CARDAMONE

MARY JEAN

Mary Jean Cardamone died peacefully on Saturday, May 17, 2025, in her Assisted Living "home" in Fort Myers, Florida. She was surrounded by her grandchildren and family. Mary Jean was the daughter of the late Frank and Teresa Chircosta and a twin sister to her late brother, James Chircosta. She is survived by her son, Marco (wife Paula) Cardamone; her granddaughters, Teresina Francis (husband Nicholas; daughter, Elisabella, son Kaius), and Alessandra Cardamone-Rayner; her grandson, Raphael Cardamone-Rayner (wife Krista); her youngest granddaughter, Lucy Dellera (mother Kim); her son-in-law, Mark Cardamone-Rayner (wife Amy and daughter Claire.) She was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Louis J. Cardamone; her two beloved daughters, Gina Cardamone-Rayner and Antoinette Cardamone; and her youngest son, Dino Cardamone. Mary Jean lived a "blessed" life, as she was so fond of saying. Her lifelong passions were family, friends, faith, and an amazing love for preparing and sharing authentic Italian food. Mary Jean was born in 1926 in the Manchester neighborhood in the North Side section of Pittsburgh, PA. She grew up during the Great Depression. Her father was a renowned and accomplished photographer in Pittsburgh. Mary Jean's early childhood passions included theatre, dance, creative writing, Greek history, and public speaking. She graduated from South Hills High School in 1944 at the height of World War II. In 1945, she moved to New York City to attend the New York Institute of Dietetics, where she graduated with a Certification in Dietetics. She returned to Pittsburgh and worked as a dietician at McGee Hospital, Pittsburgh Hospital, and St. Paul's Orphanage until her marriage in 1949. Over the years, Mary Jean explored her special interests in art through various college classes, including sculpture, acrylic painting, Chinese painting, oil painting, and ceramics. She was also an art guide at the Scaife Art Gallery for two years. She volunteered to read stories to blind and visually impaired people at Radio Information Service, the Pennsylvania Blind Association, and the Pioneer School for Handicap Children, all located in Pittsburgh, PA. But Mary Jean's true life work was building a family and supporting her husband, Lou. Together, they raised four children. Mary Jean was the glue that held it all together. One of her greatest gifts was her talent as a cook. She was passionate about food. With her Italian heritage, she created nutritious and healthy food for her family that was also delicious and yummy. Many of her culinary specialties became the inspiration for the menu at Cafe Allegro, a renowned family-run restaurant in Pittsburgh that began in 1986 and operated for 22 years before closing in 2008. Mary Jean's high standards and delicate food palette became an ever-present guiding force for the Cafe Allegro culinary team, including the founding Chef, Mark ("Red") Cardamone-Rayner, her talented and beloved son-in-law. The final years of Mary Jean's life were long and fulfilling. She moved to Sanibel, Florida in her later years, which became her primary residence. Despite losing her husband and three of her children, she was continually guided by her quiet faith and maintained a positive attitude and optimistic outlook on life. During the last seven years of her life, she moved from her Sanibel home into an Assisted Living Facility in Fort Myers, Florida. It was here that she seemed to have yet another enriching (and final) phase of her life, complete with new friends, caretakers, clergy, and a growing family of great grandchildren who visited often. It was a Renaissance period for her. She became ever more graceful and grateful for the life she was able to experience every day. Her philosophy was simple and pure: treat others as you would like to be treated. Care for others. Enjoy the company of others. Laugh. Cry. Appreciate all you have. Stay simple. Above all, fill your heart with love. She passed as she lived. Peacefully and with the essence of love surrounding her. She is now at home with her family and friends in heaven. A memorial service is being planned by Mary Jean's son for sometime in the Summer of 2025. Please visit the link below to RSVP if you would like to attend this memorial service. We plan to have a service in Pittsburgh, PA and in Fort Myers, FL: https://tinyurl.com/MJCardamone. The family requests that, instead of flowers, you donate to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, https://www.stjude.org/ or a charity of your choice. ARRANGEMENTS BY BEINHAUERS, 2630 West Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15216 (412-531-4000). Services and interment will be private. Please add and view tributes at www.beinhauer.com.