Pezzuti, Bill And Marlene March 2003 by Dick Engelhardt
Marlene Moore grew up in Clifton and, after briefly attending public school, switched to St. Paul's Elementary School in Paterson. She had been baptized and later was confirmed at St. Paul's Lutheran Church. After graduation from Clifton High School in 1955, Marlene went to Upsala College, a Lutheran school, in East Orange, where she earned a B. A. Degree in English with minors in Economics and Political Science. She worked for Kearfott In Clifton as secretary to the plant manager while securing teaching credits at Seton Hall University's Paterson Branch (attended 1957-61 by this writer and later closed) and Montclair State College, now Montclair State University.
Bill Pezzuti grew up in Paterson and graduated from Central High, which became John F. Kennedy High in 1963, in 1953. He met Marlene when he was 18 and she was 16. He went to work at Superette on N. Main St. until enlisting in the U.S. Air Force in 1954 and serving in Japan and Panama City, Florida as a radar operator until his discharge in 1958.
Bill and Marlene kept in touch during those years and dated afterward. They were married at St. Paul's April 13, 1963 by Pastor Milan Nesko, who returned from his new congregation to perform the wedding. He insisted that the wedding could not be held during Lent so it was scheduled for Saturday, the day after Good Friday and before Easter Sunday! The happy couple moved to their home on 11th St. in Fair Lawn.
Bill had gone to work for Arrow Bus Company, owned by Marlene's Dad and later by her and her brother before being sold. He worked for IBM 1961-87 before retiring and working again for the bus company, now called Ayan. He and Carl Mainardi still work there. Marlene taught English and Creative Writing at Eastern Christian Middle School in Prospect Park until their children were born, Bill in 1967 and Vicki in 1969. She currently works as a paralegal in a law office in Saddle Brook. Bill, an electrical engineer, lives in Hatfield, PA with his wife, Cathy and their children Billy, age 6, Kaitlyn, nearly 4 and Dana, nearly 1. Needless to say, those grandchildren are the apples of Bill and Marlene's eye! Vicki lives in Ortley Beach and is an elementary school guidance counselor in Manalapan.
Little Bill was baptized at St. Paul's but Pastor Loeber (our Pastor 1960-94) baptized Vicki at Our Savior after the family began worshipping here in 1968. Marlene has been a Dorcas Guild and Altar Guild member for years and taught Sunday school. She and Bill were youth counselors for a number of years encouraged by Bill and Louise Ann Boswell and Paul and Jinnie Decker. She is a lay reader and chairs the Vision Committee while serving on the Christian Education Committee and is a Greeter. Marlene is a member of the Executive Committee of Our Savior serving as Secretary to The Church Council.
Bill served as a Trustee under the old form of our church government and chaired that board. He also served as an Elder. When Herb Weber was our Sunday School Superintendent, Bill served as his "unofficial assistant" helping set up for Sunday school opening devotions. He currently serves as a Communion Assistant and Usher and is a member of the Building and Renovations Committee.
A number of years ago Joe Kerestes suggested renting a van and taking a group from Our Savior to see the Mummers perform in Philadelphia. This grew into the wonderful bus trips we enjoy each year. With Marlene coordinating the arrangements and Bill driving the Ayan bus, we have enjoyed educational trips to places like Lancaster, PA, Washington, D.C. and Providence, RI. In a trip to New England we took a boat ride and joined the famous "whale watch." Bill and Marlene will be moving to PA later this year and we hope someone will continue to coordinate this wonderful activity. We certainly will miss Bill and Marlene! Say hello to them and let them know how much we appreciate the years they've spent as part of our church family.
and