Obituary of Dr. Jack G. Magnifico, D.D.S.

Dr. Jack G. Magnifico, D.D.S., born on August 22, 1927 in Paterson, NJ, and known for over four decades as Hawthorne's dentist, passed away peacefully on Tuesday night, August 11, 2020 at St. Joseph's Wayne Hospital, shortly before reaching his 93rd birthday. He was the son of John and Ida (nee Marchitto) Magnifico. His father John emigrated from Villa Rosa, Sicily and worked for many years as a barber in Paterson. A resident of Wayne, NJ, Dr. Jack, as he was affectionately known, was the beloved husband of Rose (Manno) Magnifico for 69 years, the adored father of three children, John Magnifico, Ida Rose Brizek and Petrina Tesoriero, and the proud grandfather of five: Jack, Michael and Eric Magnifico, and Faith and Luke Tesoriero. He was the brother of Jean Magnifico, also of Wayne, who worked alongside him as his dental assistant until his retirement in 2004 at age 77. Following his high school graduation and active duty service in the U.S. Army from 1945 to 1946, Dr. Jack attended Rutgers University School of Pharmacy. It was there that he met his future wife and classmate Rose Manno. Upon their graduation they began their careers together in 1951 as registered pharmacists. Dr. Jack went on to attend Loyola University School of Dentistry in Chicago and, after his graduation, returned to Hawthorne, NJ where he opened his dental office at 207 Diamond Bridge Avenue in 1958. After raising his family in Glen Rock and residing for a time in North Haledon, he and Rose moved to the Brittany Chase condominiums in Wayne, where they enjoyed their retirement years of golfing and memorable vacations at their favorite golf courses in Arizona and Florida. As a member and treasurer for many years of the Italian Circle of Paterson, Dr. Jack was an exceptionally well liked friend to many; but most important of all, he was beloved by the vast number of loyal patients of his dental practice who remember him still with so much fondness, admiration and gratitude. The greatest joy of Dr. Jack's life was to be a father, and he was a loving father beyond measure. He found his deepest satisfaction and greatest pride in the education of his children and in the happiness of our shared family life. He leaves us, his children, and grandchildren and, above all, his wife Rose, with his final gift - all the love a heart can hold, for all Eternity. A funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, August 21, 2020 at the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, located at 45 Urban Club Road, Wayne, NJ 07470. The funeral Mass will be followed by interment at the George Washington Memorial Park Cemetery, located at 234 Paramus Road, Paramus, NJ 07652. In lieu of flowers, it is requested that donations be made in the name of Dr. Jack G. Magnifico, D.D.S. to: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 www.stjude.org or Tunnel to Towers Foundation, 2361 Hylan Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10306 www.tunnel2towers.org