Francis Frank Anthony Romagnolo

To Francis Anthony Romagnolo, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, he was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around him, he seemed to be eternally happy, and he willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life he touched. For Frank, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, he could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Frank really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Frank was born on November 30, 1938 in his home with his grandmother who was a midwife in Staten Island, New York. His parents were Anthony and Sarah Romagnolo. Frank was raised in Staten Island, New York. Even as a child, Frank had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around him. He was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. He couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. He was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, he succeeded in entertaining his entire family.

Always a good playmate, Frank was easygoing and fun loving. He managed to lighten the mood wherever he was, even during family squabbles. He seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Frank managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Frank was raised with one sister, Marian.

All of Frank's playful good humor carried over into his childhood. He was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed him to be constantly on the go. As a result, Frank experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited him very well. He took part in playing football. He was a Boy Scout. In his spare time he liked to sing and go boating. Frank's memorable achievements included winning a singing contest, and brought home the bacon to his mom as promised at ten years of age.

Ask anyone who knew him from school and they would tell you that Frank was a class “cut-up.” He didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Frank simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of his friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for Frank, grades may not have been the most important thing to him, but he really did enjoy his school experience. Since experience was Frank's best teacher. He enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory.” Frank graduated from New Dorp High School in Staten Island in 1956. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. His favorite class in high school was History. The teacher he enjoyed learning from the most was Sr. Mary DeSalle. He was on a debate team at the Augustian Academy, which he also attended.

He was able to discover new and different ways of answering problems and creating unusual and different solutions. He graduated from the School of Insurance.

Frank never actually encountered a stranger in his dealings with people. He was drawn to individuals and crowds, using his gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate his audience. This quality allowed Frank to continually develop new relationships, ever widening his circle of friends. Frank delighted in his role among all his acquaintances, because he viewed them all as potential spectators for his performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Frank was always right at home putting on a show among his friends. Frank utilized his interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, some of his best friends were John Secondaneri, Frank Ariosta and Vinnie Desimone. Later in life, he became friends with Jerry Shames, Joe Brown and Rudy Lumba. Frank loved sharing life and having his home filled with people he knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Frank very easy to approach. On July 14, 1967 Frank exchanged wedding vows with Barbara Kramer in Staten Island, New York. He tried hard not to impose on his spouse. He was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

Perhaps the reason Frank related so well to children was the fact that he never really completely grew up himself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped him in raising his own children. Frank was blessed with four children, three sons Michael, David and Anthony and one daughter Jennifer. They were also blessed with three grandchildren, Amanda, Alexa and Sammy. Frank had the ability to focus his attention on the present moment. If he was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of his attention was directed. Frank's compassionate side prevented him from being a strict disciplinarian, and he could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. He could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Frank had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

At work, as in life, Frank was a real “people person. ” he had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and his enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Frank liked to see himself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Frank was an adaptable realist, using his common sense and trusting his experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Frank's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around him to see Frank as an excellent problem solver. His primary occupation was Insurance Broker, but he was especially proud of being a professional singer, he was a recording artist for Liberty Records and Pickwick International. He sang in Las Vegas, the Playboy Club in Chicago and The Fountainbleu in Miami Beach, Florida. He was also self employed for the Romagnolo Insurance Company.

Frank enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Frank liked creating and making things. His favorite pursuits were boating and singing. Frank was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Frank felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if he wasn’t the best, Frank loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Frank relished the opportunities where he could make an impact, and he would often push himself to play above his abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Frank never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. In high school, Frank played football. Frank was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity.

Frank had an endless appetite for new and different activities. He was always ready to join in the fun and add his flair and energy to an organization. Because of his personality, his humor, and his ability to get along with everyone, Frank's service was greatly valued by the organizations to which he belonged. In high school, Frank was a member of the Debate Team. Frank was a President of the Staten Island Mental Health Society, President of the Mens Club at Moore Catholic High School in Staten Island and President of the Richmond County Insurance Association.

A generous person who often wore his heart on his sleeve, Frank often found himself involved in activities he deemed important. He was charitable, kind and giving, qualities that made him a natural volunteer. Outspoken in his beliefs, yet tactful in his dealings with others, Frank was a member of several community groups, Frank worked with a community group, the Performing Arts at Venetian Isles. Politically, Frank was involved in the Planning Board in Marlboro, New Jersey.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Frank recognized that his faith was important to him throughout his life. He was a member of St. Margaret Mary's in Staten Island for twenty years. During that time, he taught confirmation classes to the 8th grades.

Naturally outgoing and generous, Frank was regularly doing things for others. For him, the gift of giving to others was second nature. Though he never set out to gain individual recognition, Frank was given accolades for his many and varied accomplishments throughout his life. Some of his most prestigious awards included Top Producer for Aetna Insurance Company in the United States.

Living life in the fast lane suited Frank just fine. It is no surprise that he loved to travel and to visit new and different places. He was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. He was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included travel to Italy and South Florida.

Frank was a lover of animals and cherished his pets, enjoying them almost as much as he enjoyed being around other people. One of Frank's favorites was Orion, an American Staffordshire Terrier. They were best friends for 6 years. His family was rounded out by his dogs, Zuinella, a Poodle, Goliath a Standard Poodle, Pepper and Nancy, Cocker Spaniels, Tristan, a Labrador Retriever and Fluffy, a Brazilian poodle.

Frank believed that you had to experience life, and his life in retirement was no different. When that day finally arrived in 1998, Frank took it in stride as one more way to have fun. His new life involved relocating to Florida. With his boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, Frank remained busy with people and projects. In retirement, he found new pleasure in Performing Arts. Even in retirement, Frank continued to stay in touch with his old friends and, since he'd never met a stranger, he made plenty of new acquaintances as well.

Frank passed away on July 21, 2010 at Delray Beach Medical Center. He is survived by his wife Barbara, his children Michael and Ana Romagnolo, Jennifer and Peter Kaufman, Anthony Romagnolo, David Romagnolo, grandchildren Amanda and Alexa Romagnolo and Sammy Kaufman, his sister and brother in law Marian and Tony Sparago, nieces and nephews Donna, Frank and Nicholas Nastasi; Toni, Luis, Matthew and Alex Maschi. Services were held at Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Church. Frank was laid to rest in Bailey Memorial Gardens, in Tamarac FL.

Frank brought joy to all of those around him. He never had a mean bone in his body. He loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He loved to share his energy, wit, and his zest for all of his activities with his friends and family. Francis Anthony Romagnolo lived life to its fullest and made everyone around him happier just for knowing him. He will be remembered with a smile.