Frank Orrico

Frank is the eldest of three sons, born on October 24, 1924, to Sabbito "Sam" and Josephine Orrico, who emigrated from Italy in the early 1900s. He grew up in Fanwood, NJ, earning the nickname “Friendly Frank Formerly of Fanwood." He attended and graduated from Scotch Plains Public High School before enlisting in the service. His childhood in Fanwood was filled with family, all living on Pleasant Avenue or nearby. His two brothers, Sabbito "Sab" Orrico and Charles Orrico, have both passed away.

At the age of 18, Frank enlisted in the U.S. Army and entered active service on March 3, 1943. He was stationed at Fort Dix, New Jersey, before being deployed overseas as a Private First Class in the 12th Infantry Regiment. He defended our country as part of the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign (EAME), which lasted from December 7, 1941, to March 2, 1946, encompassing the European continent, North Africa, and the Middle East. He saw action as a Heavy Machine Gunner in the Rhineland, Ardennes, Northern France, and Central Europe offensives. He was wounded in Luxembourg, Germany, sustaining heavy shrapnel fire on January 21, 1945. He received the honors of the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star EAME Ribbon with four bronze service stars for meritorious achievement in ground operations against the enemy. After recovering from his wounds, he was quickly returned to the front lines and continued fighting. Frank was honorably discharged on October 19, 1945.

After the war, Frank took advantage of the GI Bill, attended Pace University, and graduated with a BA in Accounting. From there, he obtained a position with Western Electric, starting in the mailroom and working his way up to management and operations over the years. He remained with Western Electric/AT&T for his entire career. Frank met his wife, Helen, at Western Electric. They were married on May 4, 1958, and had three children: Joseph, Gene, and Ellie. Helen sadly passed away on January 14, 2024, at the age of 92. Frank and Helen proudly had six grandchildren (Ali, Nicki, Joe, Frank, Michael, and James) and two great-grandchildren (Lyla and Frankie), and they took immense joy in being an integral part of their lives. Frank built a home for his family in Plainfield, NJ, in 1958, close to his parents, aunts, uncles, and brothers. He constructed a second home in Barnegat Light, NJ, in 1967 and moved the family there permanently in 1972. He commuted daily to the office in Newark, NJ, from Long Beach Island. In 1978, after being transferred to Basking Ridge, NJ, he moved the family to Meyersville, NJ, where he resides today.

Frank enjoys golfing, gardening, traveling, and socializing. His first love, however, is golf. He spent many years in a large league that traveled to Myrtle Beach, SC, every year for a week filled with competition and festivities. He especially cherished traveling with his wife, Helen, particularly to Italy. Over the years, they made several trips to both Italy and France, visiting many towns that Frank’s regiment defended during the war. Helen was an incredible cook and entertainer, hosting countless holidays and celebrations at their home over the years. Frank always had many friends. In fact, he was one of the key organizers of the annual Scotch Plains Public High School reunions, the last of which marked the 68th year after graduation! The 65th reunion in 2007 was documented in the Courier News, featuring only a dozen graduates still alive. Friendly Frank, formerly of Fanwood, still golfs, drives, chops wood, gardens, and socializes—albeit a little slower—but always on the move.