TOMS RIVER: Beloved former Toms River Mayor, Thomas Kelaher has passed away. The rumor has been confirmed with Jersey Shore Online, and reads as follows:

JSON: Toms River Office of Emergency Management Coordinator Paul Daley told [Jersey Shore Online] Tom Kelaher was a great human being. Very supportive and was just a genuinely nice man. As Mayor we worked Superstorm Sandy together and he was there seven days a week. He will certainly be missed and we all send our thoughts and prayers to his family.

Mayor Kelaher with OCSN Staff at Toms River Diner Grand Re-Opening!

Daley had also posted a Rest in Peace message on his personal Facebook. Several posts from his friends followed including Jane Kunka of Suez Water who said “How very sad. Mayor Kelaher such a beautiful man. My thoughts and prayers for his family.”Lacey Township Committeeman Mark Dykoff said Kelaher was “definitely one of the good guys.” He became Toms River’s second directly-elected mayor on January 1, 2008. He served until 2019, when he chose not to run for re-election. He continued to be the State Committeman for Ocean County and had just won the endorsement of the local GOP for that position.

On a side note; Mayor Kelaher will be missed by many, specifically including OCSN’s own- Staff 01 (Dave). Then-Mayor of Toms River at the time (Tom) met with and heard me and the public speak about why TR shouldn’t ban all marijuana dispensaries in town. He listened to me, and the audience at the town hall meeting- and the ban was tabled.

Mayor Thomas Kelaher with OCSN Staff 01

Thank you Mayor Kelaher for your service to Toms River- may you Rest In Peace