Obituary of Paula DiVenuto

Paula DiVenuto, 61, died Tuesday, July 27, 2004 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. Born in Newark, she resided in Rahway before moving to Plainfield in 1984. Paula obtained her undergraduate degree from Montclair State University in 1965 and her Masters Degree from Kean University in 1979. She attended the New School in New York for one year for her post graduate work. Paula began her 21 year career with the State of NJ, Department of Human Resources, Division of Disability Determinations (DDD) in 1982 working at the Greenbrook Developmental Center. Her distinguished career assignments included: Coordinator of Quality Assurance at Vineland Developmental Center; CEO of New Lisbon Developmental Center; CEO of Johnstone Training and Research Center,; Regional Administrator, Regional Assistant Director for the Northern Region of the State and New Jersey and Assistant Director, Office of Continuous Quality Enhancement State of New Jersey. She retired in June, 2003. During her years working for the state, Paula also worked part time as an Adjunct Professor of Psychology at Kean University. She also was the founder and charter writer for the Queen City Academy Charter School in Plainfield. In her spare time, Paula and her life partner, Mary Lou, fostered over a dozen children for the State of New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services. Three of those children were adopted. After retirement in June, 2003, Paula continued advocating for the developmentally disabled by working as a consultant for community agencies. Her young adult son Alfred Kaufman predeceased her in 1987. Her parents Anthony and Esther (Sally) DiVenuto also predeceased her. Paula leaves behind her life partner of 28 years, Mary Lou Valerio and their three children, Jalisa, Latisha and Victor DiVenuto, an uncle Robert Hellwig of FL, an aunt and uncle, Kay and Moe DiVenuto of Fanwood, her cousins, Paul and his wife Janet DiVenuto of Lavalette, Curtis Watts of Barnegat and Bunny John of Edison and her step mother, Genevieve DiVenuto of the Vaux Hall Section of Union Funeral Services will be held on Saturday at 9:00 am from the Higgins Home for Funerals, 209 West Eighth Street in Plainfield, followed by a 9:30 am Service at Grace Episcopal Church in Plainfield and interment at Hillside Cemetery in Scotch Plains. Visitation will be held on Friday from 2-4 & 7-9 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations to The Paula DiVenuto, Founder, Memorial Scholarship Fund, Queen City Academy Charter School c/o Queen City Academy Charter School, 815 W. 7th St., Plainfield, NJ 07060. would be deeply appreciated.