Obituary of Rita Kearney

Rita Miles Kearney of Toms River, NJ died April 11, 2025 in Ocean University Medical Center, Brick after a brief illness. Rita was born to Jack and MaryAnn Williams Miles in 1933 in Long Branch, NJ. She lived in Highlands from birth until 1948 when the Miles family moved to Middlesex County. She graduated from Highlands Grade School, attended Red Bank Catholic for a year and a half, and graduated from St. Peter’s High in New Brunswick in 1951 as valedictorian, president of her class and editor of the yearbook. Rita graduated from Trenton State College in 1955 with a BA in mathematics and a teaching certificate. She began what was to become a more than 40 year long teaching career at Metuchen High School in the math and chemistry departments. In 1956, Rita married William J Kearney at Our Lady of Peace Church in Fords, NJ. Living first in Metuchen and then Rahway, they moved to Brick and then Toms River in 1959 after Bill’s graduation from Seton Hall University School of Law. Rita continued her teaching career in math and science, interrupted by the births and raising of her five sons, at St Joseph Grade School in Toms River. She was active in her parish of St Joseph and her community of Toms River and Ocean County for over 65 years. Part of her legacy will be the ideas, recommendations and assistance she provided: Rita had the ability to match talented people with opportunities to support other people. As an example, she noticed that migrant women would wait in the hall of the grade school for their children to finish the school day. She found the volunteers and accompanying resources to begin an English as a Second Language class for these women. Similarly, she was a founding member of the Boards of Interfaith Hospitality Network, Homes For All and Birthright of Toms River, with advocacy for supportive services, shelter, and food for the homeless and marginalized. She was a member of the Board of the Garden State Philharmonic, a recipient of awards from the Trenton Diocese and Catholic Charities. A street in Manitou Park is named for her in recognition of her efforts toward providing affordable housing. Although Rita was a strong swimmer, having been a lifeguard for a summer during college and having descended from ten generations of ancestors who lived and worked on the salt waters of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, she was immediately seasick when placed in a boat on said waters. Husband Bill was an experienced and skilled sailor and, Rita, always a problem-solver whether in mathematics or life, fortified herself with Dramamine and joined him on nightly summer sails in their aptly named sailboat, Recess. Rita was predeceased by her husband, Superior Court Judge William J. Kearney, her son, Edward J. Kearney, her brother, John D. Miles, her sisters-in-law, Marie Kearney O’Neill and Barbara Thompson Miles, and her brother-in-law, Reverend Edward Kearney. The matriarch of the growing Kearney and Miles families whose home was the nexus for all family gatherings, she is survived by her four sons and daughters-in-law, John and Bernadette Croke Kearney of Haddonfield, NJ, Kevin and Adair Luhr Kearney of Kenmore, NY, Timothy Kearney and Claudia Cueto of Swarthmore, PA, and Michael and Kimberly Asch Kearney of Toms River. She is also survived by her eight grandchildren and spouses, Caroline Kearney and Joshua Mullett, Nora, Liam and Maeve Kearney, Lucia Kearney and Nico Gareca, Sebastian and Shannon Collins Kearney, Eamonn and Caleb Kearney, and her great-granddaughter, Colleen Kearney. Survived, also, by her sister and brother and their spouses, Ann Miles and Joan Finn and Michael Miles and Barbara Eberly; by her nieces and nephews, Beverly Miles Gates, Patricia Miles Deyermond, JoAnne Miles Moody, David and Anthony Miles; and by her three surviving cousins, Robert Colleran, Richard Miles and Judith Miles. Viewing will be at Kedz Funeral Home, 1123 Hooper Avenue, in Toms River on Wednesday April 23 from 4:00 - 8:00; Mass of Christian Burial will be at St. Joseph’s Church in Toms River on Thursday April 24 at 11:00. Friends and family are invited to the Gathering Space at St. Joseph prior to the funeral, starting at 10:00. Burial will be at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Toms River immediately after the church service. In lieu of flowers, those so inclined are asked to contribute to any of the following: ● Homes for All https://homesforallnj.org/ ● Interfaith Family Services https://stjosephtomsriver.org/outreach/interfaith-hospitality-network ● The Judge William J. Kearney and Rita M. Kearney Scholarship at St. Joseph Grade School