The Memory Of Pasquale Barbato

The most beloved man that I know, Pasquale Barbato was in a tragic accident on Friday night Oct 29th. His injuries were too severe to overcome and he passed away Tuesday Nov. 2nd at the Morristown Medical Center with his wife Sonia and two sons Joseph and Pat by his side. A loving husband and the proudest father who will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

Pasquale has been a fixture at Standard Tile where he has worked for 35 years. There has never been a more kind, loyal or dependable person to walk this earth. For me, he has been more than a co-worker but one of my very best friends. We have shared a bond working side by side, day after day for the past 17 years that can never be duplicated or replaced. The amount of smiles and laughter we have brought one another in our time together is immeasurable. The void he leaves behind at both our company and in my heart is indescribable.

To his customers, he was the most helpful and friendly sales person they had ever dealt with. He treated people in such a way that when they left our store they had a genuine friend for life. His caring went beyond the sale. He really wanted them to love what they bought from him. I lovingly call him "5 Star Pasquale" as he has more 5 star reviews on google than you can imagine. If you want to see what I mean here is a link https://bit.ly/RoxburyReviews His customers were more than happy to share the wonderful experience they had with him. People were constantly bringing in a variety of foods to show their love and appreciation for him. Baked goods, Ice Cream, Sandwiches, Pizza, and one of his favorites.. Hot Dogs from Jimmy Buffs. It is truly amazing the ways people showed Pasquale their love and appreciation.

His love for life is what stands out the most. When he had time off he was going to car shows or movies or New York City with his family or friends. He was always trying to track down celebrities for pictures and autographs. You name a celebrity, I bet he has a picture with them. Travolta, Stallone, Pacino the biggest most famous people. He loved the Rocky movies. I would come to work in the morning and he would have "The Eye Of The Tiger" playing on his computer on repeat. He loved music like Elvis and Prince, Jon Secada and although he would not admit it, I did find The Village People cd in his car one time. The feeling I have as I write this is exactly how I will remember him. Fun loving, smiling, laughing and bringing joy to all that knew him.

Pasquale has friends pretty much everywhere but in Randolph and Roxbury, the love people have for him is most evident. If you were with him at a town sports event or grocery store or getting lunch somewhere you would inevitably have to ask him "how the hell do you know all these people". The communities he frequented have suffered a loss that will be felt for years to come.

I am reaching out to those communities and the people who I know love him so much to help his family as they navigate this difficult time. Let's show this man who loved so many, how much he was loved right back and provide some help to Sonia and the boys.

I could write about Pasquale for days and smile the entire time. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

Brandon