Frankie Mazza: A Fair Haven-Raised Smile to Live By

It was his smile that said it all — soft and clear. It whispered “hold each homegrown memory close for comfort.” It exhaled without letting go. His happy sigh said, “Everything is just fine, because we’ll always just be kids walking back home together.”

We knew everything would always be just fine as long as we kept home in our hearts, guiding us — lived the love. And we did. He did. He was Frank Mazza, our childhood friend.

The son, dad, husband, brother and adult chum to many had long left home, but his smile would always stay. That upturned slice of rapture that every Fair Haven kid recognizes — feels from the gut to the heart, heaven and back.

People didn’t have to see Frankie, as we Fair Haven kids called him, on a regular basis to remember that smile that said it all. They didn’t have to be a close friend growing up for his presence to not go unnoticed. Like the others, he was part of the childhood of many — always there and giddy about it. One of us. Smiling. Childhood game on — always.

That’s why when the news of his death at 66 on Jan. 31 hit, all those kids came knocking, summoning every memory of Frankie and home to come out to play. Each had their own playtime picture in mind, never without that Frankie smile. The picture, no matter what context, is that same simple, casually poignant snapshot. Anyone who knew him could see it. Anyone who had a Frankie could see it.

He’s just there, always there, standing in the middle of an after-school crowd of grown-up Fair Haven kids, sporting that “got it” grin — the one that says this, all this love, all kid antics seeded inside the circle, all grown up and harvested, is what it’s all about. So, knowing the one who unobtrusively got it would no longer be there, all the kids had to get to one anothers’ doorsteps to say out loud that they got it, too, thanks to someone like him.

So, the playtime knocks, in the form of good memories, came. So did the Frankie-inspired smiles. Those Fair Haven kids, happily raw-knuckled, started tapping away to see if everyone could come out to play and put Frankie back in that tire swing on the creek, on that bike he won at the fair, at that game, on that wild ride, on that class-cutting trek to the Campus Luncheonette, on that hunting or fishing trip … on that walk back home.

Door knocked down with goodness and swung wide open, the truth was, though, that Frankie would never leave that homescape, no matter where life took him or anyone who joined him in his journey. No one ever really leaves home when they take it with them. They keep it in their smile. They pass it on. Call it Frankie’s peer-pressured legacy.

They say you can’t take it with you. Well, when it comes to an infectious smile like Frankie’s, it’s a pretty sure bet that a lot of people caught it.

So, when a childhood memory comes knocking. Answer the door and do as Frankie would do. Smile and go out to play. Pssssst … Pass it on.

— Elaine Van Develde

About Frankie, from his family …

Frank J. Mazza passed away at his home in Brick on Jan. 31 after a courageous battle with cancer. He was 66.

Born to parents Frank and Jean Mazza, Frank was raised in Fair Haven, where he forged many wonderful memories and was a 1978 graduate of Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH).

“A cherished son, brother, husband and father, Frank’s personality and infectious smile left an enduring mark on all who knew him. His loving bond with his family was unbreakable.

“An avid fisherman and hunter, Frank always looked forward to his annual deer hunting trip to Warren Grove with the Sea Bright Rod & Gun Club. Since his youth, those times spent at the cabin there with longtime friends, the Chandlers, who he considered family, were treasured. In addition to hunting and fishing, football was a favorite spectator sport for Frank. He was a diehard Miami Dolphins fan, enjoying many games in Miami with family over the years.”

Frank was predeceased by: his father, Frank; and his sister, Debbie.

He is survived by: his mother, Jean Moreau; his wife, Suzi; his sons, Frank and Joseph; his sisters Karen, Cathy, Marianne and Gail; and his brother, John.

A celebration of Frank’s life will be held sometime in the spring.

Our condolences to the Mazza family and many friends. Smile. Frankie is remembered.

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