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John Anthony D'Alessandro
1925 - 2016
John Anthony D'Alessandro
1925 - 2016
Obituary
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John D'Alessandro Obituary
John moved to Northern Philadelphia to raise his family and opened his dental practice. He later went back to teach part-time at Temple University Dental School. Years later, after an illness forced him to retire as a dentist, he became a dental hygienist and was able to get back to the career that he loved. Later in life, John loved to stay active and truly lived life to the fullest. He will be dearly missed.
John was predeceased by his wife, Jean Grace (nee Di Domonic). He is survived by his son, Robert J. D'Alessandro and his wife Janine of Whiting, NJ and his daughter, Jeanette Lopera of Pennsauken, NJ.
A Memorial Gathering will be held on Friday, December 9, 2016 from 10am - 12pm at Anderson & Campbell Funeral Home, 115 Lacey Road, Whiting, NJ 08759. A Memorial Service will be held immediately following at 12pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in John's memory to The American Legion Tacony Memorial, Inc., 7163 Hegerman Street, Philadelphia, PA 19135.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Robert D'Alessandro
January 1, 2017
Dad, Now that you have been gone for one month we really miss you : here at the house visiting us for dinner, at your apartment visiting you , talking on the phone with you. Your laughter and light heartedness , smile , kind way and appreciation are missing in our lives. You are with us always in spirit and memory. You were and will always be a great friend, father,father-in-law and inspiration to all who know you to enjoy life and do everything with excellence. Until we can be with you again you are always close and protectively watching over us with Mom and Jesus by your side. I miss your companionship at holiday celebrations. See you and be with you again for eternity. Love you forever, Robert
Joseph & Shirley Clayback
December 12, 2016
I would like to say how sorry I am to all Family members for the passing of John. My family all started out with John as our family dentist. He was the only Dentist who would hand you a control button that would turn off the drill if you hit the button. I thought this was brilliant because when I felt I had control I could take any amount of pain.
John and I remained friends and spoke to each other in church almost every week. Shirley and I spoke many times during the week as John was trying to make his decision to move. I was saddened when John told me he finally decided to make his move. I prayed that it was best for him. My wife and I met when we were in our teens and John became her Dentist also. We both had a great deal of Love and respect for him. He will forever be missed. John we pass you over to the hands of the Lord. Wishing you Peace side by side with your Dear Wife. We will remember them both as they have a place in our hearts.
Kathleen Clayback Coscia
December 12, 2016
Dr. D'Alessandro was my dentist when I was a child and lived in Northeast Philadelphia until I got married in 1967. I actually enjoyed going to the dentist.
While I lost touch with him, my brother Joe, kept in touch all these years. I will always remember him.
JOHN & VINCENT PECORA IN CONVERSATION
MICHAEL PECORA
December 10, 2016
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THE D'ALESSANDRO/PECORA TEAM
MICHAEL PECORA
December 10, 2016
MICHAEL PECORA
December 10, 2016
Dear Robert & Jeanette -
Please accept my deepest condolences on the passing of your dear father, John. I will remember him for his good sense of humor, caring manners, and most of all, his deep faith in God.
I will miss John at our holiday and family gatherings. He had a good positive attitude towards life, great stamina & intellect at 91 years old! May our good Lord bless John's soul with eternal peace and happiness in Heaven!
