Carl Psota

Deacon Carl E. Psota, age 83, entered eternal rest on December 27, 2025, in Douglasville, Georgia. A faithful servant of God and His people, Deacon Carl devoted more than three decades of his life to ministry in the Church, answering a call he first felt as a child and lived out with humility, dedication, and deep love for the faithful.

Born on December 21, 1942, in South Amboy, New Jersey, Carl was predeceased by his parents, Helen and Frank Psota. He is survived by one brother, Frank Psota.

Carl pursued higher education at Middlesex County College in Edison, New Jersey, and earned both a Blue Seal License and a Real Estate License. He built a strong and dependable career working for Public Service Electric and Gas in Linden as a Blue Seal Operator, Amerada Hess in Port Reading as a terminal superintendent, and later at Gerdau Ameristeel in Perth Amboy in quality control. In every role he held, Carl was known for his integrity, diligence, and quiet leadership.

Answering God’s call more fully later in life, Carl began his diaconal formation while raising his family, studying at the College of St. Elizabeth in Morristown and earning his pastoral ministry certificate in 1989. He was ordained in June 1989 at the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi in Metuchen, New Jersey.

Deacon Carl spent the entirety of his active diaconate at St. James Parish in Woodbridge, New Jersey, where he faithfully served parishioners through baptismal preparation, marriage preparation and pre-Cana, Marriage Encounter, and ministry to the separated and divorced. His pastoral presence was marked by compassion, steadiness, and a genuine desire to walk with others through both joy and sorrow.

Even in retirement, Deacon Carl’s heart for service never waned. After relocating approximately 850 miles south, he continued to assist the faithful at his new spiritual home, St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Church in Douglasville, Georgia, supporting the parish administrator and remaining active in ministry for as long as he was able.

Reflecting on his life of service after retiring from active ministry, Deacon Carl once shared, “I am filled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude and humility. Serving God’s people, journeying with them in good times and bad, has been a privilege and an honor.” Those words beautifully capture the spirit with which he lived and served.

Deacon Carl was married to his beloved wife, Judith, for sixty years—a testament to a marriage rooted in faith, commitment, and enduring love. Together they raised two daughters and built a family that remains his proudest legacy.

He is survived by his wife, Judith Psota; his daughter Beth Ann Dudek and her husband Ben; her children, Devin Pellegrino, John Perry Pellegrino, Ireland Pellegrino, and Vivian Pellegrino. He is also survived by his daughter Amy Patricia Horan and her husband Edward; her children, Caitlyn Horan, James Horan, Patrick Seamus Horan, and Daniel Horan, Jr.; and his great-grandchildren, Alana Mae Dozier and Noah Jackson Horan.

Deacon Carl E. Psota will be remembered for his steadfast faith, gentle pastoral care, devotion to family, and unwavering commitment to serving God and His Church. His life was a living homily—one of service, humility, and love.

Funeral Mass to be held on Saturday, January 10, 2026 at 11:00 am at St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Church, 4401 Prestley Mill Rd, Douglasville, GA 30135.