Yolanda “Cookie” Callaghan (nee Bodnar), 92 of Kearny passed away on November 4, 2026.
Funeral services are pending.
Born in Newark, Yolanda was a lifelong Kearny resident. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, she was a dedicated home maker. Yolanda, affectionately known as Cookie, enjoyed time spent making crafts, especially embroidering, drawing and painting. She was a talented baker; her family always looked forward to her delicious cookies. Yolanda also loved to read romance novels, known to her as love books.
Yolanda was the beloved wife of the late William Callaghan; loving mother of William Callaghan and his wife Debra, Michael Callaghan and his partner Galen Nase, Cynthia Callaghan, Maria Costa and her husband Oscar, Michelle Martin and her husband Paul, Jeanette Whary and her husband Brian, Frances Cowley, Joey Zemanek and several angel sons and daughters that she cherished. She was predeceased by her son Stephen Callaghan. Cookie is also survived by her grandchildren Stephen Callaghan, Jr. (Kimberly), Christina Callaghan, Melissa McHale (Anthony), Sean Callaghan (Amanda), Sandra Taggart (Paulie), Katelyn Girdwood (Victor), Brendon Callaghan, Christopher Cuneo (Dionna), Kevin Cuneo (Dayna), Adrian Baez and Luis Valle (Carie). She was the adoring great-grandmother of Robert, Zachary, Krystalee, Kira, Adalynn and Ava. Yolanda was the dear sister of the late Julius Bodnar and his wife Renee, and leaves to treasure her memory her beloved niece JoAnn Smolen (Andrea), and by many other nieces, nephews, family members, friends, fur babies and angels that she held near to her heart.
In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
