Joseph Mango

Joseph William Mango, 93, cherished husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully on December 1, 2024. Born in Newark, N.J. on July 1, 1931, he lived in Newark during the early part of his life and in 1951 married Patricia Confroy, his high school sweetheart and the one and only love of his long life. After proudly serving in the US Army during the Korean War, he returned home to work alongside his father, brother and uncles in their independent grocery store where he trained to be a skilled butcher. During the 1960’s, he moved on to the A&P, bringing his expertise in the meat and butchering business to a new level, mentoring and teaching a younger generation of butchers as his father had taught him, all the while building a decades-long career.

In his retirement, Joe worked as a crossing guard in his hometown of Livingston, NJ, a job he grew to love as he interacted with the elementary schoolers he looked out for every day, and in return, he was beloved by both the children and their parents. But his pursuit of a lifelong interest in woodworking and painting brought him a particular joy as he participated in local art shows and won numerous awards for his acrylic work. In his later years, he and Pat moved to Brandywine Assisted Living in Livingston, NJ, affording him the opportunity to share his considerable artistic talent with a warm, welcoming and caring community of friends and staff members. He was richly rewarded for his outreach to others, where he thrived among a loving group of fellow residents, finding in them a place he could truly call home.

No one played a larger role in his life than his devoted wife of 73 years, Pat, who survives him. Their love story was a one that spoke of a devotion rarely seen, a testament to what years of nurturing that devotion can achieve; a treasured, enduring circle of family and friends, adoring grandchildren and now great-grandchildren that will share in that love the rest of their lives.

In addition to his wife, he was the devoted father of Christine Mosley, her husband Douglas, Claire Renga, her husband Joseph, Patricia Weinstein and her husband Michael, cherished grandfather of Jonathan Goldberg, William Goldberg, Rebecca Goldberg, Daniel Goldberg, his wife Christina, Stephanie deZengotita, her husband Will, Gregory Franck and his wife Heather, proud great-grandfather of Joseph and Nicholas deZengotita, Vincent and Oliver Franck.  Joseph was also survived by his loving sister-in-law Kathy Confroy, and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. 

Visitation at the Leonardis Memorial Home, Inc., 210 Ridgedale Avenue, Florham Park on Sunday from 12-3pm.  The funeral on Monday will assemble at the funeral home parking lot at 10:30am, followed by the funeral procession to Gate of Heaven Cemetery in E. Hanover, leaving at 10:45am.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Joseph’s name to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or the Alzheimer’s Association, see donation box below for details…

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