Albert “Big Al” Manzo

Albert “Big Al” Manzo, age 62, of Wayne passed Monday, May 9, 2022.

He was born to Frank and Elisa Manzo in Paterson and raised in West Paterson.  Al graduated from Passaic Valley High School in Little Falls with the Class of 1977. During his high school years he was usually found at his father's shop, Lee’s Auto Sales & Towing, on the corner of Market and 26th Streets in Paterson.  At the age of 14, Al went to Florida to get a driver’s license, a somewhat family tradition at the time, and began driving and towing for his father. As Al’s dad became sick, Al took over the family business, which soon became Paterson Towing, where he made millions of longtime friends.

Al will be lovingly remembered for his fun and crazy demeanor.  He was the kind of guy who didn’t have a filter, said it like it was, and had the mouth that would make a sailer spin, qualities that he managed to make quite endearing. That being said he was truly generous and had a huge heart for kids, many of which called him the "Fat Man".

Al met his wife to be Judy Gallipoli at a mutual friend’s wedding.  They dated and soon fell in love. Al asked Judy to marry him on Christmas Eve at his mom’s home.  They married on September 23, 1984 at Blessed Sacrament Church in Paterson and, of course, had their reception at The Brownstone House (another family tradition) in Paterson.  After partying all night, they honeymooned in Fort Lauderdale, or at least tried to before being nearly blown away by a hurricane. Judy and Al had a loving and devoted marriage of thirty-eight years that was blessed with laughter, two children, Al and Chris Manzo, and one grandchild, Abby.

Al was the loving husband of Judy Manzo; devoted father of Al Manzo and his wife Alycia of Wayne and Chris Manzo and his girlfriend Brittany of Wayne; he was the cherished son of Elisa Manzo of Montville and the late Frank Manzo (d. 1990); he was the loved brother of Edie Manzo Calvitti and her husband Bill of Montville, and the late Frank Manzo (d. 2004); the adored grandfather of Abigail; and will be dearly missed by many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

In lieu of flowers, Al would have appreciated memorial donations to The Children’s Hospital at Saint Peter’s University Hospital in New Brunswick (https://www.saintpetershcs.com/donate) or any other organization dedicated to helping children.