Anthony Matonti

Anthony “Putsy” Donald Matonti, age 94 of Wyckoff, passed away peacefully while receiving the loving care of his family.

He was born to Vincent and Clotilda (Kate) Matonti and raised in Paterson having graduated from High School with the Class of 1944.  He enlisted in the US Navy and entered service on October 2, 1944 in New York City. He served mainly in the Pacific Theatre of WWII and received the American Theatre Medal, Asiatic Pacific Medal – 1 Star, and the WWII Victory Medal being discharged on April 8, 1946 as a Seaman First Class.

Anthony met the love of his life Dorothy while pulling her pigtails in kindergarten.  They went on to be high school sweethearts and married on March 12, 1944 in Paterson.  As Anthony was going off to War they really had no honeymoon. They truly loved each other but if they were not bickering or arguing something was wrong.  Putsy had an over fifty year affliction with Atypical ALS.  After over 75 years of marriage Dorothy remained right by his side until her passing in April of 2020.

Putsy’s work history includes him caring for chickens at the family home in Paterson.  His mother owned a few silk mills in the city and kept the chickens so she could help feed the needy.  When returning from his military service he worked for an appliance repair service based out of Newark.  During one blizzard he actually walked home from Newark to Paterson as he wanted to be home to care for his wife and daughter. Anthony soon opened his own appliance repair company called A&M Appliance based out of Wyckoff. He ran the company for over forty years before retiring in 1990. In his spare time he enjoyed playing golf every Wednesday and Sunday and bowling in a league until ALS made it impossible for him to do either.

He was the loving husband of the late Dorothy Matonti (d.2020); devoted father of Mary Darlene Matonti; cherished grandfather of Jacqueline Donna Elefante and his three great grandchildren: Alexis Drew Elefante, Ryan Ross Elefante and Nicole Leticia Greene, and one sister Jean Triggiani.  Anthony was predeceased by his grandson, John Anthony Greene and his brother Frank Matonti.