Love Your Brother-In-Law,
Michael Pecora
Robert D'Alessandro
December 6, 2016
My father was very well liked by many people mostly because he loved life and participated in it's many activities. At the "Pines at Whiting" in the retirement community where he lived for only the short span of time of 13 months he made countless friends who thought he was an amicably vibrant resident who loved to have fun and had a real appreciation for the wonderful blessings that God had bestowed on him in his 91 years of life. Especially those in his last year of life. He actually made a job out of joining in on every possible activity his community had to offer. H was seldomm in his apartment when I called on the phone. He brought the bocce team he had joined out of the doldrums of continual losses into several streaks of winning. He was in the vocal group and even played a part in a play. All in one very short year. But that was my father. A joiner who did everything to the best of his ability which was formidable to say the least and loving every minute of the effort and the trip of reaching his goal of excellence. I said simply one day to him : " Dad, you did more in one lifetime than I could do in ten." A shining example of the members of his generation : the children of European immigrants who fought in WW1 and built the mines , mills , factories, and railroads for the good of us all industrializing America. Then continued in the same traditions of sweat and hard but at the same time smart work. My dad and his generation went on to fight in WW2 and Korea and then went on to make the USA rich , productive , respected world-wide and a self-sufficient supplier of finished goods and services to the rest of the entire world during the boom of the post-war years. Those two generations together are the ones who truly Made America Great. Thankfully our president-elect knows this in contrast to the reality of today. My dad took that work-ethic into his retirement years still working and playing hard and smart. And like my wife's parents he raised two good children who give back to others. I was not always the best I could be ( a source of frustration to my dad at times ) but
I have been now for quite some time. Between him, God, and my wife Janine, whom he absolutely loved like his own daughter, my life is good and has straightened out nicely. Thankfully I have inherited at least SOME of his brilliant intelligence and work-ethic. Some of his life's highlights : he grew up in South Philly where he learned how to be a good street fighter in order to protect himself and his family; in WW2 he joined the Navy as a pharmacists mate ; he put himself through 4 years of college and then 8 years on dental school at Temple University working a variety of jobs along the way to support himself. He opened a successful dental practice in the basement of our home in Northeast Philly , he approached two of his dental colleagues and friends wanting to open up the world's first dental association in a building he had already picked out. They turned his offer down thinking it was a crazy idea. It was an idea ahead of it's time. They all went back to their individual practices. He got sick with pulmonary fibrosis sustaining himself on oxygen until he got better but lost some of his memory in the process. He had taught as an adjunct professor at Temple Dental School. When he overcame his illness he took the course-work and went to work as a dental hygienist for one of his students who held my father as his mentor. Then my mother got sick with ovarian cancer and he took great care of her for 10 years where he became a built in home-bound cook , doctor , pharmacist , and caretaker. A lifetime of smart and hard work. Living in the row house I grew up in for 60+ years total, after my moms death I never thought he would move. Then I met my wife Janine whom dad took an instant liking to because the two of them as individuals are humble , kind and empathetic to others, and also movers and shakers. They met and rocked and rolled. Janine came up with the idea of moving him out of the city to Whiting in his facility just 2 miles away. It took us 3 years of helping him to sell his home and dealing with it's contents. He did a lot on his own when we could not due to our jobs. It worked. We all enjoyed each other and wish it had lasted more than one year. We all wanted and expected several more years where he could FINALLY JUST HAVE FUN. My good neighbor Jeannie was able to spend time with him taking car rides together every week to Walmart ,Shop-Rite , Lakehurst Diner and trips to see her brother's horse farm in Freehold. Thankfully They were buddies while my wife and I worked. We also were taking care of Janine's father over the past year and a half with cardiac issues. We buried him just a month ago. It's been hard to take. I feel like my dad was ripped off. We wanted both our fathers to have a better life and more time for fun. I'm angry and sad. But not wih God. Cancer comes from mankind and the devil. It was sudden and unexpected. My faith in God has become stronger through all this. But I do ask God why did you not give my dad more time on this earth for fun ? He's with my mom the love of his life and his parents and my uncles and aunts now. Hopefully having fun up there in heaven with God giving all of them youth , health , restoration , love , joy , and peace. but mostly fun.
December 6, 2016
Praying for your peace ad comfort. Our deepest sympathy. Frank and Ginny Berg
Janine D'Alessandro
December 6, 2016
My father in-law was my inspiration. He was the guy who always kept busy doing worthwhile things in life. He was my cheerleader who always praised me for doing so many things for him and others. I was happy just to help him with his needs and have him over for lunch or dinner. Last year at this time he helped me decorate the outside of my house for Christmas.
He was a amazing man that I will miss greatly.
Good Times
Joseph DiDomenic
December 5, 2016
How can you sum up a man's life in a few words. He was someone who made me feel special when I was young. Who would smile and laugh and poke fun at life. A serious man though as a WWII Vet and DDS. Uncle John and Aunt Jean were special in my life, as well as my brother and sisters. Our Holiday Gatherings, and the memories of them, keep me going in the down times and make me smile. I long for those days to come back, to revisit them just one more time.
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115 Lacey Road, Manchester Township, NJ 08759
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