Otto Cardinale

Otto Anthony Cardinale, 95, passed away peacefully at Brandywine Senior Living Facility in Toms River, NJ

surrounded by his children on June 10.

Otto was born on July 10, 1920 in Newark, NJ to Ann and Ralph Cardinale; he had one brother, Sam Cardinale.  Otto was raised in Newark and graduated from West Side High School.  As a teenager, during the great depression, he worked at the “Bay-view Wheelmen Bicycle Club” in Newark as a pinsetter on the bowling alleys.  He played baseball with the famed Pop Mertz’ Newark Hilltops and Semi-Pro baseball for the Suburban League as the third baseman through his 20s.  Otto began his career in the jewelry business as a diamond setter with Shuman & Donchie.   Interrupted by WW-II, Otto trained as a cadet at the University of Florida then attended flight school at Randolph AFB, Texas.  He served as a Flight Officer, Bombardier-Navigator, on B-26 and A-26 aircraft; he flew missions in the European and African theaters.

After the war, Otto returned to Newark and the jewelry business at Tessler & Wise.  He married Irene Borowy and they lived and raised their family in Irvington, NJ.  Continuing in the jewelry business, Otto opened Echo Setting Company with a partner in Union, NJ where the business thrived for nearly 40 years.  Otto, Irene, family, and friends spent the summers at their Barnegat Bay homes in Seaside Park, NJ.  After retiring, Otto and Irene relocated to the Silver Ridge Adult Community in Toms River, NJ until Otto moved to his Senior Living Facility.

Otto was an avid sports enthusiast as a fan and player.  The NY Yankees baseball and NY Giants football teams were his favorites.  The Hilltops and Suburban League baseball gave way to several softball leagues in Essex and Union Counties.  He bowled in the Newark Jewelers League for five decades followed by the Silver Ridge West League in Toms River.  Softball gave way to golf; Otto became an avid golfer and was President of the Silver Ridge Community Golf Association.  He bowled and played golf into his 90s

Otto is preceded in death by his wife Irene.  Survivors include his son Richard Cardinale and daughter-in-law Jean of Fairfax, VA.  He has two daughters, Cathy Cardinale of Toms River, NJ and Teri Schafer and son-in-law Andy of Randolph, NJ.  He has seven grandchildren and thirteen great grandchildren.

Otto was a compassionate, humble, honest, and hard-working man known for his generosity and devotion to his family and friends.

The funeral will be on Wednesday June15,2016 at  9:00 am from the Galante Funeral Home 2800 Morris Avenue, Union, N.J. 07083 and proceed to a 10:30 am funeral mass at Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church, 971 Suburban Road, Union, NJ.  Interment will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, 225 Ridgedale Avenue, East Hanover, NJ.

Visitation will be on Tuesday from 2-4 & 7-9 pm.

Expressions of sympathy may be made in Otto’s name to The Friends House, Visiting Home Care Service of Ocean County, 105 Sunset Avenue, Toms River, NJ  08754-2010, Tel. # 732-244-5565 Ext. # 237 or email to mmahieuvhs@comcast.net