Mandara, Carmela (nee Magro) age 96 of Paterson at rest in Paterson on April 28, 2024. Beloved wife of the late Antonio Mandara (1996). Loving mother of Silvia Dias and her husband Luis of Clifton and Phil Mandara and his wife Tracy of Toms River. Dear grandmother of five and great grandmother of eight. Sister of Gaetano Magro of Italy. Also surviving are many nieces and nephews. Born in Santa Croce Camerina, Sicily, Italy, she came to the U.S.A. in 1962 settling in Paterson. Carmela was a Homemaker. She was a parishioner of St. Gerard R.C. Church, Paterson. She was a fantastic cook and loved to cook for her family, especially on holidays. She enjoyed tending to her vegetable garden. Carmela also enjoyed traveling to the Jersey shore with her family, cherishing any time spent with them, especially her grandchildren. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the funeral from the Festa Memorial Funeral Home, 111 Union Blvd., Totowa, on Wednesday, May 1, 2024 at 9:30 AM. Funeral Mass to follow at St. Gerard R.C. Church, Paterson at 10:00 AM. Interment to follow at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Totowa. Friends may visit on Tuesday, April 30, 2024 from 4:00-8:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, donations to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN. 38105 and/or St. Gerard R.C. Church, 501 West Broadway, Paterson, N.J. 07522 would be appreciated.