Pelzman's childhood park bears his name
Avenel Park is renamed to honor the late mayor
BY KATHY CHANG
Staff Writer

SCOTT PILLING staff Residents of Avenel watch as the family and friends of the late Mayor Frank G. Pelzman unveil the new sign at the Oct. 19 dedication ceremony last week to rename Avenel park at the intersection of Tappen Street and West Park Avenue for Pelzman.

Dorothy "Dottie" Pelzman wiped away tears and thanked the crowd of over 200 people who came to show their appreciation for her husband, the late Woodbridge Mayor Frank G. Pelzman.

"This is where Frank started," she said. "What can I say, the sign is beautiful."

She made the remarks at an Oct. 19 dedication ceremony last week to rename Avenel Park at the intersection of Tappen Street and West Park Avenue after her husband, who died suddenly of acute melanoma on June 29 at his Avenel home.

"Frank would come to the park when he was a young boy growing up in Avenel," said Dorothy. "He would ride his bike and come cool off near the water fountain."

Dorothy came across a 200-year-old saying that reminded her of her husband of 48 years.

"The saying said all of the things that he was," she said. "He was frugal, honorable, and he died humbly. I know he is here in spirit for this dedication in his honor and I thank you, everyone."

The ceremony featured a performance by the fourth- and fifth-grade chorus from Avenel Street School No. 4 and No. 5 and the unveiling of the new "Frank G. Pelzman Memorial Park" sign, made by master craftsman Peter Catelli of Edison.

"The sign took me 130 hours to make," said Catelli. "I have done a lot of work for Woodbridge Township, and this was something I wanted to do for the town."

Frank A. Pelzman, who lives in Avenel, said the sign was a great tribute to his father.

"The fact that he lived in Avenel for 65 years and where my sisters, Anne and Patti, and I grew up, it is nice," said Pelzman. "Everyone said nice words straight from their heart about his life. Not that we needed a sign, but people can drive by and see the sign and he can be remembered."

Members of the Pelzman family live very near to one another.

"I live in Avenel next to my mom's home," said Pelzman. "My mother lives in the house where my father grew up in. One of my sisters also lives in Avenel, and my other sister lives in Colonia. So we're all close. It's wonderful. Plus there's five grandchildren that live in Avenel and two that live in Colonia."

Township Council President Patricia Osborne said that if the late mayor were there, he would be overwhelmed by the township's gesture to honor him.

"I know he's here with us today," said Osborne. "This is fitting to dedicate this to Frank. He had an unending pride that was not selfish, but a nurturing pride that he demonstrated in his work. He led by a high example, not only to himself, but also to all with his honesty, care, respect, responsibility, and worthiness as a 3rd Ward councilman and mayor."

A number of present and past local, state and school officials joined state Sen. and interim Mayor Joseph Vitale and Township Council members for the ceremony.

They included former Woodbridge Mayor Joseph "JoJo" DeMarino, former Middlesex County Freeholder and Woodbridge Councilman Vincent Martino, Freeholder Director David Crabiel, Freeholder Stephen "Pete" Dalina, Freeholder Christopher Rafano, Surrogate Kevin Hoagland, Middlesex County Clerk Elaine Flynn, Perth Amboy Mayor and state Sen. Joseph Vas, state Sen. John Wisniewski, Metuchen Mayor Edmund O'Brien, former Metuchen Councilwoman Marion Price, Woodbridge School Superintendent Vincent Smith, School Administrator Dennis DeMarino, Board of Education members, the Woodbridge Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4410, and several Middlesex County judges.

"The sign and the landscape [donated by Rising Up Garden Center in Avenel] around it represents Frank," said Township Clerk John Mitch. "When I would pass his house, there was never a leaf on his lawn. He was very meticulous about his landscape, and that's what you see here today."