FRANK F. MESSINA, (formerly of Norwood, NJ and The Bronx, NY)

Graphic Arts Production Pioneer and Historian, Father of Poet Frank Messina

August 23, 2005

Frank F. Messina Sr. died peacefully at home on Tuesday, August 23, 2005. His wife and youngest son, Frank, were by his side. He is survived by his loving wife of 48 years, Veronica, devoted father of Tammy Guarriello and her husband Steven, Robert J. Messina and his wife Susan, John M. Messina, writer and performer Frank Messina III and pre-deceased Michael Messina. Loving grandfather of Michael, Nicholas and Alyse Guarriello; Salvatore, Anthony and Vincent Messina. Frank graduated from Morris High School in 1954 and New York College in 1960. After escaping hardship of the south Bronx in the 1950’s by working days and attending college at night, he married Veronica Jeannette of Manhattan. Together, they  raised a family in New York City and later in New Jersey. In 1979, Mr. Messina founded one of the most successful Graphic Arts Production firms in New York City. In 1994, he retired from the business and worked as a private consultant. He also served as a business manager with the minor league baseball team, The Atlantic City Surfs, in the 2004 and part of the 2005 baseball seasons. He also served as President of The Four Seasons Wayland Association. Mr. Messina was an avid historian and devoted much of his studies to world history, sociology and politics. He established one of the largest private collections of American Civil War documents, art, photography and memorabilia in the United States, including original scripts, battle plans, military deeds, poems and memoirs of U.S Grant, Robert E. Lee, President Lincoln and Walt Whitman. His son, poet Frank Messina, referred to his father as “one of the last Romantics that I have ever known or blessed to have known my entire life. He is the reason why I am a writer. He taught me more about American history than I could have ever learned in school. Most of all, he taught me to live life to its fullest yet gracefully accept the things I cannot change. He taught me to believe in the power of love and the power of the human spirit.” Funeral Service Saturday 9 AM from the Volk Leber Funeral Home, 789 Teaneck Road, Teaneck, NJ then to Madonna Chapel on the Hill, Fort Lee, NJ for a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 AM. Interment to follow at Madonna Cemetery. Family and friends are invited to visit Friday from 2-4 and 7-9 PM at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in his honor to Compassionate Care Hospice Foundation, 600 Highland Drive, Suite 624, Westampton, NJ 08060 or Memorial Sloan Kettering - P.O. Box 27106, NY, NY 10087.

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