Joe I cannot believe it has been four years since you were taken from us.   I think of you often and miss you very much.   I miss not sitting in your office talking about old times and when I worked for you and Gene when I came to Jersey.   I hope you and Gene are giving God a lot of good legal advice .  I also think about when you represented me with the purchase of my home in Ulster Park, New York.   Say “hi” to Gene for me and till we meet again .  

Judy Stout

Does not seem like 4 years. Mom, Tricia and I miss you dearly. You were such a good friend and a joy to be around.  Hope you, Pop and and other friends are up there giving God a run for his money. Til we meet again.

Joe and I were just talking about all the good times we had together and here it is 4 years since you passed. You are missed and we won't forget our times of eating and laughing together!

IT DOES NOT SEEM LIKE 4 YEARS HAVE PASSED  AND I CONTINUE TO THINK OF YOU OFTEN AND YOU ARE MISSED. OUR LUNCHES TOGETHER WERE A DELIGHT AND  YOU DEFFINITELY WERE TAKEN TOO SOON.  I REMEBER THE RIDE TO CHERRY HILL WHEN YOU REPRESENTED  MY DAUGHTER IN THE PURCHASE OF HER HOME AND OUR DINNER AFTER IT WAS COMPLETED.  I REMEMBER YOUR PIPE AND TALES OF THE TRIPS TO  ITALY.

Will always miss our coffee and our conversations every morning.   I can’t believe it is 4 years feels like just yesterday. 
Antoinette

We all still miss you. I loved our coffee mornings and bringing you donuts. I have the donut socks I bought you and when I wear them I feel like you are with me. Never forgotten

Two years without saying good morning, drinking coffee and chatting with you. You are and always will be greatly missed by everyone in our office. I hope you are in your favorite destination in Italy. 
Antoinette 

I simply cannot believe that a year has passed.  I walk by your  office and I always say "Hi Joe" and I feel like you are just on your favorite yearly vacation in Italy and you will be back soon.  You are greatly missed but I know you are at peace.  Please look in on us from time to time.
With much love and respect,
Antoinette

I have been practicing law in Bergen County for decades.  Ironically, I first  met Joe when he and I were accompanying our children sitting on burlap bags and sliding down the long slide at the amusement Park in Beach Haven on Long Beach Island.  We were having great fun and that's how I remember him.  I was blessed to have known him through our law practices in later years and he mentored me when I took the course to become a mediator. Joe was a wonderful good hearted honourable man and
a very good lawyer. Thinking about him makes me proud of our profession.
Ron Fraioli 

My mother Joanne, my siblings and I would like to relay our condolences to the family. Joe was a good friend. He and some other good friends came to our house every year around the same time to come get a little as Joe would say "family time". We always went to the same Chinese restaurant. He loved that restaurant. We are going to miss him very much. 

God Bless!
The Naldrett Family

Always looked forward to spending New Years eve with Joe. 
Ed met Joe in 1966. He's been a brother to me ever since. He
was a rock and our attorney, for which we will be ever thankful.
I can hear him saying Go Marine. Now I'd like to say Go Marine.
Hand Salute!  Joe married us in 1998. He will be forever missed
but never forgotten. 
God Bless our dear friend.   

I didn't know many people like Joe.  He had a wonderful sense of humor, quick wit and a brilliant lawyer.  He was a good friend.  I will miss him greatly.
Lois Farnworth


my dear friend joe- i will miss you and our lunches at the deli in bergenfield. our chats about your travels to italy and how relaxing it was for you- sitting in a park reading and smoking your pipe, and your friends in florida. you were the ultimate gentleman and an attorney who i could call on for pro bono work for clients of the non-profit where i am a board member.  you will be remembered and missed. rest in peace my friend.  

I just learned about Joe's passing. So sad to hear. He was such a nice guy! And always enjoyable to talk with. RIP. Ken

My deepest condolences to the Cerame family...

I am very sorry to hear that I have lost a dear friend and attorney.   I will miss my confidant.   

