Maria Eugenia Irma Fagalde Ide Petros was born December 24, 1939, in Santiago, Chile. 

She passed in her own home; where she raised her family with her late husband Lou in West Orange, New Jersey on November 20, 2022, at 82 years old. 

In her own words, “I have no regrets… Lou was the the love of my life!!” They traveled the world together — meeting in Barcelona, and making their way through Europe, North Africa, South America, and South Asia in those first few years of marriage before settling in West Orange, NJ. 

Maria, known to many as “Yia Yia,” or more infamously as “The Ya,” leaves behind three adoring children Kathy, Linda, Steven, and six grandchildren. 

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that you make a donation in The Ya’s honor supporting Soma Justice to increase access to swim lessons for local children and their families. To donate and read more about Maria’s lifetime of loving the water and teaching swimming, please see their GoFundMe > https://Bit.ly/swimwithya 

(All donations are 100% tax deductible). 

Viewing

Friday, November 25

5:00PM to 8:00PM

Dangler Funeral Home

340 Main Street 

West Orange, NJ 07052

Funeral Services & Interment

Saturday, November 26

10:00AM

St. George Greek Orthodox Church

1033 W Park Ave

Ocean Township, NJ 07712

Cemetery (after service)

998 Wakefield Rd

Neptune City, NJ 07753