Lydia V. Albamonte

Lydia was born in Jamaica Queens, to Umberto Galante and Josephine (nee Manno) Galante. She graduated from Jamaica High School, where she played basketball. She then graduated from Queens College with a degree in Biology and started her career at Endo Products, where she met the love of her life, Anthony Albamonte. They married in January, 1951 and had 3 daughters, Geralyn, Linda and Stefanie. Lydia took classes at Brooklyn College and finished her teacher's certification at Seton Hall University.
Lydia and Anthony moved to New Jersey, eventually settling in Berkeley Heights. Lydia was a member of the Berkeley Heights Women's Club, acting as President. She was an accomplished seamstress and participated in many Woman's Club fashion shows at the State Conventions, wearing the beautiful dresses that she had created. Lydia was a substitute teacher in Berkeley Heights, New Providence and Long Hill Township. She earned her EMT and was a member of the Berkeley Heights Rescue Squad for 8 ½ years and a Girl Scout leader. Later in her career, Lydia was a salesperson for Dun & Bradstreet and finished her career as a salesperson for Fiberguide Industries.
Lydia was an active member of the Church of the Little Flower, working on the capital campaign committee for the original school, teaching CCD and participating as a member of the Rosary Society as she was deeply devoted to the blessed mother and prayed the rosary every day of her life. She baked multiple items each year for the Rosary Society bake sale, where people came looking for her goods.
As a long time member of the Berkeley Swim Club, she loved to swim and attended many swim meets to watch her grandchildren compete over a span of 27 years. Even after she could no longer swim, she loved to go to the pool and watch all the children and activities.
Lydia loved to travel. She went to Hawaii and Arizona with Anthony and later took trips to Alaska and the western US and Europe. She visited several shrines in Europe and saw the Passion Play in Oberammergau.
As an accomplished cook, she was always encouraging everyone at the table to eat more. She was selfless and generous and ready with a meal for anyone in need. Lydia was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She cared for her husband during his illness, ran to the ends of the continent with her children and grandchildren and supported and encouraged her grandchildren in all their endeavors. She lived for her family and found joy in each child.
Throughout Lydia's life, she has accomplished so many things from graduating college, creating a family and loving everyone each and every day. Through her long 98 years, she had created an amazing bond not as just the grandmother/matriarch of the family, but with the entire community.
Whenever anyone needed help, food, support, or anything, she would always lend a helping hand. Because she was a center of hope and support, she gained much love and devotion throughout the community and beyond. She encouraged and loved anyone who needed it. There are many people who consider her their "mother" or "grandmother:" even if they were not part of her immediate family. She nurtured everyone who knew her. She shared her cooking expertise with not only her family members but anyone who asked.
As the matriarch of her family, Lydia's siblings, children, grandchildren, great grandchild and nieces and nephews were her world. From her cooking and her inside jokes with her grandchildren, she never stopped having a contagious laugh and never-ending food to eat. Her grandson, James would call her Strega Nona because of her amazing cooking and she would laugh and call him Strega Grandson and that would always put a smile on their faces.
Lydia will be missed and always loved. The memory of her life and deeds will live on through her family and many friends.
Lydia Albamonte has done so many great deeds and had many accomplishments throughout her 98 years. We look to her as a model for all to follow, today and always.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend the visitation on Sunday, Dec 29th from 2:00 - 6:00 PM at Paul Ippolito Berkeley Memorial, 646 Springfield Ave, Berkeley Heights, NJ. The funeral mass will be celebrated on Monday, Dec. 30th, 10:00 AM at Church of the Little Flower, Plainfield Ave, Berkeley Heights. Interment to follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, 225 Ridgedale Avenue, East Hanover, NJ.
Lydia is survived by her three daughters, Geralyn Lyman (Thomas), Linda Lenahan (Thomas), and Stefanie Petrick (William), nine grandchildren, Michael Lyman (Morgan), Steven Lyman, Christina Lyman, Anthony Petrick, Rose Petrick, Nicole Petrick, James Lenahan, Michele Lenahan, and Katherine Petrick, one great grandchild, Josephine Lyman, her sister Dolores Valvo, her brother Albert (Linda) Galante; and a host of loving nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her beloved husband Anthony Albamonte; brothers Armand (Louise) Galante and Arthur (Gloria) Galante; and brother-in-law Paul Valvo.
In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation in Lydia's memory to the Berkeley Heights Rescue Squad (https://bhvrs.org/) where she served for 8 1/2 years.