So, please tell me  with whom I can share donuts?

Sleep in peace...🙏🏽

Joseph was a saint.  I knew and worked with him for many years and never grew tired of his stories, his laugh, and his burnt corn muffins at the little restaurant across the street from his office.  He truly was a gentleman and will always be remembered and missed!  God Bless you Joe...Rest in Peace!

Joseph H. Cerame, Esq., was my dear friend.  A kind and generous man.  He, along with Hon. Gene H. Austin  J.S.C.  (Retired) were my employers for several years.  Joe was often referred to as a “lawyer’s lawyer”.  A highly skilled and compassionate attorney.

I am deeply saddened by his passing.  The legal community has lost a friend and mentor of the highest quality.  And I have lost a friend who I looked up to for advise and guidance.

My sincere condolences to his family and friends ...

May he RIP.

Steven H. Schefers, Esq.  

Rest In Peace my friend .  I met Joe back in 1974 when I was hired  as a secretary at the firm of Austin and Cerame.   I worked for Joe for about a year and half.  Joe always called me his “go to” person. 
When I would visit my parents Joe and I would get together for lunch and then visit for the afternoon laughing a talking.   He would talk about his daughters and I would tell him about my daughters and grandchildren.  
Joe you may be gone from this world, but you will never be forgotten.  

Good bye Joe, so sorry to see you go.
It is hard to believe that you are going to the Great Court room in the  Sky.
We echo the words of so many who have written about you and the wonderful things that you have done for so many and what a great man you were.
Always smiling, always willing to help and never a bad word about anyone, what a guy.
 When Joe was applying for the County Judgeship a NJ State Policeman called me asking what type of man was Joe and when I told him that I NEVER heard Joe speak BAD about anyone he was amazed,because some people take the opportunity to say  unpleasent things about the person being investigated.
The rest is history he received the position and  did the County proud.
Semper Fi my dear friend !
Rest in peace.
God Bless !

Bob and Rita Goodwin

I was so sorry to hear of the passing of my boss and dear friend of more than twenty years, Joe Cerame.  

He was a man who acquired tremendous respect, both in his social and professional life.  I was with Joe as his secretary for the better part of 20 years.  We worked together and also had a lot of fun together.  He loved being a lawyer and when I asked him what he liked most about it he said “I like being able to help people”, and he did.  Many of our clients considered Joe not only their lawyer, but a friend as well.  He always made time in his busy schedule to talk to them about their concerns.  His kindness, sense of humor and humility always shone through.

He loved his family and spoke about them often.  He also loved his vacations, as I’m sure most of you know.  He started getting excited about his next trip around January and come August, off he was to Italy, his favorite place.

Joe Cerame was a great boss and a “special” man and he will be sorely missed by all.

My heart goes out to his family for this great loss.

RIP my friend,

Diane Cafarelli

When I learned of Mr. Cerame's  passing my Heart broke in a million pieces.  I worked with Mr. C aka "Cookie" which I named him because of his love for cookies at Austin & Cerame for over 10 years.  To say that Mr. C was an awesome bossman  does not seem to explain how great of a bossman he was.  His smile, his vivacious laugh, his knowledge and his personalty was felt throughout our office and me being his legal assistant was memorable.  I send my deepest condolences to his children and family.  I pray that  you will find comfort in knowing that Mr. C. will also be that constant angel riding your shoulders and in your hearts forever.  May God Bless you in your time of Sorrow.
RIP COOKIE

Sincerely,
Sheila Clay Coles

To say that Joe will be missed and he was a great man, while true, do not in any way reflect upon the greatness of the man and the loss we are all feeling.  His wisdom, humor and kindness are only offset by his humility.  I can almost hear him say as I write this - 'You must be speaking of someone else.'   While his life with us has ended, our love for him has not.  He will live on in our memories of him.  He was a loving kitten in a T-Rex body, with the fight of a champion, an infectious laugh and the wisdom of experience.    You are missed Joe, but you will never be forgotten.  Rest in Peace, and keep laughing as you always did for me. 

