This fund is in Honor of Vincenza Brophy. 

Vincenza Marie Brophy (née Gervasio) passed away with her family by her side at the young age of 61 on Monday, July 15, 2019 after a short but fierce battle with EGFR Lung Cancer at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA.  

She is survived by her husband, Thomas Joseph Brophy; her two daughters, Alison Brophy Dorsey (Philip), Lauren Brophy Cooper (Kevin), and her son, Thomas James Brophy; her three grandchildren, Avery L. Dorsey, Ella A. Dorsey, and Theodore “Teddy” B. Cooper; her brothers, Dominic Gervasio, Anthony Gervasio (Marie), and Msgr. Thomas Gervasio; and sisters, Angelina Barnila, Olympia Burd, Antoinette Irwin, Sr. Frances Gervasio, MPF, Ann Grove, and Margarita LeRoy, and beloved extended family and in-laws. She was preceded in death by her parents, Tammaro and Orsola DiCarlo Gervasio, and her brother, Ralph Gervasio, and her sisters Josephine Chianese and Ursula “RC” Brinkerhoff.  

Born in Trenton on April 14, 1958, Cenza attended St. Joachim’s School and St. Anthony’s High School in Trenton before earning an Associate’s Degree at Mercer County Community College.  

Cenza often said “don’t count the days, just make them count.” She embodied this mantra through her dedication to her family, friends, and community. She loved nothing more than spending time and sharing delicious food with family and friends, especially her beloved grandchildren. A known bargain hunter, she loved to shop the latest sales, with a particular weakness for shoes. She was always good humored, loving, kind, and went out of her way to make all feel welcome.  Whenever one needed advice, help, or exceptional desserts, Cenza was willing to help, making her beloved by the many communities she served. 

Cenza wore many hats, as troop leader of Girl Scout Troop 1684, as PTA Board Member, President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary and many other committee chair roles at St. Gregory the Great for well over a decade, and as a long-serving employee at the Office of Dennis Balaszi, DMD. Until her death, she served as the Visitor and Financial Aid Coordinator in the admissions office of the Peddie School for the past nineteen years.  Cenza was known as one of the most loyal and enthusiastic supporters of Peddie and her enthusiasm for increasing participation in the Peddie Fund was contagious across campus and generations. Most recently, she served as one of the original members of the new campaign executive committee and served as the faculty/staff co-chair during what resulted in the most successful Peddie Fund year to date. 

Simply put, Cenza was the glue that brought each community she touched closer together and the rock that each community member knew they could rely upon.  Cenza will always be remembered as the smiling face that could not but help brighten each person’s day.

Proceeds from this tribute fund will benefit LUNGevity Foundation, the leading private provider of research funding for lung cancer. LUNGevity Foundation is firmly committed to making an immediate impact on increasing quality of life and survivorship of people with lung cancer by accelerating research into early detection and more effective treatments, as well as providing community, support, and education for all those affected by the disease.

Please join in the effort to stop lung cancer, the leading cancer killer. Your support will mean so much to all of us.

LUNGevity Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Your contribution is tax-deductible to the full extent provided by law.