Obituary of Carmine Patrick Mandarano

Carmine Patrick Mandarano of Oakland, New Jersey passed away peacefully on May 15, 2025. He was 91. “Pat” was born on March 14, 1934, another member of the diminishing Greatest Generation. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, when the borough was still reeling from the ravages of the Great Depression, widespread unemployment and poverty. This experience shaped his entire life, as did the Second World War. His father, Dominic Mandarano, was a Brooklyn Policeman in Flatbush, 77th precinct. His mother, Elizabeth Guzzi, was a homemaker and raised Pat and his younger brother Stephen who predeceased him in September 2024. Pat graduated high school in 1952 from Saint Francis Preparatory School. He was a fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers, attended games at Ebbets field, until “da bums” left in 1959 to sunnier skies.  He spoke often of the day Jackie stepped on the field in 1947 and when they finally won in 1955. He became a lifelong Mets fan in 1962. 

He joined the United States Air Force after high school as the Korean War raged on.  He traveled in the military and was initially stationed in Alaska; his bicep tattooed with an Alaskan bear cub. He met his beautiful wife Antoinette when he returned home from service, benefitting from the GI Bill to attend Long Island University. He developed an interest in the advertising industry and graduated in four years. 

After graduating, Pat joined the advertising department at Bloomingdale's in Manhattan to begin his career. Then he moved to Harcourt Brace Jovanovich before becoming Executive Vice President of Medical/Professional Products at Carrafiello Diehl and Associates. He worked for over 40 years in advertising, retiring in 2011 at age 76 and remained a consultant to the industry.

Pat is survived by his wife of 63 years, Anet Mandarano. He asked “Anet Romano,” of Queens, New York, to marry him after their first date at a French restaurant, followed by the Threepenny Opera in Greenwich Village, and finally, drinks at an Upper East Side piano bar. They were married on January 20, 1962. Pat and Anet lived in New York City, and briefly, in Forest Hills, Queens, before relocating in 1971 to Oakland, chosen because of its proximity to the best golf courses. 

A lifelong golf enthusiast and a remarkable player in his own right, Pat won numerous club events and two club championships, the first in 1973 at Haworth Country Club, and the last of which was in his late 70’s as the Senior Men’s Club champion at the Tuxedo Club. He was a member of The Tuxedo Club for 25 years and represented the club in team matches and served on the Board of Governors and was Chair of the Golf and Green Committee.

When he wasn't golfing, Pat loved to paint, read history books, travel to the Jersey Shore, Maine and Eastern Shore of Maryland to collect duck decoys, play cards and talk with his golfing friends. Pat and Anet faithfully attended both grandsons’ tennis matches throughout the years. Pat, having lived on the same street in Oakland for 54 years, also enjoyed the company of his neighbors and entertained their young children, practicing putting with them on his homemade putting green. 

Pat is survived by his youngest daughter, Nicole Mandarano and her husband John Salois, his eldest daughter, Claudia Pace and her husband Peter Pace of Lancaster, PA, and his two grandsons, Andrew Pace, of Philadelphia, and Justin Pace, of Washington, DC. Pat’s grandsons were his pride and joy and he took such pleasure asking until the day he passed, “How are the guys?” 

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, May 30, at 10:00 am at St. Elizabeth’s Church, Wyckoff NJ.