Obituaries

Kathleen DiCesare, age 85, of Lanoka Harbor, NJ passed away on Saturday, February 17, 2024 with her two daughters by her side. She was born to Helen and Thomas McLean on January 30, 1939. Her father died when Kathleen was just four years old. She was raised by her grandmother (Mary), mother (Helen), step-father (Charles Caruso), and siblings (Mary, Margret, James, and Frances) in Bayonne, NJ all of whom have predeceased her. She has a surviving half sister, Elizabeth “Betty” Caruso (Ridgefield, Connecticut). Kathleen graduated from Bayonne High School and then began working as an executive secretary for the Port Authority in New York. She was employed there until 1969 when she began “the most important and greatest job of my life”, mother to her three children. Kathleen returned to work in 1987 at Community Medical Center, Toms River NJ as an Emergency Room Registrar. She would work there until her retirement. Kathleen was affectionately known as the “Cookie Lady” for always baking and bringing in her delicious homemade cookies for the overnight staff.

On September 26, 1964 Kathleen married her husband, John DiCesare, in Bayonne, NJ. They lived, and began their family, in Bayonne before moving to Lacey Township in 1975. This would become their home and where they chose to raise their children, Colleen, Jill, and John. Kathleen cherished her role as wife and mother more than anything. She was a kind, loving and devoted woman who was always there for her children. There was nothing she could not do…from cutting the grass, to taking care of the pool she did it all and still managed to get a delicious home cooked meal on the table every night.

Kathleen enjoyed reading, gardening, nature, and cooking. She was an amazing baker. Above all else Kathleen loved her family dearly. She and her husband John loved to entertain family and friends every summer at their home. You could always count on them to have a bushel of crabs ready for you when you arrived, and a fresh bowl of linguini with crab sauce ready for dinner! And of course, there was always enough wine, funny stories, and laughter to make your time with them memorable. In her later years, Kathleen enjoyed nothing more than being home surrounded by her family and precious grandchildren.

Kathleen was predeceased by her loving husband of 54 years John A. DiCesare (2019) and her beloved and devoted son John M. DiCesare (2024). She is survived by her daughters and their spouses, Colleen and Bob Ackerman (Rumson, NJ) and Jill and John Kozack (Tinton Falls, NJ), and six adoring grandchildren, Jack, Samantha, Kathleen (Kate), and Alex Hennen, and Ryan and John Kozack.

Memorial Visitation will be held on Friday, March 1st from 9:30-10:30 am at Thompson Memorial Home, 310 Broad St, Red Bank, NJ 07701. A Memorial Mass will also be held on Friday, March 1st at 11 am at St. James Church, 94 Broad St, Red Bank, NJ 07701.