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April 18, 2018
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Sunday, April 22, 2018 from 2-6 PM.
Funeral Services will be held on Monday, April 23, 2018 at 9 AM from the funeral home, then to Our Lady of the Valley Church, 630 Valley Road, Wayne where at 10 AM, a Funeral Mass will be offered. Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery in Paterson.
Alfred C. Smetana, age 91, of Wayne, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, April 18, 2018.
Al was born in Paterson, the son of Anna (Orzenski) and Karl Smetana. He attended Paterson schools including Central High School. In 1943, during his senior year, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy on his 17th birthday. Before he could finish high school, he was inducted into the service. Al enjoyed telling the story of being in Panama and going out one night with his Navy comrades. Thanks to a little imbibing, his buddies all got tattoos, but Al was proud that he resisted, never seeing them as enviable things to have. Al served proudly at the Great Lakes Naval Station where he became a hospital corpsman. He later served in the Pacific aboard the USS Jerauld, APA174. Achieving the rank of petty officer third class, he and his shipmates were involved in the invasion of Okinawa, and later the occupation of Japan. Upon being honorably discharged, he returned home to Paterson and completed high school along with thirty or more veterans.
After graduation Al went to work for the A&P where he met the love of his life, Mildred Cornett. They married in 1949 and, after enjoying a beautiful honeymoon at Niagara Falls, they purchased their first home in Hawthorne.
As a youth, Al enjoyed playing all sports but especially football. He might have had an opportunity to play pro football but, at the time, there wasn’t much money to be made in the sport and, since he had just gotten married and purchased a home in Hawthorne, Al decided against the risk of injury. It’s hard to say if playing football makes you tough as nails or that you have to be tough as nails to play football, but no matter which saying is correct, there was no doubt that Al was tough as nails. He was so strong that, early in his marriage, he would frequently break items in the house purely by accident because he just didn’t know his own strength! Consequently, his wife Mildred bought him one of those “do-it-yourself-fix-anything” encyclopedias and Al was off to the races! He developed into becoming quite the handyman and could fix anything.
Al and Mildred moved to Wayne in 1961 and soon after got involved in a new church in town – Our Lady of the Valley R.C. Church where they became charter members. Al also served as a member of the Sunday collection counting team. Later on he took up the much tamer sport of bowling. Al bowled in several leagues and became the secretary of Our Lady of the Valley men’s bowling league where he served as the league’s secretary for over 35 years, and finally retired from bowling with the Wayne Senior League just last year in 2017. He was a great secretary being one of the first to use a computer – an original Commodore 64, to keep track of and report league statistics. He also served as a delegate to the Passaic County Bowling Association but Al’s greatest bowling claim to fame was a 299 game and being inducted into the Passaic County Bowlers Hall of Fame.
While raising his two fine children and working full-time, Al attended evening classes at Farleigh Dickinson University where he earned his bachelor’s degree in business management. He went to work as a sales manager for August Sommer Inc. – designer, manufacturer, and installer of custom store and restaurant equipment in Carlstadt. He enjoyed a long, rewarding career of 33 years before retirement, but still possessing some gumption and gas in the tank, Al didn’t want to sit still. Instead, he became a part-time driver for the Five Town Dial Dial-A-Ride in Pequannock Township. He loved the social aspect of transporting the seniors for shopping, doctor appointments, beauty shops, or wherever else his passengers had to go. He did that for another eighteen years before giving up work for good.
Al’s many interests and hobbies always kept him busy. He had a beautiful workshop in his home which featured every craftsman tool you could imagine. With those tools, Al used his skills to lovingly make anything from toys for his grandchildren like whirly birds and sandboxes to kitchen cabinets and bedroom sets for his own home. His interest in sports never waned either, and for years, in addition to bowling, Al enjoyed recreational softball. When he wasn’t actually playing a sport, he loved watching the Yankees and Giants. He was musical too and got a kick out of playing his harmonica and accordion, even if it made his dogs howl. He also loved keeping his mind sharp with the challenge of a good crossword puzzle which he felt so confident doing, he usually wrote letters in the little square boxes with a pen.
