Obituary of Michael L Fantina

Michael Louis Fantina was a life-long Bernardsville resident. He was the son of Italian immigrants, Cosmo and Josephine Fantina. He attended St. Elizabeth's School and Bernards High before going into the army in 1941. He served through the war in St.John's, Newfoundland in the Coast Artillery, Military Police, and Finance Department. While in the army, he met and married Mary Furlong and they were married for 71 years. After the war, he attended TriState College (now called Triune University) in Indiana and upon graduation returned to Bernardsville. He started his own business as a Building Contractor and built over 60 homes in and around Bernardsville. As a life-long member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help he was very active in the church – starting out as an altar boy at Sacred Heart Chapel in grade school, and as an adult he did numerous additions, repairs, and renovations on Sacred Heart Chapel, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, the rectory, the convent, and St. Elizabeth's school and he, along with Bob Fitzpatrick, were overseers of Holy Cross Cemetery. He is survived by his wife, Mary; children, Michael Fantina, Mary Fantina, Robert Fantina and his wife Edwina (nee Stone), Joann Fantina, David Fantina and his wife Jeanne (nee Navin), Steven Fantina; and grandchildren, Travis Fantina and his wife Vivian (nee Holden), Andrew Fantina and John Paul Fantina; sister Ann Jordan; along with dozens of nephews, nieces, grandnephews, and grandnieces. He was pre-deceased by his son, Richard Fantina. Visitation will be held on Friday, September 30, 2016 at Gallaway and Crane Funeral Home, 101 S. Finley Avenue, Basking Ridge, NJ from 4:00 – 7:00 pm. Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, October 1, 2016, 10:00am at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Seney Drive, Bernardsville, NJ.