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November 14, 2013
Services
Friends may visit with the family from 4-8 PM at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne on Wednesday, November 20, 2013.
Funeral services will be held 9 AM on Thursday, November 21, 2013 from the funeral home then to Saint Marys Church, 17 Pompton Ave., Pompton Lakes where a 10 AM Funeral Mass will be offered.
Entombment will be in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Totowa.
Frank M. Orapello age 82 of Wanaque passed peacefully on Thursday, November 14, 2013.
He was born in New York City having been raised on 119th Street & Pleasant Avenue in Harlem, NY. He graduated from Ben Franklin High School with the Class of 1949 and attended Holy Rosary RC Church in Harlem.
Frank was always a sports fan having played stickball for years on 119th Street and eventually he umpired for baseball games in Central Park and Woodland Park in New York. He also was a high school basketball Referee having worked a game where he was very impressed by one player named Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul Jabbar). He would later serve as an umpire, coach, and eventually for some twelve years, President of the Pompton Lakes New Jersey Little League Association. He also helped found the Pompton Lakes-Riverdale Women’s Softball League in the early 1980’s. He was a dedicated season ticket holder and NY Giants Fan for many years.
In 1950 Frank found employment with the US Postal Service as a Letter Carrier in New York City. In 1951 he was drafted in the US Army where her served during the Korean War. He would talk about his service, which was mostly in Japan, and how he liked it there so much that if he had known his girlfriend back in the States had been engaged to be married he would have never come back.
Upon his return from military service in 1952 he resumed his career as a letter carrier. He worked at the US Post Office for fifty-six years first as a letter carrier whose last route included the United Nations and then served as recording secretary, treasurer, vice-president, and president for fifteen years of the National Association of Letter Carriers Union Branch 36 before fully retiring in 2006. During the 1970’s he bought R&S Postal Service Courier’s. He would finish his route and after work go building to building in the city picking up packages.
Rosemary and Frank met on a trip to Massachusetts where Rosemary won a swimming contest and the smitten Frank simply said “give me your number”. Their first date was to Rye Beach in New York where they played miniature golf. They married on October 23, 1960 at Saint Francis Xavier Church in Bronx, NY and they honeymooned at the Algiers Hotel in Miami Florida. While on their honeymoon they met up with another couple who suggested they all go deep sea fishing. Rosemary was sick from the moment she got on the boat and for a few days after. They enjoyed a loving marriage of fifty-three years.
Frank enjoyed gambling, playing Pinochle, and watching football. He liked to travel and has been to many places including Puerto Rico, Lake Shasta, CA, Lake George, NY, Virginia Beach, VA, San Francisco, CA and especially the 50th Anniversary cruise where fifteen family members accompanied them.
He was the loving husband of fifty-three years to Rosemary (Charles) Orapello; loved father of MaryAnne Orapello and her husband Guy Raspantini of Wayne, AnnMarie Buzzelli and her husband Pat of Wayne, and James Orapello and his wife Joan of Wayne; cherished grandfather of James and Patrick Orapello, Vincent, Andrew, and Christopher Buzzelli; dear brother of the late Marie Aiello (2011); brother-in-law of Lorraine Anderson and husband Bob; loved uncle of Rick and Philip Cosentino, and Rosemarie Aiello.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations to the HPH Hospice Foundation, 12242 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville, FL, 34613 or the Wayne Animal Shelter, 201 Pompton Plains Crossroads, Wayne, NJ 07470 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 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne on Wednesday, November 20, 2013.
Funeral services will be held 9 AM on Thursday, November 21, 2013 from the funeral home then to Saint Marys Church, 17 Pompton Ave., Pompton Lakes where a 10 AM Funeral Mass will be offered.
Entombment will be in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Totowa.
November 14, 2013
Services
Friends may visit with the family from 4-8 PM at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne on Wednesday, November 20, 2013.
Funeral services will be held 9 AM on Thursday, November 21, 2013 from the funeral home then to Saint Marys Church, 17 Pompton Ave., Pompton Lakes where a 10 AM Funeral Mass will be offered.
Entombment will be in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Totowa.
Frank M. Orapello age 82 of Wanaque passed peacefully on Thursday, November 14, 2013.
He was born in New York City having been raised on 119th Street & Pleasant Avenue in Harlem, NY. He graduated from Ben Franklin High School with the Class of 1949 and attended Holy Rosary RC Church in Harlem.
Frank was always a sports fan having played stickball for years on 119th Street and eventually he umpired for baseball games in Central Park and Woodland Park in New York. He also was a high school basketball Referee having worked a game where he was very impressed by one player named Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul Jabbar). He would later serve as an umpire, coach, and eventually for some twelve years, President of the Pompton Lakes New Jersey Little League Association. He also helped found the Pompton Lakes-Riverdale Women’s Softball League in the early 1980’s. He was a dedicated season ticket holder and NY Giants Fan for many years.
In 1950 Frank found employment with the US Postal Service as a Letter Carrier in New York City. In 1951 he was drafted in the US Army where her served during the Korean War. He would talk about his service, which was mostly in Japan, and how he liked it there so much that if he had known his girlfriend back in the States had been engaged to be married he would have never come back.
Upon his return from military service in 1952 he resumed his career as a letter carrier. He worked at the US Post Office for fifty-six years first as a letter carrier whose last route included the United Nations and then served as recording secretary, treasurer, vice-president, and president for fifteen years of the National Association of Letter Carriers Union Branch 36 before fully retiring in 2006. During the 1970’s he bought R&S Postal Service Courier’s. He would finish his route and after work go building to building in the city picking up packages.
Rosemary and Frank met on a trip to Massachusetts where Rosemary won a swimming contest and the smitten Frank simply said “give me your number”. Their first date was to Rye Beach in New York where they played miniature golf. They married on October 23, 1960 at Saint Francis Xavier Church in Bronx, NY and they honeymooned at the Algiers Hotel in Miami Florida. While on their honeymoon they met up with another couple who suggested they all go deep sea fishing. Rosemary was sick from the moment she got on the boat and for a few days after. They enjoyed a loving marriage of fifty-three years.
Frank enjoyed gambling, playing Pinochle, and watching football. He liked to travel and has been to many places including Puerto Rico, Lake Shasta, CA, Lake George, NY, Virginia Beach, VA, San Francisco, CA and especially the 50th Anniversary cruise where fifteen family members accompanied them.
He was the loving husband of fifty-three years to Rosemary (Charles) Orapello; loved father of MaryAnne Orapello and her husband Guy Raspantini of Wayne, AnnMarie Buzzelli and her husband Pat of Wayne, and James Orapello and his wife Joan of Wayne; cherished grandfather of James and Patrick Orapello, Vincent, Andrew, and Christopher Buzzelli; dear brother of the late Marie Aiello (2011); brother-in-law of Lorraine Anderson and husband Bob; loved uncle of Rick and Philip Cosentino, and Rosemarie Aiello.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations to the HPH Hospice Foundation, 12242 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville, FL, 34613 or the Wayne Animal Shelter, 201 Pompton Plains Crossroads, Wayne, NJ 07470 would be appreciated.
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