Mary Jaros

Mary Bridget Jaros of Freehold, NJ joined our Lord on August 30, 2025, at the age of 60. She was born on November 1, 1964, in Elmira, NY to Charles and Mary McGowan.

Mary is survived by her loving husband of 32 years, Richard Jaros, and their children Emelyn Jaros and Matthew Jaros. She is also remembered by her siblings Charles McGowan, Thomas McGowan, Kathleen Goldstrom, and Eileen McGowan, along with her many nieces and nephews.

Mary graduated from Penn State University in 1986 with a degree in Elementary and Kindergarten Education. She went on to teach in Virginia Beach, VA and Austin, TX, where she prioritized working in under-resourced school districts. She retired from teaching after over ten years and became a homemaker.

She was an active part of her children's education and homeschooled them for three years. She created stability for her family as they moved eleven times over the course of her married life. She treated each move as an adventure and enjoyed getting to see and experience different parts of the country with her family. She was an active part of every community she lived in and volunteered to support education in under-resourced areas.

Mary was an avid reader and enjoyed books from all genres, both fiction and non-fiction. She instilled this love of reading in both her children and loved to discuss books with her family. She liked to cook and bake, and her chocolate chip cookies were unrivaled. She also enjoyed spending time in nature, doing activities such as hiking and kayaking. Mary loved traveling and had a gift for planning adventurous, educational, and incredibly fun family trips. She loved road trips and getting to experience other countries.

Mary was diagnosed with cancer in 2018 and survived years beyond the prognosis of 2-4 years. She took each turn of the disease with bravery, grace, and inner strength. She lived with tenacious joy and kindness that is an inspiration to those who knew and loved her. She will be dearly missed by the family and friends who are forever grateful to have gotten to know her.

Family and friends are invited to attend a memorial gathering on Friday, September 5th, from 5:00PM to 8:00 PM, at Freeman Funeral Home, 47 East Main Street, Freehold. A memorial mass will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, September 6th at St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 33 Throckmorton St., Freehold. To leave a condolence or for directions, please visit www.freemanfuneralhomes.com.