Extending Telehealth Access
December 18, 2023
Long Branch Free Public Library Board of Trustees 2024 Meeting Notice
December 20, 2023
A Time to Be Born
Carl Arthur Foston Ross-Jennings, 53, was born January 25, 1970 to Carl Foston Jennings II and Cheryl Lee Ross. Carl, also known as “LC” was raised in the city of Asbury Park, NJ but recently resided in Iselin, NJ. On December 02, 2023, Carl peacefully gained his wings.
A Time to Share
Carl graduated from Asbury Park High school in 1988 where he was Co-Captain of the Track and Field Team. He was also a member of several state Championship Track and Field teams where he excelled and was a record holder in the Central Jersey Group I 400-meter dash. Carl was very popular throughout his high school years. His popularity gained him two Homecoming Prince titles. Carl also participated in the Monmouth County Cotillion as an escort during his Junior and Senior years.
In 1993, Carl graduated from Monmouth University (MU) with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. During his years at Monmouth University, Carl continued his passion for Track and Field where he ran on Monmouth University’s 4X 400 relay team at the Penn Relays. Carl spearheaded the Black Student Union’s annual Ebony Night Fundraiser. Carl’s love for community service resulted in working with other male students to charter the first Black fraternity chapter at MU. The Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc Sigma Xi Chapter was founded on December 8, 1991. While representing his college chapter, Carl placed second in the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Regional Oratorical Competition.
Carl’s undergraduate degree led him to pursue a career in the health profession. Some of his positions include medical compliance, medical transportation, and health insurance. Carl also loved to volunteer his time to help others. His desire to assist the youth in our community led to his participation as a chaperone on the annual Get on the Bus College Tour that his father coordinated for numerous years.
Carl found joy in the little things. Being from the Jersey shore, Carl enjoyed seafood, spending time at the beach, and hanging with friends. He cherished the moments spent with his loved ones, especially his daughter Shakera and his two grandsons, Ahjierand Asahd. Carl’s smile and contagious laugh could brighten anyone’s day. Though Carl may no longer be with us in the physical sense, the impact he made on our lives will forever remain.
Carl is predeceased by his mother, Cheryl Lee Ross; his brother, Faruq Abdur-Rasheed Yasin Muhammad; his maternal grandmother Odell Ross, and his paternal grandmother Gloria Lucille Jennings.
A Time to Mourn
Carl leaves to cherish his memory, his Father Carl Foston Jennings II, Daughter Shakera N. Ross-Jennings, two grandsons Ahjier and Asahd Washington, two nieces Rayhanna J. Muhammad and Ruqiyyah B. Muhammad, Godfather, Harold Brown, Godbrother Dion Lewis, and friend of the family, Mimi Gatling, with a host of family and close friends.
With profound sorrow, we announce the peaceful passing of John Paul Smeriglio Jr., age 68, affectionately known as “Johnny Boy”, passed away peacefully on Thursday, December 14, 2023, at home.
Johnny Boy spent his entire life in Long Branch, NJ, where he cultivated deep connections and cherished relationships.
He was predeceased by his Father John Paul Smeriglio Sr,
Surviving is his long time girlfriend Barbara DeVivo, a beloved son of Vincenza Smeriglio, a loving brother to Theresa and Frank Scallo, Josephine and Frank Basil, Nancy and RandyYelton, and Mario and Merrydth Smeriglio, his nieces and nephews, Frank and Alina Scallo, Michael Scallo, Vincent and Tara Basil, Samantha Jo Rios, Michael John Basil, Ryan and Nikki Yelton, Richard Yelton, Nicole and Curtis Synder, Shana Smeriglio, and Mario Jr. and Ariana Smeriglio. Along with many great nieces and nephews. And his lifelong best friend of more than 50 years Joe Torchia. And his Goddaughter Elizabeth Torchia.
