GoFundMe Set Up After Westfield Teacher Passes Away – Westfield, NJ Patch

WESTFIELD, NJ — A GoFundMe has raised $27,000 so far to help the family of a Westfield first grade teacher who passed away last Monday.

The fundraising page set up for Patricia Merlo says, “Patricia Merlo meant the world to all who knew her. She was a loving wife to her husband, Brian. Tricia was a dedicated and nurturing first-grade teacher, an irreplaceable part of her school community. She was an honest, generous, and loyal friend.”

Merlo and her family have lived in Aberdeen for 16 years.

The page says Merlo’s daughter now wants to be a teacher: “By far, Tricia’s greatest blessing was being an amazing mom to her dearest daughter, Catharine. Catharine, 12 years old, is a beautifully talented dancer. Catharine also aspires to become a teacher because she has seen first hand the impact her mother has had on the lives of so many children and their families.”

But this past summer, Merlo was diagnosed with breast cancer, and passed away only a month later.

The page, set up by teaching colleague Anna Bonavita Carissimo, explains, “Tricia was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer this past summer. One short month later, she was tragically taken away from all who loved her. Tricia was devoted to her faith and is now pain-free and at peace with God. In the spirit of education, all contributions to this account will directly be deposited to Catharine Merlo’s college fund, easing the family’s’ financial burdens as they cope with this unimaginable loss in the days, months and years ahead.”

Merlo was 53 years old and taught at Jefferson School.

Her daughter wrote on a memorial page, “I’m going to miss all of my hugs before bed, when I wake up, after getting off stage, and just whenever I wanted one!”

Her obituary can be found here. On the memorial page, a friend wrote, “Jefferson School’s first grade was truly fortunate to have Mrs. Merlo as kind, warm-hearted fabulous teacher!”

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