A celebration of the life of Eileen O’Dea, 58, a mother, sister and friend, and the sister of Hudson County Freeholder Bill O’Dea, was held Jan. 12. She died Jan. 9 following a courageous battle with cancer. Ei, as family and friends called her, retired in Dec. 2010 after a 33-year career with AT&T, most recently working as a travel coordinator at the corporation’s Basking Ridge offices. Born in Jersey City, Eileen graduated from St. Mary High School, working at first as a secretary In New York City and later in New Jersey, eventually handling transportation at AT&T. Eileen used that knowledge to take a host of trips that have given her daughter and friends a lifetime of special memories. Her last trip, with daughter Heather Nidowicz and two friends, was to the Dominican Republic in Dec. 2012. In addition to Jersey City, Eileen also lived for several years in Mount Olive before buying her first home and moving to Dover a decade ago.
Eileen is survived by daughter Heather Nidowicz and husband Mark Pereira of East Windsor; stepdaughter Doreene Weiner, husband David and son Ian of Cedar Grove; and stepson Joey Nidowicz, wife Christina and son Jarrett of Fair Lawn. Eileen also leaves four siblings and six nieces and nephews: sister Maureen Burke, husband James and children James Jr. and Megan, all of New Providence; sister Sharon Jaeger, husband Richard and children Mary Jennifer and Ricky, all of Hazlet; brother William O’Dea Jr. of Jersey City; and sister Colleen O’Dea, husband Paul Wyckoff and children William and Kevin Wyckoff, all of High Bridge. She is also survived by an uncle and aunt and several cousins. A son, Kyle Ve’Ale, of Jersey City, died in 1994. Services arranged by the Tuttle Funeral Home, Randolph.