Obituary: Anna M. Palush Beradi, 72

Anna M. Palush Berardi, 72, of Freehold Township, formerly of Metuchen, died Sunday, Dec. 9 at CentraState Medical Center.

Berardi was born in Perth Amboy and had lived in Grassflat, PA and Metuchen before moving to Freehold Township in 1995. In her early career, Berardi was a clerk for Western Union in Perth Amboy. She was later employed as a crossing guard for eleven years with the Metuchen Police Department retiring in 1995. She loved to crochet and knit, and was a member of the Deep Cut Orchid Society in Tinton Falls. Berardi’s greatest joy was having her large extended family over for picnics and parties. Traditions were very important to her and she imparted Slovak foods and holiday traditions to her family. In her memory, they will continue. She reveled in being Nanny to ten grandsons and one step-granddaughter.

Berardi was predeceased by her parents, George and Anna Palush; three brothers, Michael, George and Louis Palush; and two sisters, Elizabeth Conselina and Mary Gallos. She is survived by her loving husband of 49 years, Nicholas T. Berardi, Jr. of Freehold Township; two daughters, Lee Ann Smith and her husband, Lawrence of Dayton, NJ and Kimberly Woods and her husband, Robert of Haines City, Fl.; one son, Brian Berardi and his wife, Tina of South Plainfield; her “other son”, Ken Devlin of Bear, DE; eleven grandchildren, Alexander, Zachary, Nicholas and Christian Smith all of Dayton, NJ, Carissa Southerland of Baldwin, GA, Joshua, Brian and Brendon Woods of Haines City, FL., Ryan, Tyler and Branden Berardi of South Plainfield; one brother, James M. Palush and his wife, Dorothy of Southampton, PA; three sisters-in-law, Dolores Palush of Couer d’Alene, ID, Nancy Brown of Port Reading, NJ and Frances Coogan and her husband, Arthur Coogan of Woodbridge, NJ; one brother-in-law, Louis Conselina of La Grange, NC; and dozens of loving nieces , nephews and cousins.

Visiting will be at the Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home on Friday, Dec. 14, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Relatives and friends are invited to gather at the funeral home at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 15, for the procession to St. Rose of Lima Church, for her 10 a.m. funeral mass. Private cremation to follow.

For those who desire, memorial contributions in Berardi’s name may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-1942. For information, directions or condolence messages to the family, visit www.claytonfuneralhome.com.