Imelda M. Tressa
Deeply loved mother, grandmother, confidant, sidekick and friend, 90.
We lost a good one this year. Our beloved mother and grandmother, Imelda Tressa left this world on Tuesday October 15th surrounded by her family at her home in Hackettstown, NJ at the age of 90. Imelda, born in Liverpool England on February 18th, 1929 grew up an only child in a household with kind hearted, intelligent, hard working parents, Kathleen and Joseph Barkley. In her early years she spent her time waiting tables at the local pub and studying to be a stenographer while living life in the city. She met her husband, while he was stationed with the Airforce in England who would later bring her to the United States. A place she would call home for the next 67 years. In America, Imelda toured and traveled before settling in Bloomfield, NJ with her mother and her beautiful daughter, Bernadette. Imelda lived and thrived as a single parent spending over 35 years as an executive secretary at Edwards and Kelcey in Newark and Morristown, NJ. Bernadette, her only child, would meet and marry Dennis DeBlasio becoming Imelda’s son-in-law. And in 1986, Imelda would celebrate her first and only grandchild and future sidekick, Devon DeBlasio. For the next 33 years Imelda helped support her family and raise her grandchild with a loving heart and spoiled hand. During her time on this earth, Imelda enriched so many lives as a friend, close confidant, pseudo-sister, and second grandmother. Imelda was a caring, outspoken, and sometimes stubborn woman who would always tell it like it was with honesty and vigor. Imelda loved a good laugh, a good cup of coffee, and a good glass of scotch. She was more than a mother. More than a grandmother. Imelda was there for you when it mattered most. It was much too soon for her to be taken from our lives, but she will continue to live on in our hearts. Imelda is survived by her daughter Bernadette DeBlasio, son-in-law Dennis DeBlasio, grandson Devon DeBlasio, daughter-in-law Jill DeBlasio, as well as all the close relatives, friends, and loved ones she cared for, inspired, and delighted. She has now joined her mother and father at rest and in peace.
Those who feel inclined can honor Imelda Tressa through donations in her name with American Humane (americanhumane.org) to help animals in need. A service to celebrate Imelda’s life will be held at 10:30 AM on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019, at Church of the Assumption, 302 High St. Hackettstown, NJ 07840.