Obituary of Gloria Bertuzzi

Gloria Maruffi Bertuzzi, passed away on April 22, 2021 at home in Vineland. She was formerly from Gramercy Park, NY and Seal Cove, Maine. Gloria was born and raised in East Vineland to the late Joseph and Catherine (Poggioli) Maruffi. She was the baby of fourteen children. In 1948, upon VHS graduation, she moved to Philadelphia to attend The Franklin School of Science. After graduating she worked one year for University of Pennsylvania. She moved to Manhattan, New York and continued her education at Hunter College. Earning a B.A. Cum Laude, Major Biology, and Minor Chemistry. She was elected to Phi Sigma, The Honorary Biology Society in 1973. In Manhattan, she began her career at Madison Avenue Hospital as a Technologist and Assistant Supervisor. She later moved on to Cornell University Medical Center as a prominent researcher in arterial heart disease. In 1972, she moved on to Rockefeller University Center for the Prevention of Premature Arteriosclerosis as a Research Assistant and Acting Supervisor. Eventually, moving into the Laboratory of Chemical Biology as Research Assistant. She made strides in the fight against breast cancer. In 1983 while still with Rockefeller University she went into the laboratory of Cellular Physiology and Immunology as Senior Research Assistant. There she was responsible for teaching and supervising Junior Research Assistants. As acting Supervisor CPPA she instituted a new technique for mass screening of Hyperlipidemia in blood donors. She was also responsible for isolating a new cell which became the AIDS virus. Because of her successful research endeavors she was offered a position researching potential cures for the AIDS virus. Her favorite job took place when she was working in molecular Science focusing on Alzheimer and Parkinson's disease. She chose to continue working with tumor cells, bacteria, cancer cells and radioactive material as opposed to a live virus. Before retiring, she spent many years working with Paul Greengard, Neuroscientist. His quest was to understand how brain cells communicate. This provided new insights into psychological diseases and earned him a Nobel Prize in Medicine, of which she was a part of his team. Her contributions to cancer research, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's has led to numerous publications. She is survived by her sisters-in-law, Betty Maruffi and Vilma Scagnelli; niece, Eileen Ruggeri (Ronald); many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews and great grand nieces and great grand nephews.. Gloria was predeceased by her husband, Rudolph Bertuzzi; parents, Joseph and Catherine Maruffi; her brothers and their spouses, Michael (Gladys), Benjamin (Mary), Joseph (Josephine); John (Mae), Baby Gregory, Gregory (Zona); Richard (Margaret) and Frank Maruffi; her sisters and their spouses, Cecilia Hensel (Erich), Rose, Mary Barsuglia (Lawrence); Catherine Genicola (Sandy) and Margaret Viani (James). She was also predeceased by her in-laws, Ettore and Emma Bertuzzi; sister-in-law, Lillian Corbo (Anthony) and brothers-in-law, Richard Scagnelli and Ronald Bertuzzi. A special thank you to the best caregivers, Lucy, Neide, Marcia & Alrieka Due to COVID-19 restrictions everyone must wear a mask and social distance. A funeral home visitation will be held on Sunday, April 25, 2021 from 6pm to 8pm at Rone Funeral Service, 1110 East Chestnut Avenue, Vineland, NJ and at the church on Monday morning from 9:45am to 10:45am followed by a funeral at 11:00 am from Saint Padre Pio Parish - Church Of Our Lady Of Pompeii, 4680 Dante Avenue, Vineland. Interment will follow in St Mary's Cemetery, Vineland. ARRANGEMENTS are under the supervision of Rone Funeral Service, 1110 East Chestnut Avenue, Vineland, NJ 08360 Donations in memory of Gloria may be made to: Saint Padre Pio Parish, 4680 Dante Avenue, Vineland, NJ 08361-6810 To send online condolences please visit our website at www.RONEFUNERALSERVICE.com