Some places are meant to be passed through. Others are meant to be stayed in. For Marie Lattari, Denville quietly became both. At 102 years old, Marie has watched history reshape the world—and quietly reshape her corner of it, too. Born in 1923, her path to this gem of a New Jersey town began in New York, where she and her husband, Daniel, were restoring a home in New Rochelle—before a professional relocation set the next chapter in motion.
He worked for RCA, and when the company decided to build a new plant in Rockaway, the family was asked to relocate. Pregnant at the time and reluctant to leave the city, she remembers driving through Rockaway and thinking, What am I doing here? There wasn’t even a movie theater.
Still, they searched. Hackettstown first, then Rockaway—and in 1957, they landed in Denville. It didn’t take long before the town felt like home. That house, the one she bought 69 years ago, is still her home today.
Over the years, Marie watched Denville grow busier. Traffic increased. More people arrived. But much of what mattered stayed the same. Main Street never filled with high rises or large corporations. The town retained its charm. Homes remained homes—not oversized statements, but places built for living.
Among the many things that kept Marie rooted in Denville was its closeness to nature and the outdoors. Living along the Rockaway River shaped her days and her family’s memories. She also enjoyed time at the Rockaway River Country Club, where she golfed, relaxed by the pool, and shared meals. Summers were spent outdoors—swimming, gathering with neighbors, and embracing the rhythm of community life. Winters brought ice skating on the lake and quieter moments. Children played in the streets, rode bikes freely, and treated the neighborhood like an extension of their own backyards.
Marie recalls when Sweet Expressions served as the local movie theater—a welcome change after arriving in a town without one—and still reminisces about the roller rink on Bloomfield Avenue that once buzzed with activity, along with bowling locally at Boonton Lanes. She also appreciated the town’s strong school system, with her children attending St. Mary’s and Morris Catholic.
As she raised five children in Denville, her home was a place where grandchildren returned on weekends, fishing off the dock turned into fresh-cooked dinners, and stories were made without trying to be memorable—they simply were.
“I loved being outside and living here because I love the river,” Marie explained.
Now, she is the grandmother to nine grandchildren and the great-grandmother to 14 great-grandchildren.
Even as life changed, Denville continued to feel right. When her husband retired rather than accept a longer commute, the decision felt easy. Later, after his passing in 1989, Marie stayed. This house held her history. It was the home she raised her family in and the last remaining link to her children’s childhood and her own early years. With familiar routines, walks through town, and time spent with friends, she found comfort in staying rooted.
“It was always great living here because everything is so close,” Lattari said.
Today, Marie’s days are quieter, but still full. She spends her time reading—now on her iPad—working on puzzles, knitting, and keeping her home in order. She stays connected through frequent calls and texts with family and friends, enjoys weekly dinners around town, and unwinds with Jeopardy! and novels by authors like Dan Brown and David Baldacci.
People often ask Marie what she did to reach the impressive age of 102. Her answer is simple: eat and keep active. “You have to keep moving,” she said. When it comes to diet, she doesn’t follow strict rules—she eats everything, just in moderation.
“I have kids who call me often,” she added. “I have friends I’m still in touch with.”
She still gets her hair cut locally at Lucia C. Salon and remains a familiar face at her favorite restaurants, including Suppa’s, Cafe Crevier, and Cafe Metro—where a waitress who never writes anything down always impresses her by getting every order right. She stopped driving after turning 101, not because she was told to, but because she chose responsibility over independence—one of many thoughtful decisions that have guided her life.
When asked what makes Denville home after all these years, her answer is simple: everything is close, everything matters, and everything feels connected. The people. The walkability. The sense that life happens right outside your door.
Marie has lived through several wars, economic upheaval, cultural change, and more than a century of transformation. Yet the place she chose nearly 70 years ago still holds steady.
For her, home isn’t about square footage or trends. It’s about familiarity, memory, and staying rooted where life unfolded—one ordinary, extraordinary day at a time.