Bruno J. Colucci

Bruno J. Colucci, (aka Poppi) age 88 of Franklin Lakes, formerly of Wanaque and Paramus, left us on Sunday December 31, 2023 after a long battle with Parkinson's disease. Bruno was born in Harlem, NY on May 21, 1935 to Alfred and Eleanor Colucci (nee Troisi).
Bruno is survived by his loving children; Joanne and Stephen Dufresne of Nutley, NJ, Vincent Colucci of Waldwick, NJ, Michael and Pam Colucci of Mahwah, NJ and Theresa and Rick Merino of Bloomingdale, NJ. Also surviving are Poppi's adoring grandchildren Joseph, Danielle, Thomas, Stephen, Ricky, Diana, Elizabeth, Vincent, Courtney, Jessica, Nicholas, Matthew, Julia and Amanda and his great grandchildren Skylar, Ryder, Giana, Dino and Luca. Bruno was predeceased by his loving wife of 58 years Theresa, his daughter Diana Schmelzer, his daughter-in-law Patti Colucci, his parents, stepmother and siblings.
Bruno spent most of his career working in the textile business and later as a construction and property manager in Jersey City, NJ.
Bruno loved working around his home in Paramus, there was never a blade of grass that wasn't standing at attention or a wall without stucco. If you took a tool from the garage and did not return it to the exact location where you found it, you heard about and had to report to the garage to put it where it belonged.
His favorite jokes were "Do you want a cannoli? Oh we don't have any!" The next time he offered and you said no he would then roll on the floor laughing as he opened the fridge and took out the cannoli box. "Does this smell funny to you?" usually resulted in a face full of cake. There was also waving like someone was standing behind you, and even though you knew there was no one there, you looked anyway. Bruno loved to laugh!
Life after Theresa was not the same for Bruno, but he found happiness seeing his children and grandchildren or playing pinochle with his friend Janet and others at Wanaque Reserve.
Visiting hours will be Friday January 5, 2024 from 2-4 and 7-9 pm at the Vander Plaat Funeral Home, ww.vpfh.com, 257 Godwin Ave. Wyckoff, NJ. A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday January 6, 2024 10:00 AM at St Luke RC Church, 340 Franklin Turnpike, Ho-Ho-Kus NJ 07423 with entombment to follow at Garden of Memories Mausoleum, Washington Township. For those wishing to make an expression of sympathy, in lieu of flowers, contributions in Bruno's memory may be made to The St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Shriners Children's Hospital or Christian Health and please select the Employee Fund designation.