Melanie Vara

Melanie Vara, 80, of Toms River, passed away surrounded by her family, on March 10, 2024, at Hampton Ridge Healthcare in Toms River, NJ.

Melanie was born in Newark, and grew up in East Orange. She lived in Fords, Brick, and Whiting before moving to Lakewood in 2019, and then Toms River in 2022.

At four years old, Melanie knew she wanted to be a nurse, and went on to do just that. She graduated from Newark City Hospital in 1964, and worked in just about every area of nursing for over 40 years. She worked at numerous hospitals including JFK Medical Center in Edison, NJ and Ocean Medical in Brick, NJ. Melanie wasn’t just a nurse to patients in the hospital, but also to her family. She was always there for anyone who needed her nursing expertise. She was the true definition of a giver. If there was something some one needed, and she could give it, she did, never looking for anything in return.

Melanie was always bubbly and smiling. She tried to live joyfully and with gratitude in the midst of every day life and various hardships. Up until her last breath, she made the sweetest lemonade out of lemons.

Throughout her life, Melanie enjoyed cooking, especially for big family parties. Family always looked forward to her cooking, especially her Italian Hot Dogs, Crab Gravy, and Antipasto salad. She liked to read, do crossword puzzles, play scrabble, and was a wiz at Jeopardy. She would say, “if you can read, you can do anything”. Melanie was a crafter who dabbled in crochet, stamping, and anything that required a glue gun. She loved music, and enjoyed being part of various choirs throughout her life. Melanie enjoyed going to the beach, and really missed it in her later life. She loved to travel and experience different places. Her most memorable trip was to Ireland in 2003 with her brother, Jim.

Melanie absolutely loved spending time with her family. Family was the most important thing to her. She took care of everyone well. Melanie loved a good family party, especially if there was a DJ who played “It’s Raining Men”. She would be the first on the dance floor, dancing with her hands raised and a huge smile on her face.

Melanie was predeceased by her parents, James and Frances McCombs; her brother, Frank McCombs; her sister-in-law, Eileen McCombs; and her maternal and paternal grandparents.

Melanie leaves behind her beloved daughters, Lisa Sheldon (Scott) and Tina Korotky; her treasured grandchildren, Noah Sheldon, Abygail Korotky, Maxine Korotky, and Sarah Sheldon; her brothers, James McCombs (Liza) and Bob McCombs (Tina); her nieces & nephews Marcy Bird (Scott), Jim McCombs (Kristin), Frank McCombs (Cristina), Rob McCombs, Meghan McCombs (Shawna); great-nieces & great-nephews Timothy Bird, Danielle Bird, Samuel Bird (Brianna), James McCombs, Ryan McCombs, Ava McCombs, JJ McCombs, and Amelia McCombs; and, great-great-nephew Evren Bird; as well as extended family and friends.

A gathering to celebrate Melanie’s life will be a private event for immediate family, and her ashes will be scattered by her daughters and grandchildren at a later time. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Melanie’s memory to Children’s Specialized Hospital at https://events.childrens-specialized.org.