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Services
Friends may visit with the family from 4-8 PM on Thursday, November 17, 2016 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne.
Funeral services will be held 9 AM on Friday, November 18, 2016 from the funeral home then to Our Lady of the Valley RC Church, 630 Valley Road, Wayne where a 10 AM Funeral Mass will be offered.
Entombment will be in Laurel Grove Memorial Park, Totowa.
Raymond Catanzaro, age 92, of Wayne, passed peacefully at home on Monday, November 14, 2016.
He was born To Philip and Theresa Catanzaro at 39 State Street in Passaic. His father owned a tavern called Phil’s Bar and Grill located at 39 State Street where the tavern was on the first floor, his family of seven children raised on the second floor.
Raymond attended Passaic High School with the Class of 1942. As a young man he worked as a Printer’s Apprentice. He was drafted into the US Army during WWII and reported for duty on July 23, 1943. Raymond served as an Infantryman with the 301st Infantry’s 94th Division having served in Europe under General Patton. Raymond didn’t speak much about his service other than relating the one time he was in a fox hole and a Potato Masher Grenade flew in but was thankfully a dud. Raymond received the Combat Infantry Badge, the American Campaign Medal, the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal for his service and was Honorably Discharged on April 28, 1946.
After his service, Raymond went to upholstery school and learned that trade, but then joined his father in the family-owned tavern business, Phil’s Bar and Grill, until the State of New Jersey exercised its right of Eminent Domain in the mid 1970’s and took over the property to make way for Route 21’s construction. Afterwards, Raymond worked at several liquor stores as the store manager and then retired in 1986.
Raymond met his future wife Josephine “Joy” Viviano on a blind date. Some friends invited her to join them for a night of bowling and she really didn’t want to go, but they persuaded her. When she met Ray that night, it was love at first sight! Joy and Ray would eventually enjoy a love-affair marriage that grew stronger by the day and has lasted nearly sixty years. Joy’s daughter, Maryann, recalls how often she has heard her father say “Joy, I don’t just love you, I adore you.” They shared an uncommon love and set a wonderful example for their children and grandchildren. In recent years, Ray was experiencing dementia to the degree that he thought his daughter Maryann was his wife Joy. Although he was a bit confused, his deep seated love for Joy was a foundation in his heart and had him still saying “I adore you” up until his final days.
Raymond was a founding parishioner of Our Lady of the Valley RC Church in Wayne with his late wife Joy. They shared a deep love for their Catholic faith.
Raymond will be remembered for his easy-going way and patience of a saint. He would always put other’s needs before his own. His children have many fond memories of family trips to the Jersey Shore where they would stay at his brother Phil’s home in Manasquan and later in Wildwood Crest’s hotels. During his retirement, he was always helping with the laundry and cooking. He made the best homemade pizza imaginable, loved to talk about politics, and was a huge fan of Rush Limbaugh. Raymond will forever be remembered for reminding you he was born during leap year “Bet you’ve had more birthday’s than I have” was always on the tip of his tongue.
As Raymond grew older, he would enjoy spending time with his 2 young granddaughters, Nicole and Rachel, making them his famous silver dollar pancakes and just having quality time with them. Nicole and Rachel are now grown and will always cherish those wonderful memories they have of their grandpa and grandma.
He was the loving husband of the late Josephine “Joy” Catanzaro (April 2, 2016); he was the devoted father of Maryann Mahon and her husband Matthew and their 2 children Nicole and Rachel Mahon of Wayne, NJ and also survived by his daughter Terri Moore of Clark, NJ and her 2 children Jennifer and Jonathan Moore; dear brother of the late Anthony Catanzaro and his surviving wife Irene of Little Falls, the late Rev. Fr. Eugene Catanzaro, Robert Catanzaro of Clifton, Rosalie Meade and her husband Raymond of Lakewood, Florence Sullivan and her late husband Louis of Lakewood and Philip Catanzaro of Florida; he was the much loved uncle of many nieces and nephews.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family from 4-8 PM on Thursday, November 17, 2016 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne.