Joanne Naldrett

First, our deepest regrets and sympathies for the family.  My husband Bill and Joe attended Fordham together, that is where I first met your Dad. Funny story about your father. First time we  
met, we attended a party together, as Joe was not a partier in those days. I was dating my soon to be husband Bill, Joe said to  me that he wanted to leave. My date ignored him and he left. Unfortunately for me, my luggage and all my clothes were in his car. He lived in Jersey and I in Brooklyn. Have you ever tried to go a weekend without your clothes in a red low cut dress.  Fun times.  Your father was in our wedding party. He and some other friends of ours would come down twice a year. He always wanted to go to the Chinese restaurant near us. He was considered family by the restaurant staff. Your father was a gregarious man, not an ill word toward anyone. We are truly going to miss him in our lives, we all will. 




My condolences to your family.  I was a young attorney and Joe took me under his wing and made me feel like I belonged to this closed profession.  He always called me in his chambers after court and asked me how I was doing.  He was truly a mentor and someone I learned how to be a professional.  His teachings I passed on as I was a mentor to young attorneys. 

God Bless his family. 

I've known Joe since I was a teenager, and he was that young lawyer my parents liked so much. Over the years, he became a close friend, more like part of the family really. Positive and enthusiastic, he didn't seem to have a bit of malice within him ever. His reassuring way and warm laugh convinced me that things would be all right when I thought they couldn't be. Joe was someone you were always happy to see and could always rely on. To suddenly have him gone is shocking and painful, yet I can only be thankful to have had him be a part of my life for as long as I did.

If I asked you "What is a Man?", each of you would have similar and divergent thoughts on describing those qualities.  I would simply say it is being and acting like Joe Cerame. 

We met in college at Fordham University and while not particularly close those mere four years, they became the basis for a dear and lasting friendship that grew to where we shared intimate details of our lives, our families, our ideas, aspirations and hopes.  

Joe would come and visit Ann and myself when we were geographically relatively close, and not far away in our Air Force career. In later years, he would be an essential at our mini Fordham reunions here in Chapel Hill along with a few other dear friends and their wives.  Joe would always tell me how he was looking forward to the reunion so that he could share in and retell the same jokes and stories we had told the year before.   Of course, it would not be the special occasion it became if Joe did not bring 2 crumb cakes from his acclaimed New Jersey bakery.  TSA one year detained him as they suspected the sugar on the cakes was cocaine (his telling of it was hilarious).  He would bring his must have chorizo for his "world famous" scrambled eggs which he would prepare at our Sunday brunch.  It was funny because we knew he would always ask for a bottle of white wine, causing us to open a fresh bottle so that he could pour "about a mouthful" into his special recipe and concoction.  Must admit it was great.

We will miss him so.  I really haven't said much about the "Man".  You know what made him so.  If you ever have to tell anyone to be a man, just tell them to emulate our friend, father, grandfather, Joe Cerame.

A  best  friend  and special sense of life and laughter 





I've known Joe over my  entire legal career. I can't recall when we first met, but I have considered him a friend forever. He was a good lawyer and a good man - a credit to our profession.  I will miss running into him at lunchtime. We always had a warm conversation and talking with him made the day a little better. 
Rest in peace, my friend. 

I have had the pleasure of working with Mr. Cerame for almost  5 years.  We have shared so many laughs, conversations over coffee as well as talking about the law.  He  is one of the most admirable men I have ever had the pleasure to meet.  This office will not be the same ever.  My thoughts and prayers go out to his wonderful family, who am also blessed to have gotten to know and love as well.  Rest in peace and keep an eye on us please.  
Much love, Antoinette D. Monopoli

I knew Joe for over nearly fifty years, first as my father’s young attorney, then as my parent’s dear friend, and as I grew older as my own dear friend. Joe was that kind of person whose joy for life and positive attitude transcended generations. Whether he was talking about his family, friends, travel, food, or law, his passion and love for these made the fabric of his life and those around him so much richer. The things I remember most about Joe is how good he made you feel, his generosity, and how much he adored his family. A life well-lived and a legacy we should all aspire to. Rest in peace, dear friend.

