4th and 5th grade CCD and participating in the music ministries.

Jenn was an incredibly talented woman with an unrelenting passion for music. She attended Hartford University for Vocal Performance and went on to Montclair State University, graduating cum laude in Music. Jenn’s list of notable performances was extensive — she sang with the Boheme Opera NJ company in Italy and Russia, performed the national anthem at the Somerset Patriots stadium multiple times, and sang with the State Repertory Opera and the Somerset Youth Choir.

Jenn was also a proud dog mom. Her beloved and faithful canine companion, Maggie, had been a loving friend for over 10 years.

A silly and inspirational woman with a great sense of humor, Jenn frequently sent letters to loved ones filled with words of encouragement and jokes. She was active in multiple online community groups, helping others to process difficult experiences and navigate struggle. Jenn donated time, money, and resources religiously to many charities.

Jennifer is survived by her parents, her sister Laura, brother Matthew and his wife Stacy, grandmothers Eileen Paragano and Yvonne Ringhausen, nephew Vincent, niece Zara, and her pup Maggie.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, November 9 from 6 to 8:30 PM at Bailey Funeral Home, 8 Hilltop Road, Mendham NJ. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Friday, November 10, at 10:30 AM at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, 111 Claremont Rd, Bernardsville, followed by interment at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Hanover. Jenn was a vibrant woman, so please wear something colorful as a way to celebrate her memory. (Jenn was a fierce advocate for accessibility).

For those unable to attend the services in person, we will be offering a livestream link of the mass and a tribute video on this website (Jenn was a fierce advocate for accessibility). See below for details.

Livestream mass details 

Time: 10:20 AM on Friday, Nov 10
Link: https://us05web.zoom.us/j/81075607531?pwd=ZUEQv1fkwXM65Zs7aC2GdY5DPSyWed.1#success Meeting ID: 810 7560 7531 
Meeting ID: 810 7560 7531 
Passcode: WARRIOR

In lieu of flowers, donations in Jennifer's memory may be made to Mount Saint Mary House of Prayer, 1651 US HWY 22, Watchung NJ 07069.