Doris J. Walton

Asbury ParK - Doris J. Walton went home to be with the Lord and her loved ones on May 29, 2018 after a brief illness. She was 87. Born Doris Jeanne O'Keeffe in Plainfield on Sept. 28, 1930, she attended Plainfield High School before meeting Howard Walton, then of Maplewood, on a visit to Olympic Park in Essex County. They married and lived in central New Jersey before moving to the Jersey Shore in 1958. Despite mobility difficulties in her later years, Doris continued to attend Shore Christian Church in downtown Asbury Park, where she shared her love of Jesus and the New York Mets with Pastor Isaac Friedel, and enjoyed the fellowship of his family and the congregation. Doris' family thanks the dedicated staff at Manor by the Sea in Ocean Grove for their care and attention. Doris is predeceased by her husband Howard, who passed away in 2015, also by daughters Lois Ann Walton and Janice Walton D'Elia, her sisters Patricia Ann O'Keeffe Grillo and Ellanor Kathryn O'Keeffe and her sons-in-law Thomas G. Tallent Sr. and David B. Markley. Doris is survived by eight children: Pete Walton of Asbury Park, Carol Walton Markley of Oakhurst, Nancy Walton Donoghue of West Belmar, James H. Walton of Philadelphia, Mary Walton Tallent of West Belmar, Patricia J. Tallent of Neptune City, Tom Davis-Walton of Helmetta, and Christopher J. Walton of Neptune. Also surviving are spouses of her children: Robert A. D'Elia, Alex Donoghue, Meg Sharp Walton, Chuck Tallent, Mearmon B. Davis-Walton and Donna Traylor-Walton. Nineteen grandchildren know her as Nanny: Tim, David, Evan and Jonathan Markley; Amy Tindall; Robert and Matthew D'Elia; Carly Donoghue Kemper; Alex and Brian Donoghue; Tom and Grace Tallent; and Conor, Emma, T.J., JymmeAnne, Lucas, Lois and Lily Walton. Also surviving Doris are three great-grandchildren, Emery Evelyn Ralston, Chiron Tindall and Eli Kemper; two nieces, Kathy Grillo Gibson and Suzan Grillo Moscato; a nephew, Tony Grillo; Esther Kretchmer and family; Margaret "Peg" Finberg; Susan Farnkopf Cobb; Ryan Farnkopf; Coleen Burnett; Anna Bismarck; Tammy Fisk Kanniard and her sons Tanner and Cole; and innumerable friends and admirers. All are welcome to attend a Memorial Service at 11 a.m. on Sat., June 9th. at the First Presbyterian Church of Belmar, 9th Avenue and E Street. Whether attending the memorial or not, the family encourages all to join in an informal repast at the church's fellowship hall beginning at 12:15 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider supporting the work of the Jersey Shore Dream Center or Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Links to both can be found at the732.com/djw along with additional photographs and information. Services are entrusted to Jersey Shore Cremation Service, 36 Broad Street, Manasquan, NJ.