Helen Zaccaro, 81, of Seaside Heights, New Jersey, passed on October 11, 2023. Helen was born on August 12, 1942. With deepest sorrow, we share with you the death on October 11, 2023 of our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend, Helen Teresa Zaccaro. Helen (AKA "Punky"

to friends, AKA "Nanny" to family) was born May 8, 1938

to parents Cosmo Zaccaro Sr and Dorothy "Baba" Zaccaro in Jersey City, NJ. Helen is survived by her two daughters and son, Laura Weisnick, Deborah Pestello, and Cosmo Zaccaro Jr. her grandchildren Melisa Zaccaro, Laura Zaccaro, Johnny Zaccaro, and Cosie Zaccaro, great-grandchildren Katilyn,Kylie,Ejay,Danielle,Alexus,Megan, Anthony, Jessie, Colby, Ryder, and Josh. Helen graduated with the Winter class of 1956 from St. Joesph’s Catholic School.

To friends and neighbors, Helen was very soft spoken and courteous. To her family, Nanny was a fighter and had been a fighter her whole life. After a debilitating car accident in her teenage years, Helen was left with lifelong injuries to her legs and jaw. Over the course of her life, she fought macular degeneration, detached retinas, several knee replacements, broken hips, breast cancer and melanoma. Everything that was thrown her way, she fought and showed those close to her that she was ALWAYS ready for the fight.

After all the challenges in her life, Helen taught her grand and great-grandchildren the importance of being strong, being patient and being considerate,

Helen had an undying love of reading, which even after losing her sight from multiple unsuccessful retina reattachment surgeries, she received multiple books on tape a week that she would listen to and finish as soon as possible. Helen, despite the hardships she overcame, she was and will continue to be an inspiration for all future generations.