George W. Naporlee, Sr.

George W. Naporlee, Sr., age 76, of Wayne and formerly of Queens and the Bronx, NY, passed away peacefully on Sunday, June 5, 2022.

George was born and raised in the Bronx, NY. He was the youngest of Frederick and Florence (Gorton) Naporlee’s four children. After graduating with the Class of 1962 from Christopher Columbus High School in the Bronx, George launched right into a long, prosperous, and dedicated career in the paper industry. Over the course of a career spanning more than fifty years, George rose to the position of Vice President of Andrew Nelson Whitehead in New York City and had most recently worked as a paper specialist with Gould Paper in New York City before retiring fully in 2016.

George met his wife Helen by means of a mutual friend introducing them. Their first date was on August 12, 1961, to a former amusement park in the Bronx called Freedom Land. Helen recalls that the weather was picture perfect that day and, while at the park, they were entertained by a concert featuring Paul Anka. After many more dates, George proposed marriage to Helen one night at her parent’s house. They made their wedding promises to one another on Saturday, June 12, 1965, at St. Lucy Roman Catholic Church on Mace Ave. in the Bronx. After an intimate reception in Helen’s parents back yard in the Bronx, the newlyweds enjoyed a weekend honeymoon including catching a show at Radio City Music Hall.

George and Helen started married life in an apartment in the Bronx where they were soon blessed with two fine sons, George, Jr. and Anthony. They eventually needed more room, so they moved to a bigger apartment where this time they were blessed with the birth of their beautiful daughter Carolyn. Eventually, they moved to the Whitestone section of Queens, New York where they remained until moving to Wayne, NJ in 2008.

By nature, George was rather competitive. He was always up for a challenge and he fulfilled this hunger through various pursuits. As a young man, he derived great enjoyment from racing his 1964 aqua blue Chevy Impala Super Sport at the track in New York. He also loved horse racing and was a regular placing wagers on the horses at the Yonkers Raceway, the Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, NY, and the NJ Meadowlands Racetrack. He and Helen also enjoyed regular trips to Atlantic City where George loved testing his luck at the tables playing craps or at the slot machines. Gambling was great fun but George and Helen were also drawn to the great shows at the casinos and they liked taking strolls on the boardwalk.

Growing up in the Bronx, it should come as no surprise that George was a New York Yankees (aka “The Bronx Bombers”) fan. For many years, he and his family made it a tradition to get tickets for the annual Old-Timers Day games and the Mayors Trophy games between the Yanks and their crosstown rivals, the New York Mets. George just loved the game of baseball, watching his sons playing in little league was such a source of pride and so much fun for him to see.

Above all else, nothing was more important to George than his family. He loved taking walks with Helen, watching his sons play baseball, and talking business with his daughter Carolyn who he encouraged and mentored to become a CPA. George and Carolyn also enjoyed a love of cats and they were known to send each other cat videos. When the blessing of grandchildren came, George could not be prouder. He loved it when they came to visit and they made the holidays even more special.

Since moving to Wayne, George and Helen have been faithful parishioners at Our Lady of the Valley Church in Wayne. Growing up in the catholic church, George’s faith was important to him, and in many respects, it shaped the loving, caring, giving man that he consistently was throughout his life who always put the needs and wants of his family and others before himself.  

George was the beloved husband of Helen (nee Milano), blessed in marriage for 57 years. He was the loving father of: George Naporlee, Jr. and wife Mary Beth of Old Bridge, Anthony Naporlee and wife Rania of Wayne, and Carolyn Sekosan and fiancé Sal Cipolla of Hicksville, Long Island, NY; cherished grandfather of: Kim and husband Chris, Brianna, Christopher, Christian, Gianna, Thomas, Gabriella, and Aidan; adored great-grandfather of Kaylee Michelle; dear youngest brother of: Doris Glenzer and husband Ronald of Lake Forest, CA, the late Fred Naporlee, and the late Patricia Thomas; and dear uncle of Christine Grandstaff and Ron Glenzer, Jr.

Those planning an expression of sympathy in George’s name are asked to consider:

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Memorial Processing

501 St. Jude Place

Memphis, TN 38105-9959

Tunnel to Towers Foundation

2361 Hylan Blvd.

Staten Island, NY 10306

To download the Printable Donation Form, click here