Leonore Varela

Leonore Varela, 74, of Glen Rock, passed away on Saturday, March 22, 2025 surrounded by the love of her family. Leonore’s life was one of extraordinary strength and kindness, unconditional love, and passion for animals & everything culinary.

Born in Spain, she lived in Glen Rock with her devoted husband and beloved animals, for the past 37 years. She is survived by her husband of 53 years, Luis, her adoring daughter Sandy and her fiancé Ian, her granddaughter and “light of her life” Iyla, her cat Simon and grand-puppy Goose.  She is also survived by her siblings who she adored: Maria and Juan, and predeceased by her parents: Isabel and Juan.

A lifelong animal lover, Leonore passionately devoted her time to caring and advocating for her “furry” friends: finding and offering homes to those without one; ensuring the birds, cats, chipmunks, squirrels and bunnies were always fed; her gentle spirit able to tame even the wildest of feral animals like skunks and possums.

Her favorite times were those spent over a meal with friends and family. She was a magician in the kitchen perfecting her famous recipes like lasagna, lentejas, mariscada, and cheese cake - all of which will be passed down to future generations. She loved to linger after meals to have long discussions with those at her table, saying it was never too late to have a cappuccino or share in “one last bite or an after-dinner aperitif”. She brought laughter and comfort to everyone around her with her quick wit, funny expressions, and genuine spirit.

Leonore loved her Spanish heritage, had an artistic and creative touch, and loved her family unconditionally. She will be forever in their hearts, tremendously missed, and remembered as an extraordinary pillar of strength and courage - serving as a reminder to never give up.

The family welcomes friends and family from 9:00 to 11:00 am on Friday March 28th at the Vander Plaat Funeral Home,  www.vpfh.com, 257 Godwin Ave. Wyckoff, NJ. 

Following visitation, a mass will be celebrated at 12:00pm at St. Catharine’s Church, 905 S. Maple Ave., Glen Rock, NJ 07452.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Leonore’s memory can be made to the organizations she was deeply passionate about and supported: ASPCA  www.aspca.org and St. Jude Children’s Hospital www.stjude.org

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