Funeral services will be held 9 AM on Friday, November 18, 2016 from the funeral home then to Our Lady of the Valley RC Church, 630 Valley Road, Wayne where a 10 AM Funeral Mass will be offered.
Entombment will be in Laurel Grove Memorial Park, Totowa.
Services
Friends may visit with the family from 4-8 PM on Thursday, November 17, 2016 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne.
Funeral services will be held 9 AM on Friday, November 18, 2016 from the funeral home then to Our Lady of the Valley RC Church, 630 Valley Road, Wayne where a 10 AM Funeral Mass will be offered.
Entombment will be in Laurel Grove Memorial Park, Totowa.
Raymond Catanzaro, age 92, of Wayne, passed peacefully at home on Monday, November 14, 2016.
He was born To Philip and Theresa Catanzaro at 39 State Street in Passaic. His father owned a tavern called Phil’s Bar and Grill located at 39 State Street where the tavern was on the first floor, his family of seven children raised on the second floor.
Raymond attended Passaic High School with the Class of 1942. As a young man he worked as a Printer’s Apprentice. He was drafted into the US Army during WWII and reported for duty on July 23, 1943. Raymond served as an Infantryman with the 301st Infantry’s 94th Division having served in Europe under General Patton. Raymond didn’t speak much about his service other than relating the one time he was in a fox hole and a Potato Masher Grenade flew in but was thankfully a dud. Raymond received the Combat Infantry Badge, the American Campaign Medal, the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal for his service and was Honorably Discharged on April 28, 1946.
After his service, Raymond went to upholstery school and learned that trade, but then joined his father in the family-owned tavern business, Phil’s Bar and Grill, until the State of New Jersey exercised its right of Eminent Domain in the mid 1970’s and took over the property to make way for Route 21’s construction. Afterwards, Raymond worked at several liquor stores as the store manager and then retired in 1986.
Raymond met his future wife Josephine “Joy” Viviano on a blind date. Some friends invited her to join them for a night of bowling and she really didn’t want to go, but they persuaded her. When she met Ray that night, it was love at first sight! Joy and Ray would eventually enjoy a love-affair marriage that grew stronger by the day and has lasted nearly sixty years. Joy’s daughter, Maryann, recalls how often she has heard her father say “Joy, I don’t just love you, I adore you.” They shared an uncommon love and set a wonderful example for their children and grandchildren. In recent years, Ray was experiencing dementia to the degree that he thought his daughter Maryann was his wife Joy. Although he was a bit confused, his deep seated love for Joy was a foundation in his heart and had him still saying “I adore you” up until his final days.
Raymond was a founding parishioner of Our Lady of the Valley RC Church in Wayne with his late wife Joy. They shared a deep love for their Catholic faith.
Raymond will be remembered for his easy-going way and patience of a saint. He would always put other’s needs before his own. His children have many fond memories of family trips to the Jersey Shore where they would stay at his brother Phil’s home in Manasquan and later in Wildwood Crest’s hotels. During his retirement, he was always helping with the laundry and cooking. He made the best homemade pizza imaginable, loved to talk about politics, and was a huge fan of Rush Limbaugh. Raymond will forever be remembered for reminding you he was born during leap year “Bet you’ve had more birthday’s than I have” was always on the tip of his tongue.
As Raymond grew older, he would enjoy spending time with his 2 young granddaughters, Nicole and Rachel, making them his famous silver dollar pancakes and just having quality time with them. Nicole and Rachel are now grown and will always cherish those wonderful memories they have of their grandpa and grandma.
He was the loving husband of the late Josephine “Joy” Catanzaro (April 2, 2016); he was the devoted father of Maryann Mahon and her husband Matthew and their 2 children Nicole and Rachel Mahon of Wayne, NJ and also survived by his daughter Terri Moore of Clark, NJ and her 2 children Jennifer and Jonathan Moore; dear brother of the late Anthony Catanzaro and his surviving wife Irene of Little Falls, the late Rev. Fr. Eugene Catanzaro, Robert Catanzaro of Clifton, Rosalie Meade and her husband Raymond of Lakewood, Florence Sullivan and her late husband Louis of Lakewood and Philip Catanzaro of Florida; he was the much loved uncle of many nieces and nephews.
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