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Services
Friends may visit with the family from 4-8 PM on Tuesday, April 26, 2016 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne.
Funeral services will be held 8:45 AM on Wednesday, April 27, 2016 from the funeral home then to Most Blessed Sacrament RC Church, 787 Franklin Lake Road, Franklin Lakes where a 10 AM Funeral Mass will be offered.
Interment will be in Christ the King Cemetery, Franklin Lakes.
Dr. John G. Scarpa, age 77, of Fair Lawn, passed Saturday, April 23, 2016.
Dr. Scarpa was born in Passaic General Hospital and raised in East Paterson which is now known as Elmwood Park. He graduated from Pope Pius XII High School in Passaic with the Class of 1956. He continued his education at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Rutherford where he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology with the Class of 1960. He went on to receive his Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Dental School in Teaneck with the Class of 1964.
After his schooling Dr. Scarpa enlisted in the United States Army having completed the Medical Field Service School in Fort Sam, Houston, Texas in July of 1964. Most of his service was with the 34th General Hospital in Orleans France when, with just six months of service left, General Charles De Gaulle, the French President, ordered all United States Troops to leave France. Dr. Scarpa spent the last six months of his service with the US Dental Service Unit at Fort Dix, New Jersey. With the rank of Captain, he was honorably discharged and awarded the National Defense Service Medal on August 31, 1967.
Dr. Scarpa met the love of his life, Gerri, on the first day of high school. He was on the football team and she was a cheerleader for Pope Pius XII in Passaic. Their first date was to a high school dance and their high school sweetheart love blossomed. Dr. Scarpa asked Gerri to marry him after Christmas Mass at Saint George’s Church in Paterson. They married on November 19, 1960 followed by a reception at the Friar Tuck Inn in Cedar Grove. They honeymooned at the Montmartre Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida and have enjoyed a loving and “easy” marriage of fifty-six years.
When Dr. Scarpa left the US Army he and Gerri lived with her parents in Clifton for a short time and then bought a home in Wayne. After some flooding issues in Wayne they soon moved to Fair Lawn where they lived for over forty years. They moved to Clifton for a few years and returned to Fair Lawn just last year.
He operated his dental practice in Elmwood Park for over forty-seven years. He enjoyed his work and retired just two years ago on May 1, 2014.
Many will remember his easygoing personality, except those who knew him as a militaristic terror as handicap chairman at North Jersey Country Club. He was a member of the club for over forty years and served as their president from 1991-1992. An avid golfer, he was competitive, and often planned vacations around locations where he could golf with his wife Gerri and others. He has played courses all over the world including England, Ireland, and Scotland. He even won the Smirnoff International Pro Am in Bermuda with his good friends Ray Ferguson, Dr. Harry Rohrer, and Dr. Edward Chestnut. Although he loved the game of golf many will remember him as a fierce Gin player in his later years. He spent many an hour in the cardroom of North Jersey Country Club and cherished the friends he made there. The recent passing of Dominick J. Darpino and now Dr. Scarpa will forever change the atmosphere of the card room at the club. Another side of Dr. Scarpa many didn’t know was the he was an avid reader. If he liked an author he would buy any book they wrote. It was said he could spend days at the Barnes and Noble bookstore.
Dr. Scarpa was extremely proud of his children and grandchildren. He would attend every game and recital he could. Although they would sometimes catch him sleeping - his hand holding the side of his face and his glasses askew - you could always count on him to be there. He will also be remembered as a dedicated New York Giants fan that had season tickets for many years. He knew the general manager of the stadium and would always complain that they didn’t offer meatball sandwiches, one of his favorites. When walking through the concourse on their way to their seats at the stadium they once found a stand selling meatball sandwiches with a sign above that read “Scarpa’s Meatball Sandwiches.”
He was the loving husband of Gerri Scarpa; devoted father of Dr. Nathalie Lota and her husband Dr. Christopher Lota of Franklin Lakes, and Alison DiScola and her husband Emilio also of Franklin Lakes; he was the cherished grandfather of Nicholas DiScola, Morgan Lota, Rachel Lota, and Matthew DiScola; dear brother of Virginia Scalione and her husband Harry (Butch) of Virginia Beach, VA; much loved brother-in-law of Edward Gut and his wife Jane of Wayne; dearly loved uncle of Jennifer Gut, Jeffrey Gut, and Philip Scalione.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations to the NJSGA Caddie Scholarship Foundation, 3 Golf Drive, Suite 206, Kenilworth, NJ 07033 or the Fair Lawn Ambulance Corps, 1 Cooper’s Way, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410 would be appreciated.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family from 4-8 PM on Tuesday, April 26, 2016 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne.