Family meant everything to Johnny Boy. He held a special place in his heart for his parents and siblings, demonstrating unwavering loyalty and affection. For the past 19 years, he found joy and companionship with Barbara DeVivo, embracing her children and grandchildren as his own. A unique and cherished bond was shared with Barbara’s grandson, Nicholas DeVivo whom he called PopPop.
In addition to his devotion to family, Johnny Boy was a loyal friend, known for his warm spirit and genuine kindness. He found joy in the simple pleasures of life, often expressing his love for cooking especially Pizza and Italian food, and listening to the timeless tunes of Elvis and Frank Sinatra, as well as a deep appreciation for classic black and white movies. He had a caring heart, was a protector of all. Johnny had many talent, impersonation and singing was his passion. He would impersonate friends, family along with celebrities that would make you laugh for hours. Not to mention his beautiful voice that went unheard.
Johnny Boy’s memory will forever remain in the hearts of those who knew and loved him. As we mourn his passing, we also celebrate the enduring legacy of a man who enriched the lives of those around him with his love, laughter, and unwavering presence.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of John Paul Smeriglio, Jr., please visit Daminanofloral store.
Rosemary Goldrick – This is my mother’s life story written in her own words when she was eighty four years old. She was in the beginning stages of dementia, yet she was able to tell her life story to a social worker at an adult day care that her and my father attended.
I’m 84 years old. My name is Rosemary but some people call me Rose. I remember a childhood friend who used to call me Rosie (Mary O’Toole). I will be married for 62 years in October. We were married October 15, 1955. My son, Robert Johnny, has converted his garage into a living area for us, with a living room and a bedroom, so now we live with him in West Long Branch. He and his wife, Judy have a daughter Adriana, 8 years old, who wants to be a doctor or a nurse, and who also wants to take care of me! Judy is from Portugal and has quite a large family, 11 sisters, I think. She also had a brother, but he was killed in a motorcycle accident. In Portuguese, Judy is called Maria. This is Robert Johnny’s second marriage, he has 2 beautiful daughters from his first marriage, Noel, 30 who lives in Florida, and Katie, who is 25.
I’ve had a lot of jobs. The first one was a mother’s helper when I was 16. I worked for the Hollander family, who had 2 little boys. The youngest I remember was Marshall. I went with them to their cabin at a lake for the summer and took care of the boys. Then I was a waitress for a while and I was not too good at that. I worked in a Jewish Deli that was always crowded and I was trying to serve a lot of people. It seemed that I got this one particular couple as customers a lot and I always got their order mixed up. I did not last long at that job, I got fired.
I worked in a hospital in the dietary department and delivered trays, sometimes worked in the office and did a little work keeping the food warm in the ovens. A lot happened in my life and then at 59, I graduated from Vocational School in Nursing and went to work in a nursing home.
I met my husband at a dance held at Hotel Granada in Brooklyn. I think I was 22 at the time. After the dance, we continued the dancing fun at an Irish bar. The dances we went to were innocent fun and a great way to meet people. We got home late that night and my mother was not happy. We dated for a little while and then broke up. I was so sad and I missed him very much. I was on a religious retreat and I told the priest that I missed Bob and he gave me this advice: write him a letter, tell him you miss him and tell him to call you this Wednesday night. If he calls, you know he is interested and if he doesn’t, you know he isn’t. I followed his advice, wrote the letter to Bob, and he called on Wednesday night! We got married and had 6 children. I already mentioned Robert Johnny, who we live with in West Long Branch; our daughter, Maureen lives in Texas and after teaching for 30 years, she became a counselor; our son, Paul, lives in Brick; our son, Gerard passed away; our son Bill lives in South Amboy; and our daughter Rosemarie, who is a 4th grade teacher, lives in Freehold. Here’s Bob now…I’m going to get my hair done.
Additions made by Rosemarie Valinotti (daughter):
My mom was very humble and left out a few details from her life story. When she graduated from Manual Training High School in 1951, she trained as a baby nurse at the New York Foundling Hospital and graduated in 1953. She worked as a baby nurse until she married my dad, and was pregnant with my brother Gerard. She adored babies and kids her entire life.
