Obituary of Joan K. DeCelie

On November 10, 2017, Joan Kathleen Marie Gallagher DeCelie, 87, a resident of Paramus, New Jersey, formerly of Graniteville, Staten Island passed away peacefully. Beloved wife of the late Frank DeCelie; devoted mother of six children: son, Frank and daughter-in-law Celina Bialt of Hewlett, New York; son, Edward and daughter in-law Irene of Manalapan, New Jersey; daughter, Dr. Joan DeCelie-Germana, New Hyde Park, New York; son, Patrick and daughter in-law Carol of Glen Ridge, New Jersey; daughter, Mary and son-in-law Dr. John Zias of Lubbock, Texas and daughter, Kathleen and son-in-law Scott Homa of Glen Rock, New Jersey; loving grandmother of thirteen: Michael, Christopher, Stephen, Nicholas, Stephanie, Jessica, Meghan, Joseph, Phillip, Thomas, Sarah, Keegan and Norah Grace; affectionate sister of the late Thomas Gallagher and the late Elizabeth “Julie” Gallagher DeCelie; loving aunt to many nieces and nephews. A daughter of the late Edward Gallagher and Kathleen Gallagher (nee Hastings), Joan was born on March 30, 1930 in Overlook Hospital, Summit, New Jersey. Raised in Hoboken and West New York, New Jersey, Joan moved with her family to Staten Island in the early 1950s. In 1957, she married Frank, with whom she fell in love with at a very young age, having met him through her sister Julie, who had married Frank’s brother Paul. Joan earned her Associates degree from the College of Staten Island in 1977. She retired from the Bank of New York in 1999. Prior to working at the Bank of New York, Joan was a special education paraprofessional with the New York City Board of Education. Joan’s dedication to education inspired her children to never stop learning and to obtain advance degrees. Joan always found time for her family and took great pleasure in playing board games with her children and grandchildren, watching old movies and cooking meals for her family. She loved to try new recipes–often telling her children—you don’t have to like it, but you have to try it! She took enormous pride in her Irish heritage and would regale her children and grandchildren with stories about her parents’ life in Ireland, and how her parents immigrated to the United States from Ireland. Joan passed onto her children and grandchildren her fierce love of all things Irish. Joan led a very active life and her interests included traveling, reading, doing crossword puzzles, knitting and crocheting. Her children and grandchildren benefitted from her handiwork having received hats, scarves, mittens, blankets and table clothes as gifts over the years. While living on Staten Island, she loved going to the gym to exercise and to be with her friends, the “Silver Sneakers.” She was a parishioner of Holy Family. Joan will be greatly missed by her family and friends for her love, hugs, sense of humor, laugh and concern for others. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Cystic Fibrosis Center of Cohen Children’s Medical Center, Lake Success, New York.