Josephine "Babs" Lazaro, 89

Josephine “Babs” Lazaro (nee: Gillard), of Jersey City, New Jersey passed away on Thursday, December 27, 2012. She was 89 years old.

Babs was born to Joseph and Muriel Gillard in Howrah, near Kolkata (formerly
Calcutta), in the province of West Bengal, India on July 18, 1923. She lost her mother when she was 4 years old. During World War II, Babs was active in the Women’s Auxiliary Corps (India) and worked as a masseuse and hairdresser in Calcutta.

She was then recruited by Rev. Cecil Chamberlain, S.J. to work in administration at Nazareth Hospital in Mokama, Bihar Province, India, where she met and married the late Dr. Eric Lazaro in 1949. Babs later worked as a teacher at the Nazareth Academy in Gaya, also in Bihar Province, India.

In 1950, thanks to the Sisters of Charity, they moved to Washington, D.C., where their three children were born, while Eric pursued advanced medical training at Georgetown University Medical School. In 1957, they went back to India for 5 years thanks to a Rockerfeller Grant that placed Eric at a new hospital in New Delhi, finally settling in Jersey City in 1962.

In the ensuing 50 years in Jersey City, Babs raised a family and then worked for over 20 years as a receptionist at St Peter Hall Jesuit residence of St Peter’s College. When she retired she received the Cross Keys of the College in honor of her years of outstanding service. Babs and Eric were active parishioners of the St. Aloysius Church.

Babs is survived by her three children, Erica Lazaro, L.Ac., of Takoma Park, Maryland, Peter Lazaro (wife Marie) of Bedford, NY and Thomas Martin Lazaro (wife Alida) of Jersey City, and five grand-children, Elvy, Nicolas, Andrew, Victoria and Eric, Jr. Babs is also survived by her brother Louis of Oshawa, Ontario, Canada and her sister Marguerite of Whitby, Ontario, Canada. She was predeceased by her younger sister Marie Fernandez of Dover, New Jersey, and by her siblings Ivan and Marie Gillard of Howrah, India.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend the funeral on Saturday, January 5, 2012 at 9:00 a.m. at the funeral home. Mass of Christian Burial: 10:00 a.m. at St. Aloysius R.C. Church, Jersey City. Interment will follow at Holy Cross
Cemetery, North Arlington, New Jersey. Visiting on Friday, from 2:00 to 4:00 and 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, kindly contribute to a fund in memory of Babs (Josephine) Lazaro for a remembrance in the St. Peter’s University MacMahon Student Center. Details available atEvergreen Funeral Home, Inc.,(201) 333-7171.