Obituary of Rosemary McHugh

Rosemary McHugh passed away suddenly after a courageous battle with cancer on Sunday, June 21, 2020 at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She was just a couple months shy of sharing 70 years of unconditional love, family traditions, and infectious laughter with family and friends.

Born in Paterson to the late John “Jack” and Jean McHugh, she was one of three children, raised in Clifton, to bless the McHugh household. A dedicated perennial student of life and knowledge, Rosemary received her Bachelor’s in Education and Master’s in Library Science from William Paterson University. She made a very successful career for herself in the education industry for over 30 years; working mainly at Jefferson Township Middle School, starting out as a Math Teacher, she retired in 2016 as the most compassionate, kind, and respected Librarian. 

Rosemary was raised with a proud Irish heritage and she passed that on everyday to her family and friends. She loved to be surrounded by a table full of food, family and friends. She most enjoyed spending time with her feet in the sand at the New Jersey shore and seeing many shows with her dear friends. She was also an avid Yankees fan. A proud mother of twins, she was a member of the NJ Association of Twins’ Mothers Club. A devout Catholic, Rosemary was a Eucharistic Minister at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Oak Ridge. Above anything else, family was her first priority. She always put her children and grandchildren first and adored each one of her relatives. Although Rosemary was taken too soon, we take comfort in knowing she is out of pain, safe in Heaven with her parents.

She leaves only joyful memories to treasured sons, Jeff Lear, Justin Lear and his wife Emily, and Chris Lear and his wife Kari; her cherished grandchildren, Madelyn Grace and Cameron James Lear; Her caring siblings, Jean Polizzotto and her husband Frank and John McHugh and his wife Julie; her loving nieces and nephews, Danny and his wife Tammy, Stephen and his wife Rebekah, Timothy and his wife Hannah, Kaitlyn and her husband James, Lisa and her husband Christopher, and many more extended family and friends.