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September 8, 2013
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Friday, September 13, 2013 from 4-8 PM.
Funeral Services will be held at 9 AM on Saturday from the funeral home, then to St. Mary’s RC Church, Pompton Lakes, where at 10 AM a Funeral Mass will be offered.
Daniel J. Salameno, age 77 of Pompton Lakes, died on Sunday, September 8, 2013.
Daniel was born in Paterson and graduated from New York Military Academy, Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY in 1954. He proudly served in the Army National Guard until 1958.
As a young boy, Dan became well acquainted with washing cars. His father started Daniel’s Motors in the 1940’s, a Dodge and Plymouth dealership on Wanaque Avenue in Pompton Lakes. They later became a Buick dealership in 1953 until 1981. During the same time they also sold pre-owned cars on Hamburg Turnpike in Wayne. Dan’s childhood years often included helping his dad and keeping the cars clean. Incidentally, he knew how to drive at a very young age. One of his early jobs, at about fourteen years old, was as a valet parking attendant at the Elks Lodge in Pompton Lakes, where Joe Louis used to train. When Mr. Louis showed up with a big, beautiful new Cadillac, Dan gladly offered to park it for him. Knowing that Joe would be training for a few hours, Dan took the Cadillac for a joy ride around Pompton Lakes and Oakland before bringing it back. Mr. Louis was never the wiser.
After high school, Dan joined his father at Daniel’s Motors and they made a big switch; becoming a Buick dealer. They sold Buicks together until 1981 when they became primarily a pre-owned car dealer. During all those years, Dan also operated a busy towing business. He loved to listen to the police scanner, monitoring the radio to see where he might be needed, and he was always ready when the Wayne Police would call him out to clean up a crash or help a broken down motorist. Many of those motorists became recipients of Dan’s generosity as he would often help them get on their way without charging a dime. He was a man of integrity and great generosity, recognizing that it wasn’t always about the money; some people just needed a little help. Dan worked hand-in-hand with the Wayne Police for many years and was recognized by the Wayne Township PBA as “Man of the Year” in 1998. He was issued a silver PBA card to commemorate the honor and it’s come in handy over the years.
On one occasion, Dan had two customers hop off of a bus and come into his showroom to buy a car. They were young Israeli men who had recently finished their service in the Israeli military. They wanted to buy a car and begin their adventure in the USA. Dan explained to them that without a driver’s license and insurance, he could not sell them a car. By the end of the day, Dan had befriended these two men and brought them home. They ended up living with Dan’s family for about two months before Dan was able to find them jobs up in Monsey, NY. They were forever grateful to Dan for his kindness and hospitality at a time when they really didn’t know where to go. Helping others was simply Dan’s nature and he did so for many people in many different ways over the years.
Dan was also very fond of the resident cats living around Daniel’s Motors. He built a small shelter for them to use in the winter, including a heater. He would regularly stroll down to the CVS to buy cat food, and each time the cats would follow him in a small parade down to the store and back again. He spoiled them, but also helped to find many of them homes. He connected with the Pompton Lakes PATCH (Pet Adoption Through Caring Hands) and together they arranged for the cats to be spayed, neutered, and adopted. He ran a promotion once; buy a car, and you get a kitten too. Several people took him up on it. He also used to ask people at Thanksgiving time to bring their leftover turkey down to his showroom so he could give the cats their own feast. The leftovers poured in! Surely they were some of the luckiest cats in town, and Dan truly enjoyed caring for them.
Daniel was also a devoted volunteer to the Wayne PAL. He served as finance chairman during the construction of the original PAL building in the 1960’s. Dan worked tirelessly along with many great men and women to put that project together and it has been a great success for the community. Dan continued to volunteer as a PAL baseball coach with all three of his boys, sponsoring the team as well; “Daniel’s Motors.”
Dan’s Catholic faith was strong throughout his life. As a boy, he attended St. Anthony’s school in Butler and later went to St. Mary’s in Pompton Lakes. When he was in the eighth grade, he convinced the school bus driver that he could drive the bus as well as anyone else. The driver allowed him to sit on his lap, shifting gears and steering during the ride home. Although everyone made it home safely and without incident, Dan and the bus driver were both chastised for their poor judgment that day.
After high school, Dan met a cute cheerleader from Wayne. He asked Rose Lyons out on a date and they went dancing at the Meadowbrook, cruising in his new Buick convertible. That first date was a hit and they married on August 1, 1959 at St. James of the Marches in Totowa. They honeymooned at Lake Placid, New York and settled into their home in Wayne thereafter. They have enjoyed fifty four years in a loving and devoted marriage.
Dan is survived by his beloved wife Rose of Pompton Lakes, three sons; Daniel and his wife Carol of Pompton Lakes, Paul of Haskell, and Frank of Pompton Lakes, four grandchildren; Garrett and Ty of Haskell and Jason and Amanda of Pompton Lakes, one sister; Helene Tuite and her husband Richard of Texas, and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his father Daniel and mother Dorothy, his sister Isabelle Ruocco and her husband George.
Friends wishing to make a donation in Dan’s memory are asked to please consider his church; St. Mary’s RC Church, 17 Pompton Ave., Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442, or PATCH, 26 Lakeside Ave., Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442.
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 Friday, September 13, 2013 from 4-8 PM.