The waitressing story was so my mother, but she also left out the fact that she waitressed for years and worked at the Buttonwood Manor in Matawan and The American Hotel in Freehold. At times she held two waitressing jobs at the same time when my dad lost his job in the mid 1970s.
She was always reinventing herself and ALWAYS had a positive attitude toward life. After retiring from being an LPN at the nursing home, she decided to try acting. She took acting classes in New York and auditioned all over the city. She landed a few commercials including a campaign commercial for the candidate Barack Obama and even one for the Golden Coral restaurant.
She was filled with a positive joy and zest for life and was always the first laugh you heard as you entered any family party or gathering. She enveloped everyone she knew with genuine love that flowed from a heart that was as big as her smile.
Her biggest and best role was as a wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. When she wrapped you in her arms with her warm, loving hugs, you felt safe and nurtured and loved beyond measure. Her legacy is her family, and passing along her faith to each one of us. She loved God with all her heart and had a deep devotion to the Blessed Mother. She was the president of The Legion of Mary at St. Thomas the Apostle in Old Bridge for many years. She was also an active member of the New Jersey Right to Life for many years. She was devoted to protecting and fostering all human life. She went on countless Marches for Life in Washington, DC and loved and wanted to protect babies and all human beings from the moment of conception onward.
She is now in heaven with my dad, who died on November 25, 2022. They were married for 67 years. Their love is a role model to all of us, and they taught us what true love and the sacrament of marriage is all about. Each morning when they were living with Rob and Judy, they would tell each other “I love you” at the breakfast table. They were in their late eighties and both in declining health but they never lost the love they had for one another. Rosemary Goldrick will be dearly, dearly missed, but never ever forgotten by those who loved her.
Visitation was Wednesday, December 20th 4:00-8:00 pm at the Woolley-Boglioli Funeral Home, 10 Morrell Street, Long Branch. Mass of Christian burial Thursday, December 21st, 10:30 am at St. Jerome RC Church, West Long Branch.
For messages of condolence, please visit Rosemary’s page of tributes at www.woolleyboglioli.com.
Robert Kenneth Blom, also known as Bob, passed away on December 13, 2023, at the age of 77 in Eatontown, New Jersey. He was born on April 30, 1946, in Patterson, NJ. Bob was a loving father to his son, Thomas Blom, and a caring father-in-law to Elizabeth Freis-Blom. He adored his three grandsons, Joshua, Kyle, and Jacob.
Bob was a proud alumni of Penn State University where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree. He subsequently attended the University of Pennsylvania where he achieved a Masters in Physical Therapy.
Bob had a successful career as a Physical Therapist, with early years spent at Monmouth Medical Center where he became the Department Chair of Physical Therapy. Later, he ran a thriving private practice for 25 years. Bob was known for his dedication to his patients, providing care throughout his career to home-bound individuals.
Outside of his professional life, Bob had a passion for golf. As a younger athlete he earned 12 varsity letters at Ramapo High School and was honored as an inductee in the Ramapo Athletic Hall of Fame.
Bob was predeceased by his wife of 46 years, Nancy J. Blom, his father, Donald Blom, Sr., his mother, Lyda Blom, and his brother Donald Blom, Jr.
Bob will be remembered for his athletic nature, determination, and conviction. His family and friends will cherish the memories they shared with him.
A private memorial service will be held to celebrate Bob’s life. The Damiano Funeral Home in Long Branch is assisting the family with the arrangements. The family invites you to leave a letter of condolence by selecting the Tribute/Guestbook link above.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Robert Kenneth Blom, please visit our floral store.
Dorothy P. George, 103, of Long Branch, passed away peacefully, Thursday, December 14th at home.
