Obituary of Bertha B Shuhala

Bertha B. Shuhala, age 96, passed away peacefully on June 3, 2023, in Hillsborough, NJ at All American Assisted Living.

Bertha is survived by her daughters, Cathy Ryan, Janis Gallagher, son-in law Wayne Gallagher, grandchildren, Patrick Ryan, Daniel Ryan, Kimberly Gallagher, William Gallagher, great grandchildren, Carly Metcalfe and Jason Metcalfe and her beloved sister, Dolores McGee.

Predeceased by husband, William Shuhala (1980), sisters, Elizabeth (Betty) Kalock, Emma Cioffi, Ethel Moretti and brothers Steven Shuba and Frank Shuba Jr.

Bertha was born, a Hungarian coalminer’s daughter, on October 8, 1926, in United (Mt. Pleasant), PA to Frank Shuba Sr. and Julia (Mihok) Shuba Sr.

Julia, her mother, married Frank and became an instant step-mother of five even before Bertha was born. Life during the Great Depression was hard in coal country. At the age of 9, her father died of respiratory issues, and shortly thereafter, her baby sister, Delores, was born. After her mother remarried, Bertha moved east at the age of 15 to look for employment. She initially lived with her sister, Emma, in New York, and later with sister, Betty in Newark, NJ. Bertha had numerous jobs available to young women of the day, but she worked in a local sewing factory for much of WW II. 

While in Newark, at the age of 20, she met the love of her life, William (Bill) Shuhala.

Bill was recently discharged from the Army after serving in both the European and Pacific theaters. Bill was employed as a truck driver (a job he loved) for his entire working career.  

Bertha and Bill married in May 1949 and lived in Bridgewater and Newark before purchasing a home in Middlesex in 1955. Bertha and Bill raised their family in Middlesex, and Bertha lived in that same home for 64 years.

After her husbands, passing in 1980, Bertha earned her GED and was employed at L’Oreal Cosmetics in Somerset until her retirement.  

Bertha enjoyed her family, the community pool, riding her bike, walks to the lake, yard work, Mets baseball, trips to Atlantic City, visiting Florida with her sister and bingo.

Cremation services will be held privately under the direction of the Middlesex Funeral Home

Memorial donations may be made to:

Senior Meal Program of Middlesex County

Office of Aging & Disabled Services

75 Bayard Street, 5th floor

New Brunswick, NJ 08901

Or,

Middlesex Boro Rescue Squad

1400 Mountain Ave

Middlesex, NJ 08846

(732) 469-4909