Longtime Resident Nick Carone Passed Away After Battling Lung Cancer

Longtime New Providence resident Nick (Nicola) Carone passed away last Saturday, May 21, after battling lung cancer. Nick, 51, was in his home with his family by his side.

The visitation was held tonight at Paul Ippolito Berkeley Memorial in Berkeley Heights. The Funeral Mass will take place tomorrow, May 25, at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Peace Church in New Providence, followed by the interment at St. Teresa’s Cemetery in Summit. More information can be found here.

Nick was born in Italy, lived in Chatham and moved to New Providence 40 years ago when he was in third grade. He was well known and loved by many.

Before working as an Assistant Foreman with the New Providence Department of Public Works, Nick had a successful landscaping business.

He used his talents as a landscaper to help beautify the town. Nick took pride in such projects as Veterans Memorial Park, which has memorials for each US Military branch of service and the . Nick designed and helped build these landscape projects around town, including the , the , and many more.

Survived by many loving family members and friends, Nick was the beloved husband of Catherine (nee Rutigliano), loving father of Rosa, Victoria and Michael, cherished grandfather to his precious granddaughter, Mariah, and devoted son to Michele and Guiseppina (nee Fusco). Nick is now at eternal rest with his brother Carmen.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to Center for Hope Hospice, 1900 Raritan Rd, Scotch Plains, NJ 07076.

At the Borough Council meeting last night, Mayor J. Brooke Hern made a few comments about Nick and his contributions to the Borough of New Providence.

“In addition to handling responsibilities he had for roads, buildings and grounds, he took extraordinary pride in the landscape and design work of Veterans Park, the library and the Municipal Center,” Hern said. “On a personal note, I just want to let you all know that Nick was always willing to lend a hand to help anyone in need. He enjoyed making homemade wine, attending to his vegetation garden, and as a governing body, we extend our condolences to his wife, Cathy, and his children, Rosa, Vicky and Michael, and his granddaughter, Mariah.”

Since Carone’s diagnosis in November of last year, Debbie Johnson and her husband, Jimmy, who is the Director of the New Providence Department of Public Works, were firsthand observers of the challenges faced by the Carone family, not the least of which had been the financial implications of the illness.

As a result, were held in town to raise funds for the Carone family during the last weekend in April and first weekend in May. The Johnson family hosted one dinner, while the other dinner was coordinated by Johnson’s sister-in-law, Betty Bechberger, who serves on the board for the New Providence Care and Concern Foundation, and President of the Ladies’ Auxiliary at the Paca Club, Renee Pennisi.

Several businesses and individuals in town contributed to the dinners with food, desserts, beer, wine and soft drinks, as well as free music from local band, Jersey Souls, whose lead singer and guitarist, Tony Carnevale, is also a New Providence borough employee. Those contributors include the Prestige Diner, Providence Liquors, M&M Liquors, Barth’s Market, Avenue Deli and Prudential Realtors, the workplace of Carone’s wife, Cathy.

On the council agenda was a Proclamation for Public Works Appreciation Day, which Hern said was particularly fitting due to the passing of Nick.

Johnson was in attendance to accept the Proclamation that made May 23, 2011 “Public Works Appreciation Day” in the Borough of New Providence, acknowledging the dedication and hard work of the Public Works employees.

“Nick was well known in our community and he will be greatly missed by this borough family,” Hern said.

—Memorial Obituary information is courtesy of Paul Ippolito Berkeley Memorial.