A true blue family man, Al always did his best to be a great husband, father and grandfather. When his kids were young, he was always ready and willing to assist them in building their assigned school projects and coach them in their sporting events. He and Mildred got to do some great traveling over the years and especially enjoyed trips to Hawaii, the Grand Canyon, Disney World, San Francisco, and to Worlds Fairs that most people never even knew existed. Al also loved spending time with his nieces and nephews swimming with them and teaching them to fish.
Sadly, Al’s wife Mildred passed away in 2005 after a very loving and blessed 56 year marriage. Knowing that Al would be lonely, a friend of his suggested that he join the Golden Age Circle of Wayne (GACW). While this never could fill the void in Al’s heart completely, it did give him joy and the blessing of new friendships. In fact Al loved GACW so much, he served as the organizations president for ten years, leading the group by running meetings and attending the banquets, shows and trips that he loved participating in so much. Whether it was serving as the bowling league secretary, faithfully attending mass at Our Lady of the Valley Church, running meetings for the GACW, or serving on the Township of Wayne’s Mayor’s Advisory Council, it seemed that Al was always on the go.
Al was not known as Al to everyone. Many called him “Big Al” and others knew him as “Popper” - a nickname he received from a waiter at Sevilla’s Restaurant in Passaic who unwittingly gave him that name when he brought out Al’s birthday cake exclaiming “Happy birthday Popper”. The nickname stuck and that’s what Al became known as to many of his family and friends. He even used it in his email address!
"Popper" will be sorely missed. He was an incredibly outgoing and sociable person who set a great example to many for his steady Christian faith, strength of character and servant heart.
Al was the beloved husband of fifty-six years to Mildred R. (nee Cornett) who passed away in 2005; loving and proud father of Alfred J. Smetana of Manahawkin and Ann Beideman and husband Francis of Pompton Lakes; cherished grandfather of Michael and Daniel Beideman: and dear uncle of several nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Alfred’s name are asked to consider the Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675 or at www.WoundedWarriorProject.com.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Sunday, April 22, 2018 from 2-6 PM.
Funeral Services will be held on Monday, April 23, 2018 at 9 AM from the funeral home, then to Our Lady of the Valley Church, 630 Valley Road, Wayne where at 10 AM, a Funeral Mass will be offered. Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery in Paterson.
April 18, 2018
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Sunday, April 22, 2018 from 2-6 PM.
Funeral Services will be held on Monday, April 23, 2018 at 9 AM from the funeral home, then to Our Lady of the Valley Church, 630 Valley Road, Wayne where at 10 AM, a Funeral Mass will be offered. Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery in Paterson.
Alfred C. Smetana, age 91, of Wayne, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, April 18, 2018.
Al was born in Paterson, the son of Anna (Orzenski) and Karl Smetana. He attended Paterson schools including Central High School. In 1943, during his senior year, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy on his 17th birthday. Before he could finish high school, he was inducted into the service. Al enjoyed telling the story of being in Panama and going out one night with his Navy comrades. Thanks to a little imbibing, his buddies all got tattoos, but Al was proud that he resisted, never seeing them as enviable things to have. Al served proudly at the Great Lakes Naval Station where he became a hospital corpsman. He later served in the Pacific aboard the USS Jerauld, APA174. Achieving the rank of petty officer third class, he and his shipmates were involved in the invasion of Okinawa, and later the occupation of Japan. Upon being honorably discharged, he returned home to Paterson and completed high school along with thirty or more veterans.
After graduation Al went to work for the A&P where he met the love of his life, Mildred Cornett. They married in 1949 and, after enjoying a beautiful honeymoon at Niagara Falls, they purchased their first home in Hawthorne.
As a youth, Al enjoyed playing all sports but especially football. He might have had an opportunity to play pro football but, at the time, there wasn’t much money to be made in the sport and, since he had just gotten married and purchased a home in Hawthorne, Al decided against the risk of injury. It’s hard to say if playing football makes you tough as nails or that you have to be tough as nails to play football, but no matter which saying is correct, there was no doubt that Al was tough as nails. He was so strong that, early in his marriage, he would frequently break items in the house purely by accident because he just didn’t know his own strength! Consequently, his wife Mildred bought him one of those “do-it-yourself-fix-anything” encyclopedias and Al was off to the races! He developed into becoming quite the handyman and could fix anything.
