John Gallagher Jr.
John Gallagher Jr., 88, affectionately known as The Shark, died peacefully in his sleep on Oct. 5, 2025, at his home in Bluffton, South Carolina. He leaves behind his beloved daughter Patty and her husband Mark Sandford, and the apple of his eye, his granddaughter Kelsey.
John was a devout Catholic and a faithful parishioner of Holy Cross Church in Harrison. He served in the US Air Force and was honorably discharged in 1958. John worked for the Harrison Police Department for 25 years, retiring with the rank of lieutenant. He was a third-degree Knight of Columbus and a member of Our Lady of Grace Council 402, Harrison.
John deeply valued his family, good food and trips to the casino and racetrack. His rib recipe, like himself, was cherished and will never be duplicated. He was a beloved man, an excellent dancer and will be truly missed by those who knew him.
We can take comfort in the fact John is joining his late wife, Dorothy, after being apart for 27 years.
John was predeceased by his parents, John and Isabelle (Rak) Gallagher, and his brother Robert (Bob) Gallagher. He is survived by his siblings, Bernadine Szalus (late husband Mike), Tom Gallagher and his wife Irene, Dorothy (Dot) DiNardo and her husband Mike, Marilyn Blazejewski and her husband Bob, Christine Plesniarski and her husband John, and his sister-in-law Willy Gallagher, as well as his extended Kuczynski family. John cherished the relationship he had with all of his nieces and nephews and loved them as if they were all his own children.
Relatives and friends visited at the Thiele-Reid Family Funeral Home, 585 Belgrove Drive, Kearny. The funeral will begin in the funeral home on Tuesday, Oct. 14, at 9:45 a.m. then proceed to Queen of Peace Church, North Arlington, where a funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the ASPCA http://aspca.org to honor John and his cherished dog, Rascal.
George ‘Windy’ Wesley Hayes Sr.
George “Windy” Wesley Hayes Sr., 96, of Largo, Florida, died peacefully at home on Oct. 9, 2025, surrounded by the love of his family.
Born March 1, 1929, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, he met the love of his life there, and they later moved to Kearny to begin their life and raise a family. George worked his entire career as a foreman at American Oil & Supply in Newark, retiring in 1992. He later relocated to Largo, Florida, where he devoted his time to volunteering and giving back to his community. In his retirement he was a beloved employee of Publix.
An avid bingo player and devoted fan of the Tampa Bay Rays, George was also a gifted storyteller known for his quick wit, generous and gentle spirit and his kindness.
He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Beverly Hayes; his sons Jeffrey Sr. (Kathy) and George (Laurie); six grandchildren — Jennifer Stephens (Eric), Karen Hanrahan (Jason), Sharon Brown, Jeffrey Hayes Jr., Kristen McGrogan (Michael) and Christopher Hayes (fiancé, Brooke Lorup); and eleven great‑grandchildren — Michael Jr., Kayla, Connor, Daniel, Thomas, Tyler, Brynn, Liam, Devin, Owen and Emma. He was predeceased by his parents and seven brothers and sisters.
In keeping with his wishes, a private cremation will take place and there will be no public services. The family will gather privately to celebrate his life.
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.