Rita M. Gallagher

Rita Gallagher went home to the Lord peacefully on Sunday, Aug. 11, 2013. A memorial service will be held in Old Bridge, N.J., at the Michael Hegarty Funeral Home, 3377 Route 9, Old Bridge, N.J., from 7 to 9 p.m. on Aug. 15, with a Funeral Mass at St. Ambrose Church at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 16. Rita was an amazing wife, mother and friend, leaving a special mark on everyone's heart she touched.

Adventurous and talented, she left her home in Brooklyn, N.Y., at age 18 to live and work in Europe for Aristotle Onassis as his personal assistant. Although Paris became her second home, she also lived in Hamburg, Germany, and Monte Carlo.

While in Monte Carlo she honed her business skills at the Central American Steamship Agency and became a trusted employee and friend to Mr. Onassis. Returning from Europe to nurse her ailing mother, Rita met the love of her life, John, and was married in 1959. Together they had five children, Anita, John Timothy, Cathleen, Peter and Anastasia, all of whom were inspired by her grace and sense of curiosity. Rita encouraged each of them to follow their dreams. Rita loved politics and was a stalwart figure in Middlesex County and state Republican circles for decades. She was the state committee woman for the Republican Party for 10 years, served on the Old Bridge Zoning Board, presided over the PTA for 10 years, led a Girl Scout honor troop, campaigned and secured for the Old Bridge public school system strep-throat culture testing for all K-12 students, mentored at-risk inner city youth to take charge of their lives through hard work and self-discipline while also helping them obtain jobs in the community, and was an active member of her church, St. Ambrose, in Old Bridge. Rita's legacy is one of leadership, grace and love. She was preceded in death by her husband, and son, Peter. She leaves 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations for a scholarship fund for underprivileged children, made out to Merrill Lynch, The Rita Gallagher Education Fund. Send donations to Edward Kehoe Esquire, King & Spalding, 1185 Avenue of the Americas, 34th floor, New York, N.Y. 10036.