Obituary of Francis Xavier Wade

Francis Xavier Wade died unexpectedly on Wednesday, April 24, 2019 at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Newark, NJ. He was 77 years of age. He is survived by his loving wife of 53 years, Nancy; his daughter Shannon Riehl and her husband John Riehl; his son Josh Wade; his grandchildren, Regan and Trey Riehl; his brothers, Joseph Wade, William Wade, and Thomas Wade; his sisters, Mary Sanko, and Anne Ruzic, twenty-four nieces and nephews, many grand nieces and nephews, and a loving group of friends. He was predeceased by his parents, Leo and Anna Wade, his brothers, Leo and John, and his sister, Rita. He grew up in Burlington, NJ, graduated from Burlington High School in 1960, and married his high school sweetheart, Nancy, in 1965. In 1967 he enlisted in the United States Air Force where his top secret clearance made him a valued communications intercept analyst for the Security Service during the Viet Nam War. Although he flew on many missions to the Far East during his time in the service, he was permanently stationed in Honolulu, Hawaii. Following his discharge from the service, he was employed by the American Red Cross in Hawaii and in 1973 earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Hawaii. In 1974 he began his career as a sales representative for the pharmaceutical and cosmetic glass industry, first with Brockway Glass and then with Comar Glass. In 1977 he moved to Freehold, NJ, where he spent the next 35 years raising his family, completing many home projects, participating in school and community events, and supporting and coaching youth athletics. After retiring, he and Nancy moved to Westlake Golf and Country Club in Jackson, NJ. His favorite pastimes included golfing, listening to jazz, playing trivia, traveling, and, most of all, spending time with his beloved grandchildren, family, and friends. His family invites you to join them at Higgins Memorial Home, Freehold, NJ for visitation from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Sunday, April 28th. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at the Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine, Freehold Township on Monday, April 29th at 11:30 AM, followed by interment at Old Tennent Cemetery, Tennent. In lieu of flowers, donations to the American Red Cross (www.redcross.org) are kindly requested.