Steven Napolitani 76, of West Long Branch, passed away Christmas Eve.

Steve was born and raised in Long Branch and graduated from Long Branch High School. Following High School, Steve served in the U.S Army as a cook. At 21, Steve opened Mr. Pizza Slice in Red Bank, a business he ran successfully for 44 years. So successful he became known as “Mr. Pizza Slice.” He was the first person in Monmouth County to sell a single slice of pizza.

Being a proud business owner in Red Bank, he had so many people pass through his doors. Every single person made an impact on him & he on them. He learned from them & they learned from him. Everyone that knew him knows he made everyone feel special. 

He truly had a gift. He remembered everyone that came in, their name, birthday, their whole families’ birthdays, their anniversaries, what they order & their whole family history & life story. 

He was a fighter. He was also the most determined & most hardworking man anyone would know. After he survived cancer at 33 he made it his mission to stay healthy & be fit.

He always said “nothing feels better than the sun on your face.” He loved the beach. He loved his daughter’s sunroom. He loved his front porch. He would sit out there listening to Yankees games on his little radio, drinking a Hendricks martini & loved when the neighbors and his friends would come by to sit & chat. He loved his poker buddies. He loved his gym buddies. He loved “AC.” He loved the Giants & the Yankees. His favorite memory was going to the Super Bowl to see his Giants in Pasadena. 

Steve married his “Lamb Chop,” Geri Rendish in 1972. They built a beautiful life & family together in West Long Branch.

Steve is predeceased by his wife Geri, his parents Mario and Laura Napolitani; his sister Laurie Stoop.

Steve is survived by his children Jodi Napolitani and her husband Mark Gesell M.D. and their children Bella, Luca, and Gia;  Steven Napolitani Jr. and his wife Jennifer and their children Grant, Wren, Cort; his brother Jimmy and his companion Theresa Smeriglio; his sisters-in-law Sandy Hage, and Karen Marriott; and his brother-in-law Henry Stoop.

Visitation will be Sunday, December 29th from 1:00-5:00 PM at the Woolley-Boglioli Funeral Home, 10 Morrell Street, Long Branch, NJ 07740. A mass of Christian burial will be offered on Monday, December30th at 10:00 AM at St. Michael’s RC Church, 800 Ocean Ave, Long Branch. An entombment will follow at Woodbine Mausoleum, Oceanport.