Submitted by his wife
Firefighter George F. Batelli‚ Sr. (55) of Garfield Fire Department‚ Engine Company #1‚ suffered a major heart attack while responding to a multiple alarm fire in Fair Lawn‚ New Jersey. He leaves behind his wife Linda‚ his children George Jr.‚ Dawn & Sherry‚ his son-in-law Brian‚ daughter-in-law Evy & 4 grandchildren – Alexa‚ Nicholas‚ Brittany & Danielle.
George was a member of the Garfield Fire Department‚ Engine Company #1 for 25 years and was the Assistant Engineer. He was a father figure to the younger members of his company. He was always there to give a helping hand to anybody who needed him.
George was a very active member of our City. He was involved in many organizations such as the Garfield Girls Softball League‚ the Garfield Junior Boilermakers Football and Cheerleading League and the Garfield Volunteer Ambulance Corp. He was a Board Member and Treasurer for the New Jersey Employee’s Labor Union Local #1.
Aside from helping others he loved spending time with his family – especially his 4 grandchildren. He had a summer home in Upstate New York and his favorite thing was spending time on his boat with his wife.
Submitted by his niece
For my Uncle George‚
I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads its white sails in the morning breeze and starts out for the blue ocean.
He is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch‚ until at length‚ he hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and the sky come together with each other.
Then‚ someone at my side says‚ ‘He is gone.’ But I know he is only gone from my sight and that is all.
It is just as large in mast and hull and spar as he was when he left my side and just as able to bear the load of freight to the place of destination.
His diminished size is in me‚ not in him and just at the moment when someone at my side says‚ ‘There‚ he is gone.’ – there are other eyes watching him coming and another voice to shout‚ ‘Here he comes!’
With all of my love‚
Kimberly
September 18, 2005 – Daddy I hope the angels are treating you well today. Happy Birthday in heaven. I miss you so much. There isn’t a moment that I don’t think of you. I love you ‘Big Guy’.Love you,Dawn
– Dawn WeissOctober 1, 2005 -Dear Daddy,It’s October 1st, exactly 3 years since you were taken from us. The pain hasn’t gone away and it never will. Brian, the girls and I miss you so much. We miss your laugh, your kindness and loving ways. Our life has changed so much since that day. You have another granddaughter. She was born May 20, 2003. I named her after Brian and you. Brianne Francis looks just like you. Brittany and Danielle are telling her all about you, they even taught her the camp song. I love you so much ‘Big Guy.’ Until we meet again remember that you are always in our hearts.Love,Brian, Dawn, Brittany, Danielle & Brianne Francis
– Dawn WeissNovember 26, 2005 – Daddy,The tree’s up and the girls are very excited about Santa Claus and all the new toys they’ll be getting. But I can’t stop thinking that the best gift of all would be to have you still with us.Brittany and Danielle talk about you all the time to Brianne. They miss you so much and so do I. If Santa was real I would have him bring you home to us. Until we met again remember I love you ‘BIG GUY’.Love, Dawn
– Dawn WeissDear Daddy, Happy Father’s Day. I Love and miss you so much ‘Big Guy’ Love, Dawn
– Dawn WeissWOW, I never thought I would be leaving a message on here! I miss you so much DAD! this is for you You never said your leaving, You never said goodbye.You were gone before I knew it, and only God knows why.A million times I’ve needed you, A million times I cried.If Love alone could have saved you, YOU NEVER WOULD HAVE DIED!In life I loved you dearly, In death I love you still.In my heart you hold a place that NO ONE CAN EVER FILL.It broke my heart to loose you, but you didn’t go alone.Cause part of me went with you, the day God took you home.Love you Dad, You are my hero
– Sherry9/18/06Daddy-I thought of you with love today, but that is nothing new. I thought about you yesterday, and days before that too. I think of you in silence, I often speak your name. Now all I have is memories and your picture in a frame. Your memory is my keepsake with which I’ll never part. God has you in his keeping, I have you in my heart – forever.Happy Birthday Daddy.I miss you so much.I love you ‘BIG GUY’
– Dawn WeissDaddy, Thinking of and missing you today as always. Wishing you were still here. So many times I needed you, so many times I cried for you. Oh how I miss you my ‘Big Guy’. IF OUR TEARS COULD BUILD A BRIDGE AND OUR MEMORIES A LANE I WOULD RUN UP TO THE GATES OF HEAVEN AND BRING YOU HOME. I Love you Daddy.
– Dawn WeissDear Santa,I’ve been a very good girl this year. All I want for Christmas is my DAD back! Oh how I wish your magic was real.Dear Daddy,Missing you so much. The girls are so excited about Christmas. It would be a perfect Christmas if you were still here with us. I hope the angels are treating you well. Until we meet again remember BIG GUY I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.
