Anthony "Ski" Scocozza

1930 - 2015

FRANKFORD - Anthony "Ski" Scocozza, 85, of the Culver Lake section of Frankford, died Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015, at Karen Ann Quinlan Home for Hospice in Fredon.
Anthony was often called a Renaissance Man. He went to the beat of his own drum … and Frank Sinatra. Ski was born in 1930 in Newark. He was the youngest of six children in an Italian family. As a teenager, they moved to East Orange and he attended Clifford J. Scott High School. During the Korean War, he entered the Marines and was stationed in Camp Pendleton. While there, much to his surprise, he received an invitation to his own wedding. He returned to California with his bride, Gloria (Illardi), who ended up sharing his life for 63 years. They went on to have four children, Donna (Bob Begin), Lynn (Robert Oelz), John (Margaret Murray), and Nancy (Chris Lackey).
Ski was a young entrepreneur. At 25 years old, he started Hen's Best Farm in East Orange, selling eggs door-to-door. He went on to have a career in the food-service industry, and owned Donna Foods with his oldest daughter for a number of years. Ski's "heaven on earth" was Culver Lake, where he bought a summer home 55 years ago and had lovingly lived in full-time for the past 23 years. Ski enjoyed hiking on the Appalachian Trail and in Lake Placid. He loved making red wine (and drinking it, too), smoking DeNobili cigars, and sitting outside enjoying nature by the hour. He traveled extensively, with his favorite trip being when he and his family returned to "the old country" to the village where his father was born - San Martino d'Agri. Other highlights in his later years were starting Crime Watch at the lake, having a chicken fingers lunch at Gyp's (don't forget the yellow mustard), being a Republican, hanging out with his buddy, McClung, and being surrounded by family, especially his beloved grandchildren Michael, Matthew, Ryan, Sam, Will, Ben, Melissa and Anna. His favorite sayings were "Once a Marine, always a Marine," "Oh, the pressure," "Leave me alone" and "Go jump!"
We believe he is now in Sardinia, where the lore is that the men live longer than the women. Ski will be greatly missed.
Visitation will be Friday, Dec. 4, from 4 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 5, from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Wood Funeral Home, 16 Main St., Branchville, followed by Graveside services at Frankford Plains Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that donations be made to Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice Charitable Foundation, 99 Sparta Ave., Newton, N.J. 07860.
Online condolences may be offered at www.woodfuneralhome.net.