Elizabeth Cecilia (Palir) Hannigan

Elizabeth C. (Palir) Hannigan, 98, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 24, 2026 at Heritage of Clara Barton in Edison, NJ.  Known to her friends as Betty, she was born on August 22, 1927 to the late George Palir, Sr and Stella Dietch Palir.  She grew up in Freeland, PA, and was a member of the graduating class of 1944 from Foster Township High School.  She moved to Dunellen, NJ in the early 50s, retired to the Poconos in 1990, and moved back to NJ in 2018.

Betty’s love of learning did not stop when she left school.  She was always curious to learn about new places and cultures and was lucky enough to travel extensively in her later years.  She loved to read and had a passion for word games, especially Scrabble, crosswords, and cryptograms.

She was a  volunteer in several different organizations: Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, AARP, Parents Without Partners, FISH of Middlesex County (NJ), and the Bell Telephone Pioneers. She loved crafting and was a proud member of the St. Vincent DePaul Stitchers and Crafters group in Milford, PA.

Betty was the manager of the stationary department at Great Eastern in North Plainfield for several years. She joined Bell Telephone (now Verizon) as a directory/information operator in 1973 until her retirement in 1990.

Betty was preceded in death by her son, Thomas Welsh Jr, her daughter Elizabeth Welsh, her granddaughter Amy Markell, her former husband Thomas Welsh Sr, her second husband William Brandt, and her third husband Thomas Hannigan. She was also preceded in death by her siblings George Palir Jr, Magdalena Ferry, and Roseanne Franek.

She is survived by her daughter-in-law Laurie Welsh, her nephew John Franek III (Justine), and nieces Maryann Woodward (Steven), Barbara Gyurko (George), and Joan Williams (Jeffrey) as well as several cousins and many friends.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend her memorial service on Friday, April 10, 2026 at Sheenan Funeral Home at 11:00 AM. A visitation will be held from 10:00 AM at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society in her name

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