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Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Wednesday, April 22, 2015 from 2-4 & 7-9 PM.
Funeral Services will be held on Thursday, April 23, 2015 at 9:00 AM from the funeral home, then to Our Lady of the Holy Angels R.C. Church, 473 Main Street, Little Falls, where at 10:00 AM a Funeral Mass will be offered. Interment will follow at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Totowa.
Frank Zaccaro, age 95, of Paterson, died peacefully on Sunday, April 19, 2015.
Frank was born in Paterson on McBride Avenue. One of Alessondro and Teresa Zaccaro’s thirteen children – he grew up there and, like so many kids living at that time, he quit school after the seventh grade so that he could go to work and contribute to the financial needs of the family.
As a young man Frank worked various jobs including helping his Uncle Frank build houses. He also owned his own auto repair shop behind the house on McBride Ave. It was there that he earned the name “Blackie” because he was always covered with grease and grime from working on the cars.
In 1942, Frank was drafted into the U.S. Army, along with four of his brothers: Ralph, Alexander “Kurt”, Anthony “Chappy”, and Pete. Frank served proudly during World War II, seeing action in nine separate invasions throughout Europe and Africa. In one particular battle Frank’s ship was torpedoed while he and his comrades were storming the beaches of Normandy. Frank struggled to swim the mile-and-a-half to shore the whole time fighting against the vacuum caused by the sinking ship sucking him down under water. He was so mad because he lost his bag in which he was carrying a bunch of cash. In the accounts that he shared about his life as a soldier, he recalled getting very little sleep, being in a wet uniform for days, and filling his helmet with water every day so he could shave. He sustained injuries during all the fighting and, for his service and bravery, Frank was awarded the European African-Middle Eastern Service Medal, the Brass and Silver Arrowhead, and the Good Conduct Medal. After the war, only two of his brothers returned home with Frank as his brother Chappy’s life was taken by enemy troops.
Frank’s brother Chappy had been dating a young girl named Mary Caltabiano. When Chappy died in combat Frank’s sister-in-law Rose, who was married to Frank’s other brother Kurt, told Mary that Chappy had another brother Frank who she might be interested in. Frank and Mary dated and soon fell in love. They married on October 29, 1945 and enjoyed a loving marriage for 53 years until Mary passed away in 1998.
After the war, Frank initially went into the scrap business in Paterson with his brother Kurt. Then in 1964, he went to work as a rigger with Kessler Trucking of Paterson. His company was involved in heavy lifting, hauling and rigging. Some of the bigger jobs Frank was involved in included work for the Hershey Factory in Pennsylvania, hauling and setting the Tuscan Dairy tanks seen from the Garden State Parkway, and moving the first manned submarine from Pennington Park in Paterson to the Paterson Museum. Frank was very skilled at every facet of his trade, from loading the truck, hauling it, and maneuvering those big things into little places. He enjoyed working as a rigger and he continued in this field of work for most of his career until retiring in 1980.
In 1964, the same year he went to work for Kessler Trucking, Frank, Mary and his family that would eventually include his seven children, moved to Wayne. Frank stayed in Wayne for thirty-six years, then in 2000 he moved back to McBride Ave. in Paterson, across the street from where he was born.
After retiring, Frank kept busy fixing small engines like the ones on lawnmowers, tractors and snow blowers. If you had a small engine that needed repair, Frank was the guy to call.
Frank was a tough guy! He was so tough that one time he clocked a professional fighter and he prided himself in the fact that, in his early days as a car mechanic, he could lift the front end of a Model T….off the ground…..by himself! But for all of his toughness, he really was a big teddy bear. His kids recall how he loved to take them on day trips to the White Birch Beach, along the river in Oakland. Frank, Mary, and their children, along with Frank’s extended family, enjoyed lots of good times there. When his children were small, Frank would take them to Garrett Mountain so that Mary could spend the day cleaning the house in peace. The family also spent lots of time down the Jersey shore at Seaside Heights, sunning and swimming by day and hitting the boardwalk in the evenings. He loved his grandchildren and he’d take them out for the day too, often times spending time with them at the mall.
Seven days before his passing, over seventy people, including family and friends, gathered at Mamma Vittoria’s in Nutley to honor Frank in celebration of his 95th birthday. It was a great celebration and you could tell that Frank really enjoyed being with those he loved. He’ll always be remembered for his great, dry sense of humor.
Frank is survived by his two dear daughters: Robyn and husband Jeff Thornley, and Sharon and husband Allan Zozzaro, both of Wayne; two dear sons: Donald Zaccaro of West Milford and Richard Zaccaro of Fairfield; thirteen loved grandchildren, thirteen adored great-grandchildren, and four cherished great-great grandchildren. He was predeceased by his beloved wife Mary in 1998, three dear sons: Joseph (1977), Frank, Jr. (1990), and John (1988); his much-loved grandson John Vito Zaccaro this past February, 2015, and his dear six brothers and seven sisters.
In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Frank’s name are asked to consider St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P.O Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148-0142 (www.stjude.org).
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Wednesday, April 22, 2015 from 2-4 & 7-9 PM.
