Frank Louis Tomaselli

Frank Louis Tomaselli, age 91 of Wanaque, NJ passed away on Monday, January 6, 2025.

He was born and raised in Hackensack, having graduated from Hackensack High School with the Class of 1952. He had lived in Paramus before moving to Wanaque in 1988.

His work history includes: packaging pharmaceuticals to be shipped out to drug stores for the Bergen Drug Company in Hackensack, a grocery clerk stocking shelves for a store on Main Street in Hackensack for $13.43 per week after school, an envelope machine operator for the Tension Envelope Company in South Hackensack, and a shipping clerk for the James Phillips Furniture company in Paterson where he would ship furniture to area furniture stores.

Frank served in the US Army during the Korean War.  He was stationed in a hospital in Texas and later in Seattle, Washington.  With just six months of service left he was sent by ship to Bremerhaven Germany to serve in a hospital there, however, he got violently seasick and spent eleven days in the hospital himself.  Upon completion of his duty he was sent back to the United States, by ship, and spent nine days recovering from seasickness here.

After his military service Frank enrolled in a Barber School in New York City following in his father’s footsteps. He would be sent to the Bowery to cut the hair of the indigent people.  He quit school five different times and eventually received his certificate and worked for Romano’s Barber Shop in Maywood for thirty years. He bought a Rick’s Luncheonette in Maywood that he ran for two years but was overwhelmed by the operating hours of 4 AM – 11 PM seven days a week. In 1995 he retired and took a part-time position at Saint Mary’s Church in Pompton Lakes where he worked as a maintenance man for six years before completely retiring in 2001.

He had a loving marriage to Arlinda for over forty years and took great pride in the accomplishments of his children and grandchildren. After retiring Frank enjoyed traveling with Arlinda to Aruba where he was affectionately known as the “Mayor of Paradise.” He was a great athlete and in his younger years he was active with the South Hackensack Boys Club, played semi-pro football with the Paterson Panthers, semi-pro baseball with the Hackensack “Troasts,” and in his later years he bowled in Hackensack at Bowler City and in Hasbrouck Heights at the Eclipse. He was a dedicated and loyal New York Yankee and New York Giants fan.

Frank was the loving husband of Arlinda (Loschiavo) Tomaselli; devoted father of Mark Anthony and Gary Allan Tomaselli both of Paramus; dear stepfather of Susan Conklin and her husband Philip of West Milford, Dr. Katherine Taylor and her husband Halston of Arlington, MA, and Thomas Dabulis; cherished grandfather of 8 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to St. Mary’s Church would be appreciated.