Eileen Asermily, 86, died peacefully on Saturday November 5, 2022 due to her escalated medical conditions. She was devoted to her Roman Catholic faith and St. Joseph, the namesake of her husband and youngest child, who assisted in nursing her while family members stayed and visited in her final hours. Born June 2, 1936, in Jersey City to John and Jeanette (Gross) Budin, Eileen resided in North Bergen and had fond memories of early childhood spent at her grandfather’s basement shell button factory and the family cottage on the Keansburg NJ shore. She graduated from high school a spirited student and tomboy playing basketball with the three “Joes,” one of whom she would come to wed. Eileen and her brother Kenneth were cared for by Alvi and the extended Budin family after Jeanette died suddenly when she was 11. John remarried in 1948 to Anna and moved the family to Fort Lee New Jersey in 1957. Eileen worked at Hudson County Bank as a clerk and got her RN from Holy Name School of Nursing Teaneck in 1958, the same year she married Joe, her high school sweetheart. Eileen and Joe resided near Kennedy Boulevard in North Bergen and Joe ran Asermily’s Meat Market in Union City. She made the salads for the market and learned Syrian cooking from his parents who lived above them. The family moved to Wayne where Eileen raised her five children born within seven years and enjoyed tennis and bridge. They eventually sold Asermily’s Meat Market and moved the family to Awosting (West Milford) in 1972 where they operated Lakeside Inn. All the children worked in the restaurant. They sold the business as their children entered college. She returned to full time operating room nursing at Holy Name Hospital where she was fondly know as gma or grandma and mentored many rising nurses. Fittingly, many of her children and grandchildren followed her in entering the medical profession. Some of her first grandchildren would be born by the same Holy Name practice that delivered her children, completing a circle of life.
Deeply active with Queen of Peace Church, Eileen joined its Cornerstone Sisters and Rosarian Society, attended several religious retreats, visited the Holy Land, helped with annual fairs and delivered the host at services and to the nursing home where she worked earlier in her career.
Eileen’s strong will and voice made her a force. Her sharp mind qualified her for higher medical profession callings. She readily challenged what seemed unreasonable to her. She advocated fiercely for her children and others to have good lives insisting they complete college and attend church. She sewed beautifully and outfitted her family with splendid Easter attire. She organized giant birthday parties and Thanksgiving feasts replete with penny poker. She adored dogs and supported extra curricular activities for her children. She triaged life’s problems with you for endless hours with deep listening.
Eileen is survived by her five children, Laura Asermily of Middlebury VT, David Asermily and his wife Laurie of Geneva NY, Sandy Gross and her husband Glenn of Hewitt NJ, Sharon Wornick and her husband Tom of Akron NY, Joe Asermily and his wife Lynn of Spencerport NY, 14 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren and additional family and friends. She was predeceased by her husband Joe and parents and stepmother and her brother. Donations can be made to Queen of Peace Church (1911 Union Valley Rd Hewitt NJ 07421) and Holy Name Hospital (718 Teaneck Rd Teaneck NJ 07666).
A memorial service will be held at Queen of Peace Church on Wednesday Nov. 16 at 10:30 a.m. and the internment of her ashes at the gravesite of her husband following it.