Obituary of Dolores Casserly

Mary Dolores Casserly, aged 84, of Annandale, New Jersey, died February 12th, 2015 in Mount Arlington New Jersey. Born in Jersey City in 1930, Dolores was the daughter of Frank Gilmartin and Grace Hart Gilmartin. She married Donald J. Casserly on November 11, 1950, and shortly afterwards she adventurously moved to be with her love in Anchorage, Alaska, where Donald was stationed. Afterwards they settled in South Plainfield, New Jersey to raise their family. There she made many lifelong friendships and was a devoted wife, hostess and homemaker, enjoying weekends with her extended family in a vacation community along the Musconetcong River. In 1975, the family moved to Hunterdon County where Dolores learned to drive on the hills near Pittstown, worked as a secretary at the A.M. Best Company and was active in the Immaculate Conception Church in Annandale, where she and Don took up many volunteer activities including cleaning the church. After Don received a heart transplant in 1995, the couple became advocates of organ donation, speaking at local schools and churches to spread the word. Dolores lost her beloved husband in 2006 and is survived her sister Patricia Gilmartin Elliott, sons, John C. (Chris), Timothy and Patrick, their wives, eight grandchildren, two great grandchildren and hundreds of collectible Santa Clauses. Her family and friends will remember Dolores for her coiffed white hair and her wicked sense of humor. A memorial gathering of family and friends will be held onSunday February 22nd from 2-4pm at Martin Funeral Home 1761 Route 31, Clinton NJ 08809. A memorial mass will be celebrated on Monday February 23, 2015 at 10:00am at Immaculate Conception Church, Old Allerton Road, Annandale NJ. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the New Jersey chapter of the Alzheimers Association at alz.org/nj.