Oswald "Ozzie" Chiarella

With a heavy heart, we announce that Oswald "Ozzie" Chiarella, of Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, passed away peacefully on December 26th, 2025. He was 93. A loving and devoted husband of 65 years to Rosina (nee Scerbo), father, brother, grandfather, friend, and member of the community, he brought warmth and joy to everyone who knew him.

Born on February 21,1932, in the village of Marcellinara, Calabria, ltaly. Ozzie was the middle son of Alessandro and Aurora Chiarella, with his brothers Livio and Gaetano.

ln 1950, Ozzie immigrated with thousands of others following the Second World War, and later his brothers, to the United States, arriving in Jersey City, where he lived until 1976 before moving to Hasbrouck Heights.

Ozzie was promptly drafted into the United States Navy in 1956, and was posted to the U.S.S. Yosemite for years, and served until honorably discharged in 1957.

Ozzie returned to ltaly to marry his sweetheart Rosina Scerbo in 1959, and would have a loving marriage lasting over 60 years. Together they had two sons, Alex and Robert.

Ozzie was trained as a classic ltalian barber, and served as one for his entire career- from ltaly to Jersey City, to the Navy, to Edgewater, and to Clifton, before retiring in 2018. He was endlessly committed to his craft and his customers, many of whom became lifelong friends, because of his gregariousness, enthusiasm, and consistently genuine interest in the people around him. On his 90th birthday in 2022, even after being retired for several years, friends, family, and former customers from all across the country joined to honor him.

Throughout Ozzie's life, he was proud of his military service and of his American citizenship, often seen wearing his U.S. Navy cap, and never missing an election. From the 1960s to the 1980s, Ozzie volunteered his time to provide haircuts for Boys Town in Kearny as well as for the Christian Brothers at Paramus Catholic High School. In 2022, he and Ozzie's Barbershop received special recognition from Governor Phil Murphy and the State of New Jersey for his contribution to the local community.

Ozzie was an active member of the community of Hasbrouck Heights, frequently attending Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Church, and often seen walking around the neighborhood into his 90s.

Remembered as a gentleman in the truest sense of the word, Ozzie touched the lives of everyone he encountered. His warm and endlessly generous spirit will be dearly missed.

Remaining to cherish Ozzie's memory are his wife, Rosina; children, Alex and Robert; daughter-in-law, Mary; grandchildren, John and Laura, brother, Gaetano; and many other family and friends.

Preceding Ozzie in death is his brother, Livio.

Funeral from Costa Memorial Home Boulevard and Central Avenue in Hasbrouck Heights on Saturday, January 3rd at 9 AM. Funeral Liturgy from Corpus Christi R.C. Church 260 Boulevard in Hasbrouck Heights at 10 AM. Interment following at Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington. Visitation Friday, January 2nd from 4:30 - 7:30 PM at the funeral home. Memorial donations in memory of Oswald Chiarella may be sent to the Wounded Warrior Project 370 7th Ave. Suite 1802 New York, N.Y. 10001.

Online condolences may be shared at CostaMemorialHome.com