Funeral Services will be held on Thursday, April 23, 2015 at 9:00 AM from the funeral home, then to Our Lady of the Holy Angels R.C. Church, 473 Main Street, Little Falls, where at 10:00 AM a Funeral Mass will be offered. Interment will follow at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Totowa.
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Wednesday, April 22, 2015 from 2-4 & 7-9 PM.
Funeral Services will be held on Thursday, April 23, 2015 at 9:00 AM from the funeral home, then to Our Lady of the Holy Angels R.C. Church, 473 Main Street, Little Falls, where at 10:00 AM a Funeral Mass will be offered. Interment will follow at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Totowa.
Frank Zaccaro, age 95, of Paterson, died peacefully on Sunday, April 19, 2015.
Frank was born in Paterson on McBride Avenue. One of Alessondro and Teresa Zaccaro’s thirteen children – he grew up there and, like so many kids living at that time, he quit school after the seventh grade so that he could go to work and contribute to the financial needs of the family.
As a young man Frank worked various jobs including helping his Uncle Frank build houses. He also owned his own auto repair shop behind the house on McBride Ave. It was there that he earned the name “Blackie” because he was always covered with grease and grime from working on the cars.
In 1942, Frank was drafted into the U.S. Army, along with four of his brothers: Ralph, Alexander “Kurt”, Anthony “Chappy”, and Pete. Frank served proudly during World War II, seeing action in nine separate invasions throughout Europe and Africa. In one particular battle Frank’s ship was torpedoed while he and his comrades were storming the beaches of Normandy. Frank struggled to swim the mile-and-a-half to shore the whole time fighting against the vacuum caused by the sinking ship sucking him down under water. He was so mad because he lost his bag in which he was carrying a bunch of cash. In the accounts that he shared about his life as a soldier, he recalled getting very little sleep, being in a wet uniform for days, and filling his helmet with water every day so he could shave. He sustained injuries during all the fighting and, for his service and bravery, Frank was awarded the European African-Middle Eastern Service Medal, the Brass and Silver Arrowhead, and the Good Conduct Medal. After the war, only two of his brothers returned home with Frank as his brother Chappy’s life was taken by enemy troops.
Frank’s brother Chappy had been dating a young girl named Mary Caltabiano. When Chappy died in combat Frank’s sister-in-law Rose, who was married to Frank’s other brother Kurt, told Mary that Chappy had another brother Frank who she might be interested in. Frank and Mary dated and soon fell in love. They married on October 29, 1945 and enjoyed a loving marriage for 53 years until Mary passed away in 1998.
After the war, Frank initially went into the scrap business in Paterson with his brother Kurt. Then in 1964, he went to work as a rigger with Kessler Trucking of Paterson. His company was involved in heavy lifting, hauling and rigging. Some of the bigger jobs Frank was involved in included work for the Hershey Factory in Pennsylvania, hauling and setting the Tuscan Dairy tanks seen from the Garden State Parkway, and moving the first manned submarine from Pennington Park in Paterson to the Paterson Museum. Frank was very skilled at every facet of his trade, from loading the truck, hauling it, and maneuvering those big things into little places. He enjoyed working as a rigger and he continued in this field of work for most of his career until retiring in 1980.
In 1964, the same year he went to work for Kessler Trucking, Frank, Mary and his family that would eventually include his seven children, moved to Wayne. Frank stayed in Wayne for thirty-six years, then in 2000 he moved back to McBride Ave. in Paterson, across the street from where he was born.
After retiring, Frank kept busy fixing small engines like the ones on lawnmowers, tractors and snow blowers. If you had a small engine that needed repair, Frank was the guy to call.
Frank was a tough guy! He was so tough that one time he clocked a professional fighter and he prided himself in the fact that, in his early days as a car mechanic, he could lift the front end of a Model T….off the ground…..by himself! But for all of his toughness, he really was a big teddy bear. His kids recall how he loved to take them on day trips to the White Birch Beach, along the river in Oakland. Frank, Mary, and their children, along with Frank’s extended family, enjoyed lots of good times there. When his children were small, Frank would take them to Garrett Mountain so that Mary could spend the day cleaning the house in peace. The family also spent lots of time down the Jersey shore at Seaside Heights, sunning and swimming by day and hitting the boardwalk in the evenings. He loved his grandchildren and he’d take them out for the day too, often times spending time with them at the mall.
Seven days before his passing, over seventy people, including family and friends, gathered at Mamma Vittoria’s in Nutley to honor Frank in celebration of his 95th birthday. It was a great celebration and you could tell that Frank really enjoyed being with those he loved. He’ll always be remembered for his great, dry sense of humor.
Frank is survived by his two dear daughters: Robyn and husband Jeff Thornley, and Sharon and husband Allan Zozzaro, both of Wayne; two dear sons: Donald Zaccaro of West Milford and Richard Zaccaro of Fairfield; thirteen loved grandchildren, thirteen adored great-grandchildren, and four cherished great-great grandchildren. He was predeceased by his beloved wife Mary in 1998, three dear sons: Joseph (1977), Frank, Jr. (1990), and John (1988); his much-loved grandson John Vito Zaccaro this past February, 2015, and his dear six brothers and seven sisters.
In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Frank’s name are asked to consider St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P.O Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148-0142 (www.stjude.org).
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