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Frank Nunzio Mazzella passed away on June 19, 2023 at age 67 after battling back from numerous medical challenges over recent decades. Frank was born on October 6, 1955 in Newark, New Jersey and was preceded in death by his mother, Catherine (Cristo) Mazzella, father, Sylvester Frank Mazzella, middle sister Josephine (Mazzella) Vastano, and his maternal and paternal grandparents. Frank is survived by his loving wife of 44 years, Elizabeth "Betsey" Mazzella. He is also survived and remembered dearly by his older sister Marie (Mazzella) Houston of Deerfield Beach, Florida, Marie's daughter, his niece/Godchild Melissa Lee Houston of Pembroke Pines, Florida, who was able to spend many a summer with her Uncle Frank, Joseph Vastano, Joe and Jo's children Dawn and Bret, along with Chris, Elizabeth, Ashley, Mike, Julia, Sarah, Stephen, and Sean, and with his many, many terrific aunts, uncles, and cousins whom he loved and who love him dearly.
Frank grew up on Cummings Street in Irvington, New Jersey, and attended St. Leo's Catholic Church and Elementary School, also in Irvington. From those years he developed deep and life-long friendships with Gary Reddick, Cortland Steel, Rob Sileo, and Teddy Kotz, each of their parents and then their wives and families.
Frank met his future bride, Betsey (Elizabeth Marie Arthur) in his sophomore year of high school – Frank at Seton Hall Prep in South Orange, NJ and Betsey at Archbishop Walsh HS – while attending numerous St. Leo's church and school functions. Frank was also embraced by Betsey's mom and grandmother "Grammy", who also have preceded him in death) along with her father, Val, and her sisters Donna Arthur Salvo and Jean Arthur Mazza and their entire families. Frank was also considered family by the late Emil Hensler and his family and Aunt MaryAnn and her family along with, all of Betsey's maternal cousins. Betsey's paternal Uncles along with the loving Arthur cousins also cherished Frank. Robyn Tustin and Heather and Todd Mitchell joined Frank's extended family, along the way and have lent their love and support throughout the years.
Frank graduated from Seton Hall Prep in 1973 and Seton Hall University with a degree in Psychology along with his Elementary Education Teaching Credentials in 1977. During his high school and college years Frank worked at a car wash in Milburn and then nights at the Newark Post Office, where he met another dear friend, like brother, Ralph Petti. Ralph's parents, siblings, and family also became Frank's extended family.
During his college years, Frank continued to date Betsey, despite their geographic separation, resulting in many long drives (and at least one speeding ticket) to see Betsey at Randolph Macon Woman's College in Lynchburg, VA, where her college roommate, Lucy, and college friend, Natalie and their families have remained virtual friends. Frank proposed to Betsey in November, 1978 at South Mountain Reservation (for those who remember the S curves and Grunnings Ice Cream shop). They married at St. Leo's Church on February 24th, 1979, moved to Alexandria, Virginia where they ultimately settled in Lake Ridge, Virginia, becoming involved in many church activities at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, Lake Ridge, where he remained a retired member of the Knights of Columbus. Betsey and Frank raised one son, Andrew Frank Mazzella.
As Frank's medical challenges began, Frank was blessed with enough health to raise Andrew, see Andrew propose to his high school sweetheart, Emily, watch their wedding (with Ralph's help) from Frank's hospital bed in the Georgetown ICU, and for the last 11 years, be able to watch and spend time with Andrew and Emily's two boys, Archer Grant, now 9 years old, and Cash Jameson, 6. Frank delighted in playing and speaking with Archer and Cash when they lived in Virginia and as often as he could when traveling to Florida or through FaceTime.
Frank was a teacher through and through. He taught emotionally disturbed children in South Orange, NJ, preschool in Alexandria, and elementary school (Christian Alternative Prep) in Woodbridge, VA where he met Jim and Betty Deen (who preceded him in death) and their children, who he kept in virtual contact with. After teaching, Frank wanted to try his hand at insurance and investments at Metropolitan Life and AL Williams Insurance Companies before his long journey of medical issues manifested with chronic fatigue, which required him to medically retire in 1994. Little did he/we know that chronic fatigue would progress to a failed liver requiring not one, but two liver transplants in one week, failed kidneys, a heart bypass, and many related complications over the years...
Frank was known as a fish and dog lover. He loved to fish as a child with his Dad and uncles on their boat at the Jersey shore. His fish tanks grew to legendary size (especially with his purple eel or sock puppet). On the dog front, Frank would talk often of his maternal Grandparent's dog, Tippy, and then would have family pets through the years. Betsey's family's dog, Penny, came to live her last years in Virginia. Some will remember Penny as the dog who would protect Betsey, and her sisters, Donna and Jean, biting the tips of the shoes of any male suitor that came to the house–Frank was the only suitor for Betsey. And then there was Cocoa, Sadie, and Rocky–Emily and Andrew's dog that we "shared custody".
Through the years Frank has been blessed by being surrounded and loved by many St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church friends, and Burgundy and Yardarm Place neighbors in the Lake Ridge Community. The Myskowski, Penn, and Harris families all call him Uncle Frank. The Hamilton, Salen, Kashtock, Matos, and Clark families, as well as, many of Andrew's friends also had special friendships with Frank. In addition, a number of Betsey's "work family" colleagues have developed special bonds over the years.
There are many, many more friends that we know have touched his life or he has touched theirs. For that, Frank's family will be eternally grateful.
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