Dorothy was a true daughter of Long Branch. It’s where she lived her entire life, growing up on Atlantic Ave near the ocean with her parents, Peter and Georgia Karunos. The two had immigrated from the village of Anavryti near Sparta in Greece. They opened an eatery called Peter’s, a fixture on the Long Branch boardwalk, where McCloone’s Ale House is today. After she graduated from Long Branch High School in the 1930’s, Dorothy went to nursing school in Trenton. She came back and worked at Monmouth Hospital. One of her first jobs was caring for patients at the height of the polio epidemic. She washed and then hand-cranked rolls of hot wet cloth to use as bandages to wrap her patient’s limbs. It was before the invention of the Salk vaccine and the bandages were the only way to bring them some relief. She also worked at Fort Monmouth during WW2 but returned to Monmouth Medical Center where she continued nursing until her retirement in the 1980s.
Dorothy and her husband Walter had met in high school, got married after World War Two and settled down on Westwood Ave. Dotty always kept in close touch with her friends from high school, especially “the sewing club” as they called themselves, though almost no sewing was ever done. Vivien Carroll (Verocchi); Anna May Van Brunt (Woolley); Lois Wardell, Marty Locilento, and her beloved cousin, Theodora Apostolocus. When Walt died in 2007, Dorothy lived on in her home for the rest of her life.
She was a great reader of novels, three to four a week, and a doting mother to her children Michael and Deborah. She loved her daughter-in-law, Carol and was heartbroken when she died, as well as her grandchildren Eddie and Baindu and all the George cousins.
Visitation was Sunday, December 17th, 3:00-5:00 pm at the Woolley-Boglioli Funeral Home, 10 Morrell Street, Long Branch. Funeral home service Monday, December 18th at 10am. Burial to follow in Woodbine Cemetery, Oceanport.
Michael Mazzei, aka Mickey, of Monmouth Beach passed away at home on Dec 13, 2023. He was 89 years old.
Born in Newark NJ, Michael lived in Montclair, West Caldwell & Jackson, before moving to Monmouth Beach in 2016. Michael was predeceased by his beloved wife of 56 years, Roberta, and his brother, Alphonse. He is survived by sister-in-law, Angela, and was a loving uncle of Kim & husband Allen, Donna & husband Larry, Paula & husband Gregory, and Frank & wife Annemarie and cherished grand-uncle of Nicole, Daniel and Kai.
Michael attended Barringer High School in Newark, where he lettered in varsity baseball and basketball. Upon graduation, he entered Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. After his first year, he transferred to Seton Hall University to be closer to family and friends. He graduated with a business degree and played 3 years of varsity baseball. After graduation, he was drafted into the U.S. Army. He completed basic training and was sent to transportation school at Fort Eustis, VA, where he graduated at the top of his class. Although he was offered assignments in Frankfurt Germany and Fort Knox Kentucky, he chose to be assigned to the transportation base at Fort Story VA, the closest base to his NJ family and friends and to his future wife Roberta Giampietro. This opportunity also allowed him to play semi professional baseball on weekends with the East Orange Soverels.
In 1958, after his father died, Michael received a hardship discharge from the Army and returned home to assist his brother in running the family party rentals business. After selling the business in 1988, he worked at a pool company until he retired in 1996.
Visitation was held at the Damiano Funeral Home, 191 Franklin Avenue in Long Branch on Wed Dec 20 from 5 -8 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, Dec 21 at 10:30 am at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Church, 28 Livingston Ave. in Roseland. Interment will follow at Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Upper Montclair. In lieu of flowers, kindly make contributions to St Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or through the web at www.stjude.org. The family invites you to leave a letter of condolence by selecting the Tribute/Guestbook link above.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Michael L Mazzei, please visit our floral store
Tina M. DellaPenta, age 62 , of Eatontown New Jersey, passed away December 13, 2023, at home. Born in Long Branch 1961 she was a life resident of Eatontown.
Tina was a proud mother and grandmother. She loved to go camping, make daily trips to the beach, draw, write poetry, and cook.
