Wayne LoPresti

Wayne LoPresti, aged 74 of Wayne, passed away on Tuesday, May 9th after a long battle with cancer. 

Wayne was born in Biloxi, Mississippi before moving in his early years to Clifton, NJ. He was the proud graduate of St. Peter’s Prep where his independence and passion for life began. Wayne will be remembered for his great sense of humor and his ability to carve his own path through life that led others to admire him.  

He started his professional career scaling telephone poles and “climbed” his way up the ranks within AT&T into telecommunications sales and project management positions. He concluded his career using his accumulated knowledge on various consulting jobs within the industry. 

His success in his professional career is outshined by his passions outside of his work life. Wayne was well known as a musician whose skill with a guitar first manifested itself in his garage band at the age of 16. They were called “The Jades” and his followers will remember rooting for him and The Jades in the Battle of the Bands. He would go on to play in several rock and roll bands where he would perform professionally for weddings. In addition to his music, Wayne loved spending time outside. He maintained a thriving garden and landscape. 

Beyond all of Wayne’s hobbies, he was most passionate about his family. Wayne shared a loving marriage of 42 years with his wife and soulmate, Catherine. Wayne and Catherine’s marriage was a strong bond built on a deep connection, bringing a sense of joy and contentment to their daily lives together. Their shared love led to Wayne’s pride and joy; their two children Michael and Erica. Wayne was the biggest fan of his children – he shared deep connections with them and led a life that helped shape theirs as well. 

Wayne enjoyed making cartoons and his daughter Erica embodied his artistic talent and expanded on it. Wayne prized her art above anything he created, and he loved that her artistic talents flowed with his own. Thanks to her father's nurturing influence, Erica developed not only exceptional creativity, but also a strong sense of independence and confidence in forging her own unique path in life. Wayne also inspired Erica to cultivate her own green thumb and find joy and fulfillment in nurturing and growing beautiful plants.

Michael inherited Wayne’s musical ability and love for baseball. Wayne was a lifelong Yankees fan, and he took great pride in Michael’s baseball career that spanned from little league all the way up to the minor leagues of professional baseball. Wayne’s unwavering passion for watching his son play baseball not only brought him immense joy, but also helped him form meaningful relationships with fellow parents and coaches who shared his love for the sport and their children. Wayne’s passion for the guitar also inspired Michael to learn to play himself. 

Wayne will be remembered for his incredible sense of humor and his unique passion for all that life has to offer. He always had the best jokes and was truly one of a kind. He leaves behind an indelible mark on all of those who were lucky enough to learn from and spend time with him. He will be missed.

Wayne is survived by his wife Catherine LoPresti of Wayne and their two children: Michael LoPresti of Wayne and Erica LoPresti of Wayne; his brother Bob Lopresti formerly of Clifton and Pompton Plains; his niece Jackie Grasso, her husband Tom Grasso, and their two children Xander and Averie of Lake Hiawatha, and his nephew Robbie Lopresti and his wife Jackie Lopresti of Montville; and his 4 cats: Cali, Lucky, Luna, and Axel. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made out to St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital, The Wounded Warrior Project, or Tunnel to Towers Foundation.