James Vincent DeFago

November 4, 1926 – May 30, 2025

James “Jim” Vincent DeFago, Sr., of Boca Raton, Florida, passed away peacefully on May 30th. He was 98 years old.

Born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, Jim answered the call to serve his country by joining the U.S. Navy at the age of 17, becoming a proud member of the Seabees. His service took him across the world, but his heart remained at home. Upon returning, he married the love of his life, Catherine “Katie” DiPasquale, with whom he shared a lifelong devotion and raised a beautiful family.

Jim and Katie raised their three children in Belleville, New Jersey, where he worked as a postal worker for 20 years and then started his own business as a contractor and worked tirelessly to provide for his family. In the 1980s, they relocated to Boca Raton, Florida, where Jim enjoyed his later years close to his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, surrounded by love. He took pride in his garden, loved telling stories from the old days, remembering every detail, and never missed a Giants game.

Jim was predeceased by his beloved wife, Catherine, and their cherished daughter, Kathleen DeFago. He is survived by his two sons, Frank DeFago (Anna) and James V. DeFago, Jr. (Marie); grandchildren Alissa Zahler (Jordan), Alicia DeLuca (PJ), and James ‘Jimoots’ V. DeFago III (Jamie); and eight great-grandchildren: Riley and Emma (children of Alissa), Joseph, Giovanna, and Luciana (children of Alicia), and Juliana, Jimmy IV, and Vanessa (children of James III). He will also be missed by all his nieces and nephews who he cherished very much!

Jim will be remembered for his strong work ethic, unwavering loyalty, and deep commitment to his family. He was always outside, working with his hands and capable of building anything he set his mind to, often without a single plan on paper. Though he has left Earth, his legacy lives on through the lives he shaped and the things he built, both with his hands and his heart.

Services up north will be held at:

Megaro Memorial Home

Thursday, June12, 2025

4pm-8pm

503 Union Avenue

Belleville, New Jersey 07109

A Funeral Mass for Jim will be celebrated on:

Friday, June 13, 2025 at 9:30 am

Saint Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church

63 Franklin Street

Belleville, New Jersey 07109