Louis Cafasso

Louis Cafasso, age 66 of New York City and formerly of Paterson, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, September 3, 2020.

The younger of Aniello and Carmela Cafasso’s two children, Lou was raised in the family home in Paterson on Marion Street. After graduating from Kennedy High School with the Class of 1971, he attended William Paterson College where he earned a bachelor’s degree in education.

Lou’s secured his first job as an English teacher with the local private catholic school in Kearny. He taught for several years until the school closed. Choosing to pursue a different direction, he took a job in construction engineering as a plans and specification proof reader with Syska Hennessy Group in New York City. He truly enjoyed his new career – so much so that he stayed with the company for the next thirty years, only choosing to leave in 2016 to enjoy his next life’s venture – retirement.

Subsequent to beginning his work at Syska and Hennessy, Lou decided to move to New York City feeling that it made the most sense with respect to his daily commute to the office. It turned out to be a great decision as he truly came to love life in the “the city” and he called that coveted *&*!#& 6th floor walk-up studio apartment home.

The City was the perfect place for Lou to indulge his varied outside-of-work interests. A quick jump on the train and he could get to Yankee Stadium in no time to see his beloved New York Yankees. You would swear that Lou had Yankee blue blood running through his veins and his favorite player of all time was Hall of Fame pitcher Mike “Moose” Mussina. He loved going to games with his sister, nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews. Lou also loved attending Broadway shows- day or night. To Kill a Mockingbird was his all-time favorite with King Kong coming in at a close second. He was so bummed that the theater had been closed these past six months during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A huge Walking Dead and American Horror Story fan, Lou frankly had an eclectic taste when it came to the movies he enjoyed. He loved everything, from those low budget “B” movies to the greatest classics. He had a huge DVD collection to prove it and he could quote lines right off the top of his head because he watched them so much. Lou’s family always knew what to give him for Christmas or his birthday. One of his gifts they gave him was every season of the original I Love Lucy series.

Being an English major in college, it should come as no surprise that Lou also had a true admiration for great literature. He loved reading the classics like Frankenstein, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Les Miserables. When he was more up for listening to good music, he would reach for an album from his huge vinyl record collection to play songs from the Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Who, Pink Floyd, Meatloaf, and “The Boss” – Bruce Springsteen. Speaking of Springsteen, Lou clocked in at going to over 50 of Bruce’s concerts. One of the most memorable being a Christmas concert performance in Asbury Park that took place on the day of a huge blizzard. New Jersey had declared a state of emergency but hey!......we’re talking about a Springsteen concert in a small venue here! Lou and his niece Jacqui hopped into her Chevy Trailblazer and weathered the storm; made it to the concert and rocked out the entire night.

And then there was Lou’s extremely unique cow collection. These weren’t your ordinary cows! They were certainly interesting in that each one was fashioned along a different theme.

Above all else, Lou’s greatest interest lied in the bonds of love, admiration and affection for his family that were sewn over the course of his entire life. While he loved New York City, frequently took rides across the other side of the Hudson to visit his family back in Jersey where his roots were established. His family will always hold cherished memories of “Sweet” Uncle Lou at all the family Italian barbeques, special holidays and birthday gatherings. And when your birthday was coming up, you could always count on the fact that a gift from Lou was going to be something special. He had such a knack for getting the coolest, most thoughtful presents. Truth be told, he was just as excited to watch the birthday boy or girl open their birthday package as they were.

Lou was the best! Kind hearted and carefree, he didn’t know what it meant to hold a grudge. He was just a free spirit. Shoot! It should come as no surprise when one recalls that he was a long-haired, peace sign’n hippie from the 1970’s. To his nieces and nephews and grand-nieces and nephews, he was “Cool Uncle Lou.” He was always there for his family and friends when they needed a wise, encouraging, or sympathetic ear to listen and was a confidant for many family secrets.

Lou, had a great sense of humor and hardy laugh.  He could take the brunt of any joke thrown at him by his family.  Now you may want to know WHO in his family made him laugh the hardest or WHO in his large family busted his chops the most or you may want to know WHO always seemed to get him to say “WHO”?

Lou was the much loved brother of the late Ann Lemay (2015) and her husband Ernie of Wayne; coolest uncle of: Jacqueline and husband Michael Tirella of Wayne, Ernest and wife Christine LeMay of West Milford, Christopher and wife Jess LeMay of North Haledon, and David and wife Cindy LeMay of West Milford; dearest great-uncle of: Michael, Nicholas, Dominic, Jay, Mathew, Anthony and wife Ashlee, Joey, C.J. Miliana, Donevan, Aaron, and Evan; dear great-great-uncle of Adalynn; and special friend, Cindy, for always being there.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Lou’s name are asked to consider the New York Public Library (https://www.nypl.org/give) or by mail:  The New York Public Library, Membership Office • 445 Fifth Avenue • New York, NY 10016 • 212.930.0653