Obituary of Angelo V Sparagna Jr

Angelo Vincent Sparagna Jr. passed peacefully on December 14, 2020 at his Vineland home of 66 years. Angelo, a lifelong Vineland resident and Sacred Heart parishioner, was a generous, honorable, hardworking, and devoted family man. Among his many passions, Angelo loved jazz music, Frank Sinatra, and snow skiing. He was born on November 19, 1921 to Italian immigrants, Angelo Sr. and Leonora Magliano Sparagna. Angelo attended Sacred Heart School system and later, Temple University to study architecture. While at Temple, he also excelled in football as a running back and was recruited by Wellington Mara to play for the NY Giants. Angelo's college and football future was cut short in order to serve as a master sergeant in the U. S. Army during WWII as part of the Fourth Armored Division under the command of Gen. George Patton's Third Army. Angelo earned 3 Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart for his brave service. After the war, Angelo returned to Vineland to work in his family's clothing manufacturing business - the South Jersey Clothing Company with his father, his brother, Francis and sister, Jean - all of whom predeceased him. While convalescing from war injuries at John Hopkins University, Angelo rekindled his relationship with, and eventually married, a hospital nurse, Vineland resident Mary Virginia Pagano. They were married for over 70 years until Mary's death in 2018. They are survived by 9 children - including Angelo III (JoAnne), Maria Celeste (Robert Drake), Cecelia Francis (Shawn Quigley), Giovanna Terese (Richard Allen), Stephen Michael (Maureen), Claire Anita (Stephen Greenfield), Mary Elizabeth (Bart Price), Paula Nan (William Dalessandro), and Mark Christopher;19 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Due to COVID-19 restrictions everyone must wear a mask and social distance. A funeral mass will be celebrated by Monsignor John Burton on Saturday, December 19, 2020 at 10:30 am from Christ The Good Shepherd Parish - Church Of Sacred Heart, 1010 East Landis Avenue, Vineland. Interment will follow in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Vineland. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Angelo's honor to either the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home at Vineland (call NJVMH at 856-405-4213) or Sacred Heart Church., 1655 Magnolia Road, Vineland, NJ 08361 ARRANGEMENTS are under the supervision of Rone Funeral Service, 1110 East Chestnut Avenue, Vineland, NJ 08360 To send online condolences please visit our website at www.RONEFUNERALSERVICE.com