Carmela Garthwait née Gambacorto, 87, of Red Bank, passed away peacefully Dec. 18, 2025, surrounded by family.
She was born Oct. 6, 1938, in Long Branch to the late Tina and James Gambacorto Sr. Carmela was raised in Red Bank and graduated from Red Bank Catholic in 1956 before working for NJ Bell. Later, she became a renowned professional seamstress while devoting most of her time to her children.
Carmela and her husband Eldon lived in Lincroft for over 45 years.
Carmela is survived by Eldon; her children, Sharon Widmaier, Susan (Bruce) Morford, and Debra (Otschir) Unkow; her brother James Gambacorto Jr.; and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Carmela cherished her time with her family, but especially with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Aside from family time, Carmela served the community with her talents as a seamstress and also perfected the art of knitting, cross-stitching and crocheting.
Despite her early diagnoses and battles with various health issues, Carmela persevered and continued to craft, bringing her talents into people’s homes, special occasions and meaningful events, creating unforgettable moments for all who knew her. Her meticulous attention to detail and her ability to craft immaculate personalized keepsakes was truly a gift.
A memorial visitation and prayer service were held Dec. 28, 2025, at Thompson Memorial Home, Red Bank. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society at cancer.org.
The article originally appeared in the January 1 – 7, 2026 print edition of The Two River Times.
