Philomena Iacono, 73, of Monroe, passed away Tuesday surrounded by her family.

Philomena was born to parents Remo and Marie Blaffard, and raised in Brooklyn, NY where she graduated from St. Edmond High School. Right out of high school she began her working career at AT&T and in 1974 she married Rosario. They started their family in Brooklyn and moved to Colts Neck, NJ in 1987. There she would become a stay-at-home mom taking care of her four children. She would return to work later as a Nanny and as a sales associate at Nordstrom in 2007.

Philomena was the heart of our family. She lived for her grandchildren – eight of them, with one on the way. Her greatest joy was being surrounded by their laughter, watching them grow, and showering them with love. She had a way of making everyone feel special, and her kindness and strength touched the lives of everyone who knew her. Philomena enjoyed family vacations, cooking, shopping, and going to Sunday mass followed by breakfast.  Her children and grandchildren knew grandma would always be there if needed with a smile and big hug.

Philomena is survived by her husband Rosario; her children Lisa Sheehan and her husband Jack, Jonathan Iacono and his wife Danielle, Christopher Iacono and his wife Lacey, and Maria Ciambrone and her husband Danny; her sisters Catherine Rennhack and her husband Tom, and Joannie D' Onofrio and her husband John; and her beloved grandchildren James, Miranda, Ryan, Joseph, Nathan, Lilianna, Jonathan, Marcella and one on the way.

Visitation will be Sunday, June 22 ^nd from 1:00-3:00 PM and 5:00-7:00 PM at the Holmdel Funeral Home, 26 S. Holmdel Road, Holmdel, NJ 07733. A funeral Mass will be offered Monday, June 23 ^rd at 10:00 AM at St. Mary's RC Church, 1 Phalanx Rd, Colts Neck. An entombment will follow at Holmdel Cemetery Mausoleum. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Barbi's Blankets ( https://pay.barbisblankets.com ) or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, https://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR?px=8847018&fr_id=154020&pg=personal .