Life Story: Antonio Di Rienzo; Retired Ford Foreman

Mr. Antonio Di Rienzo passed away June 10 at Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center in New Brunswick.

Antonio was born in Vinchiaturo, Campobasso, Italy and immigrated to Canada at the age of 19. He married his wife of 57 years, Antonietta and together the young couple had six children. They moved to Staten Island, New York in 1971 and settled in Somerset in 1980.

Antonio was a parishioner of St. Matthias Church in Somerset. He was employed for over 30 years by Ford Motor Company in Edison as a line worker and forklift operator before retiring as a foreman in 2005.

Antonio’s greatest passion was spending time with his family. He loved telling stories to his grandchildren and spending time with them in his garden . He loved his fig, persimmon, and peach trees, and his greatest joy was picking fruits and vegetables with his grandchildren. He made his own fresh sausages, homemade wine, sauce, pastas and cheese. He enjoyed spending time in his garden, going to Atlantic City and watching old movies such as The Three Stooges.

He was predeceased by his parents Michele and Vittoria Di Rienzo and a brother Giovanni Di Rienzo.

Antonio is survived by his wife Antonietta, his children and their spouses Michael Di Rienzo and his wife Doree of Bound Brook, Vittoria Di Rienzo of Somerset, Giovanni Di Rienzo of Somerset, Maria Greck and her husband Guy of Piscataway, Rosa D’Orsogna and her husband Anthony of Somerset, and Carmela Toto and her husband Jerry also of Somerset. He is also survived by his siblings Giuseppe Di Rienzo of Italy and Antonietta Niro also of Italy, his seventeen grandchildren Jordan, Liam, Lisa and her husband John Michael, Michele, Anthony, Gina and her fiancé Anthony, AnnMarie, Rosa, Amanda, John, Tyler, Matthew, Isabella, Daniella, Maria, Joseph and Gianna and two great grandchildren Mia Vittoria and John Henry and many brother- in- laws, sister -in-laws and nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will begin at 8:45 a.m. June 15 at the Gleason Funeral Home, 13260 Hamilton St., followed by a 9:30 a.m. funeral mass at St. Matthias Church.

Entombment will follow at Franklin Memorial Park in North Brunswick.

Visiting will be held from 2-4 p.m. and from 7-9 p.m. June 14 at the Gleason Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution in Antonio Di Rienzo’s name to the American Lung Association at www.lung.org.

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