Dear Members of the Alpha Beta Chi Chapter,
It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our dear colleague and friend, Dr. Eileen Carrigg Specchio.
Many of you knew Dr. Specchio if you are/were also a member of the Mu Theta at-Large Chapter of Northern NJ. Dr. Specchio was a founding member of the Mu Theta at-Large Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International. She was a remarkable leader whose influence shaped many generations of nurses.
Throughout her career at the Department of Nursing at Saint Elizabeth University (formerly the College of Saint Elizabeth), Dr. Specchio demonstrated an unwavering commitment to excellence in nursing education, scholarship, and compassionate nursing care.
Many of us have our own stories of the extraordinary lengths that Dr. Specchio would go to for her patients, her students, and her colleagues. She moved mountains to advocate for those she served and to ensure that every student had the opportunity to grow into a confident and compassionate nurse. Her dedication, wisdom, and quiet strength left a profound mark on Saint Elizabeth University, the Mu Theta at-Large Chapter, and all those she encountered throughout her career.
Dr. Specchio's vision for nursing leadership, nursing scholarship, and nursing service lives on in the programs we create, the students we mentor, and the care we provide in our communities.
Dr. Eileen Specchio passed away peacefully on March 15, 2026, after battling pancreatic cancer. Please keep Dr. Specchio's family, friends, and the many students and colleagues whose lives she touched in your thoughts and prayers.
For those who may be interested, a Visitation will be held this Wednesday, March 18, 2026, from 4pm – 8pm at the William J. Leber Funeral Home (15 Furnace Road, Chester, NJ 07930), located at the corner of Route 206. A prayer service will begin at 7:30pm. A Celebration of Life will be held at Holy Family Chapel at Saint Elizabeth University in Morristown, New Jersey on Friday, March 20, 2026, at 1pm. Attendees are encouraged to wear bright colors/purple in honor of Dr. Specchio's vivacious spirit.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Emily C. Specchio Foundation to support a scholarship fund to be established in her name.
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Thank you very much,
Leilani Feliciano, MSN, MA, RNC-OB, C-EFM, APN, WHNP-BC
Member and Past President, Mu Theta at-Large Chapter of Northern NJ
Member, Alpha Beta Chi Chapter of Northern New Jersey
Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing
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