Patricia Mary Bender Trego
12/10/1954 - 11/22/2018

Patricia (Tricia) Mary Bender Trego, 63, of Spring Lake, NJ passed away peacefully at home on Thanksgiving, November 22, 2018. Born in Elizabeth, NJ on December 11th, 1954 to John (deceased) and Margaret Stevens Bender, Tricia graduated from Oak Knoll School and went on to receive Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Education from Seton Hall University. She was married to William D. Trego, III on September 18, 1982.

Tricia was a member of the St. Elizabeth’s and St. Brigid’s Church in Peapack, where she participated in the food drive.

Tricia was a born teacher. She committed her professional life to teaching English as a Second Language and French in the New Jersey public school system for almost 30 years.  Tricia was known to turn any place or situation into a classroom. Quite literally, she was forced to use a hallway as a classroom during budget cuts at her school, and she fondly reflected on that time saying, “I considered myself lucky to be in the hallway as it presented real life opportunities for instruction as opposed to distractions.”
 Aunt Tricia’s biggest fans were her fourteen nieces and nephews and sixteen grand nieces and grand nephews.  She held the well deserved title of “The Most Fun Aunt” and was always the master of games, activities, arts & crafts, puppet shows, and comedy routines.  She made it her life’s duty to keep her family and everyone around her laughing and entertained! Tricia was an author of cookbooks, an incredibly talented poet, and would create a beautiful and witty lyric for any special occasion.

Tricia is survived by her husband Bill, Mother, Margaret, and three Godchildren, Erin, Teddy, and Matt.  She is also survived by her siblings Nancy (Joe) Leone, John Bender, Alice (Todd) Gibbons, and Peggy (Ray) Gillen and her nieces and nephews: Christian, Tara, Courtney, Jeffrey, Ryan, Kristine, Bridget, Andi, Lara, Tommy, and Trevor as well as her sixteen grand nieces and nephews and her dear friends Shirley, Mary, Rose and Noelia.

 Family and friends will be received from 5-9 p.m. on Monday at Bradley, Smith & Smith Funeral Home, 415 Morris Ave. in Springfield, New Jersey.

 Tricia’s wonderful spirit, joy, and life will be celebrated with a funeral Mass at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, November 27, 2018 at St. Rose of Lima Church, 50 Short Hills Ave, Short Hills, NJ. Interment will follow at Rosedale Cemetery in Linden.

     In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Tricia can be made to the Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child Scholarship fund by visiting www.oakknoll.org/give .  For more info, or to send condolences, visit www.www.bradleyfuneralhomes.com

 

 

 


Funeral Home:
Bradley, Smith & Smith Funeral Home
Visitation Hours:
There will be a visitation on Monday, November 26, 2018 from 5pm-9pm at the Bradley, Smith & Smith Funeral Home, 415 Morris Avenue in Springfield, New Jersey.
Funeral:
There will be a Funeral Mass celebrated on Tuesday, November 27, 2018 at 10am at St. Rose of Lima Church, in Short Hills, New Jersey.
Committal:
Interment will take place at Rosedale Cemetery in Linden, New Jersey.
Memorial Gifts:
Contributions in memory of Tricia may be made to the Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child Scholarship Fund. Please send checks to Cynthia Prewitt, Advancement Office, Oak Knoll School, 44 Blackburn Rd., Summit, NJ 07901. In memo of the check, please write "In Memory of Tricia Bender Trego '73. Or, you may visit www.oakknoll.org/give
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