Ruth Nancy Sharkey

Ruth Nancy Sharkey of Sea Girt,  New Jersey, and Palm City, Florida, passed away peacefully on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at Lantern Hill in New Providence, surrounded by her loving family.

Born on April 3, 1934, in Providence, Rhode Island, to the late Edward and Gertrude (Hope ) Daley,  Ruth was raised in Providence, RI, where she developed the grace, warmth, and poise that would define her throughout her life. She later moved to Clark, New Jersey, with her beloved husband, Thomas J. Sharkey, Sr., before settling in Watchung in 1968. There, together, they built a home, raised a family, and became deeply rooted in the community for more than five decades. Ruth and Tom also shared treasured time between their homes in Seagirt and Palm City, Florida.

Ruth was a proud graduate of the College of New Rochelle, where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Education, and later received her Master’s Degree in Education from Kean College in New Jersey. She devoted her professional life to education as a reading specialist at St. Teresa’s School in Summit and Holy Trinity Roman Catholic School in Westfield. Ruth took great pride and joy in teaching children to read, understanding that this foundational skill opened a world of possibility for countless young students whose lives she quietly and meaningfully shaped.

A woman of faith, Ruth was a longtime devoted parishioner of St. Mary’s Stony Hill Roman Catholic Church in Watchung. Her brother, Raymond (Ted) Daley , was a Dominican priest and was the former Prior Provincial of the Dominican Province of St. Joseph headquartered in NYC.

Ruth embraced an active and social life. She was a longtime member of the Plainfield Country Club, the Spring Lake Bath & Tennis Club, and Harbour Ridge Yacht & Country Club in Palm City, Florida. She proudly served as Past President of the Spring Lake Bath & Tennis Club. Whether on the golf course or tennis court, Ruth was always perfecting her game, often jokingly described by her family as perpetually enrolled in “just one more clinic.”

She had an exceptional sense of style and presentation and was known for always looking beautiful, elegant, and perfectly put together, no matter the occasion. Ruth loved to stay active, read voraciously, shop with enthusiasm (always delighted by her petite size), and meet friends for long, laughter-filled lunches.

Nothing, however, brought Ruth greater happiness than her family. She maintained close and loving relationships with her 4 children, 11 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren, always eager for updates, visits, and celebrations.

Ruth was predeceased by her beloved husband of 64 years, Thomas J. Sharkey, Sr., who passed away in 2020. Also, her sister and brother-in-law, Hope and Jack Lawlor.

She is survived by her loving children: Ellen Del Mauro and her husband John; Thomas J Sharkey, Jr. and his wife Petra; Ann McCormick and her husband Jim; and Ted Sharkey and his partner Judy Christakis. She is also survived by her cherished grandchildren: JT and his wife Josephine DelMauro,  Kevin and his wife Kim DelMauro, Tyler (DelMauro) and her husband Jack Dunphy, Brian Mc Cormick, Brielle ( Mc Cormick)and her husband Gleeson Cox, Kyle and his wife Meghan Mc Cormick, Shauna Mc Cormick, Brendan Mc Cormick, Teddy Sharkey, Tommy Sharkey and Petra Sharkey, along with 10 adored great-grandchildren.

Ruth Sharkey will be remembered for her elegance, her warmth, her devotion to family, her lively spirit, and the quiet but lasting impact she had on everyone fortunate enough to know her.

A Memorial Visitation will be held on Thursday, February 5, 2026 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Higgins Home For Funerals, 752 Mountain Blvd., Watchung, NJ.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday at 10:00 AM at St. Mary’s Stony Hill Roman Catholic Church in Watchung, followed immediately by inurnment at St. Mary’s Stony Hill Cemetery, where Ruth will be laid to rest beside her beloved Tom.

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