Obituary of Frank P. Amari

Frank Pasquale Amari, 99, of Vineland, NJ, passed away peacefully on January 3, 2017, following a brief illness. Frank was born on October 21, 1917 in Vineland, NJ to Ignazio and Anna (Marroni) Amari from Sicily. He was a graduate of Vineland High School and the Vineland Business School. He worked as deputy tax collector and official tax search officer for Landis Twp. and the city of Vineland, was Vineland representative for Dun and Bradstreet, and was a registered representative for Bache and Company. He was a licensed real estate broker and owner of Frank Amari Real Estate, specializing in commercial real estate, and never officially retired. Over the years, he served as a trustee of the Memorial Presbyterian Church; a director and treasurer of the Ellison School; and treasurer of the Vineland Democratic Organization. He was also a long-time member of the board of the New Jersey Taxpayers' Association, and of the Advisory Committee of Congressman William J. Hughes. As a director of the South Jersey Chapter of the Boy Scouts of America, he helped to start and sponsored a Boy Scout troop for those with disabilities. He also served as a director of New Birth, Inc., of Salem and Cumberland counties, dedicated to the treatment of addiction to drugs and alcohol. As chairman of the Cumberland County Easterseals, and as a member of the board of directors of Easter Seals New Jersey, he was instrumental in raising the funds for and oversaw construction of a 22,000 square-foot facility in Millville which provides skills and job training to persons with disabilities. In 1976, he organized the Italian American Relief Fund, which raised money in aid of the victims of the Friuli Earthquake of that year. In present-day dollars, nearly one million dollars was raised, and he traveled to Italy to oversee the expenditure of these funds for the purchase of tents, food, and other provisions for the benefit of the earthquake victims. These efforts received notice in the press across the country. Ever so proud of his Italian heritage, he subsequently became actively involved with the National Italian American Foundation, a national non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and preserving the legacy of Italian Americans in the United States, and to strengthening ties between the United States and Italy. He was a past president of the Cumberland County Board of Realtors; and a director of the New Jersey Association of Realtors, in which capacity he served on numerous committees, and District Vice President for that same organization, for Cumberland, Salem, Gloucester and Camden counties. He served as a director of the Cumberland County Planning Board; the Landis Sewerage Authority; and was a founding member of the Vineland Industrial Commission, in which he played an active role in establishing the Vineland Industrial Park. Despite his aversion to public recognition of his public service, in 1975, he was named to "Who's Who in New Jersey." He helped others in an unofficial capacity whenever and wherever he saw something needing to be done. Having grown up on a family farm on Cornucopia Ave., Vineland, and possessing a profound love of nature, Frank continued to cherish working in the garden, tending to his flowers and vegetables to the very end of his life. He also greatly enjoyed preparing and savoring good food, watching football and baseball, reading with endless curiosity, caring for his pets, and sharing wisdom, true stories, and tall tales with family, friends, and people he met. He is survived by his son Frank Amari, Jr. and companion, Lois Genovese; daughter Adrianna Amari and companion Howard Connelly; ex-wife Sandra Amari; granddaughter Christina Amari Awad, her husband Louis Awad, and her mother Kathryn Winterle Illo; great grandchildren Penelope, Michael, and Catherine; and many nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, and great-great nieces and nephews. An amazing and beloved presence, guide and example, he will be greatly missed. He is preceded in death by his parents Ignazio and Anna, sisters Margaret and Elizabeth, and brothers Samuel, Joseph, and James. A private service officiated by Pastor Deborah Ganci was held at Rone Funeral Service. He was buried at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Vineland. Memorial donations may be made to Easterseals New Jersey (25 Kennedy Blvd., Suite 600, East Brunswick, NJ 08816; http://www.easterseals.com/nj/), the Animal Friends Foundation, Inc. (616 E. Landis Avenue, Vineland, NJ 08360; http://www.animalfriendsfoundation.com/), or The Nature Conservancy (200 Pottersville Rd., Chester, NJ 07930; www.Nature.org/newjersey). The family wishes to extend their gratitude for care provided in recent years by Herlinda Ortiz, Jeannie Pierce, and niece Sandie Fleming, as well as to Dr. Wasique Narvel and the staff at Inspira, HealthSouth, Genesis, Bayada, and Confident Care.