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July 27, 2009
Services
Funeral services will be held 11 AM on Saturday, August 1, 2009 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Rd., Wayne.
Friends may visit with the family on Friday, July 31, 2009 from 2-4 and 7-9 PM at the funeral home.
John Salvatore Casella age 82 of Wayne died Monday, July 27, 2009 with his wife Anna by his side.
He was born in Paterson and was a lifelong resident of Wayne. He attended the Preakness Elementary School, Anthony Wayne Junior High School and Pompton Lakes High School with the Class of 1944.
He grew up on the family “truck” farm along Valley Road in Wayne. In the early years, he ploughed fields with a horse-drawn plow, and learned to grow delicious vegetables which the family would take to the Farmers’ Market in Paterson.
In later years, John would continue to farm his own property with his wife Claire and children. The community enjoyed their corn, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, string beans, cucumber, spinach, watermelon and many others. They would continue the family tradition of taking their produce to the Farmers’ Market in Paterson and later had a roadside stand on Valley Road.
He left high school half way through his senior year and entered the US Army. The draft board offered to let him stay Stateside as his brother was serving in the Navy and he was the only son left to tend to the family farm. He declined their offer to stay home as he wanted to serve his country. He served with the 521st Infantry, 345th as a Truck Driver, 27th Infantry Division and finally the 43rd Engineers Construction Battalion where he served in Japan re-building airstrips.
John and Anna fell in love and were later married on November 1, 1958 at Holy Cross Church in Wayne. They built their home on a portion of the original farm on Valley Road, where they would live with their family for the next fifty years.
He was a heavy equipment operator working with the Operating Engineers Local 825, Newark for 42 and one half years before his retirement in 1987.
John was a very hard worker and avid outdoorsman. He enjoyed taking his children and their friends hunting and fishing. They would often pack a picnic lunch and head to Sussex as a family. Anna even tied flies for their fishing excursions. It is believed that John’s farm roots brought out his love of the outdoors.
Surviving are his loving wife of fifty years Anna (nee Gavan) “Claire” Casella; loving father of John F. Casella of Vernon, Mark Casella and his wife Theresa of Lackawaxen, PA, Linda Schalck and her husband Donald of Wayne and James Casella of Scranton, PA; cherished grandfather of Bryan , Victoria, Amber, Jamie, Julia, Tara and John Casella and Claire and Erin Schalck; loved great-grandfather of Jordan and Braedon; sister of Agnes Guard of CA, Mildred Eelman and her husband Garry of FL, Marie Lilliedoll of CA, Eleanor Bruno and her husband Charles of Wayne, NJ and the late Francis Casella.
Those considering donations are asked to contact Hospice of NJ, 400 Broad Acres Dr., 1St Floor, Bloomfield NJ 07004.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Funeral services will be held 11 AM on Saturday, August 1, 2009 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Rd., Wayne.
Friends may visit with the family on Friday, July 31, 2009 from 2-4 and 7-9 PM at the funeral home.
July 27, 2009
Services
Funeral services will be held 11 AM on Saturday, August 1, 2009 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Rd., Wayne.
Friends may visit with the family on Friday, July 31, 2009 from 2-4 and 7-9 PM at the funeral home.
John Salvatore Casella age 82 of Wayne died Monday, July 27, 2009 with his wife Anna by his side.
He was born in Paterson and was a lifelong resident of Wayne. He attended the Preakness Elementary School, Anthony Wayne Junior High School and Pompton Lakes High School with the Class of 1944.
He grew up on the family “truck” farm along Valley Road in Wayne. In the early years, he ploughed fields with a horse-drawn plow, and learned to grow delicious vegetables which the family would take to the Farmers’ Market in Paterson.
In later years, John would continue to farm his own property with his wife Claire and children. The community enjoyed their corn, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, string beans, cucumber, spinach, watermelon and many others. They would continue the family tradition of taking their produce to the Farmers’ Market in Paterson and later had a roadside stand on Valley Road.
He left high school half way through his senior year and entered the US Army. The draft board offered to let him stay Stateside as his brother was serving in the Navy and he was the only son left to tend to the family farm. He declined their offer to stay home as he wanted to serve his country. He served with the 521st Infantry, 345th as a Truck Driver, 27th Infantry Division and finally the 43rd Engineers Construction Battalion where he served in Japan re-building airstrips.
John and Anna fell in love and were later married on November 1, 1958 at Holy Cross Church in Wayne. They built their home on a portion of the original farm on Valley Road, where they would live with their family for the next fifty years.
He was a heavy equipment operator working with the Operating Engineers Local 825, Newark for 42 and one half years before his retirement in 1987.
John was a very hard worker and avid outdoorsman. He enjoyed taking his children and their friends hunting and fishing. They would often pack a picnic lunch and head to Sussex as a family. Anna even tied flies for their fishing excursions. It is believed that John’s farm roots brought out his love of the outdoors.
Surviving are his loving wife of fifty years Anna (nee Gavan) “Claire” Casella; loving father of John F. Casella of Vernon, Mark Casella and his wife Theresa of Lackawaxen, PA, Linda Schalck and her husband Donald of Wayne and James Casella of Scranton, PA; cherished grandfather of Bryan , Victoria, Amber, Jamie, Julia, Tara and John Casella and Claire and Erin Schalck; loved great-grandfather of Jordan and Braedon; sister of Agnes Guard of CA, Mildred Eelman and her husband Garry of FL, Marie Lilliedoll of CA, Eleanor Bruno and her husband Charles of Wayne, NJ and the late Francis Casella.
Those considering donations are asked to contact Hospice of NJ, 400 Broad Acres Dr., 1St Floor, Bloomfield NJ 07004.
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