John A. Gatta Jr.

John A. Gatta, 75, of Holmdel NJ, died Wednesday, February 14, 2018, in St. Augustine, Florida. Born and raised in Red Bank, NJ, John moved to Oceanport, NJ in 1971 where he lived and raised his family for 43 years. John then moved to Holmdel, NJ and wintered in St. Augustine, Florida.

John was a 1961 graduate of Red Bank High School, and earned his Bachelor’s in Education from Monmouth University in 1965. He received his Master’s in Administration and Supervision from Seton Hall University in 1971. He started his career in education in the Hazlet School District as a seventh grade teacher, and then became assistant principal of Middle Road Elementary and Sycamore Drive schools. In 1973, John became the superintendent of the Avon Elementary School, Avon-by-the-Sea, NJ. He served as superintendent in Avon for 26 years until he retired in 1999. An avid golfer, John always enjoyed playing golf with friends.

John was predeceased in 2005 by his first wife, Maria Grilli Gatta, who once served as mayor of Oceanport; by a brother, Ralph J. Gatta, in 2011, and by his parents, John and Helen (Mazzucca) Gatta. Surviving are his wife, Janet Goldsmith, of Holmdel, NJ; by a son, Michael Gatta and his wife, Pamela, of Eatontown, NJ; a daughter, Mary Gatta and her husband, Michael Glory, of West Long Branch, NJ; two stepsons, Clifton Goldsmith and his wife Dawn, and Gregory Goldsmith and his wife, Emy; by a brother Alfred Gatta and his wife, Jane, of White Plains, NY; two grand-daughters, Alexa and Sophia Gatta; also, two step-grandchildren, Anneliese and Soren Goldsmith, and nephews, Mark and Benjamin Gatta, and niece, Alyssa Gatta.

Visitation will be from 2 to 5 PM, Sunday, March 4th, at the John E. Day Funeral Home, 85 Riverside Avenue, Red Bank, NJ. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Anthony of Padua Church, Red Bank, on Monday, March 5th, at 10 AM, followed by burial at Woodbine Cemetery in Oceanport, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Misericordia University, FBO Maria Grilli Gatta Scholarship Fund, 68 Memorial Scholarship, Attn: Nora Blessner, 301 Lake Street, Dallas, PA, 18612. PLEASE NOTE: in memo box on check, please indicate “The Maria Grilli Gatta ’68 Memorial Scholarship.”

Please visit John’s memorial website available at www.johnedayfuneralhome.com.

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