Plan for the Future
Gabriel (Gabe) Anthony Yandoli, of Chatham, New Jersey, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Saturday, October 29, 2022 at 90 years of age.
Gabe was born on June 7, 1932 to Italian immigrants Cosimo and Marianna Yandoli in Jersey City, New Jersey. His mother instilled in him his deep faith in God and love of the ocean. The youngest of six children, Gabe loved nothing more than his family and reminiscing about the good old days on 6th Street. He would often talk of his life with great pride and say he wouldn’t change a thing about the times through which he lived.
After graduating from Ferris High School, Gabe was drafted into the US Army to serve domestically during the Korean War. Gabe excelled in school and went on to study law, putting himself through many years of schooling at Jersey City Junior College, Rutgers University, and New York Law School, all while working for Prudential and raising a family. After graduation, he continued working for Prudential as a lawyer, until his retirement in 1993. Upon his retirement, he practiced law for LJ Kennedy Trucking as well as family and any friends in need of assistance.
Gabe and his beloved wife of 67 years, Helen (née Bogacki), wed in 1955, and have five children. In 1958 they settled in Chatham, NJ, a town that Gabe fell in love with while driving his paint delivery truck route through the town during his youth, and where he lived until his dying day.
Gabe was a devoted Catholic and longtime parishioner at St. Patrick’s Church in Chatham where he was a member of the Knights of Columbus. He could often be found at mass, quietly saying the rosary. He loved to share his faith with his family.
Gabe’s love of “the shore” began in his youth with summers spent in Seaside Park, New Jersey where he went on to buy a home. It was his favorite place to be. He was known to body surf into his late 80’s and loved the smell of the salt air. It brought Gabe so much joy to share good times there with his family and friends. While the shore was his favorite destination, Gabe also enjoyed extensively traveling the world with his wife through the years.
Many people know Gabe without knowing Gabe, through shared stories (oh, the stories!) and bits of wisdom. One of his favorites, especially in recent years, was “The true miracle of life is that the world is not more screwed up than it is.”
Gabriel was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers, Nicholas, Peter and Joseph (Victor) Yandoli, and his sisters, Carmela “Millie” Ciccarelli, and Antoinette Siniscalchi. He is survived by his wife, Helen, his children Gabriel Yandoli, Jr. and his wife, Donna; Paul Yandoli and his wife, Michele MacInnes; Janice Jayne and her husband, Bill; Lynn Yandoli and her husband Edmund Eymontt; Lisa Bussinelli and her husband, Dan; nine grandchildren: Brian, Sarah, Emily, Rebecca, Alissa, Gabrielle, Will, Maggie, Christian; and 5 great-grandchildren: Steven, Michael, Nikka, Hazel and Makenna; and many much-loved nieces, nephews and cousins.
A visitation will be held on Sunday, November 6th between 3:00 and 8:00 pm ET at Wm. A. Bradley & Sons Funeral Home, 345 Main St, Chatham, NJ 07928. His funeral will be held on Monday, November 7th at 10:30 am at St. Patrick Church, 85 Washington Ave., Chatham, NJ 07928. In lieu of flowers the family asks to consider a donation be made to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital or the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. May God rest his soul.