– Dawn WeissDear George,Here it is, another year, another year without you. It still hurts so very much and I miss you so. Everyday and everynight you are the first and last one I think of. I wonder what our life would be like right now, how much fun you would be having with our grandchildren. They all love camp, spend time with me at the house and on the boat.Marvin and Janie take care of me for you. He kept his promise to you. He is a good friend.I miss you baggs. NO ONE CAN EVER TAKE YOUR PLACE. I will love you forever and ever. I wish I could be in your arms again.Love Now, Always and Forever,Your Bride
– LindaDaddy,Spring has sprung and the girls are very excited about going to ‘Ginny Camp’ this year. They love it so much. They stay up late, eat lots of junk food and take your boat out. Brittany drove it all by herself last year. Well, I’m sure you helped guide her from above. Danielle wants to learn how to do it this year and Brianne – she’s just a ball of energy who keeps us all on her toes.Brittany had a writing assignment to do for school called ‘More Precious than Gold’. She had to write about something that she thought was more precious than gold to her. She wrote about you – her loving Papa.’PAPA’One thing I think is more precious than gold is spending time with my Papa. I miss him so much. I wish I could see him again. I only knew him for four years because he died when I was four. I still visit him at the cemetery but I wish he was alive. Time with my Papa is more precious than gold to me.By: Brittany Weiss 3-M
– Dawn WeissDear Daddy,Brian opened his gifts from Brittany, Danielle and Brianne then they made him breakfast in bed, bluebery pancakes, eggs and coffee. I was ok until they wished him a Happy Father’s Day showering him with kisses and hugs. I miss you so much ‘Big Guy’.Happy Father’s Day.Love you,Dawn
– Dawn WeissSeptember 18, 2007Happy Birthday Daddy! I miss you so much. There isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t think of you. Brittany and Danielle tell Brianne all about you. They tell her how much they loved you and how much they miss you. Until we meet again remember that I love you ‘Big Guy’
– DawnDaddy, Another year has passed without you. So many times I needed you, so many times I cried for you. It’s been 5 years and it’s still so hard to believe that you’re gone. You’re missed so much everyday. Until we met again remember I love you ‘Big Guy’ Love always, Dawn
– DawnDear George, The past 5 years have been so very hard without you. I miss you so very much. I love you and I know that someday we will be together again. You will always live within my heart
– Linda BatelliDear Papa, I love you very much. I will always miss you. I remember when we use to go on the boat together and drive. It was so cool I wish we could do it again. It was fun when we went to Ginny Camp for the month of July. The best part was swimming with you when we found a place to beach the boat. Once we built a sandcastle, it was so cool. I miss you so much. I love you Papa so much! Love, Brittany
– BrittanyDear George, There are so many things I miss about you. Christmas is so hard to deal with. You loved Christmas morning, watching the kids faces and you were just as excited as they were to see what Santa brought.I know that you are somehow here with us everyday. If I could have one special wish this Christmas, I would ask Santa to bring you home to me, your children and your grandchildren.We all miss you so very much and need you. Everything I do I think about you. I will Love YOU,Now,Always and Forever. Your Bride, Linda p.s. – Merry Christmas My Love
– LindaDear George, Its 2008 and yes life goes on without you but it will never be the same. Everyday,everything I do, I still wish you were here with me to share in all the joys and sorrys.Alexa has gotten so tall and is so pretty, she is a little Sherry. Nicky is a pip, he is such a boy and you would have loved to play with him and all his transformers, Brittany is still your little girl and I know how much she misses you.She is going to drive the boat alone this season and still talks about sitting on your lap to drive. Danielle is the girly girl, loves her dolls and talks about you all the time. Brianne, well she is the one that gives you a run for your money…what a little spitfire she is. she is so cute, she can charm your heart with her eyes. I know how much fun you would have had with them and they will never forget you. I LOVE YOU BAGGS AND MISS YOU SO MUCH. Love Now, Always and Forever, Your Bride
– LindaHi Daddy, It’s Father’s Day and we took the girls into the city to the American Museum of Natural History. We had a wonderful time, but I can’t help to think that it would of been even better if we would of celebrated today on the lake with you and mommy. I miss you so much. Until we meet again remeber; I LOVE YOU “BIG GUY” Love, Dawn
– DawnHappy Birthday My Love. I miss you so very very much. Love Now, Always and Forever, Your Bride
– LindaHi Daddy, It’s Father’s Day and we took the girls into the city to the American Museum of Natural History. We had a wonderful time, but I can’t help to think that it would of been even better if we would of celebrated today on the lake with you and mommy. I miss you so much. Until we meet again remeber; I LOVE YOU “BIG GUY” Love, Dawn
– Dawn WeissMiss you dad!
– SherryMissing you so much today, Happy Father’s Day. I love you – Big Guy
– DawnHello papa, I never met you and only seen you in pictures but, I bet you were fun. I miss you and I wish we could have met. I love you so much, and miss you.
– Brianne WeissMiss you Brother every day
– Fred Batelli