Sarah A. "Sally" (O'Gara) Kelleher

Sarah A. “Sally” Kelleher

Beloved Mother, Grandmother and Sister, 77

Mrs. Sarah A. “Sally” (nee O’Gara) Kelleher, 77, of West Orange, NJ, formerly of Belleville, NJ, passed away on Wednesday, July 4, 2018 surrounded by her family.  The funeral will be conducted from the Biondi Funeral Home of Nutley, 540 Franklin Avenue on Monday, July 9 at 8:45 a.m.  There will be a Funeral Mass celebrated at St. Peter’s Church, Belleville at 10:00 a.m.  The interment will be at Glendale Cemetery, Bloomfield.   Visitation will be on Sunday, July 8 from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.   

Sally was born and raised in Orange where she lived before meeting her husband, Mort Kelleher of County Cork, Ireland.  They lived in West Orange for 4 years before moving to Belleville residing at 157 Forest Street for 34 years.  After Mort’s passing Sally moved to Canterbury Village in West Orange for 7 years where she made many friends and spent the last 4 years living at West Caldwell Care Center. 

Sally attended St. John’s in Orange and Immaculate Conception in Montclair where she maintained lifelong friendships.  Sally’s love to dance, do crosswords, bowl, go to AC, write and tell stories, play games, bingo and cards never ceased.  She continued the card club started by her mother and relatives.  Sally greatly enjoyed many trips to Ireland visiting their families.  She had a great sense of humor and adventure.

Sally was proud of her Irish heritage and was active in the NJ Irish community.  She and Mort spent time at McGovern’s and many Irish American dances and events over the years.  In addition to a large extended family they had wonderful friends whom they hosted at numerous parties at their home.  The decades of barbecues, dinners and parties as well as any gathering of friends and family from near or far always ended with Mort singing Irish songs and Sally playing cards. 

Sally was predeceased in 2006 by Mort, her beloved husband of 40 years.  Sally and her daughters’ hearts have never healed from his passing.  She was no doubt welcomed to heaven by him with open arms, an Irish song and a dance – hopefully all at the same time. 

Sally was mother to her devoted daughters Kathleen James and her husband Joe (Minot, ND), Colleen Byrne and her husband Martin (Tinton Falls, NJ), Eileen Mascari (Nutley, NJ), and Maureen Lillis and her husband Michael (Aberdeen, NJ);  sister to Catherine Prior and her husband James, Bernard (Brian) and his wife Celia, and Thomas O’Gara and sisters-in-law Maisie O’Gara and Eileen O’Gara; sister-in-law to Mort’s sister Margaret O’Connell and surviving brothers Jerome, Peter and his wife Sheila, and Tony Kelleher and his wife Eileen; and cherished Nana to grandchildren Jerome Mascari, Jr., Colleen and Riley Lillis with whom she lit up during their visits; and close friend to Pat McGinley and Joanie Mulvihill.  She was also a niece, cousin, aunt and great-aunt to many and a friend to a multitude.  The Prior, Kelleher, O’Keeffe, Bermingham and many O’Gara families and their children were a very important part of her life and their visits and greetings over the years meant so much to both Sally and her daughters.  The family wants to thank WCCC residents and workers who were so kind and enjoyed Sally’s funny stories and sassy comments. 

Sally was predeceased by her parents Peter and Kathleen O’Gara, her brothers John and Peter, and her beloved cousins, Maureen and Beverly.  She will join them, and many other family members, dear friends and her Mort to spend eternity together.  May she rest in peace.

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