Margaret E Schleifer

Margaret Ellen (Hogan) Schleifer, “Margie”, 90, of Whippany, NJ, passed away peacefully on May 24, 2025 surrounded by her loving family.

Beloved wife of 69 years to Joseph A. Schleifer.  Devoted mother of Joseph A. Schleifer, Jr., his wife Wendie, Kenneth C. Schleifer, Susan E. Honickel, her husband Gary, Patricia A Herbert and her husband Michael.  Cherished grandmother of Joey, Michael, Jamie and her husband Paulie, Page and her husband James, Gary and his wife Morgan, Kyle and his wife Christine, Ronnie and his wife Kimberly, Mike Jr., his wife Erin, Meghan and Patrick.  Proud great-grandmother of Lorelei and Caspian, Levi and Camden, Coriell, and Olive.  Dear sister of Gail Dennebaum and her husband Vinny.  Also survived by many loving nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and her wonderful caretakers Rosita and Selena.

Margaret was predeceased by her parents James and Anna Hogan, her sisters Anna Schmitt, Catherine LeBoeuf and Rita DeBoey, and her daughter-in-law Cynthia Schleifer.

Margaret Hogan was born in Newark, New Jersey to James and Anna Hogan, being the fourth of five daughters. During her childhood, she attended St. Antoninus Elementary School and spent one year at Our Lady of the Valley High School before transferring to Our Lady of Good Counsel for her sophomore year, where she met her future husband, Joe. In high school, she excelled as a basketball player and consistently outscored Joe each week. She was a basketball coach for many years supporting the recreation and CYO programs.

After graduating, she worked at Cronin Construction. Margaret and Joe were married on May 12, 1956 and soon after, they began their family. In 1964, they relocated to Whippany, New Jersey, where they raised their children and established a business. Margaret was a steadfast supporter of Joe's endeavors and often took on the role of a gracious hostess. The couple traveled with The NJ Building Contractors association, forming lifelong friendships along the way.

Marge and Joe became involved in their Hanover Township community, Our Lady of Mercy Parish and OLM PTA. Margie ran the Hanover Tigers Youth Cheerleading Program for over 10 years and she was a leader in Cub Scouts and Girls Scouts for over 20 years. Margie supported her children's high school organizations, including the Seton Hall Prep Mother’s Auxiliary, Whippany Park High School, and Bayley Ellard High School. She generously dedicated her time and skills, designing, sewing, and custom fitting hundreds of costumes for various high school theater productions. At Bayley Ellard High School, she was a cheerleading coach for several years where she also sewed uniforms so more girls could be on the squad.

Margaret was a devoted athlete throughout her life, ultimately becoming a champion competitive bowler. Motivated by a teammate, she decided to try her hand at tennis and quickly found success in that sport as well. In her fifties, she took on a new adventure by hiking with friends, which turned into a true passion. She explored hiking trails across the United States and around the world, including the Pyrenees, conquering Aletsch Glacier in the Swiss Alps, and mastering the Machu Picchu trail. Grammy was always a steadfast presence at her children’s and grandchildren’s sports events, activities, and celebrations, consistently there to cheer them on and provide her unwavering support.

When not in Whippany, she and Joe enjoyed spending time at Baboosic Lake in New Hampshire, where they cherished sharing lake life with family and friends. During the winter months, you could find Margie at Pelican Bay in Naples, Florida, where she enjoyed playing tennis and hosting friends.

Visitation at the Leonardis Memorial Home, Inc., 210 Ridgedale Avenue, Florham Park on Thursday, May 29, 2025 from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM.  Funeral on Friday, May 30, 2025, assembling at the funeral home at 9:30 AM, followed by the funeral mass at Our Lady of Mercy Church in Whippany at 10:30 AM.  Entombment at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in E. Hanover.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Margie’s name to: Northern New Jersey Visiting Nurses Association, 175 South St., Morristown, NJ 07960.