Funeral services will be held 8:45 AM on Wednesday, April 27, 2016 from the funeral home then to Most Blessed Sacrament RC Church, 787 Franklin Lake Road, Franklin Lakes where a 10 AM Funeral Mass will be offered.
Interment will be in Christ the King Cemetery, Franklin Lakes.
Services
Friends may visit with the family from 4-8 PM on Tuesday, April 26, 2016 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne.
Funeral services will be held 8:45 AM on Wednesday, April 27, 2016 from the funeral home then to Most Blessed Sacrament RC Church, 787 Franklin Lake Road, Franklin Lakes where a 10 AM Funeral Mass will be offered.
Interment will be in Christ the King Cemetery, Franklin Lakes.
Dr. John G. Scarpa, age 77, of Fair Lawn, passed Saturday, April 23, 2016.
Dr. Scarpa was born in Passaic General Hospital and raised in East Paterson which is now known as Elmwood Park. He graduated from Pope Pius XII High School in Passaic with the Class of 1956. He continued his education at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Rutherford where he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology with the Class of 1960. He went on to receive his Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Dental School in Teaneck with the Class of 1964.
After his schooling Dr. Scarpa enlisted in the United States Army having completed the Medical Field Service School in Fort Sam, Houston, Texas in July of 1964. Most of his service was with the 34th General Hospital in Orleans France when, with just six months of service left, General Charles De Gaulle, the French President, ordered all United States Troops to leave France. Dr. Scarpa spent the last six months of his service with the US Dental Service Unit at Fort Dix, New Jersey. With the rank of Captain, he was honorably discharged and awarded the National Defense Service Medal on August 31, 1967.
Dr. Scarpa met the love of his life, Gerri, on the first day of high school. He was on the football team and she was a cheerleader for Pope Pius XII in Passaic. Their first date was to a high school dance and their high school sweetheart love blossomed. Dr. Scarpa asked Gerri to marry him after Christmas Mass at Saint George’s Church in Paterson. They married on November 19, 1960 followed by a reception at the Friar Tuck Inn in Cedar Grove. They honeymooned at the Montmartre Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida and have enjoyed a loving and “easy” marriage of fifty-six years.
When Dr. Scarpa left the US Army he and Gerri lived with her parents in Clifton for a short time and then bought a home in Wayne. After some flooding issues in Wayne they soon moved to Fair Lawn where they lived for over forty years. They moved to Clifton for a few years and returned to Fair Lawn just last year.
He operated his dental practice in Elmwood Park for over forty-seven years. He enjoyed his work and retired just two years ago on May 1, 2014.
Many will remember his easygoing personality, except those who knew him as a militaristic terror as handicap chairman at North Jersey Country Club. He was a member of the club for over forty years and served as their president from 1991-1992. An avid golfer, he was competitive, and often planned vacations around locations where he could golf with his wife Gerri and others. He has played courses all over the world including England, Ireland, and Scotland. He even won the Smirnoff International Pro Am in Bermuda with his good friends Ray Ferguson, Dr. Harry Rohrer, and Dr. Edward Chestnut. Although he loved the game of golf many will remember him as a fierce Gin player in his later years. He spent many an hour in the cardroom of North Jersey Country Club and cherished the friends he made there. The recent passing of Dominick J. Darpino and now Dr. Scarpa will forever change the atmosphere of the card room at the club. Another side of Dr. Scarpa many didn’t know was the he was an avid reader. If he liked an author he would buy any book they wrote. It was said he could spend days at the Barnes and Noble bookstore.
Dr. Scarpa was extremely proud of his children and grandchildren. He would attend every game and recital he could. Although they would sometimes catch him sleeping - his hand holding the side of his face and his glasses askew - you could always count on him to be there. He will also be remembered as a dedicated New York Giants fan that had season tickets for many years. He knew the general manager of the stadium and would always complain that they didn’t offer meatball sandwiches, one of his favorites. When walking through the concourse on their way to their seats at the stadium they once found a stand selling meatball sandwiches with a sign above that read “Scarpa’s Meatball Sandwiches.”
He was the loving husband of Gerri Scarpa; devoted father of Dr. Nathalie Lota and her husband Dr. Christopher Lota of Franklin Lakes, and Alison DiScola and her husband Emilio also of Franklin Lakes; he was the cherished grandfather of Nicholas DiScola, Morgan Lota, Rachel Lota, and Matthew DiScola; dear brother of Virginia Scalione and her husband Harry (Butch) of Virginia Beach, VA; much loved brother-in-law of Edward Gut and his wife Jane of Wayne; dearly loved uncle of Jennifer Gut, Jeffrey Gut, and Philip Scalione.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations to the NJSGA Caddie Scholarship Foundation, 3 Golf Drive, Suite 206, Kenilworth, NJ 07033 or the Fair Lawn Ambulance Corps, 1 Cooper’s Way, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410 would be appreciated.
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