Tina is survived by her partner Mark Spohrer; her two children Hancy L. Henry and Raymond V. DellaPenta, and her grandchildren Aliyah M. Henry & Lilliana G. DellaPenta.
In lieu of flower, memorial donations may be made to the Monmouth County SPCA, 260 Wall Street, Eatontown, NJ 07724 or through the web at www.monmouthcountyspca.org. The family invites you to leave a letter of condolence through the Tribute/Guestbook link above.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Tina M. Della Penta, please visit our floral store.
Moshe Segal, 89, of Tinton Falls, passed away peacefully at his home on Sunday, December 10.
Moshe was born in Haifa in 1934 to Rivka and Pinchas Segal. Drawn from a young age to the study of mathematics and physics, Moshe attended the prestigious Reali school, graduating in 1951. He continued on to study engineering at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology through the academic studies track of the Israel Defense Forces, earning a degree in mechanical engineering in 1956. He served as an engineer in the Israel Navy.
Upon completion of his military service, Moshe was awarded a fellowship for doctoral studies in the emerging field of operations research (OR) at Johns Hopkins University, where he earned a PhD in 1961. During that period, Moshe also met and married his life partner, Nelly.
Moshe had a 54-year distinguished career at AT&T, first as a founding member of the OR Center at Bell Labs and later as a supervisor, applying operations research methods to many challenging problems. He later moved to AT&T Labs where he managed work on network design. He published numerous papers in academic journals and was the inventor of many telecommunication patents.
For more than five decades, Moshe was a committed and engaged member of Congregation B’nai Israel, now Rumson Jewish Center at Congregation B’nai Israel, in Rumson, NJ. Over the years, he served as finance secretary, member of the board of trustees, and a steadfast Torah reader.
In addition to his analytical mind, Moshe was also known for his sense of humor, his continuous interest in learning, and his devotion to, and pride in, his family.
He is predeceased by his parents and his brothers, Mordechai and Yosef Segal.
Moshe is survived by his wife of 63 years, Nelly; his children Yoav Segal and wife Rosalyn of Minnesota, Dan Segal and wife Rebecca of New York, Naomi Segal and husband Daniel Sherman of Israel; his grandchildren Asaf Segal and husband Adam Heifetz, Gilad Segal; Elana Segal and fiancé Matt Vicari, David Segal and wife Lily, Nava Segal; Yonatan Sherman and Roey Sherman.
Funeral services was held on Wednesday, December 13, 2023, at 10 am at the Rumson Jewish Center at Congregation B’nai Israel, 171 Ridge Road, Rumson, NJ, followed immediately by burial at the Congregation B’nai Israel Cemetery, 490 Riverdale Avenue West, Tinton Falls, NJ.
Donations in Moshe’s honor may be made to the Rumson Jewish Center at Congregation B’nai Israel, 171 Ridge Road, Rumson, NJ 07760, or the charity of your choice.
For messages of condolence, or to share a favorite memory of Moshe, please visit his page of tribute at www.holmdelfuneralhome.com.
John B. Antunes, age 83 of Long Branch, passed away on December 14, 2023 in Scotch Plains. Born in Arcos de Valdevez, Portugal on January 20, 1940 he moved to Canada in 1965 and settled in the U.S. in 1967.
Throughout his life, John dedicated himself to his craft as a baker at Pechter’s Bakery in Harrison, NJ. Outside of his career, he found solace in his hobbies. He was an avid Benfica soccer team fan, and had a deep appreciation for music. Above all, John treasured the time spent with his family, creating lasting memories filled with love and laughter.
He is survived by his loving wife, Teresa Antunes and their children, Elizabeth Araujo and husband Abilio, Manuel Antunes and wife Maryjo, Barbara Antunes and her partner Jerry Touhey, and David Antunes and husband Henrique Doria; 5 cherished grandchildren, Brian Araujo, Stacy Basile, John S. Antunes, Teresa Antunes, and Julianna Antunes and his beloved great grandchildren, Sam, Nate and Emily Araujo and Eliana and Cameron Basile.
