Eleanore L. Scuralli

With great sadness, we announce the passing of Eleanore L. Scuralli (nee Rangelli), age 95, of Wayne, NJ.

Eleanore was born in Passaic, NJ, and raised in the Botany Village section of Clifton, NJ.  She was the youngest of four children to Rocco and Anna (nee Stanko) Rangelli.  Eleanore attended Clifton High School and graduated with the class of 1945.  While attending high school, Eleanore worked part-time at Planter’s Peanuts, where she worked in retail for a few years. 

Following her high school graduation, Eleanore enrolled at the Sawyer School of Business, where she earned her certification in Secretarial skills.  She found employment quickly in the shipping department of the Botany Mills, a textile manufacturer in Passaic, NJ, where she worked for several years. 

In the mid-1940s, after the end of the Second World War, a young American GI named Joseph P. Scuralli returned home from service in Europe.  He and his family resided directly behind Eleanore’s house.  One day, while Joseph was walking by her house, Eleanore’s mother insisted she go out on the porch and thank him for his service to the country.  It took some convincing. However, Eleanore appeased her mom.  Eleanore and Joseph hit it off wonderfully and started dating.  As fate would have it, they fell in love, and on June 19, 1949, the two exchanged wedding vows and became husband and wife.  Eleanore and Joseph, excited to celebrate their love, invited two hundred guests to their wedding at Domyon’s, around the corner from their houses. However, it was raining that day, so many people in the area canceled their picnic and day trip plans. The bride and groom were shocked and slightly overwhelmed when an additional two hundred uninvited well-wishers unexpectedly joined the festivities. It made the newspaper!

Also, that year, they purchased five acres of farmland and built a house on Ratzer Road in Wayne Township. They lived with Eleanore’s parents briefly while the house was being completed. After moving to the new house, they started their produce farm and later welcomed the births of all three of their children, Janice, Carol, and Joseph.  The couple raised their children while living in Wayne and have been there ever since.

Eleanore and Joseph worked at Botany Mills in Passaic for several years.  They shared a passion for hard work and determination. Later, in 1958, fueled by their shared dreams and entrepreneurial spirit, Eleanore and Joseph decided to venture into the business world together.  Harnessing their collective skills, they founded their own metalworking and machinery manufacturing business, Wayne Machine & Die Company. The business grew to become one of the leading firms worldwide in the plastic extrusion equipment field. The family owned and operated their business for nearly fifty years.

Over the years, Eleanore and Joseph were long-time North Jersey Country Club members.  While her daughters were growing up, she was a leader for the Brownies and volunteered for Wayne General Hospital.  

Eleanore and Joseph both loved to dance.  For more than twenty-five years, Eleanore treasured taking ballroom dancing lessons. The couple’s business brought them to every corner of the country and internationally for trade shows and exhibitions. Later in life, she enjoyed traveling with friends to various destinations, including England and Russia. In 2004, Eleanore took a memorable trip to tour the national parks of the United States. She convinced her friends to join her on a Hot Air Balloon Ride during her trip, to which they reluctantly agreed. 

Aside from all Eleanore’s talents, hobbies, and interests, her greatest passion in life was for her family.  Nothing meant more to Eleanore than providing and spending time with her family.  Eleanore and Joseph cherished nearly fifty years of loving and loyal marriage until Joseph’s passing in 1999.  She was an excellent cook and treasured hosting family and friends for the holidays and Sunday Dinners.  August was a special month devoted to making “Tomato Sauce.”  Eleanore’s family dedicated time to hand-picking the best tomatoes from the garden and local markets to produce the finest tomato sauce weekly.  She and her family enjoyed their year-round beach house in North Lavallette at the Jersey Shore. 

Eleanore was genuinely devoted to her Catholic Faith and often prayed to St. Jude and St. Joseph for their intercession. She and her husband, Joseph, were founding members of Our Lady of the Valley Roman Catholic Church in Wayne. While a parishioner of Our Lady of the Valley Church, she was a member of the Rosary Society and volunteered in many capacities.  Eleanore attended the 6:30 am mass daily and the 5:00 pm mass every Saturday.  

Eleanore had a great sense of humor. She was also opinionated and was never afraid to speak her mind and let people know what she thought.  She was an outstanding and exceedingly effective campaign volunteer for her son Joseph, starting when he first ran for Councilman in the late 1990s. Grateful and appreciative, Eleanore always credited her family for providing unwavering love and care and acknowledging their pivotal role in her well-being.  Eleanore’s family is also exceptionally grateful to her devoted caregivers, Yvette and Lori.          

Eleanore will forever be remembered as a devoted mother, wife, grandmother, and great-grandmother.  She was an extraordinary person who touched the lives of everyone around her and will be sorely missed by her family and friends.

Eleanore is survived by her two daughters, Janice Lischak and her husband Gary of Wayne, NJ, and Carol Perrelli and her husband Anthony of Ocean Port, NJ; one son, Joseph Scuralli and his wife Annette of Wayne, NJ; five grandchildren, Timothy Lischak of Wayne, NJ, Daniel Lischak and his wife Megan of Point Pleasant, NJ, Gina Perrelli of New York City, Samuel Perrelli of Asbury Park, NJ, and Joseph Scuralli III, of Wayne, NJ; two great-grandchildren Eleanor and Theodore Lischak both of Point Pleasant, NJ and several nieces and nephews.  She was predeceased by her husband, Joseph P. Scuralli (1999), her brother, John Rangelli, and two sisters, Anna Rangelli and Marion Guglielmo.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Eleanore’s name may be made to Our Lady of the Valley RC Church, 630 Valley Rd, Wayne, NJ 07470.