Franklyn Michael Grosso

Franklyn Michael Grosso
09/12/1930 - 05/25/2016

~~Franklyn M. Grosso, 85, of West Orange passed away on May 25, 2016 after a courageous battle with cancer. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Joseph’s Church, 44 Benvenue Ave in West Orange on Wednesday, June 1st at 10:00am. Interment will follow at St. Teresa Cemetery in Summit. Friends are invited to visit at Bradley, Smith & Smith Funeral Home, 415 Morris Ave in Springfield on Tuesday May 31st from 2 to 4 and 6 to 9pm. For full obituary or to send a condolence, please visit www.www.bradleyfuneralhomes.com.

Born in Summit N.J., the son of Samuel and Annette Grosso, Frank had lived in West Orange since 1956. He was a graduate of Seton Hall Preparatory School and received his Bachelor of Science degree from Seton Hall University. Frank was a 12 year member of the New Jersey National Guard and passed that love of country to his eldest son Frank Junior who also served with the National Guard. A true Renaissance man, Frank’s interests ranged from his love of music and literature to flying his Cessna, as well as boating at the Jersey Shore. He was especially proud of his family home in Point Pleasant Beach where they would spend many happy summers for over 40 years. He became a licensed amateur radio operator in his teens, which became his beloved lifelong hobby. He operated a radio station from his hilltop location in West Orange for over 50 years talking to people all over the world.

Frank was an officer and director of LaFera Contracting Company for over 50 years. He was a founder and the first president of the Utility Contractor Association of New Jersey which grew from 20 members in the early years to over 1,100 members today. Frank served as UTCA director for over 40 years and also served on its National Board. In addition, he again served as President of UTCA in 1981, received the William Feather Award in 1979, and was inducted in the UTCA Hall of Fame in 2005. In addition to UTCA, Frank was a board member of the Construction industry Advancement Fund serving for many years on the Education Committee. The fund has established the Franklyn M. Grosso Scholarship and awards summer employment work intern scholarships each year to students in NJ engineering schools. For over thirty years, Frank was a Trustee of the General and Highway Laborers Union 472/172 Pension and welfare Fund and Safety, Education and Training Fund representing over 8,000 construction workers and beneficiaries. It was his privilege to serve as Co-Chairman of the Funds with Antonio Oliviera in 2015 and 2016.

Frank and Marianne LaFera of South Orange had been friends since their teen years, but it was not until Marianne was in her senior year at Marylawn that they resumed their friendship. Over the next few years, their relationship became more serious and they were engaged in 1952 and married in 1953. Frank had a blessed life married 63 years to his sweetheart Marianne LaFera Grosso. Over the course of the next 13 years they would raise a family of six. Frank is survived by Franklyn Grosso Jr., Kathryn Saturni and her husband Tony, Joseph Grosso and his wife Wendy, the late Minette McKenna and her husband Ken, Christopher Grosso and his wife Andrea, and Suzanne Loth and her husband Ted. He is also survived by his 13 cherished grandchildren and one great grandchild.


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