Frank H. Rocchio

Frank Henry Rocchio, 85, passed away on July 13, 2024 in Tinton Falls, New Jersey. Son of Emily F. (Behrens) and Frank G. Rocchio, he was born on September 20, 1938 in Jersey City, NJ. He attended St. Peters Preparatory High School, class of 1956, and went on to college at the University of Dayton, where he studied Chemistry. He then returned to New Jersey to attend Newark College of Engineering. In 1961, he was inducted into the Army having had ROTC training while in college and fulfilled his service obligation honorably at Ft. Jackson, SC. As a Chemical Engineer, he worked for Permacel, an industrial adhesive-tape manufacturing company and division of Johnson & Johnson based in North Brunswick, NJ. He was proud of his contribution in the development of safety tapes, such as a yellow and black diagonally striped caution tape and some of the early polypropylene tapes. He was very aware of the various kinds of tapes and was known to point out that the clear variety of adhesive tape should actually be referred to by its trade name of cellophane tape, instead of “Scotch” tape. And whether it was a broken toy, leaky plumbing, wobbly furniture or a way to identify his luggage, Frank was known to be ready with his always handy supply of tape. The majority of Frank’s professional career was spent at The Okonite Company, a wire and cable company based in Ramsey, NJ, where he worked for 34 years before retiring in 2002. He was certified by the American Society of Quality Control as a Quality Engineer. He was also a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), where he co-authored publications and received accolades for his contribution in developing various engineering standards. A true engineer throughout his life, Frank had a curiosity for how things work and could potentially be “done better.” He embodied the Engineer’s Motto, “If it isn’t broken, take it apart and fix it.” He was an avid reader throughout much of his life until a stroke in 2004 limited his ability to enjoy reading in the same way. He did, however, maintain an appreciation of “dad jokes” and would respond with a humorous pun whenever he could. Frank also had a fondness for a wide range of music from the sounds of the Big Band era of the 1930s-40’s and various patriotic and military anthems to the likes of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin all the way to the songs of the rock band, The Eagles. If he heard a song he knew, he’d be singing right along. Didn’t matter if he wasn’t quite in tune or not. His early interests included collecting model trains, rare coins and stamps. While he never referred to himself as being very athletic, he did run track for a time in high school. Later in life, he enjoyed bowling, bocce and playing cards, with pinochle and poker being on his list of favorites. He also loved to travel. He and his wife Nancy explored many places in the US and abroad during their time together. He often spoke of his most memorable trips being to the Canadian Rockies and cruising through the Panama Canal. Frank was loved and is survived by his wife of 44 years, Nancy (Zereski) Rocchio, his daughter and son-in-law, Christine Rocchio & Matthew Littleton of Washington DC, his sister and brother-in-law Mary Frances & Tom Blendulf of Tinton Falls, NJ, his nephew and wife Kenneth & Marlena Majors and their children Thor & Ravenna of Branchburg, NJ, his nephew and wife Justin Majors & Julie Kim and their children Rocky & Mia of San Fransisco, CA and his niece and husband, Sharon & Michael Spear of Austin, TX. Frank was appreciative of his Massachusetts-based family through his marriage to Nancy, sister-in-law Barbara Benoit and previously departed brother-in-laws Richard Raskett (Carole) and John Raskett (Ann), along with all those who also called him Uncle, Michael Benoit, Daniel Benoit (Audrey), Travis Benoit, Devin Benoit, Pamela Rybak (Michael), Steven Rybak (Chelsea), Kristina Smith (Jaxin) and Deborah Raskett. In the words of one of his favorite songs and The Eagles debut single, it’s now time for Frank to “Take it Easy.” A Remembrance & Celebration of Life will be held at 12:00 PM on Friday, September 20th, 2024, in The Gardens at Seabrook Village in Tinton Falls. Internment Service is scheduled for Monday, September 23rd at 10:30 AM at Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Wrightstown, NJ. Those who knew and cared for Frank are invited to raise a toast in his name with his favorite drink, a Manhattan, or whatever your preference might be. Donations in memory of Frank can be made to the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association at www.stroke.org, Fight for Sight at https://fightforsight.org, or the Bee a ChemE Fund of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) at https://www.aiche.org/giving/impact/funds/bee-cheme-fund.

Frank H. Rocchio

September 20, 1938 - July 13, 2024