Lois R. Corbo

Lois Ruth Corbo, who had just celebrated her 96th birthday, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, February 25th, after a long and magical life. She was born on January 20, 1930, in Newark, New Jersey, to Marie and Charles Corbo. After her father died when she was five, Lois, her sister Gloria, and their mother moved to Kearny to live with her maternal grandmother, Carmela Ditrolio. They settled into the house on Kearny Avenue that her grandfather had built, and the family remained there together until her mother’s death in 1997. As a young adult, Lois was active in a ski club and a church social group, where she made friends who remained important to her throughout her life. Lois attended Upsala College for two years, where she majored in English and minored in History. She hoped to continue her studies, but as World War II veterans returned home, classroom space was increasingly reserved for GI Bill students, and she could no longer get the courses she needed. With encouragement from her grandmother Carmela, who persuaded her mother that it was the right next step, Lois enrolled in secretarial school. She chose Berkeley School over Katherine Gibbs because Katherine Gibbs required students to wear hats and gloves, which she deemed unnecessary. Lois spent 42 years with the Home Insurance Company in New York City, where she served as Secretary to the Board. For decades she made the daily commute from Kearny in her pumps, maintaining the polished appearance she valued. She never quite understood the sneaker‑commuter trend when it arrived, preferring to stay true to her own sense of style. Growing up, Lois’s best friend, Beadie Dukes, lived next door. The Dukes family invited Lois to spend summers with them at their home on the Niantic River in Connecticut. Those summers became some of the happiest times of her youth and sparked her lifelong love of sailing and boats. One summer, the Dukes’ neighbors hosted a party attended by actor Tyrone Power and his wife Annabella. Lois and Beadie were thrilled to meet them and never forgot the moment. Lois took great care with her appearance. She dressed fashionably, touched up her makeup throughout the day, and loved wearing her necklaces, rings, and bracelets. Friends and family often recall that you could hear her coming by the gentle jingling of her bracelets. She was also known for expressing her opinions—directly and clearly—which those close to her appreciated as part of her honesty and character. She loved decorating for Christmas, always creating magical villages and beautifully adorned Christmas trees that filled her home with warmth and sparkle. After their mother Marie passed away, Lois and Gloria moved to their home in Wall Township, where they made many new friends and became part of a close community. In 2014, they moved to Seabrook Village in Tinton Falls, where they lived until their passing. Music was another steady part of Lois’s life. She sang in several choirs, including performances at The Great Auditorium in Ocean Grove, New Jersey. In her later years, she especially enjoyed sitting on the Ocean Grove boardwalk and watching the boats on the water, a quiet pleasure that connected her back to her Niantic River summers. One of Lois’s favorite outings was the annual family trip to Radio City Music Hall to see the Rockettes and the Christmas Spectacular. The show was always followed by a family‑style Italian luncheon at Tony’s DiNapoli, a tradition she looked forward to each year. Lois was predeceased by her parents and by her sister Gloria. She is survived by her nieces Gail Lavalette (Gordon), Suzanne Fallo (Bob), and Carol Barker (Pete Demers), and by her grand‑nieces and grand‑nephews Alyssa (Gehrig), Matthew, Robert, Jack, Eric (Alexandra), Abby, and Grace. Lois lived her life with an appreciation for beauty and the enjoyment of making memories with friends and family. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Now & Forever Fund of the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association. Services and burial will be private.

Lois R. Corbo

January 20, 1930 - February 25, 2026