Nicholas C. Montano

Nicholas C. Montano, age 75, of Caldwell, passed Friday, August 23, 2019 surrounded by his loving Family.

He was born in Montclair and raised at 188 North 17th Street in Bloomfield.  Nick attended Bloomfield High for one year and then graduated from Essex Catholic High School in Newark where he graduated with the Class of 1961.  After high school he attended Saint Peters College and Farleigh Dickenson University.

In his youth Nick had a paper route and later worked for Larry’s Delicatessen in Bloomfield.  He also worked for the Cascade Pool Company in Highland Park. Nick found a long career with the Standard Tallow Company, first in Newark and later in Kearney.  He started as a truck driver and worked his way to Supervisor over his forty-two year career before retiring in 2006.

Nick met the love of his life Linda Buszko while working for the Cascade Pool Company.  Nick and Linda were introduced by friends and their attraction was immediate.  After a first date at the Jersey Shore swimming in Seaside Heights they fell in love.  First asking Linda’s father and getting his approval, Nick proposed marriage to Linda just after she graduated from high school.  They married on November 5, 1966 at Saint Francis Cabrini Church in Piscataway and had their reception at the Piscataway Fire House. They honeymooned in New York City staying at the Americana Hotel and seeing Barefoot in the Park on Broadway and Wayne Newton perform as well. They have had a loving, caring marriage of fifty-three years that you could characterize as “a marriage made in heaven".

Nick always had an appreciation for the beauty of cars. For many years he enjoyed drag racing with his Mustang Cobra at places like Raceway Park in Englishtown. He also loved his Rottweiler Titan who he raised and showed. Nick was very proud of the fact that Titan came in second place at the Westminster Dog Show in New York.  Many will remember Nick as a good man with a great deal of integrity. He was a trusted source of well-grounded advice to family and friends - a true moral compass for those nearest to him.  He loved watching his grandchildren’s sporting events and would make a point to attend as many as possible to show his loving and committed support. He also loved to sing, was a lover of music, and enjoyed watching old movies.

Nick was the loving husband of Linda Montano; devoted father of the late Nicole P. Montano (d.2005), Gloria Costigan and her husband Wayne of Caldwell, Michelle McGowan and her husband Christopher of Caldwell, and Albert N. Montano and his wife Karyn of Cedar Knolls; he was the cherished grandfather of Brittany, Anthony, Riley, Katie, Reece, Cole, Nicole, Matthew, Emma, and Jack; beloved brother of Marlene Zazzali and her husband George of Belleville, John Montano and his wife Lynne Ann of Oak Ridge, Alberta DiFabio and her husband Tony of Sewell, and Donna Marie Montano of Belleville; and loving uncle to many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Nick’s name are asked to consider St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial Processing 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105-9959 or online at StJude.org.