Michael Francis Carey, 79, of Tavares, Fla., formerly of Berkeley Heights, N.J., passed away peacefully on March 11, 2014, in Gilbert, Ariz., with his son, Michael, and daughter, Colleen, by his side. Memorial visitation will be held on Friday, March 21, 2014, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the O'Brien Funeral Home, 2028 Hwy 35, Wall, N.J. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Saturday, March 22, 2014, at 10:30 a.m. at Holy Innocents Church, 3455 West Bangs Ave., Neptune, N.J. 07753. Burial will be private. For further information or to forward condolences to the Carey family, please visit www.obrienfuneralhome.com. Dr. Carey started his career in education as a teacher and then principal of Allentown High School in Allentown, N.J. He was principal of New Providence High School, New Providence, N.J., and superintendent of schools in the Mountain Lakes and Hillsborough school districts, both in New Jersey. He was a member of the Little Flower R.C. Church in Berkeley Heights and St Patrick's R.C. Church in Mount Dora, Fla. Dr. Carey received his B.S. and M.A. at Seton Hall University and his doctorate at Nova University. He was born in Scranton Pa.; spent his childhood in Orange N.J., and raised his family in Hamilton Square, N.J., and Berkeley Heights before retiring to Tavares, Fla., 23 years ago. While in retirement, he volunteered and served as a mediator for the courts in Lake County and Orange County, Fla., through 2014. He was predeceased by his beloved wife of 58 years, Ruth Marie (nee Koch) Carey, on Oct. 5, 2012; parents, William and Alice Cosgrove; brothers, Thomas Carey and Eugene Carey, and sister-in-law, Sally Lou LaGravenis. Surviving are his loving children and their spouses: son, Michael P. Carey and his wife, Elaine, of Gilbert, Ariz.; daughters, Maureen P. Furze and her husband, Thomas W. Furze, of Allentown, Pa., and Colleen F. Zurawski and her husband, Paul, also of Gilbert; his sister, Mary Alice Carey; grandchildren, Joseph Carey, Jessica Carey, and Zack Zurawski, and sisters-in-law, Lena Carey, Peggy Carey, Marguerite Bennett, Virginia Stout, and Clarissa Gerraty.