Obituary
Carol Gallagher Bermudez, born on June 23, 1958, passed away
peacefully on December 3, 2024, in her home in Deltona, Florida. Carol was born
in Brooklyn, NY, was a long-time resident of Sayreville, NJ, followed by Toms
River, NJ and finally retiring in Deltona, FL about 10 years ago. She was a
beloved wife, daughter, mother, sister, cousin, aunt, grandmother and friend,
known for her vibrant spirit and infectious laugh.
Carol was a dedicated wife to her husband, Julio Bermudez.
She was a loving mother to her three children Kimberly Gromadzki, Anthony
Alley, and Corrine Alley, and a stepdaughter, April Bermudez; along with their
better halves, Eric Gromadzki and Jessica Alley. She was a cherished sister to her three
brothers Kevin Gallagher, Kenneth Gallagher, and Sean Gallagher, and two
sisters, Christine Gouker and Kelly Bartolo, along with their better halves
Maria Gallagher, Gail Kupcha, Kim Gallagher, Joe Gouker, and Lou Cornet. She
was a loving grandmother to her seven grandchildren, Tyler Gromadzki, Caitlyn
Gromadzki, Josephine Alley, Madison Alley, Brantley SantaLucia, Max Fetherston
and Cole Fetherston, all of whom were the light of her life. Carol was also a
treasured cousin and aunt, to many cousins, nieces and nephews that she loved
dearly.
Carol is predeceased by her devoted parents, Louise and
Kenneth Gallagher, as well as her stepdaughter, Joy VanPelt.
Carol was a jack-of-many-trades. She drove a school bus for
several years for the Sayreville Board of Education, worked several
township/city jobs, and was a waitress/bartender for many years, primarily at
Swanee’s Bar in Sayreville, NJ and Water Street Bar & Grille in Toms River,
NJ. She enjoyed spending time with family/ friends, shopping and scanning
receipts to get cash back from every single app you could think of (just to
earn enough money to buy another pair of the same sneakers in a different
color) and playing Word with Friends. She expressed her creativity with her
unique, yet quite peculiar, crafting projects, which she lovingly shared with
her family, each piece a testament to her quirky and endearing personality.
In her retirement, Carol embraced life with enthusiasm and a
sense of adventure. She found joy in feeling the wind in her hair while riding
on the back of a motorcycle and relished the freedom of planning her next
journey in her and Julio’s RV with their treasured dog, Gizmo. She recycled and
organized ev-ery-thing. From reusing coffee boxes as drawers to organizing her
loose change in empty pill bottles (labeled quarter, nickel, dime etc.) You
name it, she repurposed it and she was damn proud of it.
Carol's laughter was a constant presence, and she found joy
in the simplest of moments, whether it was a leisurely stroll through Dollar
General (to purchase more sugar skull themed items to add to her already
overflowing collection) or having a heartfelt conversation with loved ones. Her
warmth and kindness touched everyone she met, leaving a lasting impression on
all who knew her.
Carol Gallagher Bermudez will be deeply missed by her family
and friends, who will forever cherish the memories of her laughter, love, and
the indelible mark she left on their hearts. Her spirit will continue to live
on in all of those who were fortunate enough to know her. In true Carol spirit,
PEACE AND LOVE.
Two Celebrations of Life will be held, one in Florida and
one in New Jersey and will be announced at a later date.