John Andelora

John Andelora, Jr., age 93 of Haledon passed away peacefully on Monday October 19, 2020 while receiving the loving care of his family.

John was born, raised, and a lifelong resident of Haledon.  He was the older of two children to John and Josephine Andelora.  While growing up in Haledon, he attended his local high school and as a teenager worked on a farm in Parsippany.  While in his last years of high school, John felt deep in his heart, a desire to serve his country.  John dropped out of high school and enlisted in the United States Navy. When signing his DD Form 4/1 for the Navy, John fabricated his age to be eighteen years old when in actuality he was only seventeen.  John served proudly in the US Navy being stationed in Europe, and was honorably discharged in 1946.  Later in 1951 he was called up from the reserves and served honorably once more in the Navy from 1951 until 1953 during the Korean Conflict, during this service he was stationed in Pearl Harbor.

The time between his services with the Navy, John started what would turn out to be his life long career in Graphic Arts.  He worked for a book bindery in Clifton after his first service with the Navy, then eventually earning and accepting a position at Russak Bindery in Paterson where he retired from in 1990.  While employed in Clifton, John worked closely with an attractive young woman buy the name of Anita Tanzillo.  John asked her out to the movies in Passaic and the couple started dating.  As fate would have it they fell in love and were married on May 21, 1950.  John and Anita lived on Zabriski St in Haledon for a number of years then moved to John Parents’ house in Haledon several years later.  In 1952 they welcomed the birth of their first son Roger, and later in 1958, their second son Donald.  John and Anita spent their entire lives in Haledon where they raised their two sons.  The couple cherished an amazing sixty-three years of loving and loyal marriage until Anita’s passing in 2013.

John was a diehard New York Yankees fan, his favorite player being Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio.  He was also a huge fan of the New York Giants as well.  As a young man he enjoyed fishing and bowling.  He was also an avid gardener and took great pride in his tomato gardens throughout the years. He was a member of the American Legion in Fairlawn for many years.  He also loved “dining out,” frequenting various restaurants with his family and friends.  Aside from all of John’s talents and hobbies, his greatest passion was for his family.  Nothing in the world meant more to John than spending time with his family and providing for them.  John was a truly dedicated father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.  Becoming a great-grandfather was without a doubt one of highlights in his life.  John was a very special person who touched the lives of many people and will be sincerely missed by everyone that knew him.    

John is survived by his two sons; Roger Andelora and his wife Donna of Wayne, and Donald Andelora and his wife Carol of Elmwood Park, one brother Robert Andelora and his wife Sharon of Allentown, PA, four grandchildren; Nicholas Andelora of Wayne, Cristina Andelora of Elmwood Park, Gina Andelora of Wayne, Elizabeth Andelora of Ladson, SC, one great grandchild Joseph Stoupakis of Wayne.  He was predeceased by his wife Anita Andelora (nee Tanzillo) in 2013 and his grandson Joseph Andelora in 2012.

In lieu of flowers, donations in John’s name may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorials Processing 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959. http://www.stjude.org or Wounded Warrior Project, 370 7th Ave Suite 1802, New York, NY 10001.  https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/