Obituary of Samantha Leigh DiVenuta

Samantha DiVenuta from Far Hills, N.J. passed away on July 23, 2013 at home with her parents. She was 22 years old at the time of her death and resided with her parents and siblings for her entire life. Samantha attended Millburn Regional Day School and most recently attended the Medical Day Program in Whippany, N.J., sponsored by the Morris County Division of Developmental Disabilities. Our great gratitude to all those who worked with Sam is without bounds, especially Barbara, who was Sam’s soul mate. She will always be your Mardi Gras Girl. Samantha was born severely disabled, beset with a variety of lifelong illnesses that limited the quality of her life if measured by conventional standards. However, if her life were to be evaluated by the amount of love she gave and received, the positive impact she had on everyone who came in contact with her and by the sheer beauty of her personality, Samantha was a magnificent gift to the world. Her wonderful smile wasrecognized by her family, friends, caregivers and total strangers as being capable of at least momentarily making them forget the travails of daily living and recognizing the unqualified love that she conveyed to everyone around her. Samantha was predeceased by her maternal grandparents, Robert and Dolores Tankoos and her paternal grandmother, Gloria DiVenuta. She is survived by her parents, Ravyn and Dennis, her siblings, Justin, Jade and Blair, and by her loving grandfather, Louis DiVenuta. Samantha’s family provided her with unqualified and constant love, affection and support, which she recognized and joyously relished every day. Our family will never be the same without Samantha, but she will be carried in all of our hearts forever. Her ever present latex gloves and decorative necklaces will remain with us for the rest of our lives. A visitation will be held on Sunday, July 28, 3-7pm, at Bailey Funeral Home, 8 Hilltop Rd., Mendham, N.J. www.Baileyfuneralhomes.com. A mass will be held on Monday, July 29 at 10:30am at St. Joseph Church, 6 New St., Mendham, N.J. In lieu of flowers, donations in Samantha’s name can be made to Arc of Morris County, P.O. Box 123, Morris Plains, N.J. 07950-0123.