Josephine "Babe" (Tagliaboschi) Kirwan, 94, of Metuchen died November 11, 2010, at Cedar Oaks Nursing Home, South Plainfield, with her family by her side.

"Babe" was a life-long resident of Metuchen. Her father started the Middlesex Cycle Shop in Metuchen in 1920, which sold Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Babe and her sister Mary were the first two women in Middlesex County to ride the two-wheeled "Jaw Breakers", which is what they called the earlier motorcycle models, and were expert riders. Babe also liked to participate in games of "Motorcycle Baseball", following the family tradition of being a daredevil. She rode for about 15 years and then retired from the sport. Another of her favorite past times was dancing, and she was always the life of every party. But, her family was her greatest love, including her many nieces and nephews and their children. She was affectionately known as "Aunt Babe" wherever she went and had a knack to make everyone smile.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Kirwan in 1997; two sisters: Mary Lindenmeyer and Jenny Tagliaboschi; and three
brothers: Anthony, Carmen and Louis "Gi Gi" Tagliaboschi, Jr.

She is survived by two daughters: Joan White and her husband Theodore of NC, and Roberta "Cookie" Totka and her husband Alan of Hopelawn; five grandchildren: Gina, Michael, Teddy, Brian, and Kevin; three great-grandchildren: Shelby, Kate, and Cassidy; and a brother, John Tagliaboschi of CA.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, November 15, 2010, at 9:30 AM from FLYNN & SON/KOYEN FUNERAL HOME, 319 Amboy Ave., Metuchen, followed by a 10:15 AM Mass at St. Francis Cathedral, Metuchen. Burial will be in Hillside Cemetery, Metuchen. Visitation will be on Sunday, November 14, from 2:00-4:00 & 7:00-9:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Alzheimer's Association, 299 Cherry Hill Road, Parsippany, NJ 07054.