Franco Geremia

Franco Geremia, age 77, of Oak Ridge, formerly from Wayne, passed peacefully at home on Saturday, May 1, 2021.

He was born in Rivarolo Mantovano, Italy to Primo Pietro Geremia and Linda Mattioli. Franco was raised in Mantovano where he started his life-long career in the food service industry. As a young man he worked as a waiter in some of the best restaurants and hotels across England, Switzerland and Italy. He continued his career on the USS Oceanic as a waiter sailing out of New York to ports across the Caribbean Islands and met the love of his life Patricia Klement. The fell in love and married on June 6, 1972 in Rivarolo Mantova, Italy in a double ceremony. Franco married Patricia and his sister Cecilia married Maurizio Spaggiari.  As a young married couple, Franco and Patty settled in Mestra, a small town just outside of Venice, Italy where Franco worked running a restaurant with his aunt and uncle.  He and Patty returned to the United States by crossing the Atlantic aboard the Michael Angelo and settled in an apartment in Hawthorne where he found work at Macaluso’s Restaurant.  They started a family and welcomed their first daughter Theresa, followed by her sister Linda a few years later.

Franco started his career as a restaurateur when he opened his first business, Ristorante Mantova in Wayne. He then opened and for many years successfully ran Franco’s Restaurant on Hamburg Turnpike in Wayne, and semi-retired after owning Spasso’s Restaurant located on Forest Avenue in Paramus. Franco semi-retired at the Jersey Shore and worked as a Maître De at the El Giardino Sul Mare Restaurant in Forked River. Franco and Patty returned to Northern New Jersey in 2012 to be closer to their daughters Terry and Linda, son-in-law Ken and grandchildren.

Franco will be remembered for his dedication to his love of family, incredible work ethic and determination to be a successful entrepreneur. He came from humble beginnings and devoted himself to providing a wonderful life to his wife and children. After losing his father to cancer when he was just sixteen years old, Franco became the man of the house and ensured his cherished mother and sister were well taken care of and purchased a brand new apartment in his home town for his family.

While Franco left home to work and settle in the US, he had a fierce love of his home in Italy where his sister still lives with her husband and daughter, Cinzia and her family. He was a well-known son of his town in Rivarolo and had many cherished friends and extended family members there till this day. Franco had an amazing sense of business and when it came to his restaurants he ran everything and made it look easy. At his restaurant he treated everyone like they were family. He would greet you by name with a big welcoming hello and knew your usual menu choice before you ordered. Franco had little down time but when he did you could either find him tending to his garden or fishing. He was affectionately known as “Farmer Franco” as he grew radishes, tomatoes, incredible amounts of cucumbers, string beans, and peppers. Not only could Franco grow all these things but he was an amazing chef that knew how to prepare them to perfection as well. One of Franco’s traditions was to prepare a lobster dinner for his family at the end of each summer. No story about Franco would be complete without mentioning his love of fishing. It seems ironic that a man who at times did not have the utmost patience had a passion for fishing. He shared this love with his daughter Linda and spent not nearly enough time fishing Barnegat Bay at the Jersey Shore and at Islamorada, Florida. Franco loved seeing his grandchildren, Alexandra Camile, Peter Franco and Emma Patricia grow and blossom into the wonderful young adults they have become. He may have been a man of few words but his pride in them was evident. Franco also had a special relationship with his dog Honey. They were attached at the hip and Honey accompanied Franco around the house, inside and out, as if she was his shadow. Franco was loved deeply and will be truly missed every day.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to the Friends of Wayne Animals (FOWA), PO Box 3701, Wayne, NJ 07470 or through their website at fowarescue.org would be greatly appreciated.