Patricia Palmeri

Patrcia Palmeri (nee Attanasio) passed away peacefully on November 10, 2012 in Maplewood, NJ. She was 79 years old. Family and friends are invited to attend a celebration of her life at a viewing on Monday from 4-8 pm at the Galante Funeral Home at 2800 Morris Ave. Union, NJ 07083. A funeral mass will be held on Tuesday at 10:15 am at St. Michael's Church in Union followed by interment at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in East Hanover.

Born and raised in her beloved Ironbound section of Newark, Patricia married her high school sweetheart, Raymond Palmeri, in May, 1954 and raised her family in Maplewood, Millburn and Mendham. Widowed in 1981, she relocated to Manhattan, NY where she resided for more than 25 years.

Patricia lived a life focused on service. Her tireless strength and concern for others was a driving force in both her professional and personal life. Ms. Palmeri earned her bachelor’s degree in Education from Kean University and a master's in Human Development from Fairleigh Dickinson University. A certified social worker and trained psychodramatist, she pursued doctoral studies at Yeshiva University and studied at both the Psychodrama Center of New York and the New Jersey Neuropsychiatric Institute.

During nearly three decades of service at Essex County College she succeeded in creating a comprehensive counseling and referral program, the WISE Woman’s Center. From 1983, when she began as the Director until her retirement in 2007, the Center grew from two part-time employees into a multi-service department serving more than 2,500 women annually. Her uncompromising vision for the center helped create a self-sustaining unit that gained a national reputation for its dynamic programming and extensive community outreach. Patricia’s commitment to providing life-altering strategies ensured her legacy at Essex County College which in 2003 awarded her the Presidential Medallion for Exemplary Achievement and Service.

Through her counseling practice she impacted the lives of countless individuals. Those that were the recipient of her compassionate words and guidance understood they were touched by a generosity of spirit and an uncommon grace. She embodied the openness, compassion and resilience she tried to impart to others. Patricia leaves an indelible mark on friends and family who benefited from her calm and reassuring voice, adventurous spirit and willingness to find humor in the moment.

In addition to her husband, her son Ron, her parents Nicholas and Mildred Attanasio, and her brothers, Carmine Attanasio and John Attanasio, predeceased her. A daughter Christine, grandchildren Jeremiah and Skylar, survive her as do many loving nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and colleagues. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Ronald Palmeri Scholarship Fund, payable to Essex County College and sent to the Comptroller's Office, 303 University Avenue, Newark, NJ 07102.