Caroline E. Kelaher, 95, passed away peacefully on December 9, 2025. She was born on May 22, 1930 on Park Street in Toms River to Joseph and Caroline Finley. She will join them in heaven along with her loving husband, Thomas F. Kelaher, her brother Joe Finley and her beloved aunts, Stell, Ellathea and Margaret.
She will be greatly missed and forever cherished by her children, Patty Thompson (Drew), Nancy Larrain (Santi), John Kelaher (Chelle), Michael Kelaher(Regan) and her loving grandchildren, Dan and Alex Thompson, Miguel (Naomi) and Tomas (Maddie) Larrain, Finley and Glenn Kelaher, Quentin and James Kelaher, her great-granddaughter Emilia, her nieces and nephews far and near and her life-long friend, Eleanor Moberg Roth.
She attended Toms River Grade School and graduated from Toms River High School in 1948 where she garnered accolades of best dressed, best personality, best dancer and most naïve. During high school, she and Eleanor travelled with their Spanish Club to Mexico City, where they had adventures along with their studies. Someone even took them up in an airplane and they did loop de loops over the city!
She attended Trenton State Teachers College (now TCNJ), graduating in 1952 with a degree in Elementary Education. During college and soon after graduating, she continued her travels with Eleanor and their adventures are legendary; from cruising the Caribbean on the “SS Crappolla” to surfing lessons in Waikiki, and driving across the country to teach in Albuquerque, New Mexico in quonset huts, to name a few.
After her globe-trotting, she came home to teach in Toms River. Carol was a 2nd grade teacher her entire career, retiring at the age of 68 from Toms River Schools (Hooper Ave. Elementary). She loved every minute of it and made lasting friendships along the way. Her ability to make learning fun and meaningful left a lasting impact on her students and passed on a love of teaching to her daughters.
She met the love of her life, future Toms River Mayor Tom Kelaher, at a dance class at Ruth Chadwick’s dance studio on Main Street in 1956.
Tom was a Marine stationed at Lakehurst at the time and young teachers were recruited to attend so the soldiers had partners. Tom held on to his registration card for that class and had it framed with a picture of the family they built. He knew he found the “wind beneath his wings” that day. They married in 1958 at Saint Joseph’s, and moved to North Jersey so Tom could finish law school at Seton Hall. They settled back in Toms River to raise their family with abundant love, faith, joy and generosity. Their home was filled with laughter because they were both fun and funny. Their love for each other and their dedication to their family made them the best parents and grandparents anyone could have.
She was a proud choir member at St. Joseph’s for 40 years. She also volunteered for various causes and endeavors her entire life. Her father instilled in her the importance of giving back to community and volunteering. She gave her time to O.C.E.A.N, Inc, Open Arms and worked tirelessly for Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey after she retired.
The family would like to thank the nurses and staff of Harrogate along with Compassus Hospice for taking such great care of Carol. A very special thank you to her caregiver, Mary, for treating Mom like she was her own mother. The love they shared was heart-warming.
We’ll miss Mom’s fabulous sense of humor and her unwavering love for each of us. Her memory will be treasured forever by her family, friends and the countless lives she touched. We celebrate a beautiful life lived to its fullest and will hold her in our hearts forever.
