Obituary of Marion T Lardiere

Marion Lardiere, 79, of Basking Ridge, NJ, passed away peacefully at home on March 13, 2023 after a valiant bout with cancer.

Marion was born on September 15, 1943 to James and Tekla Dankis in Maplewood, NJ. After Marion graduated from Columbia High School in Maplewood, she went on to study at the Katharine Gibbs School in Montclair, NJ.

After her schooling, Marion held several administrative assistant positions before finding her professional home in the Bernards Township School District in 1973.

Marion met her husband, Joe Lardiere, at Joe’s brother-in-law’s TV repair business in Millburn, NJ where they both were employed, and they were married on September 11, 1965.  Marion and Joe went on to have their only child, Jim, in 1967. Marion, Joe, & Jim moved to Basking Ridge from West Orange, NJ in 1971 where she resided until her death.

Marion started working in the Bernards Township School District as a volunteer playground aid at Oak Street Elementary School.  Marion was then hired as a main office secretary in, first Cedar Hill Elementary School, then William Annin Middle School, and ultimately at her favorite, Ridge High School.  She concluded as an administrative assistant in Ridge’s Athletic Department until her retirement.

Marion loved, and was loved by, the Ridge High student body.  She became the adopted “Mom” for virtually every Ridge student she came in contact with.  The Ridge High School Class of 1987 went so far as to dedicate their yearbook to Marion.  The following excerpt from the yearbook dedication sums it up:

“When most people around our schools think of Mrs. Lardiere, they think of her bottomless candy jar.  Like the candy, she has a sweet lift for anyone passing her desk.  The time it takes to reach into her jar is long enough to share an idea or receive a word of comfort. ‘I need a piece of candy’ usually means ‘I need my mom’ around Ridge.”

Marion was predeceased by her brother, Victor. She is survived by her husband Joe, her son Jim and his wife Andrea, her two granddaughters Jillian and Elianna, and her beloved dog, Ginger.

Family and friends are invited to visit at the Gallaway & Crane Funeral Home, 101 S. Finley Ave, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920, NJ on Monday, March 20^th between 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center, an organization Marion felt strongly about and was the source of several adopted dogs of hers throughout the years.  https://www.sthuberts.org/donate