Wayne Potosnak

Wayne J. Potosnak, age 69, of Wayne, passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, July 5, 2025, with his family lovingly present at his side.

The son of Joseph and Adele (Sudol) Potosnak, Wayne was born in Passaic, NJ, where he spent his early years before the family moved to Wayne.

Wayne was a proud graduate of Wayne Hills High School, Class of 1973. He continued his education by earning a bachelor’s degree from William Paterson College and later a master’s degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

From a youthful age, Wayne showed great determination. At seventeen, he began working at Preakness Fabrics, helping to put himself through college. He also had a knack for numbers—in fact, at just eighteen, he was already preparing his friends’ income tax returns at the local diner. Naturally, he pursued accounting in college, eventually enjoying a long and rewarding career with Moe Frankel, CPA in Fair Lawn, where he rose to become a partner. Most recently, Wayne operated his own accounting practice.

Wayne’s love story began at a friend’s wedding, where he met a kind and beautiful young woman named Jacqueline “Jackie” Marro. They hit it off instantly. Their first official date was to a Halloween party. Their relationship was just beginning, but unbeknownst to them, Jackie and Wayne’s parents already knew one another from Shop-Rite, where Jackie worked the service desk and had interacted with them several times, a welcome surprise when they first met.

Eventually, Wayne proposed. Jackie remembers how nervous he seemed that night. Throughout dinner, Wayne kept fidgeting and checking his pocket, worried he had dropped the ring off the edge of their balcony table. Fortunately, he hadn’t. He found the ring, proposed, Jackie said “Yes,” and they celebrated with Häagen-Dazs chocolate chip ice cream for dessert. They were married at Wayne Presbyterian Church on Sunday, July 11, 1982. After a reception at the Wayne Manor, they honeymooned in Bermuda.

They began married life in a cozy West Paterson apartment, later purchasing their first home in Elmwood Park. While living there, they were blessed with their three sons—Ryan, David, and Jason. In December of 1992, the family moved to their current home in Wayne—right in the middle of a nor’easter, making for a memorable move-in day.

Outside of work, Wayne had a deeply artistic side. He played guitar and even wrote his own music. He often insisted that the lyrics in Aerosmith’s “Livin’ on the Edge” was stolen from an original song he submitted to a contest. His favorite musical artists included Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys, The Beatles, and Paul McCartney.

Wayne loved time spent at the beach. As a boy, his parents brought him and his two brothers to Seaside Heights, renting a house every summer with family. He continued this beloved tradition with his own family, visiting Belmar even in the winter, walking the boardwalk in Spring Lake with his sons, fishing at Island Beach State Park and Maryland shores, and vacationing in Cape Cod with— Jackie’s twin brother and their families.

As the father of three boys, Wayne got involved as a volunteer Boy Scout leader. His accounting background didn’t go unnoticed for long—Troop 102 quickly recruited him as treasurer, a role he fulfilled for decades. He and his sons camped one weekend a month and joined in countless service projects. Wayne was especially proud that all three of his sons earned the rank of Eagle Scout.

Devoted to his family, Wayne cherished his marriage to Jackie, loved sharing in life’s moments with his sons, and was the proudest “Pa” to his three grandchildren.

Wayne was the beloved husband of Jackie, blessed in marriage for just a few days short of 43 years. He was the loving father of Ryan Potosnak and wife Stacey of Alexandria, VA, David Potosnak and wife Sara of Bloomingdale, and Jason Potosnak and wife Emily of Oakland; proudest grandfather of: Brooks, Ramona, and Griffin; dear brother of Joseph Potosnak and wife Mary of Highland Lakes, NJ and Thomas Potosnak and wife Darrell of Westborough MA; and dear uncle of Jennifer, John, Caitlin, Jessica, Nicholas, Michelle, Amanda, Anthony, William, Matthew, Timothy, and Brandon. Wayne was predeceased by his parents, Joseph and Adele (Sudol) Potosnak.

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In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Wayne’s name are asked to consider:

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Memorial Processing

501 St. Jude Place

Memphis, TN 38105-9959