Benedict P. Bonafede

Benedict "Big Ben" Bonafede, 75, of Toms River, New Jersey, passed away on November 17, 2025. He was born on February 23, 1950, and was proudly born and raised in Newark, New Jersey. Newark shaped his personality, his humor, his charisma, and the way he connected with others. He never forgot where he came from.

Music was more than a passion for Ben. It was his heart and soul from the very beginning. He gravitated toward drums and singing, and it did not take long for people to recognize he had real talent. He played in multiple bands throughout his life, but his first band, Destiny, always held a special place as the band he loved the most, with recordings released on 45s, the vinyl singles that marked a real milestone for musicians of that time. When he joined Destiny in the early 1970s, it marked the start of a lifelong love of performing. Ben had a presence you could not ignore. His laugh was larger than life, his voice never had a low setting, and the way he lit up a room the moment he stepped behind his drum set or picked up a microphone truly defined him. Even when life became busy and time seemed to fly by, music kept him grounded and gave him a way to express his heart. Ben also loved to bake and enjoyed his pastries dearly. He loved watching New York Giants games with his sons, and when they were not together he always texted them because watching the games together mattered to all of them.

While music was Ben's legacy, he also built a solid career through hard work and devotion to family. He worked with his father and sister at Denise's Ravioli in Newark before he and his wife, Laura, opened Villa Italia Specialties in Brick, New Jersey, in 1983. For more than twenty years, Villa Italia was known not only for its bread and catering, but for the warmth and community Ben and Laura created with their customers and employees. Many friends and family worked alongside him and came to know the genuine and welcoming person he was. Ben had a huge heart filled with endless love for his family, his friends, and the things he cared about most.

No matter how much work he had, Ben never let go of music. He continued performing part time, rehearsing, recording songs, and staying connected with the musicians and friends who shared his path. He professionally recorded his own versions of oldies and Italian classics from the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. These recordings now stand as cherished pieces of his legacy and a lasting gift to everyone who loved him. After Villa Italia was sold in 2004, Ben began working for Ocean County in Building and Grounds, where he formed lasting friendships and often shared with his coworkers how to make fresh mozzarella and other recipes his father taught him.

In 2006 he retired his drum set and found a new way to keep music alive when he started his part time DJ business as "DJ Big Ben." He worked alongside his son Joseph and later passed the business on to him. It became another chapter in Ben's lifelong mission to entertain, bring joy to others, and share the songs he loved. One of his favorite memories came in 2013 at a Bee Gees tribute concert in Atlantic City, where he was invited onstage to sing the song "Words." The lead singer even sat in Ben's seat while he performed. Ben delivered an unforgettable rendition and received a standing ovation, a moment he treasured deeply.

Ben is survived by his wife, Laura, his son Joseph and his wife Stacey, and his son Michael and his wife Carolina, along with extended family in New Jersey and Italy who will always carry his voice, his spirit, and the music he loved so deeply.

The family will receive relatives and friends on Sunday, November 23, 2025 3:00pm – 7:00pm at the Timothy E. Ryan Home for Funerals, 995 Fischer Blvd., Toms River. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered Monday, November 24, 2025 9:30am at St. Justin the Martyr RC Church, Toms River. Entombment to follow at Ocean County Memorial Park, Toms River.

Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.ryanfuneralhome.com.