Joseph A. Lazzara

Served as freeholder, senator

Joseph A. Lazzara, a bakery executive who was a force in Passaic County politics and sought the Paterson mayoralty, has died. He was 87.

The Wayne and Delray Beach, Fla., resident died in Florida on April 10, 2ï¾½ weeks after breaking his hip, said his wife, Constance.

Mr. Lazzara's Sicilian immigrant father, Cosmo, began selling bread by horse and wagon. Lazzara's Bakery moved to Cianci Street in Paterson in the 1920s — Joseph was born over the store — and to the former Arrow Carrier plant at Madison and Getty avenues in 1956.

Mr. Lazzara was president of the successful company, whose orange and green trucks made deliveries in several states and whose "Tasty Crust Bread" sign was a South Paterson landmark. News accounts described Lazzara's as one of the nation's largest specialty bakeries.

Mr. Lazzara promoted the business and its line of Italian goods. He ran radio commercials and in 1965 explained on national TV how a proposed increase in wheat prices would affect the cost of a loaf. He was interviewed by CBS' Mike Wallace, who learned of Lazzara's Bakery after his daughter toured the plant.

A Democrat, Mr. Lazzara was elected to the Passaic County Board of Chosen Freeholders in 1960 and served as director. He lost a Paterson mayoral primary to former Mayor Frank X. Graves in 1969 — Mr. Lazzara's ads proclaimed "Man Vs. Machine" — and won election to the state senate Senate two years later.

Two defeats followed: to Thomas C. Rooney Jr. in the 1972 Paterson mayoral primary and to Republican Sheriff Frank Davenport in the 1973 state senate Senate race. By then, Mr. Lazzara had sold the bakery and was focused on his government career.

He was named county elections superintendent and, in July 1978, the freeholders elevated him to administrator, the highest-paying job in county government.

Mr. Lazzara's 11th-hour eleventh-hour candidacy was backed by county Democratic Chairwoman Betty Kordja. A search committee had recommended Mercer County Administrator Robert Klein, who had worked as a White House speechwriter and in the administration of Gov. Richard Hughes.

"Mr. Lazzara won't be a total dud as administrator," The Record, which preferred Klein, editorialized. "He does have some administrative experience as the head of a once-successful bakery. He is well-acquainted with the methods of operation in Passaic. He knows the score."

Mr. Lazzara stepped down after 18 months amid a county financial crisis. He finished his government career as county treasurer.

While a state senator, Mr. Lazzara became involved in a controversy involving a pornographic movie, "Deep Sleep," filmed in Paterson. His large, Spanish-style house on the Eastside was seen fleetingly in the film, which played to full houses at the Willowbrook Mall cinema. Mr. Lazzara was not happy.

"I can't understand how the law permits photography of people's houses or grounds without permission," he told The New York Times. He considered filing an invasion of privacy suit but was advised that such cases were difficult to prosecute.

In retirement, Mr. Lazzara played pinochle with friends at the Roma Club on Cianci Street, a hub of Paterson's once-vibrant Italian-American community.

"Columbus Day used to be a big day in Paterson," he said in a 1999 Herald News interview, reflecting on the holiday. "We used to march up Cianci Street before it was Cianci Street. Everybody used to come out. But now we're all too old. We're lucky if we can walk across the street."

Passaic County Democratic Chairman John Currie knew Mr. Lazzara for decades.

"Joe was an outstanding businessman and a stand-up individual who was always there to help his constituents," Currie said.

Constance Lazzara said her husband had "one beautiful life."

"As sick as he was, at 11:30 in the morning he'd put on his socks and shoes and say to me, ï¾'Stop the housework! We're going out to lunch,'x" she said.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Lazzara is survived by his five children — Gerard Lazzara, Elizabeth Lazzara, Gianina Lazzara, Cassandra Lazzara and Andrea Gagliardi — two stepchildren, James Pasquale and Deborah Ragas, seven grandchildren and six step-grandchildren.

He was predeceased by his first wife, Lois.

Arrangements were by All County Crematory, Lake Worth, Fla.

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