Obituaries

Helen Martha (Hazy) Spinelli, 88, a longtime resident of Old Bridge, New Jersey passed away on Wednesday, February 12, 2025 at her home.

Helen was born to Hungarian immigrants on a dairy farm in Flemington, New Jersey on August 19, 1936. Her parents, Joseph Hazy and Margaret (Judik) Hazy, predeceased her.

Helen was also predeceased by her husband of 64 years, Benjamin Thomas Spinelli Sr; her brother, Joseph Hazy; her sister, Margaret Jones; and her son-in-law, Michael Tamburri.

She is survived by her loving children: Margaret Tamburri of Farmingdale, New Jersey; Helen VanDriel and her husband, Brian, of Morganville, New Jersey; Benjamin Thomas Spinelli Jr. and his wife, Carmella, of Matawan, New Jersey; and Joseph Frank Spinelli and his wife, Lisa, of Cookeville, Tennessee; her nine grandchildren: Deana Spinelli, Vincent Spinelli, Brian VanDriel, Nicholas Spinelli, Gianna Spinelli, Rachel VanDriel, Holly Spinelli, Lily Spinelli, and Joe Spinelli; and her brother, Vilmos “Bill” Hazy, and his wife, Karan, of Somerville, New Jersey.

Helen grew up on her family's dairy farm in Flemington, New Jersey, before moving to Somerville. Her family owned the Three Towers nightclub in Hillsborough, New Jersey, which featured many famous entertainers including Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, and Cab Calloway.

She attended Douglass College in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and worked as a chemist at Carter-Wallace before dedicating herself to her family as a full-time homemaker and bookkeeper for their business, B. Spinelli Farm Containers Inc.

Helen was very independent. Whether it be replacing the motor on her washing machine or repairing her car, she never faced a problem she was afraid of tackling herself.

Helen enjoyed spending time with her family, especially hosting her nine grandchildren at her home for "Grandma's Summer Camp." She enjoyed tending her garden, growing flowers and vegetables to sell at her farm stand. An accomplished cook, Helen hosted many gatherings, serving delicious Hungarian dishes, including goulash and palacsintas.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, February 17th at 10:30 AM at Saint Ambrose Church, 83 Throckmorton Ln, Old Bridge, NJ 08857. A private interment will occur at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to the Alzheimer's Association, https://www.alz.org/ or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, https://www.stjude.org/donate. Arrangements are under the direction of Thompson Memorial Home of Red Bank, NJ.