Margaret W Nicolich

Margaret W. Nicolich, 91, of Hackettstown, NJ (previously of Little Ferry) passed away peacefully on November 2, 2026 at the Meadows of Heath Village with her loving daughters by her side.

Margaret was born on April 24, 1935 in Passaic, NJ to the late James and Joanna White, and grew up in NJ, with her younger brothers Bob and Jim.

After graduating from Lodi High School, Margaret went on to further her studies at Katherine Gibbs in New York. She was employed as an executive secretary at Mass Mutual before marrying John Nicolich. Together they raised four children and celebrated 65 years of marriage prior to his passing in 2021. Margaret worked as a librarian, first, at St. Margaret's School in Little Ferry, and then at Little Ferry Public Library. After retiring as Acting Director in 2000, she continued to devote a great deal of her time as a very active member of the Friends of the LF Library.

Margaret was a talented seamstress who sewed clothes for the whole family, bedspreads, curtains, slipcovers, and wedding dresses for both her daughter and daughter-in-law. She enjoyed camping (from Nova Scotia to Florida and across the country with the entire family, and all the way to Alaska with her husband, John). Margaret had many interests, including cooking and crafting with her daughters and grandchildren, hiking, birding and other outdoor adventures, and enjoying a good book and a cup of coffee. More recently, she spent countless hours in the Heath Village Activity Room working on jigsaw puzzles. Above all she loved her family and will be sadly missed.

Margaret is survived by her daughters: Susan Nicolich, Joanna Nicolich and Jane Chandler and her husband Mark. She also leaves behind a daughter-in-law Ana Maria and her cherished grandchildren Cecilia and Ana Maria Nicolich. Margaret will also be missed by her "favorite cousin" Carrie Langevin, and dear friends, Richard Taylor and David Snope. In addition to her husband John, she is preceded in death by her son John Anthony Nicolich.

A memorial service celebrating Margaret's life will be held on Thursday November 12, 2026 from 2 to 6 pm at Maguire Memorial Home in Hackettstown.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Margaret's name to the National Wildlife Federation or the Heath Village Employee Appreciation Fund.