John B. Antunes will be dearly missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him. May his soul find eternal rest and may his memory be a blessing to us all.
The arrangements for John’s funeral are being graciously handled by Damiano Funeral Home in Long Branch. Visitation will be held on Monday from 4-8 pm the Damiano Funeral Home, 191 Franklin Avenue in Long Branch. Funeral, Tuesday; 9 am from the funeral home with a Mass of Christian Burial is celebrated at 10 am at Star of the King Church of Christ the King Parish. Entombment will follow at Woodbine Mausoleum in Oceanport.
In memory of John, contributions can be made to the Center for Hope Hospice & Palliative Care – Peggy’s House, located at 1900 Raritan Road, Scotch Plains, NJ 07076. The family invites you to leave a letter of condolence by selecting the Tribute/Guestbook link above.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of John B. Antunes, please visit our floral store.
Carole Ann Napolitan, aged 77, passed away on December 11, 2023, in South Palm Beach, Florida. She was born on November 22, 1946, in Whitestone, NY, to Emilia and Walter Pashwa. Carole was a devoted wife, loving mother, cherished grandmother, and loyal friend. Her heart overflowed with love for her family, and she found joy in exploring the world through her travels.
Left to cherish her 
memory are her children, Joseph and his wife Charlene, Stephanie Heller and her husband Steve, Michael and his wife Anna. Carole’s legacy lives on through her four granddaughters, Gabrielle, Francesca, Kaitlyn, and Emily, and her great-granddaughter, Lucia. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Michael J. Napolitan, her mother Emilia Pashwa, her father Walter Pashwa, and her brother William Pashwa.
In honor of Carole’s life, the family kindly requests that contributions be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis TN 38105, Web: http://www.stjude.org/ a cause close to her heart. Carole’s compassion and generosity will continue to make a difference in the lives of those in need.
The Damiano Funeral Home, located in Long Branch has been entrusted with the sacred responsibility of assisting the family during this time of mourning. Their unwavering support and guidance offer solace and comfort to those seeking closure. Visitation was held on Monday, December 18 from 9-10 am at the funeral home followed by a Mass at St. Jerome Church of Our Lady of Hope Parish in West Long Branch. Entombment will be at Woodbine Mausoleum in Oceanport.
As we gather to remember Carole, let us reflect upon her life and the lasting impact she had on those around her. May her spirit find eternal peace, and may her memory be a source of strength and inspiration for us all.
Samuel A. Pecora, 68, of Long Branch, died on Wednesday, December 6.
Samuel was born in Jersey City in 1955 to the late Maria and Paul Pecora. He was raised in Jersey City and graduated from St. Mary’s High School. After high school, Samuel purchased his own truck and he and his wife opened their company, SVP Trucking, where he continued to work for over 10 years. He also owned, operated, and established Nutley Farms, and Essex Street Farms, and then went on to work for CNA Trucking until retirement. Samuel and his wife married in 1979 and began their family in 1983. They lived in North Arlington, then Clifton until 2020, when they moved to Long Branch. He was known to many for his loving nature, his bright outlook on life, and his willingness to help others.
Samuel enjoyed working. When he wasn’t driving his truck, he was home, working on his landscaping. Samuel also enjoyed watching sports, cooking, antique cars, and always had music playing in the background. Most of all, he loved spending time with his family.
He is predeceased by his parents and his son, Samuel “Sammy”” Pecora, Jr.
Samuel is survived by his loving wife, Victoria “Vicky” Pecora (née Midolo), his daughter Beverly Lamego, his brother, Joseph Pecora, his grandchildren Vienna and Rocco, and many loving nieces and nephews.
Burial details will be finalized shortly.
For messages of condolence, or to share a favorite memory of Samuel, please visit his page of tribute at www.WoolleyBoglioli.com
Patricia Foggia, 76, of Oceanport, passed away on Monday, December 18, 2023. Born in Long Branch, she was a lifelong resident of Oceanport.
