Theresa Barbella

Theresa M. Barbella

Somerset- Theresa M. “Tess” Barbella, 60, died on Thursday, April 13, 2023 at St. Peter's Hospital in New Brunswick. Daughter of the late, Vincent and Cora O'Brien, Tess was born in East Orange and lived most of her life in Middlesex. Moving to the Four Seasons at Sterling Point in Somerset in 2021, she enjoyed splitting her time between her lake house in Lake Harmony, PA and beach house in Sarasota, FL.  She was a graduate of Saint Peter’s School of Nursing, where she earned her nursing diploma in 1985. Later, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Thomas Edison State College. Tess worked as a nurse at St. Peter's Hospital in New Brunswick for many years, most recently serving as the nurse manager of Endoscopy, Same Day Services, and the Cardiac Catheterization Lab. Tess was so proud to be nurse and found great joy in caring for others. Tess radiated warmth and was happiest surrounded by family and friends. She made everyone she met feel so loved; nothing brought her greater happiness than making people laugh. Her great joy in life was being a mom to her three children, a surrogate mom to many of their friends, and later a “Gigi” to her beloved grandchildren. Tess loved being involved with her children’s many activities, including Irish Dance, Football, and Wrestling; she was the loudest and proudest fan in the stands during many a Middlesex High School sporting event. She enjoyed boating and skiing with her husband, most recently traveling to Deer Valley, Utah for the much anticipated annual family ski trip. Tess had a fabulous fashion sense, and was known to enjoy a glass of Chardonnay. She is survived by her beloved husband, Frank Barbella; children, Madeline Sweeney and fiance, Patrick Cunningham, Caitlin Sweeney and partner, Thomas Manna, Jr., Jack Sweeney and partner Ava Ray; step-children, Anthony Barbella and partner, Skye Kollmer, Kelsey Barbella and husband, Shaun Nelson, Nicole Barbella, Alex Barbella and partner, Ivy Davis, Kevin Barbella; grandchildren, Ava, Parker, and Calvin; and siblings, Kevin O'Brien and wife, Humbelina, Susan Gibson and husband David, Caroline Foreman and husband, Daniel. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews, who she adored, as well as countless friends. Visiting hours will be held from 2-4 and 7-9 PM on Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at the Bridgewater Funeral Home, 707 E. Main Street, Bridgewater, NJ 08807. Prayers will be said 9 AM at the funeral home on Wednesday, April 19, 2023 followed by a 10 AM funeral mass at Our Lady of Mt. Virgin Church in Middlesex. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (https://donate.parentprojectmd.org/give/369549#!/donation/checkout) or Tunnel to Towers Foundation (t2t.org). 

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