Joseph Pasquale Gaetano, 83, of Eatontown, passed quietly at home on July 25, surrounded by his loving family.
He was a longtime member of both the Eatontown and Monmouth Regional High School boards of education. He was active with the Monmouth County School Boards Association and as a member of the NJSBA Board of Directors and an elected delegate to the NJSBA’s Delegate Assembly.
His son, Anthony, currently sits on the Monmouth Regional High School Board of Education.
Joe was born in Spilinga, Italy in 1935, coming to America as an infant. Arriving in Newark, his family later settled in Long Branch, where he graduated from Long Branch High School in 1954. He would eventually move with his family to Eatontown, where he was a longtime resident.
Joe worked early on in life with the Monmouth County Sewage Authority, then he became a real estate agent with Jamie Pavlis Real Estate in Eatontown. He also ran Double I Construction, with his partner, Pete McAuliffe, for many years.
His love for his community and the people around him was evident by the vast variety of organizations he served as a volunteer. He served in the N.J. Army National Guard, and was honorably discharged in 1961.
He was a Life Member of the Eatontown Engine, Truck & Hose Co. #1, serving as chief in 1977; the Eatontown First Aid Squad, Life Member, captain 1971; president, Eatontown Senior Housing Board of Directors; Eatontown Elks #2402 Charter Member; Eatontown Kiwanis Club past president; Fireman’s Sunday Softball League President/Hall of Fame member; Navesink Masonic Lodge #9; and the Eatontown Traffic Safety Advisory Board.
One of Joe’s passions was volunteering his time in the interest of the children and schools in town. He served almost 23 years between both the Eatontown Board of Education and the Monmouth Regional Board of Education. At Monmouth Regional, Joe served from 1995-2011 and 2013-2018, and he was vice president from 2005-2011.
He was also proud to have achieved the level of Certified Board Leader in 2011 and Master Board Member while with Monmouth Regional.
Visitation was held on Sunday, July 28, 2019 at the Bongarzone Funeral Home, 2400 Shafto Road, Tinton Falls. A funeral mass was offered on Monday, July 29, 2019 at St. Dorothea’s Roman Catholic Church, 240 Broad Street, Eatontown, N.J. Interment followed at Shoreland Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Hazlet, N.J. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to: National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Aspen Corporate Park 1, 1480 U.S. Highway 9 North, Suite 301, Woodbridge, N.J. 07095.
For online condolences, directions and to view full obituary, please visit his memorial website at www.bongarzonefuneralhome.com.