Obituary of William A. Gagliardi

On Tuesday, May 7, 2019, William (Bill) Anthony Gagliardi, husband, father, brother, friend and lover of life and all things Sinatra, passed away at the age of 79 years.

Bill will be forever remembered by his wife, best friend and muse of 55 years, Ann. He will always be remembered by his loving children Bill and Holli Gagliardi, Jennifer and Col. Michael Livingston (USMC), and Melissa and Peter Dzwonczyk, and his grandchildren Julia, Will, Jack, Ella, Ava, PJ, Johnny, and Olivia, his surviving Sister Ida Aprea and Brother Joseph Gagliardi and all his extended family and friends. He was predeceased by his parents William and Julia Gagliardi, brother Robert Gagliardi and Sister Rosemary Manzo.

Born on February 26, 1940 and raised in Brooklyn, NY to William J and Julia Gagliardi, he was the oldest of five children. He graduated from Midwood High School in 1958 and New York Technical College in 1960. He also enlisted in the in the United States Army in 1958 and served in a reserve unit. He eventually moved to Marlboro NJ, then Lakewood NJ, and his final home in Naples, FL. He was a career salesman and sales manager in the fashion industry. But his passion in life was his family and friends, acting and singing. He was a member of the Screen Actors Guild and performed as a background actor in many movies, TV Shows, and commercials. He was known by many as a Sinatra tribute artist, where he shared his passion for the songs and history of Frank Sinatra through his own unique vocal styling. Some of his proudest moments were performing at the Count Basie Theater, winning the 2010 Senior Idol Competition at the Strand Theater, the Freehold Idol Competition, and Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas.

Viewings will be held at the Holmdel Funeral Home, 26 S Holmdel Road, Holmdel, NJ 07733 www.holmdelfuneralhome.com on May 14, 2019 from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in memory of Bill on Wednesday, May 15, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Gabriel’s Catholic Church at 100 N Main St., Marlboro, NJ 07746 with an internment ceremony at St. Gabriel’s Cemetery - St. John’s Mausoleum.

Memorial donations in memory of Bill may be made in his name to St. Judes Children’s Hospital (www.stjude.org) or the International Waldentrom’s Macroglobulinemia Foundation (www.IWMF.com)