Alice Virginia Cole of Deran Passes Away at 88

Alice Virginia Cole, an 88-year-old resident of Deran, New Jersey, passed away peacefully in her sleep on October 27, 2026.

A Life Rooted in Precision and Riverside History

Born and raised in Riverside, Cole graduated from Camden Catholic High School and spent the majority of her professional life working as a legal secretary for a law firm. Those who knew her best remember a remarkably sharp, busy, and stubborn in-the-best-way woman whose life was defined by meticulous organization. Her home stood as a testament to that exactness; everything had its place, right down to her carefully folded and stored plastic bags. That same steady precision carried over to her yard work, where she was still cutting her grass with a push mower earlier this summer.

That careful attention translated directly into how she cared for her family. She was a devoted mother to her son Daniel, who is married to Erica Caldarale, and a deeply involved “Mom-Mom” to her grandsons, Matthew and Ryan. She structured her routine around their lives, visiting three to four days a week while Daniel and Erica worked. She met the boys after school, helped with homework, and assisted with dinner preparations.

When bus service from Camden Catholic was discontinued during Matthew’s junior year of high school, Cole stepped in to drive him, navigating routes well outside her comfort zone and even mastering Google Maps to handle unexpected traffic detours. Even after Daniel retired, she continued her visits on the days Erica worked to help ready dinner.

Family gatherings regularly featured her signature dishes, including her deviled eggs and pineapple stuffing, alongside the sloppy joes her son Daniel always welcomed. Beyond her immediate family, Cole shared a 25-year marriage with her late husband, Sunny. Together, the couple traveled the country in their camper, exploring new destinations.

Services and Final Arrangements

Cole is predeceased by her parents, Rudy and Julia Gambacorta, and her husband, Sunny Cole. She is survived by her son Daniel and his wife Erica, her grandsons Matthew and Ryan, her sisters Judy (the late Joe) Cranmer and Jean Gambacorta, and her beloved nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.

A celebration of her life is scheduled for Monday, November 2, from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. at Sweeney Funeral Home in Riverside. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10:30 a.m. at St. Charles Borromeo, located at 2500 Branch Pike in Cinnaminson. Entombment will subsequently take place at St. Peter’s Cemetery in Riverside.