Obituary of Morris Perugini

Morris (Mike) Perugini, originally from Jessup, Pennsylvania passed away on May 24th after a long illness. A resident of Mt. Arlington since 1965, Mike was a graduate of Girard College High School in Philadelphia and served in the U.S. Navy as a Petty Officer First Class in Interior Communications on the U.S.S. Fulton out of New London, Connecticut. He went on to earn his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Newark College of Engineering (now NJIT), an M.A. in Industrial Management from City University of New York, and was a Life Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Mike was also certified by the state of New Jersey as a tax assessor, tax collector and chief financial officer and in those capacities he served various communities in Morris, Sussex, Warren and Bergen counties. In addition, he served on the Planning Board and Town Council in the borough of Mt. Arlington and was an usher for over 40 years at Our Lady of the Lake church. Although he was born at the start of the Great Depression and lost his own father at the age of 7, Mike worked hard all his life - to get a good education, to serve his country and his community, and to care for his family. He was a truly selfless person who put the needs of others before his own, and who was a devoted son, brother, husband, father and grandfather. He enjoyed camping, traveling, spending time with his family, crossword puzzles and Sudoku, as well as an occasional trip to the slot machines. He will be remembered by many for his sense of humor, his honesty and integrity. The family hopes he will once again enjoy Tuesday night poker games with his friends Hal and Andy. His parents, Romeo and Christina (Nedorostek) Perugini, preceded him in death, as did his brothers Louis and Joseph, and his sisters Elizabeth (all from Buena, New Jersey) and Norma Pagano, of Richland. He is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Audrey (nee Beattie), son James of Mount Arlington, daughter Valerie and her husband Dennis Sullivan of Mount Olive, daughter Carol and Justin Tindall of Bruneau, Idaho, and daughter Nancy and her husband David Riggs of New Fairfield, Connecticut. In addition, he leaves four grandchildren: Sarah and Jenna Sullivan, and Lindsay and Sam Riggs, as well as several nieces and nephews. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to celebrate Mike's life on Thursday May 29 from 7-9 pm at the Leber-Lakeside Funeral Home, Landing. A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be offered on Friday May 30 beginning at 11:00 am at Our Lady of the Lake Church in Mt. Arlington. All are invited to meet directly at church for Mass. Mike will be laid to rest at St. John's Cemetery in Jessup, PA on Saturday May 31. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Wounded Warrior Project, www.woundedwarriorproject.org.