TOMS RIVER – Caroline E. “Carol” Kelaher, the widow of former Toms River Mayor Thomas F. Kelaher, died peacefully on December 9. She was 95.
Born May 22, 1930, on Park Street in Toms River, Kelaher was a lifelong township resident who devoted her career to education, her family and her community. Her husband died in 2021.
A graduate of Toms River High School’s Class of 1948, Kelaher went on to earn a degree in elementary education from Trenton State Teachers College (now The College of New Jersey). After traveling widely in her early adulthood, including trips to Mexico, Hawaii and across the United States, she returned home to teach second grade in the Toms River Regional School District. She retired at age 68 after a long career at Hooper Avenue Elementary School.
Kelaher met her future husband in 1956 at a dance class on Main Street. The couple married two years later at St. Joseph’s Church and later settled in Toms River, where they raised their family and became deeply rooted in civic, faith and volunteer life.
For four decades, she sang in the St. Joseph’s Church choir and volunteered with O.C.E.A.N., Inc., Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey, and other local organizations. Family members said her dedication to service stemmed from lessons learned from her father about the importance of giving back.
She is survived by her children, Patty Thompson (Drew), Nancy Larrain (Santi), John Kelaher (Chelle) and Michael Kelaher (Regan); her grandchildren Dan and Alex Thompson; Miguel (Naomi) and Tomas (Maddie) Larrain; Finley and Glenn Kelaher; and Quentin and James Kelaher; her great-granddaughter, Emilia; nieces and nephews; and her lifelong friend, Eleanor Moberg Roth.
A Mass of Christian Burial is scheduled for Monday, December 15, at 10 a.m. at Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church in Toms River, with burial to follow at St. Joseph’s Cemetery. Anderson and Campbell Funeral Home is handling arrangements.
The family expressed gratitude to the staff of Harrogate and Compassus Hospice, and especially to her caregiver, Mary. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a charity of choice.
