Obituary of Silverio J. Romano

Silverio J. Romano, “Butch”, age 79, loving father, adored Pop Pop, and beloved friend, passed away suddenly on Saturday, September 24, 2022, at his home in Sea Isle City.

Butch was born in the Bronx, New York on May 17, 1943, to Anna (nee Misiano) and Frank Romano.  Butch moved to Sea Isle City when he was just 6 years old with his older brother, Joe.  He was raised by his father, Frank, and his maternal grandparents, Joseph and Maria Misiano who started Marie’s Seafood Market in 1949.  Butch graduated from Ocean City High School in 1961.  After High School Butch famously balanced at least three jobs at a time.  Whether it was managing Palermo’s Thriftway Market in Ocean City, supervising at the “American Store” (Acme), working as a bouncer at LaCosta Lounge, or commercial fishing on the pound boats of Sea Isle City, Butch always came back to work at his pride and joy, Marie’s.  In the beginning Marie’s was a humble fish market, but over three decades Butch expanded it to Marie’s Lobster House including an unforgettable dock dining restaurant in 1979.  Since then, Butch has never missed a day of work in his 63-year career at Marie’s.  If you visited Sea Isle, you only needed to drive down Park Road, otherwise known as historic “Fish Alley”, and find Butch sitting on the bench outside Marie’s greeting everyone with a story and a hot cup of coffee.

Butch met his wife, Diane Townsend, in Sea Isle and they were married on April 17, 1971.  Butch and Diane had three children, Steve, Lisa, and Michael who he loved above anything else in this world.  His family meant everything to him. 

Butch had an undeniable work ethic that transcended anyone that had the pleasure of working with him.  More than that, Butch always treated his Marie’s crew like family.  Butch was a self-made man and a pillar of the community who dedicated his life to making Sea Isle City the best place to live.    

Butch was predeceased in death by his parents, Anna and Frank Romano, his loving wife, Diane, brother, Joe, brother-in-law, James Steelman, and sister-in-law, Veronica Vitiello.  

Surviving are his children Steve (Shannon), Lisa Rutledge (Michael), and Michael (Liz).  Also surviving are his 11 grandchildren, Michael, Jake, Joseph, Nicholas, Julianna, Michael, Lucianna, Luca, Steven, Stella, and Dominic; his sister, Frances Steelman, sister- in-law, Sue Romano, nephew Joe (Jackie), nephew Frank (Amy), Matt (Nicole), Jonathan (Ashley), and his niece, Amie.  Also surviving is Butch’s beloved dog, Penny, and many adoring nieces, nephews, and cousins.  In addition to his surviving family, Butch had an incredible group of friends and a one of a kind extended family, the Marie’s Crew and Coffee Club, who will surely miss him.

Family and friends are called on Monday, October 3, 2022, for a viewing at the Godfrey Funeral Home of Palermo, 644 South Shore Road, Palermo, NJ from 4pm to 7pm.

On Tuesday, October 4, 2022, a viewing at St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, 44^th Street at Landis Avenue, Sea Isle City, NJ from 9am to 11:45am will be followed by Mass at 12 o’clock noon.

Burial will follow at Calvary Baptist Cemetery, 2373 US-9, Ocean View, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any memorial donations be made to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Trisomy 21 Program (Philadelphia, PA 19104) in honor of Butch’s grandson, Dominic.

Condolences may be left at www.godfreyfuneralhome.com