Rocco M. Gennello

Rocco M. Gennello, age 92 of Burlington, NJ, left this world Monday, March 25, 2024 at his son's home in Tabernacle, NJ. Rocco was born in Trenton, NJ on September 23, 1931 to parents, Domenico and Margaret Gennello, He was one of 12 children. Rocco was an Army veteran, having joined the military at age 21 and served his country in the Korean War from 1952 to 1954. Upon returning home, his sister Albina (Bea) introduced him to her best friend, Gisela Weber, and Gisela would become his “Dearest Love”.  The couple married on November 19, 1955 and soon started a family in Trenton, eventually having four children. The marriage lasted 69 years before his passing. In 1968, the family moved to Tanner Avenue in Burlington Township. This was the beginning of a great blessing for the entire family, being gifted with the best neighborhood and neighbors and building close friendships that remain to this day with the Tanner Avenue crew. Rocco was employed by Acme Markets food store chain his entire career and was beloved by his customers while store manager in the Burlington and Brown Mills stores. He would do whatever was necessary to provide the best customer service for anyone who walked in the door, treated his employees well and left a lasting impression on so many. He was often described as "a diamond in the rough" due to his tough exterior and his big heart. The store in Browns Mills made such a dramatic turnaround in sales numbers after he became manager that the President of Acme Markets made a visit to him to see what his secret was. Rocco advised her that it wasn’t hard because he just treated all with dignity and respect and made his customers know that they were important. Rocco retired at age 55, yet former customers and staff would still come up to his family members and speak positively about him for decades to come. Rocco loved his 11 brothers and sisters, and they remained a close family for all their years on this earth. Ten of them predeceased him and it was a great sadness to him to lose so many in his lifetime. But before that, they were connected, raised their families closely and had a lot of fun.  Rocco spent time together with his brothers, playing pinochle, poker or going to the casinos and only playing his cards when he had winning hands. Rocco took on building projects for himself and others that no average do it yourselfer would dare to tackle, always looking for the best bargain and not afraid to require much hard work from himself and others (oftentimes a brother or two) to get the projects done. He frequently, masterfully, built playing card tables and then gave them away to family or friends. Rocco also loved walking, making many new friends along the way, some who set their watches to his appearance daily. He enjoyed building puzzles, Sudoku, making hot peppers and listening to the radio. Rocco was predeceased by his amazing son Michael who died way too young at age 24. Also by his loving parents, Margaret and Dominic Gennello; and siblings, brother Michael Gennello and brother-in-law Alexander Bothwell; sisters and brothers-in-law Marie (Harry) Magee, Lillian (Edmund) Krulewicz, Dorothy (Alexander) Bystrycki; brothers and sisters-in-law, Anthony (Rosemary) Gennello, Frank (Priscilla) Gennello, Peter (Joan) Gennello, Joseph Gennello, Dominic (Peggy) Gennello, and Vince (Marion) Gennello. Rocco is survived by wife Gisela; children, Brian, Karen, Rocco and wife Melissa; four grandchildren Julia with husband Lenny, Nicholas, Vince, and Eleanor; great-grandchildren Landon and Isla; his dear sister Albina; sister-in-law Loretta; and nieces, nephews and their families totaling over 200 people who called him “Uncle Rocky”. Funeral services will be held at Page Funeral Home, 302 E. Union St., Burlington on Tuesday, April 2, 2024 with visitation from 8:30 a.m.to 10:00 a.m., followed by Mass at St. Paul R.C. Church, 223 E. Union St., Burlington at 10:30 a.m., then burial at Laurel Hill Cemetery, Jacksonville Rd. also in Burlington.

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