Libera Colalillo

Libera Colalillo (Lina), aged 84, passed on into God’s hands on Friday December 8th, 2023.
Born and raised in Abruzzo, Italy. She started working on the farms there since she was 7 years old to help her family. They didn’t have a lot. She had no shoes on her feet and minimal clothes on her back working through it all. Nonnina (their mother) made fresh bread once a week and they made macaroni or beans for dinner usually because it made bigger portions and was more affordable for the six of them. She would come home from school at 1:00pm and instead of doing her homework she would help her mother cook the dinner for that night. She would have to wash her clothes by hand  or near the river the night before so it can be ready to wear for the next day. Until they had the wonderful opportunity to come to America when she was 15 years old with just the clothes on their back. To start a new better life for themselves. And boy oh boy was she the most proud American there is. She came to Newark and worked in an eyeglass factory and that’s how she started to learn to speak English and Spanish from her coworkers. She built her life up from there and was so grateful for every opportunity she had. She met her wonderful husband and they got married in 1962 and started a beautiful family which she raised in Belleville, New Jersey. She then made many life long best friends along the way. Then retired and moved to Forked River, New Jersey where she continued to make precious memories and lived a life that she loved. She touched the lives of so many people. To know her is to love her.

She is survived by her wonderful loving husband of 63 years Carmine Colalillo; her daughter; Lisa Colalillo and husband David,
her son Phillip Colalillo and wife Susan; her four beautiful grandchildren; Brianna, Alyssa, Justina and Philip (PJ). And her favorite brother Dominick Lombardi and her other brother Nick Lombardi.

Predeceased is her sister Marie Wade and brother Antonio Lombardi.

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