John U. Ferrante

John U. Ferrante, age 89, died Monday, April 15, 2019, at the home of his daughter, Susan, in Franklin Township NJ, where he lived since November 2018.

Born August 22, 1929 in Brooklyn NY, the son of the late Umberto and Anna (Conte) Ferrante. Later raised in Newark, he eventually moved with his family to Union NJ.

John was a Sergeant in the United States Army during the Korean War, stationed in Germany as part of the Army Corp of Engineers, and received his honorable discharge in 1953. At that time, he and his wife, the late Joan Connor, started their family in Union raising eight children in nine years.

John went to work with his father at Ferrante & Sons, a plastering contractor, that remained in the family for many years. He loved to bowl, sponsoring many bowling teams and and helping his six sons in their baseball pursuits, coaching and sponsoring Little League teams for many years in Union.

John was always a very generous man. He was a former member of Christ the King Catholic Church in Hillside and was a member of the Knights of Columbus there. For years, John donated time and money to the church and to his favorite charity, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a place that he continued to donate to until his death.

John is survived by his two daughters, Susan Agliata of Pittstown NJ, and Lisa Bassillo of Union NJ, his six sons, Steven Ferrante of Roselle Park NJ, John Ferrante of Tampa FL, Michael Ferrante of Union NJ, Mark Ferrante of Hopatcong NJ, James Ferrante of Union NJ and Gerard Ferrante of Randolph NJ, his two brothers, Joseph Ferrante of Chatham NJ, and Rudy Ferrante of Linden NJ, as well as eleven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Entombment with Military Honors will be at 12:00 pm on Monday, April 22, 2019 at Hollywood Memorial Park Mausoleum, 1500 Stuyvesant Avenue, Union NJ. Those attending are asked to arrive at the cemetery by 11:45 am. There are no calling hours.

Memorial contributions in John’s name may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis TN 38105

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Holcombe-Fisher Funeral Home, 147 Main Street, Flemington, NJ. For further information or to leave an online condolence, please visit www.holcombefisher.com.