Paul Joseph Casale

Paul Joseph Casale was born in Brooklyn, New York on November 12, 1962. The third child of parents Lorraine and Louis, it was obvious from a young age that Paul had a gift for drawing. This gift would later become one of his greatest life passions -- art. Walking into his house, it was easy to see that creating paintings was a way for him to capture the world around him. His childhood was a happy one spent with his sisters Audrey and Joanne, and brother Louis. Some of his fondest childhood memories included family vacations to Lake George with his cousins, playing baseball, spending time with friends, and enjoying Sunday sauce. Paul attended the High School of Art and Design in Manhattan, and later went on to study at Pratt Institute where he completed a major in fine art and a minor in illustration. He graduated with honors in 1983, having won a number of grants and awards. Much of Paul's art was influenced by his hometown, for example, he liked to paint scenes of Coney Island. He worked as a children's books illustrator for many years before recently becoming an art teacher. His artistic work has been displayed in a number of group shows and juried exhibitions over the years. Paul married his childhood sweetheart, Andrea Nora, on October 4, 1986. Together they had two children, James and Jessica. They built a life together in Cranford, New Jersey, and enjoyed attending art shows, going antiquing, cooking, spending time with their children, and taking trips with their extended family. One of their most recent beloved trips was to Italy. Paul will be remembered as a devoted and loving husband and father. He was the first to tell a joke, light up a room with spontaneous laughter, and always had a story or anecdote to tell. He is survived by his wife of 27 years, his two children, sisters, brother, mother, and many nieces and nephews. He will be missed more than words will ever express. Visitation will be on Monday June 17, 2013 fro 2-4, 7-9 pm at Gray Memorial Funeral Home, 12 Springfield Avenue, Cranford. Funeral services will be 10 am Tuesday at Oasis Christian Centre, 2052 St. George Avenue, Rahway, NJ 07065. Burial will follow at Fairview Cemetery in Westfield. The Paul Casale Memorial Scholarship has been established to help students studying the fine arts to continue his or her art education after high school. In lieu of gifts or flowers, go to www.jcas.org to make a donation.