Obituary of Nora C. Hartley

Nora Catherine Hartley (nee Gallagher), a loving sister, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and friend, peacefully passed away on June 5, 2025 at the age of 87 in Old Bridge, New Jersey.

Born in Brooklyn, New York on September 20, 1937 to Irish and Scottish immigrants Hugh and Anne (Sheridan) Gallagher.  She was a vibrant, generous and energetic woman.  Easily recognized by her beautiful smile, the mischievous twinkle in her bright blue eyes, and her white hair, Nora was known to all as the life of the party and first on the dance floor.  She was predeceased by her beloved siblings and their spouses: Helen (Matt Cooney), Hugh (Marjorie) and William (Marlene), brother-in-law James Lynch and her niece/Goddaughter Maureen Elkins.

She is survived by her devoted sister, Ann Lynch, five children, seven grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and many others whom she lovingly welcomed into her modest home and treated as family.

As a single mother, she proudly raised Eileen Christie, Colleen Giacomo, Richard Hartley, Regina Hartley (Peter Kilman), and Michael Hartley (Shirley).  With her fun sense of humor, Nora loved making her seven grandchildren laugh: Nicholas Giacomo (Deanna), Kayla Dicaprio (John), Krysta Hartley (Chris Shur), Emma Kate Maier (Arthur), Sierra Hartley, Brooke Hartley and Hartley Kilman (a.k.a. Harry). She deeply cherished her four great-grandchildren: Luca, Declan, Nico and Savanna. 

Nora’s strong work ethic set a positive example for her children, rising from an administrative assistant at Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn to office manager at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in Manhattan from which she retired after more than 25 years of service.

It was at Memorial where she met the love of her life, Robert Barich, with whom she bonded over their shared experiences as single parents and a love of sailing until his untimely death in 1990. 

Besides her devotion to family, Nora was dedicated to serving her community.  She shared her Catholic faith with thousands of children as a Catechist, teaching religion at St. Catherine of Genoa in Brooklyn, St. Joseph-St. Thomas in Staten Island and St. Paul in Ramsey, New Jersey.  She also volunteered at the Mount Loretto Food Pantry.

As an Associate of the Sisters of St. Dominic of Amityville, she fulfilled her commitment to continue the mission of the Dominican Order to praise, to bless, and to preach, often offering the following unsolicited blessing to strangers: “May God bless you and keep you safe.”

Despite a life filled with adversity, Nora’s indomitable spirit, positivity and love of life brought laughter and joy to her family, friends and literally anyone she encountered. 

Nora’s wanderlust led her to explore new places, always enjoying a good road trip.  She thrived on the stories of strangers who soon became friends.  She loved collecting, visiting and climbing lighthouses, a fitting metaphor for a woman unafraid of darkness whose unwavering faith gave her confidence that following the light would guide her to safety and eternal life.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, June 8, 2025 from 3 – 8 p.m. and Monday, June 9, 2025 from 9 – 11 a.m. at Matthew’s Funeral Home, 2508 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10314.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, June 9, 2025 at 12 noon at The Church of the Sacred Heart, 981 Castleton Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10310.

Private burial services will be held in the future at the Brick Church Cemetery in New Hempstead, NY. 

In lieu of flowers the family requests plants, or donations made in her memory to one of her favorite charities: the Sisters of St. Dominic of Amityville, NY (https://www.sistersofstdominic.org/homepage/donate/) or Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital (https://giving.mskcc.org/donate/honor-memory).