Carmen J. Pirillo passed away on Friday, May 18, 2018 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at Rahway. He was 71 years old.

Born Pittston, PA, he resided in Jersey City before moving to the Avenel section of Woodbridge Township 41 years ago.

Mr. Pirillo was employed as an engineer and switchman with the Port Authourity Trans Hudson system for 42 years before retiring in 2008.

He was a communicant of Saint Andrew Catholic Church in Avenel, a United States Army veteran, third degree member and past Grand Knight at Saint Andrew Council 5088, Knights of Columbus, and was also a fourth degree member of Rev. John J. Griffith General Assembly and belonged Lake Island Rifle and Pistol Club.

In his youth, Carmen was a Boy Scout and played baseball for the Blue Jays, a team coached by his mother. He also coached the younger children at Holy Rosary Church, bowled in High School and played guitar in a band with close friends at local parties.

A kind, loving and gentle man, he will be forever missed by his beloved family, Mildred Trapanese Pirillo, his wife of 49 years ; daughter, Melissa LaFalce and her husband, Joseph, of Avenel; mother in law, Mildred Trapanese, of Jersey City; Josephine Pirillo of Toms River; grandchildren, Francesca Eleanore Iorio, Taylor Marie LaFalce and Carmen Joseph LaFalce; and children of the heart, Paula and Brittany Forlano.

Visitation for family and friends will be held on Thursday, May 24, 2018 from 4:00 until 8:00 p.m. at Costello-Koyen Funeral Home (costello-koyen.com), 399 Avenel Street, Avenel, NJ. Funeral services will be on Friday morning at 9:00 a.m. from the funeral home, followed at 9:30 a.m. with a Mass of Resurrection at Saint Andrew Catholic Church, Avenel. Interment will be in Saint Gertrude Cemetery, Colonia.

In lieu of flowers contributions to Make-A-Wish, New Jersey (nj.wish.org), 1347 Perrineville Road, Monroe Township, NJ 08831 in Carmen's memory would be greatly appreciated by his family.