Francis E. Scillieri

Francis E Scillieri, age 68, entered into our God’s glorious kingdom on Saturday, April 22, 2023.

Frank was born on October 10th, 1954 in Paterson, NJ. He was the fourth child to Dr. Frank and Gertrude Scillieri.  As a boy, he was an alter server, delivered newspapers and spent most days playing baseball with his friends at School 25.  Frank pitched and played shortstop in Paterson’s city leagues and he continued to play baseball at Paterson Catholic high school.  There he met the love of his life, Jeanette Spanedda. Although Frank was a senior and Jeanette a sophomore, they shared a typing class.  Frank sat in front of Jeanette, since the teacher put her students in alphabetical order.  Each day he would come in and tease Jeanette by pulling the typing paper out of her typewriter.  It really was love at first type! After high school, Frank attended Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ where he worked hard to achieve his Bachelor’s degree in Science. He was in several college clubs, lectured at a local church and made some fantastic friends while living on campus there with roommates Carl and Tom.  On his breaks from college, he always came back to visit his neighborhood friends, especially his best friend, Rocco. After college, Frank worked in a lab for Hoffman La Roche and eventually made his 40+ year career in Medical and Clinical Sales for a variety of companies throughout the US.  

Frank and Jeanette married in 1979 and were active members of the Blessed Sacrament RC church community in Paterson, NJ. They lived in Paterson and Clifton, before moving to Wayne, NJ where they raised their three beautiful children Frank, Diane and Michael.  During those years, Frank coached his children in basketball, baseball and soccer at the Wayne Boys and Girls Club. He became a parishioner and daily communicant at Our Lady of The Valley RC church, where he was a part of the church’s cleaning crew, helped out with the annual parish festival, and volunteered as an outreach worker for Eva’s Village. 

Frank loved astronomy and looking into the greatness of the night sky. He even made his own telescope as a young boy! His love for the stars continued with his own children and he would bring them outside to explore the beauty of the heavens.  Frank was incredibly active and family oriented his entire life. He enjoyed being outdoors, taking walks around the block with his family to “go see the cows”, gardening and mowing the lawn. On Friday nights, he was typically around the family table with Jeanette’s parents, John and Emma, playing their favorite card game “May I”. He continued to play softball in the men’s recreational 40, 50, and 60+ leagues. He loved to bike, hike, raft “oars down!”, and spent many summer vacations exploring the National Parks with his family and friends. Frank thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Jeanette, his children, son and daughter in laws, his grandchildren, and other family and friends at their condo in North Wildwood.  He was delighted to bike the entire island, walk the beach at sunset, body surf in the ocean, walk the sea wall and the boardwalk and have a slice of pizza at Sam’s Pizza Palace.

Frank felt so very happy with the life, family and friends that God had blessed him with.  He loved his family and loved seeing each of his children marry wonderful spouses. But most of all, he simply melted with the birth of each of his grandchildren, which he claimed was one of the best blessings that God ever gave him.  His heart was filled with such happiness when he could chase them in the yard, play horsey, build towers with blocks, play cars or just sit with his little ones to read a book or share a story with them.  

Frank was a prayerful and faithful man during his life, but most especially in the years leading up to the end of his life. He was a loving husband, father, son, son-in-law, brother and friend.  He had a special devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Rosary and Our Lord’s Promise of Divine Mercy. He was never shy in sharing his faith or love for Our Lord with others.

He will be deeply and forever missed by his loving wife of 43 years, Jeanette; daughter Diane Estevez and husband Rubiel of Sinking Spring, PA; son Frank Scillieri and wife Elissa of Wayne, NJ; son Michael Scillieri and wife Jennifer of Butler, NJ; grandchildren Samantha, Jackson, Gabriel, Claire, Jacob, David and John.  Frank will be joining his deceased brother Donald Scillieri in God’s heavenly kingdom, and will be greatly missed by his sister Mary Sheehan and husband Tom of Jefferson, NJ; brother John Scillieri and wife Angela of Wayne, NJ; brother James Scillieri and wife Freida of Wayne, NJ; best friend Rocco Andriulli and wife Nancy of Elmwood Park, NJ; sister-in-law Julia Welsh and her companion Steve Defilippo of Manchester, NJ; sister-in-law Carol Funicelli and her husband Jim of Toms River, NJ; sister-in-law Elisa Spanedda and her husband Guy Margolin of Hawthorne, NJ; brother-in-law John Spanedda and his wife Susan of Franklin Lakes, NJ; brother-in-law Peter Spanedda and his wife Debbie of Newtown, CT.  In addition to his huge family, there will be an emptiness left in the hearts of his many nieces and nephews, cousins, close neighbors (who will forever remember Frank’s Super bowl dance), his softball buddies and church friends.

The Scillieri family would like everyone to remember that each day is truly a gift from God. Our family relished every last moment we had with Frank and wished that time would never end. He stands as an inspiration to us all, representing faith, family, sacrifice, mercy and most especially love.

In Lieu of flowers memorial donations to Eva’s Village, 393 Main Street, Paterson, NJ 07501 or the Wayne Interfaith Network, PO Box 3341, Wayne, NJ 07474-3341 would be greatly appreciated.