Donald Eric Caroli

Donald Eric Caroli passed away surrounded by family on Saturday, September 7, 2024. He was 90 years old.

Don was born in Brooklyn on May 29, 1934 to parents Alma and John Caroli. He grew up in Keyport, NJ. Don served in the Army as a typist, stationed overseas in Germany during the Korean War. He married his first wife and mother of his three children while working at Lavoie Laboratories. Don attended Kean College and Monmouth College, completing educational and counseling degrees. After graduating, he was an elementary public school teacher for a number of years before becoming part of the Child Study Team in the Old Bridge Township School District.

Early in his days on the Child Study Team, he met his second wife, Alice Loffredo. Alice quickly became a life partner and they married about a decade later. Alice and Don built a life together and he helped raise two step-daughters with her. Don pursued a variety of career and personal life goals with Alice’s support.

Don’s work on the child study team, connecting with the families of children who struggled in school, inspired his next career as a marriage and family therapist, working with families of at-risk youth. After obtaining his Masters from Seton Hall University and retiring from the Old Bridge Township School District, he worked with various agencies that helped struggling families. Don was proud of the work he did with the kids, helping the adolescents stay in school, find jobs, get to the prom, and graduate. Not only did he help the children, Don made house calls in all parts of Monmouth County, working with parents, putting endless miles on his car each week.

In addition to his family, Don had many passions, including reading books and the New York Times, mindfulness and yoga, long walks with Alice, psychodrama, traveling and going on cruises, running, and vanilla malted milkshakes. He had a deep appreciation for a diverse set of places, including vibrant New York City, quaint Ocean Grove, their garden in Freehold, and the peace of the mountains. Don was known as a generous, funny, progressive, open-minded man with a deep-seated sense of social justice.

Don was predeceased by his son who shared his name, his sister Sue, his brother Jack, and his wife Alice Loffredo. He is survived by his daughters, Suzette Woten and Lynn Rapp, his step-daughters, Sasha Loffredo and Nikki Loffredo, seven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and his sister Mary Jane Mathis.

His family will host a small gathering in celebration of their father’s life at 11:30 am on Tuesday, September 17, 2024 at the American Hotel in Freehold.

In lieu of flowers, anyone wishing to honor Don can make a donation in his name to a place that was near and dear to his heart: the Monmouth County YMCA, in particular the Counseling and Social Services Program (https://ymcanj.org/locations/counseling-social-services/) or any charity of their choice.

Services are entrusted to Jersey Shore Cremation, 43 Taylor Avenue, Manasquan, NJ.