James R. Canaley

James R. Canaley, 85, passed away on Saturday, September 18, 2021, in Southern Ocean Medical Center, Stafford Township, NJ.

Relatives and friends are invited to visit the Thiele-Reid Family Funeral Home, 585 Belgrove Drive, Kearny, NJ on Tuesday, Sept. 21 from 3 to 7 p.m. The funeral service will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 22 in the First Presbyterian Church of Arlington, 663 Kearny Avenue, Kearny at 10:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington, NJ. Face coverings are strongly encouraged at the visitation and funeral.

Born in Newark, NJ, James was raised in North Arlington and later moved to Kearny in 1963. He left Kearny in 1999 moving to Stafford Township.

Mr. Canaley graduated from North Arlington High School and later earned his B.S. in Education from Seton Hall University. He began his teaching career as a teacher at St. Bridget’s in Jersey City, NJ. He then earned his Master in Speech Pathology from Seton Hall University and began teaching for the Mount Laurel Guild in Newark, NJ. James then became the Director of Special Services for the Pascack Valley Board of Education in Montvale, NJ. Four years later Mr. Canaley became the Director of Special Services for the Kearny Board of Education where he worked for twenty-nine years before retiring in 1999.

James was a former Elder at the First Presbyterian Church of Arlington and a Past President of the New Jersey Speech and Hearing Association.

He is survived by his wife, Georgene (nee Mitchell) Canaley, three children, Kerrith Fearon and her husband Brian, Kristin Leadbeater and her husband, Robert and Kevin Canaley, and his wife Valerie. He was the beloved grandfather of Collin and Catherine Canaley, Tyler Fearon, and Charlotte Leadbeater.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Kearny Food Pantry Network at the First Presbyterian Church of Arlington, 663 Kearny Avenue, Kearny, NJ 07032

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of James R. Canaley, please visit our floral store.