Al and Mildred moved to Wayne in 1961 and soon after got involved in a new church in town – Our Lady of the Valley R.C. Church where they became charter members. Al also served as a member of the Sunday collection counting team. Later on he took up the much tamer sport of bowling. Al bowled in several leagues and became the secretary of Our Lady of the Valley men’s bowling league where he served as the league’s secretary for over 35 years, and finally retired from bowling with the Wayne Senior League just last year in 2017. He was a great secretary being one of the first to use a computer – an original Commodore 64, to keep track of and report league statistics. He also served as a delegate to the Passaic County Bowling Association but Al’s greatest bowling claim to fame was a 299 game and being inducted into the Passaic County Bowlers Hall of Fame.
While raising his two fine children and working full-time, Al attended evening classes at Farleigh Dickinson University where he earned his bachelor’s degree in business management. He went to work as a sales manager for August Sommer Inc. – designer, manufacturer, and installer of custom store and restaurant equipment in Carlstadt. He enjoyed a long, rewarding career of 33 years before retirement, but still possessing some gumption and gas in the tank, Al didn’t want to sit still. Instead, he became a part-time driver for the Five Town Dial Dial-A-Ride in Pequannock Township. He loved the social aspect of transporting the seniors for shopping, doctor appointments, beauty shops, or wherever else his passengers had to go. He did that for another eighteen years before giving up work for good.
Al’s many interests and hobbies always kept him busy. He had a beautiful workshop in his home which featured every craftsman tool you could imagine. With those tools, Al used his skills to lovingly make anything from toys for his grandchildren like whirly birds and sandboxes to kitchen cabinets and bedroom sets for his own home. His interest in sports never waned either, and for years, in addition to bowling, Al enjoyed recreational softball. When he wasn’t actually playing a sport, he loved watching the Yankees and Giants. He was musical too and got a kick out of playing his harmonica and accordion, even if it made his dogs howl. He also loved keeping his mind sharp with the challenge of a good crossword puzzle which he felt so confident doing, he usually wrote letters in the little square boxes with a pen.
A true blue family man, Al always did his best to be a great husband, father and grandfather. When his kids were young, he was always ready and willing to assist them in building their assigned school projects and coach them in their sporting events. He and Mildred got to do some great traveling over the years and especially enjoyed trips to Hawaii, the Grand Canyon, Disney World, San Francisco, and to Worlds Fairs that most people never even knew existed. Al also loved spending time with his nieces and nephews swimming with them and teaching them to fish.
Sadly, Al’s wife Mildred passed away in 2005 after a very loving and blessed 56 year marriage. Knowing that Al would be lonely, a friend of his suggested that he join the Golden Age Circle of Wayne (GACW). While this never could fill the void in Al’s heart completely, it did give him joy and the blessing of new friendships. In fact Al loved GACW so much, he served as the organizations president for ten years, leading the group by running meetings and attending the banquets, shows and trips that he loved participating in so much. Whether it was serving as the bowling league secretary, faithfully attending mass at Our Lady of the Valley Church, running meetings for the GACW, or serving on the Township of Wayne’s Mayor’s Advisory Council, it seemed that Al was always on the go.
Al was not known as Al to everyone. Many called him “Big Al” and others knew him as “Popper” - a nickname he received from a waiter at Sevilla’s Restaurant in Passaic who unwittingly gave him that name when he brought out Al’s birthday cake exclaiming “Happy birthday Popper”. The nickname stuck and that’s what Al became known as to many of his family and friends. He even used it in his email address!
"Popper" will be sorely missed. He was an incredibly outgoing and sociable person who set a great example to many for his steady Christian faith, strength of character and servant heart.
Al was the beloved husband of fifty-six years to Mildred R. (nee Cornett) who passed away in 2005; loving and proud father of Alfred J. Smetana of Manahawkin and Ann Beideman and husband Francis of Pompton Lakes; cherished grandfather of Michael and Daniel Beideman: and dear uncle of several nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Alfred’s name are asked to consider the Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675 or at www.WoundedWarriorProject.com.
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