Carri-Lynn (Kociolek) Primavera

Carri-Lynn Marie Primavera (née Kociolek) beloved wife, mother, daughter, and sister went home to God on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, at Complete Care Summit Ridge, West Orange, NJ.  Carri was 50 yrs old. 

The funeral will be from the Thiele-Reid Family Funeral Home, 585 Belgrove Drive, Kearny, NJ on Wednesday, April 20 at 9:00 a.m. The Funeral Mass will be offered in St. Stephen’s Church, Kearny at 10:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington, NJ. Relatives and friends are invited to visit with the family at the funeral home on Tuesday, April 19 from 4 to 8 p.m.

Carri is predeceased by her Mother Mary Katz, Uncle Bobby Kociolek, Brother-in-law Johnny Basciano, and Father-in-law Frank Primavera. 

She is survived by her loving husband Eric Joseph, sons Eric Francis and Andrew Joseph, father Joseph Kociolek, brother Joey Kociolek and family. She is also mourned by many more family members including her Step Dad Steven Katz & sister Rachel Katz, her Aunt Issy Ferrulli & family, her Uncle Butchie Grzegorzewski & family, her Mother- and Father-in-law Sandy and Joe Verdino, Mother-in-Law Bonnie Primavera, Sister in Law Lisa Primavera and sons, Brother-in-Law David Emmanuel and family, and many more extended family and friends. 

Carri-Lynn was born on July 18, 1971, in Sumter South Carolina, and has lived in Kearny for most of her life.  The lives that she touched during her time with us are countless. Carri was the epitome of the purest form of love, sensitivity, caring, acceptance and faith. She devoted her life to God and her family alike. Carri was selfless, always giving of herself, helpful to anyone and everyone, and all who were fortunate enough to know her, consider her to be a walking angel. “Too good for this earth” is the common response of her loved ones and it’s no secret that she was one of the most special people to walk this earth.  

Growing up, Carri- nicknamed “little one” by her father- was a lover of animals, music, dance, and God. She had a ferret named Trixie, studied dance throughout high school and college, and always attended church. In her teenage years, she quickly became a role model to her younger family members primarily her female cousins. All aspiring to be like Carri, as she set the bar so high as someone filled with love, confidence, passion, vision, and talent. “Queen of the 80s” or “Dancing Queen” is how she was referred by her younger admirers primarily for her sense of style, her love of music, and the constant replaying of ABBA’s Dancing Queen. 

In her 20s, Carri attended and graduated from Montclair State University with her bachelor's of science. During these years she was described as happy, quirky, headstrong, loyal to those she loved, and even sentimental as she had a long crying session when getting rid of her first car, a maroon Saturn along with all of the memories it had given her. 

Carri was a lifelong cherished friend to so many. She is described as extremely unselfish, always putting others before herself, never judgmental, and always welcoming to new people. Her closest friends say she is the kindest one in her friend group, would go out of her way for anyone, and this is the reason she is held in such high regard. Carri always had a positive spirit, she was always happy, funny and even her sarcasm had a child-like cutesy innocence to it. Standing at barely 5 feet tall Carri always told it like it was with zero fear as if she were over 6 feet tall. Her friends and family love her most for that. 

In 1995, Carri met the love of her life, Eric Joseph Primavera, at a local watering hole. Eric had just happened to be there with his family and if he wasn’t careful his grandfather may have gotten Carri first! His grandfather asked Carri to dance before Eric could muster up the courage. Having a reputation for being cold and blowing off every man that approached her, Eric still took his chances to woo Carri and this is where their love story began. On their first date, Eric got in a bit of legal trouble and Carri never left his side. It was the very next day that Eric started saving for an engagement ring and told his family “this is the girl I’m going to marry”. She is described by her husband as “his queen and the purest person on the planet”. 

On May 22, 1999, Eric and Carri were married, and in 2001 Carri became a mother and this is where her love deepened as if that were even possible. Her two sons Eric Francis and Andrew Joseph (AJ) describe her as the perfect mother. She opened her home to all of their friends and became a second mom to so many. Everyone loved Carri, and though she often barged in bearing snacks and treats she was the perfect balance of caring/annoying mom to her boys. She often obsessed about them, gave them everything they could ever want or need, even preparing elaborate breakfasts before school when most would pour a bowl of cereal. As a mother, she set the bar that many could barely touch. “She was the best person in the world and I’m so grateful that she got to be my mom,” says Eric. “She did everything for us, could clean the entire house in one day, and no one cooked better than her. She was just the best person to ever live,” says AJ.

Carri loved her family more than anything. The idea of everyone being together got her giddy. She hosted holiday dinners several times a year, stressed every detail, consulted with her dad on traditional Polish recipes, stressed some more, and never had less than 25 people at her table to celebrate. She invited anyone and everyone into her home, no questions asked and welcomed them in as family.  As tragedy struck her family one after the other, Carri always stepped up to be the caretaker for all involved. She chauffeured to doctor visits, cooked, cleaned, made herself available at all times, and never complained. Everyone in her family refers to her as “the glue” that held everyone together. Her loving caring nature will be missed by so many. 

Carri thrived for 30 years as a woman of many hats at Environment Equipment Repair LLC. With no official job title, because she did almost everything, she is described more importantly as the “beautiful right hand” of her boss Steven Sgroi.  

For four years Carri was a valued member of a women's fitness community. She welcomed new members on their first day, helped others struggling with their form and often made everyone laugh as she regularly liked to complain about the workouts while doing them. In 2020 she earned the “Excessive Whining Award” during an anniversary dinner. She wore this badge proudly and told every newcomer that she was just honoring her award when she complains. As much as she complained she never let up, she attended classes and exercised regularly, often 3x a week, all while talking about desserts and cake. Her community is devastated by this loss of such a beautiful, kind, wonderful person. 

Carri’s other love was simple things like food, especially pumpkin spice, and anything labeled dessert. She loved cake and cookies and anything sweet was her weakness. When baking her popular holiday cheesecakes, Carri often snuck a few bites eating directly from the center of the cake, only to cover the hole with extra topping hoping that no one would notice. She loved Olaf from the movie Frozen and celebrated her Christmas lawn blow-up decoration, along with her giant Olaf mural painted as a gift in her backyard.   

There are so many more things to say about Carri-Lynn. Her endless love, her beautiful bright light of cheer, and her overly helpful and caring nature will be missed by all of us. Those who love her know she will always be with us. Carri would surely ask you to go to mass or pray the Rosary for her soul and her family, and not to stop.

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