Robert Graziano

Robert Salvatore Graziano passed away at his home in Lakewood, New Jersey at the age of 85. He was born in Long Branch, New Jersey on April 30, 1940 to Szasti and Florence Graziano and was raised among his aunts, uncles, and cousins, mostly the Corciones, his mother’s family.

Robert was a talented football player while at Long Branch High School, and he went on to play at the Division One level while attending college in Florida. During that time, his daughter, Diana, was born, and not long after he and Carol settled down in the Long Branch area. Robert was a police officer in the city for nearly a decade. He later drove construction vehicles and worked as a sheet rocker before taking a position as a postal worker, which he eventually retired from.

When not working, Robert often spent his spare time building, fixing, and reimagining his homes, first on Morris Avenue and then on Delaware Avenue. His attention to detail and craftsmanship in everything from woodworking to plumbing to spackling were unparalleled, and his skills were often sought out by friends and family.

During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Robert volunteered as an assistant football coach, and throughout his life he maintained a love for the game – which included a passionate, sometimes bitter loyalty to the New York Giants. He encouraged his children and grandchildren to participate in sports and frequently cheered them on from the stands.

Robert was preceded in death by Carol, his loving wife of sixty-three years, and leaves behind his children, Diana, Michael (Barbara) and John (Laura); his grandchildren, Daniel (Nicole), Briana (Patrick), Robert (Amanda), Steven, Patrick (Nina), Trevor, Samuel, and Lily; his great-grandchildren, Brixton and Everest; and his beloved dog, Oliver.  He was loved and will be missed.

Visitation will take place on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at the Damiano Funeral Home, 191 Franklin Avenue in Long Branch, NJ 07740, from 9 am - 11am, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial  held at 11:30 am at St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church, 800 Ocean Ave N, Long Branch, NJ 07740. Entombment will follow at Woodbine Mausoleum in Oceanport. 

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