October 14, 1928 - September 30, 2024
Harry Ralph Camisa (born October 14, 1928), local author, lecturer, personality, and lifelong Trenton resident, passed away on Monday, September 30, 2024, at Capital Health Medical Center in Hopewell, New Jersey, surrounded by his loving family He will be most fondly remembered for his garrulous nature and teasing sense of humor, which remained intact until his final moments in true Harry fashion of leaving a smile on his loved ones’ faces.
Harry lived an abundantly full life, much of which he documented in his well-received book Inside Out, co-authored with close friend Jim Franklin. Their recounting of Harry’s prison career brushing up against some of New Jersey’s most notorious criminals led to a flirtation from Hollywood to adapt the book to film, but unfortunately Covid undermined those plans. Harry’s life spanned two centuries, reaching back to Prohibition and when milk was delivered by horse and wagon. He grew up with modest means but was always surrounded by a loving family, especially his parents Rose and Ralph Camisa and brothers Danny and Gerald, and a rich community of friends.
After serving in the Army in Germany during the Korean War, Harry returned Stateside to his sweetheart Virginia Ann Forrester, to whom he was wed for 71 years but in love with for nearly eighty years. As he richly describes in his book, Harry would spend over fifty years working at Trenton State Prison (now the State Prison of New Jersey), first as a prison guard and then as a teacher. He retired not only with official accolades from the Governor, but with another community of friends consisting of fellow guards, teachers, and even former inmates. His dearest friend for decades was Teddy Roberts, a death row inmate who was pardoned late in life and became an adopted and cherished member of the Camisa family.
Harry and Virginia loved dancing as a pastime and in the 1980s, began frequenting the Marroe Inn on Saturdays to dance the night away to the music of Jimmy Vincent and his band. Another community of friends was formed at the Marroe, leading to decades of travel and rollicking times spent together. Upon moving to the Sunnybrae Apartment Complex in the 2000s, Harry drew together yet another close community of friends with whom he relished hanging outside and shooting the breeze as the complex’s informal mayor, and with whom he enjoyed watching and discussing his precious Yankees. Harry was the stalwart friend you could call on 24/7 and know he would pick up the phone or answer the door to help you with no matter what you needed, big or small.
Harry’s greatest joy in life was his relationships with his wife Virginia, and with his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. While working two full time jobs as a prison guard and helping Virginia run Blackmon’s Florist, Harry also attended Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey) to obtain his teaching degree, and yet, he always managed to be a hands-on, full-time father. With more time on his hands after retirement, Harry continued to be an engaged father with his adult children and an indulgent, doting, and proud grandfather and great grandfather. Words cannot express the heartbreak his family is feeling, but they also cannot express the magnitude of love and blessedness they feel having had Harry as their husband, father, and (great) grandfather.
Predeceased by his parents, Ralph and Rose Camisa; and brothers, Danny and Gerald Camisa. Harry is survived by his wife, Virginia Camisa; son, Darryl Camisa and daughter-in-law Patty; daughter, Kim Cudnik and son-in-law Dennis; son, Vance Camisa and daughter-in-law Ruth; granddaughter, Megan Camisa and her partner Richard Buckley; grandson, Clint Walker and his wife Sho Tin; granddaughter, Blair Walker and her partner Paul Woodley; granddaughter, Holly and her husband Jon Kohl; granddaughter, Sydney Camisa-Deas and her husband Rollin Deas; and great grandchildren, Sloan and Hudson Walker.
Visitation for family and friends will be held Monday, October 7, 2024 from
5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. and again on Tuesday morning, October 8, 2024 from
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. at the Buklad-Merlino Yardville Memorial Home,
30 Yardville-Allentown Road, Yardville, NJ.
A Funeral service will be held Tuesday, October 8, 2024 at 11:00 a.m.
Interment will follow in Riverview Cemetery, Trenton, NJ.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741 or online at https://donate.cancer.org or to Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK), 72 Escher Street, Trenton, NJ 08609, or online at https://trentonsoupkitchen.org
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