
We met Frank and Roberta through some mutual friends and went on several cruises with them.  Frank was a generous, funny and gregarious guy who could always bring a smile to everyone around him.  We know how much he loved Roberta as we were in attendance for the renewal of their vows at a small church in the Caribbean.   We know how much he will be missed by his family and friends.






















As Francis's cousin, I remember him growing up in East Meadow,as I also grew up there.  I really never got to know the adult Francis, as I was drafted, and was gone for 2 years, coming back, and entering a new life. We talked now and then, and was happy to hear he was moving down to Florida, where I live. He was a lot like his father, and will miss him. I found a picture of him and Maureen, and one of his dad. 

Here is a collage of photos of Francis... ‘Through the Years’ with his beloved Bertie, his sister Maureen & mother and father.  

I’ve known Frank since I’m 15 or 16 years old. I would call him one of my best friends ever. One guy that you’d want by your side always. We lost touch a little through the years but always missed his friendship. We had a very active childhood old friend. Rest in peace

Frank was my best friend for many years. Never laughed so hard in my life when we would joke around together. Most generous and giving person I ever knew. Lord you are getting a good one into your Kingdom. Rest In Peace my good friend and I will see you again on the other side.

I've known Francis (Frank) my entire life. We grew up together, played as little kids, walked to school, played touch football in the street in front of my childhood home, and partied together as teenagers. We shared  a lifetime of experiences and good memories.  I  will think of him often and remember him fondly. I want to offer my most heartfelt condolences to his wife Roberta and his sister Maureen and the rest of his family. I also wanted to share here, a small photo I pulled from an old 8 mm movie I sent to Frank, which shows him and his sister at my brothers birthday party so many years ago. It's a little blurry, however Frank loved it and the memories of childhood it brought back to him. God bless you my friend and rest in peace.

"Against the wind
We were runnin' against the wind
We were young and strong, we were runnin' against the wind."
                                                                                                            --Bob Seeger
The call from Roberta was not completely unexpected. Frank was gone. It seemed inconceivable to me that we had watched our last episode of "Breaking Bad" or "The Blacklist" together. 

Frank had been running against the wind for the four years since I had seen him in a neighborhood Seven Eleven. He was a big man with a big heart and more than once he had placed a twenty-dollar bill in my hand and entrusted me to give it to a woman who would push a shopping cart down Randall Avenue in her nocturnal hunt for a bounty of discarded cans. 

I could attempt to dredge up a "favorite memory" but I'll shamelessly and brazenly palm a eulogy spoken on one of Frank's favorite shows.  It could have been written for him:

"Frank was...infuriating. Insulting.  Intemperate and self-indulging. Just so maddening. He was a chauvinist, quick to anger, and someone who saw things in black and white, but there was one thing Frank was not. 

And that’s afraid.

Frank was not afraid.

He wasn’t afraid of judgment. Of being wrong. He wasn’t afraid of friendship. Or romance. A bad joke. A good laugh. He was never afraid of a good time. Or bad timing. Or consequences. Or an impossible dream. Or any kind of danger.

No matter how hard or unfair life might have been to Frank– Frank loved life back. He embraced it without reservation, regret, or remorse.

And that is...rare. I wish...I wish more people were unafraid like Frank. I wish I was. It’s the thing about him I’ll miss the most.

And I hope it’ll be some time before all my memories of him start to fade.




Francis or ‘Handsome’ as my sister Roberta always called him, was a character.   He always tried to make everyone laugh with his unique wit and he just LOVED his music.  He used to be the Karaoke King at the many family parties he Roberta threw ‘back in the day’ Parties that were the BEST! & will go down in history.  He made everyone smile!  He will be missed. 

Visiting Nurse Association

American Lung Association

Memorial Mass for Francis Joseph Papuzza

He leaves behind his beloved wife, Roberta, of nearly 46 years, his sister Maureen Warrick and half-brothers Joseph and James Papuzza and Geoff Danielik, beloved brother-in-law to Kathleen Minlionica (Tom), John Williams (Tricia), Betsy Condy (the late Chris), Robert Williams (Catherine) and Carole Griffin (Jerald). Beloved uncle to many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.
Francis was predeceased by his parents, Julianna Connolly Papuzza of New York and Frank Papuzza of Florida.

AVIS DE DÉCÈS

Francis Joseph Papuzza

15 mars 1952 – 24 février 2021

Aycock Funeral Home Young & Prill Chapel

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