Thalia Michaels

MICHAELS, Thalia (nee Garifalos), 83, a lifelong resident of Westwood, NJ, passed away on Friday, December 1st, 2017, surrounded by close family. Described by those who knew her as “amazing”, “kind” and “inspiring”, Thalia served more than 50 years in charitable causes through the Masonic orders of the Eastern Star and the International Order of Rainbow Girls, an organization inspiring high ethical standards for teenage girls. As a member of Westwood’s Temple Assembly #32, in the early 1950’s, she was named Grand officer, an honored position on Rainbow’s New Jersey Grand Executive Committee. She subsequently served on the Temple Assembly’s advisory board for 43 years, where she helped guide the girls in charitable fund raisers and volunteer efforts. She is the recipient of the Master of Grand Cross of Colors, the organization’s highest honor. As an Eastern Star member for close to 60 years, Thalia was an active member of the Westwood Temple Chapter, where she served in the leadership position of Worthy Matron and was named District Deputy of NJ’s 11th district. When the Westwood chapter dissolved, she became an active member of Jeptha Chapter #134 in Ramsey. Thalia was also a member of the Order of the Amaranth, an organization of Masonic women whose charitable efforts are dedicated to combating diabetes. Thalia and her husband, James, who were married in 1958, had three children, all of whom were graduated from the Westwood/Washington Township school system. When Thalia’s father retired from the Star Shoe Repair on Westwood Avenue in the early 1970’s, she and her husband James acquired ownership of the business, which they operated for 15 years before passing it on to another family member. Thalia then became executive assistant to the vice president of marketing for the Grand Union Corporation, where she was employed for 20 years. A graduate of Westwood High School, she attended NJ State Teacher’s College at Paterson, now known as William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ. She graduated from Donovan Business College, Hackensack, NJ, and attended Barbizon School for Modeling in New York City. Predeceased by her husband James, Thalia is survived by her three children, Frank Michaels of Englewood, FL; Melanie Guttridge and her husband John of Katonah, NY; Nicholas Michaels of Ocean Port, NJ; her grandchildren, Kaitlyn and Christiana Guttridge and Olivia and Phillip Michaels; her sisters, Evelyn Vozza of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fl and Sandra Chasmar of West Creek, NJ as well as her brother, Peter Garifalos of Westwood, NJ. The family will receive guests at Becker Funeral Home, 219 Kinderkamack Rd, Westwood, NJ, on Tuesday, December 5th from 2-4 and 7-9PM. A Mass of Divine Liturgy celebrating Thalia’s life and faith will be held at St. Athanasios G.O. Church in Paramus, NJ, on Wednesday, December 6th at 12:30PM with interment at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus, NJ to follow. Becker-Funeralhome.com