Seton Caulfield Ahearn grew up in Jersey City where she attended Our Lady of Victories Grammar School and the Academy of Saint Aloysius Hugh School. She then attended the College of New Rochelle earning a Teacher of the Handicapped certification. Seton then earned a MA from Jersey City State Teacher’s College. She married her late husband Bill in 1981 and they were blessed with a son, Liam and a daughter, Caitlin. Her family now includes Liam and his wife Allison and their children Charlotte, Will and Eleanor, as well as Caitlin and her husband Sean and their boys Bill and Louis.

Seton was a Special Education teacher at West Essex Middle School where she helped to establish a program so that handicapped students could be educated in their community school district. Seton was awarded the West Essex Teacher of the Year in 2021. After 34 years, she retired in 2022.

A parishioner of St. Michael’s in Cranford, she began to volunteer and became the President of the Home School Association and then the President of the School Board while her children were enrolled there.She also served as a Eucharistic Minister for masses and for homebound senior citizen parishioner's. Seton also enjoyed chairing the St. Michael’s Christmas Bazaar for a number of years.

In 2008, Seton and her late husband Bill chaired the inaugural St. Peter’s Prep Scholarship Gala which provides financial assistance to potential students who would not be able to attend without it. Since its inception, the Gala has raised 5 million dollars in scholarship funds. In November 2025, Seton was given the St. Ignatius honor by the Jesuit High School.
Currently, Seton volunteers with the Share My Meals/ Family Promise Organization, and the Salt and Light Ministry. When needed she assists the Daughters of Ireland with their social outreach at St. Joseph’s Social Service Center and the Community Food Bank.

Seton’s Irish roots run deep. On her maternal side (Haggerty/Thompson) her ancestors resided in Schull (West Cork) and Donegal. On her paternal side (Caulfield/Lane) her ancestors hailed from Galway, Tipperary, Kilkenny and Mayo.

 

Seton is very proud to be an Irish American woman.