Joseph Petillo

Joseph Paul Petillo, 95, originally of Livingston, NJ, who recently resided in Carrollton, GA, passed away on May 29, 2017.

Funeral is from the Galante Funeral Home, 54 Roseland Ave. Caldwell on Tuesday June 6 at 8:30 AM. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Philomena Church, 386 S. Livingston Ave. Livingston at 10 AM. Entombment will follow at Gate of Heaven Chapel Mausoleum. Visitation is on Monday June 5 from 3-7 PM.

Born in Roconola, Italy, Joe lived in Newark before residing in Livingston for 55 years. All the while, he maintained a residence in Boca Raton, Fla. and a villa in Italy. He served in the Navy as a Seabee in Europe and the Philippines during World War II; later opening Brookdale Fashions men's shop in Vailsburg on Brookdale Avenue. He moved his store a few years later to South Orange Avenue. After, the store became Brookdale Ltd. and was located on Sloan Street in South Orange for 40 years. Finally, he worked at the Dugout in Union before retiring 10 years ago. Throughout his career, he worked as a bookkeeper in his daughter, Dr. Tina Petillo's office. A longtime exhibitor at the New Jersey State Funeral Director's Association convention, Joe was a member of the Columbian Foundation, the Joseph P. Lordi Scholarship Committee and the Vailsburg Lions Club, of which he was president in 1970. Through the foundations to which he belonged, Joseph gave scholarships to Seton Hall, many New Jersey medical schools, and various charities.  In 1947, he won the Ted Mack Amateur Hour Show 5 times over, and then went on tour with them.

Joe was the beloved husband of the late Cornelia "Corny" (nee Strumolo); loving father of Dr. Tina M. Petillo and Ursula Carr and her husband Ed. He is also survived by his wonderful grandchildren Cheryl, Melissa, Jessica and Edward, and great-grandchildren Lillie, Isabella and Anthony. He was predeceased by his brother Peter Petillo and by his sister Elsie Petillo.

Joe's high energy, impeccable style and dynamic sense of humor will be deeply missed by all who knew him. He was always a talented singer, and was the most positive person you'd ever meet. He would also like to thank all of the funeral directors in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, many of whom he dressed.