Dr. Alexander Salvatore Macaione

Alex Macaione passed away unexpectedly on March 7, 2024 in Naples, Florida.
Dr. Macaione was born in Caronia, Sicily on February 12, 1940 to Giuseppe and Rosalie before emigrating to South Philadelphia in 1941 on the final civilian voyage of SS Rex – a ship later bombed by Allied Forces in 1944. The family – which came to include sister Rose - resided at 920 Moore Street and were loyal attendees of services at St Nicholas of Tolentine Parish.
In December of 1965, while a medical student, he met a nurse from 23rd and Lehigh Ave named Eileen Ann Schroth, who was working in the recovery room at the The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. They married in 1966 and Eileen remained his devoted wife and friend for the next 57 years. He was a proud and involved father to Dina Macaione Latoff (Sean) and Joe (Madi), and an admiring and enthusiastic grandfather to Emma, Luke, Alex, Colby, Hope, Logan, Grant and Jordi. Alex is also survived by his sister Rose (Joseph) Rigolizzo.
A 41 year resident of Moorestown, NJ, Alex was actively involved as a coach in the Moorestown Baseball Federation for many years and loved watching Joe play high school sports and, later, college football at Princeton University. Out of the 36 college football games in which Joe played, Alex and Eileen missed 3.
He was fortunate to dance on stage with Dina in the role of Drosselmeyer when she performed in The Nutcracker for the Children's Ballet Theater. He was active in performances for 9 years and was one of the co-founders of the CBT with wife Eileen. They continued to be avid followers of Dina as she continued her dance career both in college and at the professional level with Carolyn Dorfman Dance.
With a closet full of baseball hats and sweatshirts, Alex actively supported his grandchildren's high school and college athletic careers on lacrosse fields, soccer pitches, and basketball courts up and down the East Coast. He was their biggest fan. He constantly referred to himself as a 'lucky guy' committed to 'la famiglia.' His famiglia. Nothing made him happier than family gatherings, celebrating Christmas, impromptu stickball games, and going anywhere, anytime with a good view.
He attended LaSalle College High School in Philadelphia and, upon graduation, entered LaSalle College as a pre-med student because it was a shorter subway ride from 10th and Moore than Villanova. Alex then attended the University of Pennsylvania for Graduate Studies before beginning his medical education at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1962. He and Eileen then relocated to Madison Heights, Michigan, for his Internship, before he was drafted into the United States Army Medical Corp in 1967. Sent to South Korea during the Vietnam War as a Captain, Alex concluded his medical service at Lyster Medical Hospital in Fort Rucker, AL, where he served as Chief General Medicine Officer. Upon his discharge in 1969, he was accepted as a resident in Dermatology at the Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pa which was, at the time, affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania.
After becoming the first D.O. to be double certified by the American Academy of Dermatology and the American College of Osteopathic Dermatology, Dr Macaione began his practice in 1973 in Stratford and Pennsauken, NJ. After 25 years in that location, he relocated his practice to Voorhees in 1998. He later served as President of the American College of Osteopathic Dermatology, as a Clinical Professor of Dermatology at the Graduate Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, as a Duhring Fellow of the Penn Dermatology Department and the Chief of Dermatology for the JFK Hospitals of South Jersey. He was involved in the teaching of medical students at the UMDNJ-SOM for many years and served as a Preceptor and Instructor for the interns and residents of the JFK Hospitals. He gave free skin screenings at JFK, Stratford, and Our Lady of Lourdes hospitals, as well as the Dartmouth College Women's Lacrosse Team for many years. In 2000, he was joined by a former student, Dr Christine Papa, to form Macaione and Papa Dermatology Associates. It remains a thriving practice to this day.
Dr Macaione retired from his professional practice in 2021 after 48 years of service to his community. He treated many patients from their teen through their grandparenting years and was both proud and humbled by their loyalty.
He spent many happy summers on the beaches of Cape May, NJ and, in later years, warm and sunny winters in Naples, FL, where he enjoyed new friends, reading, cigars and golf. His enthusiasm and joy for life and family will be greatly missed.
In lieu of flowers, the family is suggesting donations to the ECLC of New Jersey. ECLC is an accredited, non-profit that educates students with severe learning and/or language disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, or Down syndrome. Dr Macaione's grandson, Grant, attends the ECLC of Chatham. To learn more about ECLC, please visit www.eclcofnj.org.
Relatives and friends are welcome to his viewing on Friday, March 22 from 1030am-12pm at St Mary of the Lakes Church, 40 Jackson Rd, Medford, NJ 08055. A 12pm Mass service will follow. Interment is private.