Joseph Galaro Jr., 67, of Holmdel, died July 25, 2026, after a courageous battle with cancer. He passed away peacefully at home surrounded by the love of his family.
Joe was born in Jersey City to the late Delores and Joseph Galaro. At an early age, his family moved to Parlin, where he was raised. Joe graduated from Sayreville High School, then attended Rutgers University College of Engineering, where he earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees in electrical engineering; he later earned his Professional Engineer (P.E.) License.
He and his wife Linda married and began their family in Parlin before moving to Holmdel in 1997. Joe began his professional career at Lockheed Electronics working on advanced digital hardware systems, before moving to Bell Laboratories, where he worked as a research and development hardware engineer on advanced telecommunications projects. He remained through various corporate reorganizations, eventually retiring from Nokia Bell Labs.
Joe was also a licensed master electrician and the proud owner of Blue Arc Electric, LLC – a business his family lovingly referred to as his hobby.
Joe was an active presence in his community and in the lives of his friends and relatives. He was always ready to lend a helping hand and was known for his selflessness, unwavering positivity, and his oft-repeated declaration that he could fix anything.
Joe designed, fixed and improved everything around his home with his own hands and with a creative spirit. He cherished time with his family and close friends, especially time spent with his granddaughters. Whether swimming, camping, fishing, skiing or biking, he found joy in sharing life’s adventures with those he loved. He could often be found at the beach or immersed in one of his many hobbies, including cooking, winemaking and stained glass.
Above all, Joe loved exploring the country’s National Parks and traveling the world alongside his beloved wife, Linda.
Joe was predeceased by his parents. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Linda Galaro; children Joseph and his wife Alyssa Galaro of Ellicott City, Maryland, and Katherine Galaro and her husband Richard Stetson of Woodbury Heights; grandchildren Amara, Adeline and Annabelle; and many loving nieces, nephews, cousins and close friends.
A visitation was held from 4 to 8 p.m. July 31 at the Holmdel Funeral Home, 26 South Holmdel Road, Holmdel. A funeral service will be privately held. In lieu of traditional remembrances or flowers, Joe’s family asks with gratitude that donations in his memory be made to Johns Hopkins Medicine Liver Cancer Research at pathology.jhu.edu/liver-cancer/donate and/or the National Park Foundation at give.nationalparks.org.
For messages of condolences or to share a favorite memory of Joe, please visit his page of tribute at holmdelfuneralhome.com.
The article originally appeared in the August 6 – 12, 2026 print edition of The Two River Times.
