Elisa A Galarza

Elisa Aurora Galarza, 83, Loving Mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother

Elisa Galarza, 83, died on October 24, 2025 at Center for Hope in Scotch Plains, NJ surrounded by her loving family. She was born in Barceloneta, Puerto Rico on December 21, 1941 — one of 12 children. She is predeceased by her parents, Rosa Casetllo and Juan Galarza. Elisa resided in Irvington, NJ for much of her life, and the last five years in Union New Jersey. She worked and retired from Petcher Bakery, a popular Jewish bakery in Harrison, NJ. She worked as an assembly line worker, packaging their famous rye bread and hard rolls for many area restaurants, hospitals, and diners. Elisa married Israel Ayala and together they raised five children. She loved to cook for her whole family, making rice with gandules and pasteles for the holidays. She loved music, especially Mariachis, and she adored dancing to Marc Antony, Juan Gabrieal, and Vicente Fernandez. Her house was the one all the family would always gather for holidays and celebrations. She was always the life of the party!! Elisa was a woman of faith. She believed and prayed to the Virgin Mary. She also liked to play dominoes, coloring in coloring books, and reading the Spanish newspaper that her son Edwin would bring to her every week.

Elisa is survived by her children: Iris, Yelitza, Israel, Edwin, and Miguel; 16 grandchildren, and 25 great grandchildren. In her final years, Elisa lived with her son Edwin. They enjoyed taking the bus to go  shopping and local street festivals. Everyone in the neighborhood loved greeting her and seeing the two of them hanging out together.

Visitation will be on Monday, October 27 th from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m, at Gray Memorial Funeral Home, 12 Springfield Ave, Cranford.  Followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10AM, at the Church of St. Anne, 325 Second Avenue, Garwood, NJ. Burial will take place in Fairview Cemetery, Westfield. Please go to: www.grayfuneralhomes.com to offer condolences.

The family would like to thank the staff at the Center for Hope Hospice & Palliative Care in Scotch Plains for providing physical, emotional, and spiritual support to Elisa and the family. Elisa was a blessing to our entire family and will be truly missed.