Victor M. Gardella

Victor M. Gardella, 85, born in Carlstadt, NJ, passed away on November 23, 2017. He was married for 53 years to his beloved wife Joan Gardella (Ray), who passed away in 2007 after a long illness. Loving father of James & his wife Annette Gardella (DeFrino). Cherished grandfather of Jamie & Mickey Gardella. Devoted nephew Robert Trause and niece Rosemarie Gerber in addition to many other nieces & nephews. He is predeceased by his parents, Victor & Lena (Porro) Gardella, sisters Amelia Trause , Dorothy Gerber, and nephews Paul Gerber, Jr. & Anthony J. Trause.
Victor was the son of Italian immigrants, the third of three children of Victor & Lena Gardella. His parents owned Gardellas Tavern & Vics Hoofers, a Social Club both in Carlstadt, NJ.
Victor graduated East Rutherford High School in 1949, graduated Fordham University in 1953 and served in the US Army from 1953-1955. He became a licensed Insurance Broker in 1957 when he formed the DAG Agency now known as Professional Insurance Associates, Inc. and PIA Security Programs, Inc. He was instrumental in creating the South Bergen Joint Insurance Fund which was operational in 1986. He was a former President of the Independent Insurance Agents of New Jersey.
He also owned A & G Custom Homes and Stanhope Equipment Company.
He was a parishioner of St. Josephs R.C. Church in East Rutherford, NJ. He was a coach in the Carlstadt Little League in its first year of existence in the early 1950s, and served as President in the mid 1960s. He was a former President of the East Rutherford Wildcat Sideline Club, was inducted into the East Rutherford Wildcat High School Hall of Fame in 1985 and was President of the Carlstadt Rotary Club in the mid 1960s.
He was a proud grandfather to Jamie & Mickey and enjoyed watching them compete in sports at Mount Saint Dominic Academy and St. Joseph Regional High School and was especially proud of their college graduation from the University of Notre Dame. Mickey also received a Law Degree at the University of Notre Dame.
He was a passionate fan of the NY Yankees, University of Notre Dame and the NY Football Giants. He especially loved baseball, football, golf, fine Italian restaurants, and a good cigar with a bottle of Tignanello red wine.
He enjoyed and maintained his many friendships from East Rutherford High School, DAG Softball Team and White Beeches Country Club, where he was a member for over 40 years.
He was an extremely generous man and was always there to help family, friends, and employees not as fortunate as himself.
Funeral Friday 9AM from the Ippolito-Stellato Funeral Home, 425 Ridge Road, Lyndhurst. Funeral Mass 10 AM at St. Joseph RC Church, 120 Hoboken Road, East Rutherford. The family will receive visitors on Wednesday 2-5 & 7-9 PM and Thursday 2-5 & 7-9 PM. Entombment Holy Cross Chapel Mausoleum. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to be made in Victors Memory to the V Foundation, PO Box 2624, Sarasota, FL 34230