Jenni Carlock, 55, of Port Reading, NJ, passed away on Friday, June 26, 2020, at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, NJ after a valiant 5+ year battle with Alpha-1, including two separate double lung transplants.

Jenni was born on August 21, 1964, the oldest of 3 siblings, to the late Johanna P. McDonald and the late Allen W. Carlock, Sr. After spending most of her adolescence in Port Reading, NJ, Jenni moved to Bayonne, NJ for a few years before settling in Sewaren, NJ for 18 years, until her most recent move back to her beloved Port Reading, NJ in 2018 where she lived until her passing.

Jenni's passion, her drive, and what made her happy was working as a Registered Nurse. Jenni's career in the health care field began as an EMT for Jersey City Medical Center, where she made lifelong friends. It was during this time that she went to school to receive her RN Nursing Diploma from Christ Hospital School of Nursing in 1995, and then her BSN in 2000 from New Jersey University Jersey City. She continued at Jersey City Medical Center as an Emergency Room RN, along with a few other career-stops along the way, but her happiest time was when she worked as a Director of Marketing and Case Management at Alameda Center for Rehabilitation & Healthcare, Perth Amboy. Jenni also loved to teach and was thrilled to serve as an instructor at Universal Training Institute as a LPN instructor and as an Infusion RN at Acute Care Experts last working days prior to her passing.

Jenni knew what she wanted, and she never hesitated to take action which led to many wonderful success stories and some trips and falls, but this never stopped Jenni from getting back up and trying again. She did it her way.

Jenni is survived by her sister and best friend, Susan (Carlock) Curtis; brother, Allen Carlock; aunts and uncles, Jean and John Petschauer, Gloria Lassend, Rosemary McClusky; sisters-in-law, Tracy Zalewski and Donna Carlock; Cousins Mike, Diana, Dawn, Gee, Jennifer, Roberto, Juan, and Kirk; nieces and nephews, Matthew, Kassie, Allen Ray, Carlee, Alana, Logan; and 3 great nieces/nephews. Jenni is also survived by her lifelong friends, including Joanie, Millie, Debbie, Junel, Diane to name a few.

A special thanks to Newark Beth Israel Medical Center whose nurses and doctors made Jenni very comfortable in her last days and stood by Jenni throughout her double lung transplants.

Services and a celebration of Jenni's life will be held on Tuesday, June 30, 2020 from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Costello-Greiner Funeral Home, 44 Green Street (at Barron Avenue), Woodbridge. Entombment will be private at Woodbridge Memorial Gardens, Woodbridge.

In lieu of flowers contributions to Alpha-1 Foundation (alpha1.org) in Jenni's memory would be greatly appreciated.