Caroline Cattani (née Mancini), 98, of Aberdeen, NJ, passed away peacefully on September 16, 2026, in Holmdel, NJ.

Caroline was a loving mother, grandmother, aunt, sister, and friend. To many children whom she always referred to as “my kids,” she was a beloved teacher at St. Joseph School in Keyport, NJ. She cared deeply for her family, friends, and every child whose education was entrusted to her.

Born on May 7, 1928, in Trenton, NJ, to Mary and Albert Mancini, Caroline’s life was grounded in her deep Catholic faith, love of family, and commitment to living in service to others.  She was an active parishioner at St. Benedict Roman Catholic Church in Holmdel, where she served on the Parish Council for many years as the head of education, planning all CCD and adult education programs. She also brought comfort to others through her role as a bereavement minister and started the Prayer Shawl Ministry at St. Benedict. Additionally, Caroline was a Eucharistic Minister for many years, bringing faith and comfort to those who were sick or homebound. She deeply treasured the close friendships she found through her ministry work.

Caroline was a ‘woman before her time.’ A child during the Great Depression and World War II, and the oldest of five children, she learned to be happy with what she had but always kept her sights set on her future. She excelled in school, graduating from Trenton High School in 1946 as a member of the National Honor Society and honored with the American Legion Award for service, scholarship, and citizenship. She went on to Temple University, graduating in 1950 with a BA in Economics, being the first in her family to do so and earning every cent of her tuition through her summer job at the Campbell Soup Company in Camden, NJ. In 1956, Caroline became the Training Manager at RCA and moved to an apartment in New York City. It was at RCA that she met the love of her life, who would become her husband of 50 years, Eugene (Gene) Cattani, Sr.

Their growing family led Caroline, Gene, and their two children to Aberdeen, NJ in 1963, at which time she decided to leave her job at RCA to be a full-time mother. After the birth of her third child in 1973, Caroline began a second career as a teacher; first teaching reading at St. Benedict School, then 2nd and 3rd grades at St. Joseph School, where she spent 25 years and was awarded Teacher of the Year.

Caroline was a devoted sister to her four siblings, a loving mother of three, and an extremely proud grandmother of four. She was predeceased by her parents, her sisters Eileen Koch and Marie Hall, and her loving husband, Eugene Cattani, Sr. She is survived by her siblings: Albert Mancini and his wife MaryAnn, and Lorraine Holroyd; her children: Mary and her husband John, Eugene and his wife Nancy, and Katherine; her grandchildren: Kelly, Emma and her husband Geoffrey, Christina, and Meghan; as well as many beloved nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, September 22 from 4pm to 8pm at the Holmdel Funeral Home, 26 South Holmdel Road, Holmdel, NJ 07733.   Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 10am, Wednesday, September 23 at St Benedict’s RC Church, 165 Bethany Road, Holmdel, NJ 07733.  Burial will follow at Holmdel Cemetery & Mausoleum, Holmdel.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the St. Vincent DePaul Society at https://ssvpusa.org/.