Phillip "Doc" Aromando

Phillip “Doc” Aromando, 81, of Monmouth Beach, formerly a resident of Florham Park for 47 years, passed away on July 21, 2021. Apropos of nothing, Phil had a thing for the #7 as evidenced by his affection for the New York Yankees (hero Mickey Mantle) and his decision to pass (like both his pre-deceased parents) on a day – 7/21 – equally divisible by the number 7.

Doc was a dentist in Florham Park for almost five decades before retiring in 2011. As it was in bygone eras, Phil was the de facto town ‘Doc’ and a mainstay in Florham Park that was always good for a story, big wave hello, or not so brief conversation outside of church on Sundays.

He graduated from St. Benedict’s Prep in 1958. During his time there, Phil was the “super speedy leg” – at least as he would tell you - of the Penn Relay championship 4 x 100 squad. He attended Villanova University in 1962 (where he met his soulmate, Marge, outside of Corr Hall) before finishing his education at Fairleigh Dickinson University Dental School in 1967. He proudly served as a dentist in the US Army at Fort Stewart in Georgia during the Vietnam War.  

Phil’s lifelong passion for sports began with box ball games on the streets of Newark where he grew up. Phil was a “super athlete” who was unfortunately overlooked by the New York Yankees scouting department. This oversight drove Doc into coaching in the Florham Park Little League – of which he also served as a past president - where he became the architect and manager of the “Parkers’ Dynasty” in which his players amassed 13 Senior League championships during his 18 year reign of terror, including seven straight championships from 1982 to 1988. 

Devoted husband of 55 years to Marguerite (nee Kurzejewski); they were the best of friends and inseparable soulmates that set an amazing example of what it meant to be partners and parents. Loving father of Philip, JoAnn, Dave and his wife Karen and Mark and his wife Alison, he was ever present at his children’s extracurricular activities much to their delight and a referee’s dismay. Cherished Pop Pop of Luke, Kendall, Maddie, Emma, Andrew, Lily and grand-dog Finn, those grandchildren were his pride and joy, who loved spending every waking moment with him talking nonsense, watching sports, eating sweets, and hanging together down the shore. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. He is pre-deceased by his parents, the late Philip, Sr. and Josephine Aromando. Phil was proud of his Italian-American heritage and always happiest when he shared ‘a lot of laughs’ with family and friends.

In addition to his love of family and sports, Phil was an avid collector. His interests and collections spanned trains, baseball cards, stamps, comic books and even propelled him to serve as the longstanding Mayor of the Hughes Court “Christmas in the City” Village.    

Finally, Phil was a devoted reader of the Star Ledger Obituary section. His family is very sad that he did not get to read this obituary today but knows that he would have enjoyed it.   

Visitation at the Leonardis Memorial Home, 210 Ridgedale Avenue, Florham Park on Monday from 4-8pm. Funeral on Tuesday assembling at the funeral home at 9am followed by a funeral mass at St. Vincent Martyr Church in Madison at 10am.

Entombment at Gate of Heaven Cemetery

In lieu of flowers donation can be made to 

St.. Joseph's Indian School P.O. Box 326  Chamberlain, SD 57326 800-341-2235   http://www.stjo.org

or Wounded Warriors Project  4899 Belfort Rd, Suite 300 ' Jackson , FL 32256  www.woundedwarriorproject.org

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