Funeral Services will be held at 9 AM on Saturday from the funeral home, then to St. Mary’s RC Church, Pompton Lakes, where at 10 AM a Funeral Mass will be offered.
September 8, 2013
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Friday, September 13, 2013 from 4-8 PM.
Funeral Services will be held at 9 AM on Saturday from the funeral home, then to St. Mary’s RC Church, Pompton Lakes, where at 10 AM a Funeral Mass will be offered.
Daniel J. Salameno, age 77 of Pompton Lakes, died on Sunday, September 8, 2013.
Daniel was born in Paterson and graduated from New York Military Academy, Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY in 1954. He proudly served in the Army National Guard until 1958.
As a young boy, Dan became well acquainted with washing cars. His father started Daniel’s Motors in the 1940’s, a Dodge and Plymouth dealership on Wanaque Avenue in Pompton Lakes. They later became a Buick dealership in 1953 until 1981. During the same time they also sold pre-owned cars on Hamburg Turnpike in Wayne. Dan’s childhood years often included helping his dad and keeping the cars clean. Incidentally, he knew how to drive at a very young age. One of his early jobs, at about fourteen years old, was as a valet parking attendant at the Elks Lodge in Pompton Lakes, where Joe Louis used to train. When Mr. Louis showed up with a big, beautiful new Cadillac, Dan gladly offered to park it for him. Knowing that Joe would be training for a few hours, Dan took the Cadillac for a joy ride around Pompton Lakes and Oakland before bringing it back. Mr. Louis was never the wiser.
After high school, Dan joined his father at Daniel’s Motors and they made a big switch; becoming a Buick dealer. They sold Buicks together until 1981 when they became primarily a pre-owned car dealer. During all those years, Dan also operated a busy towing business. He loved to listen to the police scanner, monitoring the radio to see where he might be needed, and he was always ready when the Wayne Police would call him out to clean up a crash or help a broken down motorist. Many of those motorists became recipients of Dan’s generosity as he would often help them get on their way without charging a dime. He was a man of integrity and great generosity, recognizing that it wasn’t always about the money; some people just needed a little help. Dan worked hand-in-hand with the Wayne Police for many years and was recognized by the Wayne Township PBA as “Man of the Year” in 1998. He was issued a silver PBA card to commemorate the honor and it’s come in handy over the years.
On one occasion, Dan had two customers hop off of a bus and come into his showroom to buy a car. They were young Israeli men who had recently finished their service in the Israeli military. They wanted to buy a car and begin their adventure in the USA. Dan explained to them that without a driver’s license and insurance, he could not sell them a car. By the end of the day, Dan had befriended these two men and brought them home. They ended up living with Dan’s family for about two months before Dan was able to find them jobs up in Monsey, NY. They were forever grateful to Dan for his kindness and hospitality at a time when they really didn’t know where to go. Helping others was simply Dan’s nature and he did so for many people in many different ways over the years.
Dan was also very fond of the resident cats living around Daniel’s Motors. He built a small shelter for them to use in the winter, including a heater. He would regularly stroll down to the CVS to buy cat food, and each time the cats would follow him in a small parade down to the store and back again. He spoiled them, but also helped to find many of them homes. He connected with the Pompton Lakes PATCH (Pet Adoption Through Caring Hands) and together they arranged for the cats to be spayed, neutered, and adopted. He ran a promotion once; buy a car, and you get a kitten too. Several people took him up on it. He also used to ask people at Thanksgiving time to bring their leftover turkey down to his showroom so he could give the cats their own feast. The leftovers poured in! Surely they were some of the luckiest cats in town, and Dan truly enjoyed caring for them.
Daniel was also a devoted volunteer to the Wayne PAL. He served as finance chairman during the construction of the original PAL building in the 1960’s. Dan worked tirelessly along with many great men and women to put that project together and it has been a great success for the community. Dan continued to volunteer as a PAL baseball coach with all three of his boys, sponsoring the team as well; “Daniel’s Motors.”
Dan’s Catholic faith was strong throughout his life. As a boy, he attended St. Anthony’s school in Butler and later went to St. Mary’s in Pompton Lakes. When he was in the eighth grade, he convinced the school bus driver that he could drive the bus as well as anyone else. The driver allowed him to sit on his lap, shifting gears and steering during the ride home. Although everyone made it home safely and without incident, Dan and the bus driver were both chastised for their poor judgment that day.
After high school, Dan met a cute cheerleader from Wayne. He asked Rose Lyons out on a date and they went dancing at the Meadowbrook, cruising in his new Buick convertible. That first date was a hit and they married on August 1, 1959 at St. James of the Marches in Totowa. They honeymooned at Lake Placid, New York and settled into their home in Wayne thereafter. They have enjoyed fifty four years in a loving and devoted marriage.
Dan is survived by his beloved wife Rose of Pompton Lakes, three sons; Daniel and his wife Carol of Pompton Lakes, Paul of Haskell, and Frank of Pompton Lakes, four grandchildren; Garrett and Ty of Haskell and Jason and Amanda of Pompton Lakes, one sister; Helene Tuite and her husband Richard of Texas, and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his father Daniel and mother Dorothy, his sister Isabelle Ruocco and her husband George.
Friends wishing to make a donation in Dan’s memory are asked to please consider his church; St. Mary’s RC Church, 17 Pompton Ave., Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442, or PATCH, 26 Lakeside Ave., Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442.
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