She was predeceased by her parents, Dominic and Ida Foggia and her sister, Rosemary Foggia. Surviving are her many cousins.
Relatives and friends are invited to visit from 11 am until her funeral service at 12 noon on Wednesday, December 27, 11am-12pm at the Fiore Funeral Home, 882 Broadway, West Long Branch. Burial will follow at Woodbine Cemetery in Oceanport. For condolences, please visit www.fiorefuneralhomes.com.
Thomas J. “Butch” Jester, 69 of Oakhurst passed away on Thursday, December 14, 2023. He was born on November 23, 1954 in New Brunswick, NJ. He was pre-deceased by his parents, Thomas J Sr. and Norma V (Bulka) Jester, and survived by his brother, Timothy P. and wife Abbe I. Jester, nephew Troy R. Jester and niece Tara Peters.
Thomas “Butch” graduated from Ocean Township High School in 1972 where he excelled in science, mathematics and computer programming. He also studied the Russian language for 4 years. Later he attended Brookdale Community College, Stevens Institute of Technology and Rutgers University. His true passion was computer programming.
Thomas was later employed by EAI, West Long Branch, CECOM at Ft. Monmouth and then as a computer programmer at Monmouth University where he was highly praised for his knowledge of computers. He spent countless hours working on computer problems as he always wanted perfection.
Butch enjoyed being with friends and family, evening pit fires and playing the piano. He loved jazz and shared many years attending jazz and rock n roll concerts, the love of percussion and followed many of the Big Band greats. He had a very broad spectrum of interests in his life and will be missed by many
Visitation was held Thursday, December 21st, at the Fiore Funeral Home, 236 Monmouth Road in Oakhurst, Ocean Township on Wednesday from 4 – 6 PM. A short Prayer Service was held on Thursday at 10:15 am. Interment will follow in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Manville, NJ in Somerset County. For condolences, please visit www.fiorefuneralhomes.com.
Robert DiTommaso of Ocean Township, passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, December 6, 2023 after a brave battle with pancreatic cancer. Born September 10, 1952 in Newark, NJ, he graduated from Essex Catholic High School and Jersey City State University. He resided in Newark until he met his wife, Laura, and moved to Monmouth County.
Robert began his career in banking before accepting a position at New Jersey Natural Gas, where he worked for over 25 years. Robert was a parishioner of the Church of St. Anslem in Wayside where he devoted many years as a minister of hospitality. Other volunteer activities he enjoyed included coaching his daughters’ recreational sports teams, delivering meals to The Center in Asbury Park, and as an active member of the Italian American Association of Ocean Township, working at their annual festival. An avid cook, Robert also enjoyed summers at the beach, traveling, and most of all spending time with his family.
Robert was predeceased by his parents, Rose and Joseph DiTommaso; his in-laws, Jean and Leo LaBanca; his brother, Joseph, and sister, Mary Ann Freehauf.
He is survived by his loving wife of 46 years, Laura (nee LaBanca); his daughters, Kristen and Alison (Dean Sbriscia); grandchildren Luca and Bianca; brother-in-law, John Freehauf; sisters-in-law, Donna (Robert Welch), Lisa (Alan Rogers) and Lynn (Paul Moretti), as well as many nieces and nephews, cousins and friends. He also was a loving caretaker to his granddog, Louie.
Visitation was held December 11 from 4-8 pm at Fiore Funeral Home, 236 Monmouth Road, Oakhurst, Ocean Township.. In lieu of flowers, the family request memorial donations in his name to the Center in Asbury Park, 806 3rd Ave, Asbury Park, NJ 07712 or TrovaNOW, an early detection pancreatic cancer research charity, Attn: Debbie Brandel, PO Box 207, Red Hook, NY 12571. For condolences, please visit www.fiorefuneralhomes.com.
