Therese Kathryn (Terry) O'Hara of Ramsey, NJ passed away January 26, 2022. Terry was pre-deceased by parents Bob and Denise O'Hara, sister Anne Coughlin of Mundelein, IL, and brother Benn of Rutherford. She is survived by sisters Meg (Dan) Walsh of Lewes, DE; Ellen O`Hara of Fair Lawn and Mary Alice (Rich) Moller of Rutherford. Terry is also survived by many nieces and nephews: Erin (John) English, Caitlin (Annie) Coughlin, Maura (Philip) Coughlin, Kevin (Jennifer) Coughlin, Brendan (Almiria) Walsh, Haley and Nicholas Cicero, Abigail and Andrew Moller. Terry was Godmother to nephews Brendan, Nicholas and Andrew and Great Aunt to Maddie, Jack and Norah English, Theo Coughlin-Tremblay, Almiria Margarita Walsh-Perez and Harris Bennett Coughlin-Mogen. In addition, Terry is also survived by her much loved dog Chester who gave Terry such joy, love and comfort, especially during her courageous short battle with cancer. Chester sensed Terry was sick and never left her side.
Born on October 3, 1959, at St Peter's Hospital in New Brunswick NJ and moved with her family to Rutherford in 1967. Terry was a "St. Mary's girl" attending both the grammar and High School. She was voted the female student "Most Likely to Succeed" by the SMHS Class of '77. What a prescient accolade as Terry went on to become a very successful businesswoman. Terry attended Seton Hall University where she earned her BS degree in Accounting and earned an MBA from Fordham University. Terry's stellar business career included financial management positions at Scudder Financial Services, Rockefeller Center, John Wiley & Sons and RPG Consultants where she was widely hailed by her many clients for her vast knowledge and high ethical work standards.
Terry had a wonderful sense of humor and was a very generous soul who supported many charitable causes. Terry's most favorite pastime was cooking and baking. She continued the bread baking tradition set by her father, baking his bread recipes to shower friends and colleagues with the most delicious Irish Soda and cinnamon swirl bread, not to mention baked goods she developed on her own. Terry traveled to Italy many years ago for a weeklong cooking class in Tuscany. Over the years she loved to make elaborate meals for her friends and family and especially enjoyed the annual "Christmas Dinner Prep Day" with nieces Haley and Abigail and nephew Nicholas. This past Christmas Dinner Prep Day was very special and bittersweet.
Aside from cooking, Terry enjoyed spending time at her house on Martha's Vineyard. Terry had a small but much cherished group of lifelong friends she thought of as adopted O'Hara sisters. Pat, Andrea and Mia sustained her throughout her life even through the very last days.
Family will receive friends Sunday from 4:00 to 8:00pm in the Calhoun-Mania Funeral Home, 19 Lincoln Ave., Rutherford. Funeral Monday gathering 8:30am from funeral home for a 9:30am Mass of Christian Liturgy in the Church of Saint Mary, Rutherford. Inurnment George Washington Memorial Park Cemetery, Paramus.
The funeral mass in the Church of Saint Mary will be live streamed. Please go to Therese Kathryn O'Hara's home page on our website and press the tab for photos and videos there you will find the link at the bottom of page.
You may copy and paste this link as well to join the Mass: https://youtu.be/01XU3DrvzEo
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the charity of your choice in Terry's name.