John W Tomaro

John W Tomaro passed away July 4, 2026 at his home surrounded by his loving family. He was the youngest son of Pasquale and Teresa (nee Lordi) Tomaro. Born and raised in Irvington, NJ, he graduated from Irvington High School in 1958 and went on to Newark College of Engineering, now NJIT, where he received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering.

Barely a teenager, sitting on a curb fixing a radio, was when he first met the love of his life Rosie. They started dating in high school and married in 1962. They began their married life in Long Branch. John worked at Bendix and thoroughly enjoyed living by the shore where he joined a running club and would often run on the beach. Rosie did not love it and missed her family so they moved back up north to an apartment in Union and eventually bought a house in Maplewood. Always a protector and provider, he welcomed his sister in law Eileen Gilleece Addonizio and Rosie’s dear friend Susie Murray Kuldanek, both of whom had lost their parents, to live with them in their home in Maplewood, where they both resided until they each got married. This was a foreshadowing of John’s life surrounded by women as he and Rose would raise three daughters in that same house. He fully embraced being a girl Dad and spent much time with his girls
taking them camping, fishing, for rides on his motorcycle, and also supporting their interests. He made sure they knew how to do everything from throwing a proper punch to checking the oil in their car and he perfected how to highlight hair, apply makeup, and choose the perfect perfume for each daughter’s personality.

John had many hobbies, all of which suited his engineering brain, including model trains, fixing cars (although he could fix anything, literally anything), riding motorcycles, building and flying model airplanes, and amateur (HAM) radio where his call sign was K2OIR, just to name a few. He also taught himself to play the piano and harmonica. John worked for several different companies over the years including the aforementioned Bendix, Weston, Conair and Beckman Instruments while also moonlighting inventing electronic toys. He invented, improved, and fixed issues for everything from hair dryers to space shuttles.

Again, true to his engineer personality John was not a people person but if you were lucky enough to be in his tight circle he was the most generous, loyal, protective, smartest, loving man you’d ever known, He had high expectations of his loved ones and had no problem letting them know what he thought.

John is survived by his wife of 64 years Rose (nee Gilleece) Tomaro, his daughters Sally Barbato, husband Joe, Cindy Concannon, husband Tom, and Suzy Beth Williams, husband Kevin, and his adoring grandchildren Sarah Hervieux(Thomas), Joseph Barbato (Rosie), Sean Concannon, Samatha Dedolli (Odri),Molly Concannon, Patrick Williams, Liam Concannon, Erin Grace Williams, as well as his precious great-granddaughter Luciana Barbato. He would want included in this list his sister in law Sally LaMorgese, who was a single mom, and her daughter Lisa Wachter, who had dinner at that same house in Maplewood every night throughout Lisa’s childhood, his niece Jody Jacobus (Jim), whose father passed far too young and her daughter Jenni Rose Jacobus who was also like a granddaughter to him as well as countless in laws, nieces and nephews whom he loved.

He was predeceased by his parents, his brother Patrick Tomaro and wife Rita, and his brother Robert Tomaro and wife Anne, nephew Stephen Tomaro as well as dear friends Susie and Bobby Kuldanek and Joe Gentesse all of whom he loved dearly.

Memorial visitation at the Leonardis Memorial Home, Inc., 210 Ridgedale Avenue, Florham Park on Thursday, July 16th from 4-7 pm. A Memorial Mass will be held on Friday, July 17th at Holy Family Church in Florham Park at 10 am.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to the Kessler Foundation in John’s name. Please see donation box below to donate.

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