Vincent “Chief” Dransfield, a lifelong Passaic County resident, passed away peacefully at his home in Little Falls, NJ at the age of 110 years old on June 26, 2024.
Vince was born on March 28, 1914 in a house on Preakness Avenue in Paterson, NJ. and has lived independently in the town of Little Falls, NJ which he had called home since 1945. He never had any major health issues and would drive his car to the local Quick Check and ShopRite for coffee, newspapers, groceries and conversation. Vince attributed his longevity to his job and pastime at the fire department. He was 21 years old when he joined the fire department, where he spent over 80 years serving at the Singac Volunteer Fire Company #3, in addition to serving as Chief for 8 years. Vincent “Chief” Dransfield remained on the Singac Volunteer Fire Co. No. 3 roster throughout his life which was organized in 1912, two years before he was born. He was extremely proud to be the oldest living fireman in the country, still showing up to the firehouse when the calls came in as recently as 2019. Chief Dransfield was reported to be the oldest living male in NJ, and the 8th oldest person in the US, until his passing. In his later years at Singac Fire Company, his seniority and experience made him essential to the fire company. He served as 3rd in command at active fires, working the pumps on the fire truck well into his 80’s to allow the volunteer fireman to fight the fires. Long after his wife passed away, he would go to the firehouse every day between 3-5pm, and all his firemen buddies would sit and hang out. Vince and his fellow firemen were known as the “3 to 5 club” and Chief Dransfield would hold court with his brethren on all topics of the current day. Vincent was born in Paterson NJ, where he dropped out of school at 15 to work on a dairy farm to help support his family and started drinking milk supplemented with Ovaltine, which he still drank up until his passing. He had a milk delivery route that included delivering to Joe Louis, who trained on a farm in Pompton Lakes in the mid-1930s. When World War II broke out, he was working as a manager at the Schmid company, which supplied condoms to U.S. troops overseas. He told his family he was not drafted into military service because his job was classified as a civil defense position. He later worked as a manager at Crane Motors in Little Falls for 25 years, followed by several years at another job dealing with car parts, before retiring. Dransfield got married in 1938, when he was 24, and his wife introduced him to Little Falls, when they moved into their house in 1945. His daughter, Beverly, was born a few months later. Vince “Chief” Dransfield was smart as a whip up until his passing, routinely cracking jokes with family and friends. He knew so many people and could tell you with great accuracy how he met them, where they lived and what they did for a living. His family and friends are better people for knowing him, he made everyone happier and smarter for having spoken with him. Vince will be missed sorely by all that were graced to be in his presence. He is predeceased by his wife of 54 years, Ann Dransfield, who died in 1992. He is survived by his daughter, Beverly Howard, son-in-law, Glenn Howard, 3 grandchildren, Jeff Howard, Stephanie Ceus, & Erica Lista and seven great-grandchildren, Amanda, Ryan, & Sean Howard, Alexander & Kendra Ceus, Matthew & Christopher Lista. Visitation will be on Monday, July 1, 2024 from 4-8 p.m. at Gaita Memorial Home, 154 Newark Pompton Turnpike, Little Falls. Relatives and friends are invited to gather at the funeral home on Tuesday, July 2 at 10:00 am. Prayers will be offered at 11:00 am followed by interment at Laurel Grove Cemetery, Totowa, NJ. Memories and condolences may be shared at gaitamh.com. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to Little Falls Singac Company #3, 517 Main Street, Little Falls, NJ 07424.
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Ruth C. Macaluso, a beloved mother, grandmother, and sister, suddenly passed away on Monday, June 24, 2024.
Born in Glen Ridge and raised in Cedar Grove, Ruth eventually settled and was a longtime Little Falls resident. She dedicated many years to clerical work at Needlecraft, Inc. in Paterson, N.J. Her greatest joy in life was spending time with her family. Predeceased by her parents and her devoted husband, Michael A. Macaluso. She leaves behind her children, Michael Macaluso and his wife, Allison; Jason Macaluso and his wife, Jamie, and Joseph Macaluso and his wife, Victoria. Ruth was also a cherished grandmother to Brandon, Lila, Victoria, Juliana, Mark, Jenna, and Tyler. She is survived by her dear siblings, Jack Hall and his wife, Annette; Robert Hall and Richard Hall and his wife, Gayle; brother and sister-in-law, Angie Williams and her husband, Thomas, and Charles Macaluso and his wife, Cynthia; as well as many nieces and nephews. Visitation will be on Thursday, June 27, 2024 from 4-7 p.m. at Gaita Memorial Home, 154 Newark Pompton Turnpike, Little Falls, N.J. Relatives and friends may gather at the funeral home on Friday, June 28, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. A Funeral Ceremony will be held at 10:00 a.m. followed by entombment at Calvary Cemetery, Paterson, N.J. Memories and condolences may be shared at gaitamh.com. In lieu of flowers donations in memory of Ruth may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or visit stjude.org.