Joe had a smile that would light up the room.  Whether he was on the Bench, in the office or just passing by, his humility would shine through his smile.
I'll miss our many conversations and his generosity of sharing his insight , wisdom and war stories.  An absolute loss to the Bench & Bar.  Rest in Peace my good friend.

Joe was always friendly and smiling. I knew him since the 80s and he was always a pleasure to work with.  I’m so sorry and wish he could be properly honored. 

 Joe was a man of humility and humanity.  I met Joe 35 years ago when he was chairman of  The creditor debtor section. Joe never lost his sensitivity or his sense of humor. He will be greatly missed. 

I can not describe the magnitude of my sadness to learn of Joe’s passing. He was one of a handful of my oldest and dearest friends who served as a true mentor dating back to my first years of practice in the early 80’s. As the years went on, our love of the law always provided us with the basis for many long conversations debating the meaning of land use cases and the changing aspects of the practice. Joe was a true gentleman, a true friend and someone I will deeply miss. 

I was so sorry to hear of this. As a young lawyer you come to know the established statesman with awe and respect. Joe was one of those lawyers that always had time for you, who was truly interested in what you were doing and who loved the law so much. I often thought what a pleasure it would be to work with Gene and Joe. You were a true gentleman Joe. 

I knew Joe from 1983, when I first started practicing law in Hackensack.  Our friendship developed over the years.  He was always  someone that a lawyer could come to for professional advice, or just for fellowship.  He gave his time freely to fellow attorneys. With Joe, what you saw is what you got: a totally decent man who could also occasionally  express himself like the Marine sergeant that he been.  He truly was a nice guy. Joe was an outstanding practitioner, and a  consciences professional. For me, he was a good friend and a font of legal and practical wisdom that I could rely upon. Whenever I needed practice advise, I could always go to Joe for solid guidance.  I will miss him greatly.

Joseph Cerame was a true gentlemen and an exemplary lawyer. Always courteous and unfailingly polite, his modesty concealed a rigorous intellect and commitment to his profession. He was also an engaging personality whose smile could be seen across a room. I will genuinely miss our conversations. Rest In Peace, Joe.

Charles Kahwaty

The Hon. Joseph Cerame was a uniquely  kind and respectful man.  Always, without fail, he would stop to greet me, no matter where or what the circumstance. This he did since I first met him years and years ago, when he was a judge then, and I was not. He was steadfastly loyal to the Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey and all of its efforts and activities, which events he relished.  He will be sorely missed by me and, no doubt, by many, many others.

I am so sorry to hear about Joe's passing.  He was a good person, a good lawyer and a good friend.  I met him when I was a young lawyer through the Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey and stayed friends all this time.  I last heard from him around the holidays when he called to pick my brain about a case.  He would always call me on my birthday to wish me a happy one without fail.  He always had a great sense of humor, and I remember the greatest laugh we ever had stemmed from a HBANJ board meeting in New Brunswick where we carpooled.  I drove my Cherokee and as we were pulling into the NJ Law Center, I said to Joe to remind me that I needed to get gas on the way back.  Of course, neither one of us remember about the gas on the return trip until we got back to Hackensack when my car shut down on Kennedy Street.  I was so embarrassed that I ran out of gas.  Joe was the Bergen County Municipal Judge at that point, and he called the Bergen County Police who came and put some gas in the car.  I then dropped Joe off at this car on State Street.  For at least the next decade if not longer, whenever Joe had to drive to New Brunswick, he would call me out of the blue and let me know this fact and that he had made sure to fill his tank up first!  We would then both burst into laughter!  He will be sorely missed.  I regret that I never got to meet his kids that he spoke of so lovingly.  Please accept my condolences.

OBITUARY

Joseph Henry Cerame

November 17, 1939 – April 11, 2020

Becker Funeral Home

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