Giovanni Branciforte

Giovanni "John" Branciforte passed away on Monday, March 11, 2024, at his home in North Brunswick with his family present. He was ninety-six years old.
John was born in Melilli, Sicily, Italy. He spent his younger years there learning basic masonry skills before relocating to Venezuela, where he furthered his career as a mason. He returned to Italy briefly before coming to the United States and moving to New Brunswick in 1961. While visiting family in Middletown, Connecticut he met his future wife, Crescenzio "Dolly" Nettis. They married in 1964 and moved to North Brunswick, where they raised their family.
John was a member of the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Crafts. He worked for over fifty years as a master stone mason both with his brother Luigi at Branciforte Builders Inc. and for other contractors through the union hall. He retired in the late 1990's.
He was a longtime parishioner of St. Mary of Mount Virgin Church in New Brunswick, where he served as a Sunday Mass usher. He enjoyed spending time with family in New Jersey, Connecticut and Italy and shared his great sense of humor with them. If there was an opportunity to travel he would go. He was always joking with his nieces and nephews and even conning some younger family members into trading a shoe for the promise of a five-dollar bill or charging five-dollars to go for a ride in his Cadillac. He enjoyed visiting Rainey's Repair Center, to visit the boys. You would often find him playing cards, dominoes, solitaire and even Tetris on his Gameboy, all while watching ABC, his favorite tv network. He always looked forward to Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, and a good soccer match – a man born in Sicily secretly rooting for NAPOLI. He never had a lotto ticket far from his reach.
He was predeceased by his wife of over forty years, Crescenzio Branciforte in 2005. He was also predeceased by his parents Carmelo and Carmela Branciforte and his siblings, Sebastiano, Giuseppe, Salvatore and Luigi Branciforte and Angelina Maltese and son-in-law Joseph McEneaney.
He is survived by his daughters Carla Matos and her husband John, Maria McEneaney and Giovanna Melanson and her husband Patrick. He is also survived by his grandchildren Heather Turnage, Tiffany Kidder and her husband Donnie, Anna McEneaney, Jennifer Gordon and her husband Jon, Thomas Melanson, and Shannon Melanson and his great grandchildren Kayleigh, Dalton and Ariyana. Many wonderful caring nieces and nephews in New Jersey, Connecticut and Italy.
Contributions in Mr. Branciforte's name may be made to the North Brunswick First Aid Squad at https://www.nbfars.org/for-donors/