Philip M. Cerria of Lakewood passed away on Saturday, February 1, 2020 at Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune. He was 85 years old

Born in Hoboken, NJ: He resided in Iselin for 43 years before moving to Lakewood in 2005.

He earned his bachelor's degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University and served in United States Navy during the Korea War.

Mr. Cerria was the General Manager for Interstate Grocery Trucking in North Bergen.

Mr. Cerria was a communicant of Saint Dominic Catholic Church in Brick and a former communicant of Saint Cecelia's Catholic Church in Iselin where he was very active and served as an extraordinary minister and lecturer; He was a Past Vice-President of The St. Cecelia's Golden Knights, a member of The American Legion Post #471 in Iselin, The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post#2536 and a member and Past Grand Knight for St. Cecelia's Knights of Columbus Council #3639.

Mr. Cerria served on the Woodbridge Municipal Council from 1974 until 1983 when he was elected Mayor of Woodbridge Township and served from 1983 until 1987; He was the Municipal Clerk for Woodbridge Township from 1991 until 2000.

He was predeceased by his wife of 64 years Margaret R. Cerria; and his parents Francis and Anna Romano Cerria.

Surviving are his three children, Margaret Truppa and her husband, Louis, of Iselin, Charles Cerria and his wife, Jill, of Iselin and Philip Cerria and his wife, Judy, of Marlton; a brother Patrick Cerria of Annandale, NJ ; grandchildren, Louis Philip Truppa IV, Philip-Robert Cerria, Andrew Cerria, Peter Cerria, Gina Cerria Rosenzweig and husband Jason Rosenzweig, Charles Cerria, Jr. and his wife Maggie Cerria and Christian Cerria and his wife Pamela Cerria; great-grandchildren, Anna Cerria, Ella Cerria, Mia Cerria, Charles Cerria III, Jake Rosenzweig, Josh Rosenzweig and Max Rosenzweig.

Funeral services will take place on Saturday, February 8, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. from Costello-Greiner Funeral Home ( www.costello-greiner.com ), 44 Green Street at Barron Avenue, Woodbridge.  A Funeral Liturgy will follow at 11:00 a.m. at Saint Cecelia's Catholic Church, Iselin. Entombment will be Private. Visiting hours for family and friends will be on Friday, February 7, 2020 from 3:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers contributions to the American Heart Association ( www.heart.org ) in Mr. Cerria's memory would be greatly appreciated by his family.