Annamarie (nee Zichichi) Carlson of Woodland Park, N.J. passed away peacefully on June 19, 2024 at the age of 81.
Annamarie was born in Paterson, N.J. to Giacomo and Maria (nee Turi) Zichichi and called Woodland Park, N.J her home for most of her life. She worked as a credit analyst for Manhattan Shirt Company in Manhattan, N.Y. before retiring. Beyond her work career, Annamarie found joy in creating a warm and welcoming home, a haven for her family and friends. Her nurturing spirit extended beyond her household, as she dedicated some of her time to volunteering. She was a tireless advocate for the Alzheimer's Association, offering support and solace to those affected by the disease. She also volunteered at the Montclair Public Library and the Montclair Adult School, where she taught ESL for many years. Additionally, Annamarie contributed to the Talking Newspaper for the Herald News for an extended period. Through this, Annamarie brought the news to life for visually impaired individuals. She was also a parishioner of Our Lady of the Holy Angels Church in Little Falls. Predeceased by her parents and her beloved husband, John E. Carlson, she is survived by her loving daughter, Marie (nee Aquino) Hayek and her husband, Ron; adored grandson, Hunter Hayek and dear cousin, Wayne Diana. Funeral services will begin on Monday, June 24, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. at Gaita Memorial Home, 154 Newark Pompton Turnpike, Little Falls, N.J. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. at Our Lady of the Holy Angels Church, Little Falls with entombment to follow at Calvary Cemetery, Paterson, N.J. Visitation will be on Sunday, June 23, 2024 from 4-7 p.m. at the funeral home. Memories and condolence may be shared at gaitamh.com. In lieu of flowers donations in memory of Annamarie may be made to Several Sources Shelter, 300 Airmount Ave., Ramsey, N.J. 07446 or visit severalsources.org/get-involved/donation-options.
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Frederick Fay Griswold lll, born August 10, 1937 in Summit, NJ, passed peacefully in his sleep on June 19, 2024 at Arden Courts Memory Care Community in West Orange, NJ. He was 86.
A veteran, he entered the Army out of Summit High School in 1956, and trained as a paratrooper. While stationed in Japan, he met and married Noriko Tsukui. The couple returned to the U.S. to raise their family in NJ, first in Lake Hiawatha and then in Parsippany. He built a career in the road construction industry, working as an estimator for Dosch King, Bergen Asphalt, Dell Contractors, and Tilcon NY, before retiring in 2013. He was also part owner at Morris Asphalt Co. Frederick had a passion for books, movies, history, and antiques. He had a tendency to claim anything he ate as “the best meal I ever had.” Known lovingly as “Teddy” to close friends and family, he was easy-going and kind-hearted. He had a witty sense of humor and made friends wherever he went. He was predeceased by his parents, Frederick and Mary Griswold, and by his beloved wife Noriko. He is survived by his daughters, Susan Griswold and Leslie Silver and her husband, Dan Silver; 4 grandchildren, Dylan, Jessica, Collin, and Jonathan; and his sister, Ann Edmondson. Plans for a memorial celebration will be announced at a future time. Arrangements were under the care of Gaita Memorial Home, 154 Newark Pompton Turnpike, Little Falls, NJ. Memories and condolences may be shared at gaitamh.com. Alfonso J. Di Maio of Little Falls, N.J. passed away peacefully on Monday, June 3, 2024, he was 93 years old.
Born in Paterson, N.J. to Joseph and Carmela (nee Manzo) Di Maio, he was raised in Paterson and would eventually settle in Little Falls 63 years ago. Alfonso proudly served his country in the United States Army during the Korean War, demonstrating the same dedication and resilience that would later characterize his civilian life. After his military service, Alfonso embarked on a long career with the United States Postal Service, where he worked diligently for 35 years. Alfonso was known for his ability to fix just about anything. Whether it was a broken appliance or a mechanical issue, he would always find a fix. Alfonso was a parishioner of Our Lady of the Holy Angels Church. Predeceased by his parents, his beloved wife, Catherine (nee Restuccia) Di Maio, son, David Di Maio and sister, Phyllis Di Maio, he is survived by his loving children, Joseph Di Maio, Anthony Di Maio and his wife, Janine; caring grandchildren, David and his wife Jerrilyn, Michael, Desi, and Daniel Di Maio; treasured great-grandkids, Ryder and Hunter; and 3 nieces. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, June 7, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. at Our Lady of the Holy Angels Church, Little Falls. Kindly gather directly at the church. Interment will follow at Laurel Grove Cemetery, Totowa, N.J. Arrangements are under the care of Gaita Memorial Home, 154 Newark Pompton Turnpike, Little Falls, N.J. Memories and condolences may be shared at gaitamh.com. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Our Lady of the Holy Angels Church, 473 Main Street, Little Fall, N.J. 07424 in Alfonso's memory. |
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