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April 10, 2009
Services
This funeral will be a beautiful tribute to a beautiful person and will be held Tuesday, April 14, 2009 at 8:30 AM from the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne then to Our Lady of The Valley RC Church, Wayne where at 9:30 AM a Funeral Mass will be offered.
Friends may visit with the family at the funeral home on Monday from 4-8 PM.
A short story about a man who’s lifelong love was his family.
Joseph T. Corrao age 79 of Wayne passed away at home on Friday, April 10, 2009. His passing took place peacefully with the love of his family who were at his bedside. How appropriate a scene for a true and loving family man. Thank you Joe for being so special in our lives. We love you, we’ll miss you and we’ll remember you always.
He was born in Clifton and spent his formative years in Passaic later living in Glen Rock and then back to Clifton before moving to Wayne forty years ago. Joe owes his good fortune of living the American Dream to his father. His father Anthony Corrao was born in Alcamo, Sicily, Italy and life was very difficult with the economy in disarray and food in great shortage. He had heard about this land called America and decided to take a chance. Anthony traveled here in 1919 and met and married Ida Costello. They settled in Clifton and raised three sons together and were able to live in America and enjoy the opportunities for a better life all to the benefit of their three sons Nate, Joseph and Anthony.
Joe began his work life at the very early age of fourteen because his family needed everyone working to get through difficult economic times in their lives. His first job was in Brennan’s Tea Room in Passaic where he became adept at making milk shakes, sodas and malted milk drinks. In those days those beverages did not come prepackaged and had to be handmade just before consumption. His next job was in New York City for a Steamship Company where he was a sales representative.
He discovered within himself an entrepreneurial spirit and opened a Delicatessen-Butcher concession at the Woolworth’s 5 & 10 cent store in downtown Newark where he specialized in cut up chicken sales. Not one to be idle he talked with his brother Nate who had experience in the fence business and they partnered in establishing Jan Fence Company in Wayne. He kept his delicatessen concession until the fence business was built up and then joined Nate full time in fence retailing. The brothers ran the business together for many years until Nate retired in 1985. Five years later in 1990 Joe also went into retirement having groomed his son Robert to operate the business. Retirement was perhaps not the best word to use because Joe never stayed home but rather he showed up for work at what is now his son Robert’s company. It is obvious that Joe was driven to success and perhaps could be referred to as an ambitious workaholic by nature. His forte’ or perhaps key to success in the business world was to make things happen.
He was gifted with an extraverted personality that melded well with others and was well liked for his selfless kindness to all that he met. This caused him to have many admiring friends.
Joe and Kathleen met at a birthday party where the entertainment game was spin the bottle. When his turn came he spun the bottle and it pointed to Kathy. He lucked out and kissed Kathy. He said to his friends immediately, “I’ll be marrying that girl”. That kiss was real special because in ended up in a two year courtship and Joe and Kathy who married in 1952. They had fifty-seven years of “wonderful marriage” together.
He was a member of UNICO International, was an active member of the Paterson Italian Circle and he once ran for the office of New Jersey State Senator for the Republican Party.
In his leisure time you would often find Joe watching the New York Giants on TV. He was their number one fan.
Surviving are his loving wife Kathleen (nee Georgeou) Corrao; two sons Joseph T. Corrao Jr. and Robert Corrao both of Wayne, two brothers Nate Corrao of Clifton, Anthony Corrao of Montville; four grandchildren Kevin, Stephanie, Lauren and Joseph Corrao III.
Those planning an expression of sympathy in Joseph’s memory are asked to consider The American Cancer Society, 20 Mercer Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
This funeral will be a beautiful tribute to a beautiful person and will be held Tuesday, April 14, 2009 at 8:30 AM from the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne then to Our Lady of The Valley RC Church, Wayne where at 9:30 AM a Funeral Mass will be offered.
Friends may visit with the family at the funeral home on Monday from 4-8 PM.
April 10, 2009
Services
This funeral will be a beautiful tribute to a beautiful person and will be held Tuesday, April 14, 2009 at 8:30 AM from the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne then to Our Lady of The Valley RC Church, Wayne where at 9:30 AM a Funeral Mass will be offered.
Friends may visit with the family at the funeral home on Monday from 4-8 PM.
A short story about a man who’s lifelong love was his family.
Joseph T. Corrao age 79 of Wayne passed away at home on Friday, April 10, 2009. His passing took place peacefully with the love of his family who were at his bedside. How appropriate a scene for a true and loving family man. Thank you Joe for being so special in our lives. We love you, we’ll miss you and we’ll remember you always.
He was born in Clifton and spent his formative years in Passaic later living in Glen Rock and then back to Clifton before moving to Wayne forty years ago. Joe owes his good fortune of living the American Dream to his father. His father Anthony Corrao was born in Alcamo, Sicily, Italy and life was very difficult with the economy in disarray and food in great shortage. He had heard about this land called America and decided to take a chance. Anthony traveled here in 1919 and met and married Ida Costello. They settled in Clifton and raised three sons together and were able to live in America and enjoy the opportunities for a better life all to the benefit of their three sons Nate, Joseph and Anthony.
Joe began his work life at the very early age of fourteen because his family needed everyone working to get through difficult economic times in their lives. His first job was in Brennan’s Tea Room in Passaic where he became adept at making milk shakes, sodas and malted milk drinks. In those days those beverages did not come prepackaged and had to be handmade just before consumption. His next job was in New York City for a Steamship Company where he was a sales representative.
He discovered within himself an entrepreneurial spirit and opened a Delicatessen-Butcher concession at the Woolworth’s 5 & 10 cent store in downtown Newark where he specialized in cut up chicken sales. Not one to be idle he talked with his brother Nate who had experience in the fence business and they partnered in establishing Jan Fence Company in Wayne. He kept his delicatessen concession until the fence business was built up and then joined Nate full time in fence retailing. The brothers ran the business together for many years until Nate retired in 1985. Five years later in 1990 Joe also went into retirement having groomed his son Robert to operate the business. Retirement was perhaps not the best word to use because Joe never stayed home but rather he showed up for work at what is now his son Robert’s company. It is obvious that Joe was driven to success and perhaps could be referred to as an ambitious workaholic by nature. His forte’ or perhaps key to success in the business world was to make things happen.
He was gifted with an extraverted personality that melded well with others and was well liked for his selfless kindness to all that he met. This caused him to have many admiring friends.
Joe and Kathleen met at a birthday party where the entertainment game was spin the bottle. When his turn came he spun the bottle and it pointed to Kathy. He lucked out and kissed Kathy. He said to his friends immediately, “I’ll be marrying that girl”. That kiss was real special because in ended up in a two year courtship and Joe and Kathy who married in 1952. They had fifty-seven years of “wonderful marriage” together.
He was a member of UNICO International, was an active member of the Paterson Italian Circle and he once ran for the office of New Jersey State Senator for the Republican Party.
In his leisure time you would often find Joe watching the New York Giants on TV. He was their number one fan.
Surviving are his loving wife Kathleen (nee Georgeou) Corrao; two sons Joseph T. Corrao Jr. and Robert Corrao both of Wayne, two brothers Nate Corrao of Clifton, Anthony Corrao of Montville; four grandchildren Kevin, Stephanie, Lauren and Joseph Corrao III.
Those planning an expression of sympathy in Joseph’s memory are asked to consider The American Cancer Society, 20 Mercer Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601.
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