Mayor Domenic J. Sarno issues a statement on the passing of Gennaro “Jerry” Buonfiglio.
Mayor Sarno states, “Carla, Cassandra, Chiara, and I are so very sorry to hear about our dear family friend, the founder and patriarch of Family Pizza, Gennaro “Jerry” Buonfiglio’s passing. Our sympathy thoughts, prayers, and encouragement go out to his daughters and sons-in-law: Rosa and Alfredo ‘Al’ Falvo, Diane and Aniello Gisolfi, Joanne and Joe Ferrentino, Yolanda ‘Little Yolanda’ and Ralphie Carrano, and family, friends, and loyal customers. Gennaro and his late beloved wife Yolanda go back with my late mom Clara and dad Al ‘the Barber’ to the old country of Bracigliano, Italy. Our families have remained close till this day, with the well-known Family Pizza being our Forest Park neighborhood and beyond Friday night ‘Cheers’. ‘Jerry’, like many other southern Italians came over to America with much of nothing, except the drive for opportunity and a chance to succeed to provide for themselves and their families and our community. Jerry did just that – as a well-respected, hard-working, loving family man, restauranteur, businessman, and community man who went to work every day. He will be sorely missed, but his legacy will live on through his family and friends. ‘Genar’, as I would call him, you are now up in heaven with your beloved wife, Yolanda, and you know what, the pizza just got a little bit better up there too. Rest in peace, my friend, on a job well done.”
“P.S. As I would always say to ‘Gennar’, ‘you not only look good, but you smell good’ with his trademark Paul Sebastian aftershave.”
