Obituary of Dominick J. D'Agosta

Dominick James D’Agosta (aka Dom, Slick), avid family man and friend, coffee and chardonnay lover, peacefully passed away Sunday November 24, 2019 in his home in Ridgewood, NJ, surrounded by his family. 

Beloved husband of 57 years and Ferris High School sweetheart of Deanna Huze D’Agosta. Loving father of James Brian, Dana Carol, and Todd Eric, proud grandfather of Dominick James, Alexander James, Griffin James and Jessica Morgan, and loving father-in-law to Helga D’Agosta, Glenn Beall, and Nela D’Agosta. Loving uncle, cousin, trusted friend and neighbor to countless others. 

Dominick was pre-deceased by his father James D’Agosta and mother Rose D’Agosta. Dominick was born in Jersey City on October 3, 1941 and although Dominick was an only child, his father James, was one of 12 children. 

Although his father died at the age of 48, when Dominick was only 8 years of age, he spent his early years surrounded by love, living with his mother and his Aunts in Jersey City, NJ. He learned at a very early age how to hustle and the value of hard work. His early participation with the Boy Scouts led him to eventually receive the Silver Beaver Award, the highest honor bestowed upon a volunteer who has made an impact on the lives of youth through years of service.

He approached the challenges of his youth with the same positive energy he brought to his every day life as an adult. Being raised by strong Italian women where family always comes first had a meaningful impact on Dominick. He also had a few strong men that took a keen liking to this kid from Jersey City. They looked out for him and mentored him. The key values of family, empathy, positivity, accountability, hard work, and community were instilled in him from a very early age. He was always there for his family, his friends, his neighbors, and his community.

Dom and Deanna married on November 4, 1962 and would spend the next 10 years in Jersey City, adding Jamie (1964), Dana (1967) and Todd (1970) to the family.

In 1973, he took his family to the suburbs of Ridgewood, NJ. Although only 20 miles from Jersey City, to the Aunts and Uncles that raised him it seemed like an entirely different planet. They all descended on the new home like bees to honey, deploying all of their love and various skills to paint, fix, clean, cook...whatever they could do to help Dom and Dee get their family settled. Family first.

Beginning his career as a bank teller at First Jersey National Bank in 1959, Dominick worked hard and turned heads, first earning his way to Vice President, and eventually into the C-suite as Executive Vice President of the Financial Services Division.

After his rise to the executive suite, he subsequently worked for several other banks in various capacities over his 50 year career mostly as a result of mergers and acquisitions, eventually retiring from The Bank of America in 2011. He most recently served on the board of SB One Bank.

He was a man of great integrity and would do absolutely anything for his family and friends, always putting others before himself. He loved coffee, champagne, good wine, good food, being with his family and friends, helping others less fortunate, cruise vacations, travel, and his family summer home in Long Beach Island. He loved reading and relaxing in the sun. He loved listening to Frank Sinatra and the New York Yankees on the radio. He loved being the best dressed, and he always was. His sense of humor and innate sense of community ingrained in him as a child made people gravitate toward him. He was almost never in a bad mood unless he found garbage in the garbage can....yes you read that correctly...or he was out of wine..which NEVER happened. He was passionate about and proud of his grandkids, listened to the weather at least 20 times per day and was always the first to pick up the check.

Dominick, due to his humble beginnings, was also deeply committed to serving those less fortunate. Most recently, he served as the Chairman of the not for profit YCS (Youth Consultation Services), and, among others too numerous to list, was past Chairman of the Hudson County Chamber of Commerce, New Jersey City University, Hudson/Bergen County Work Force Investment Board, and Bon Secour Health Systems, pouring his energy and leadership skills into the communities he grew up in and loved.

He earned a BA and MBA from Rutgers University as well as an MBA in Finance from FDU, the latter earned in the evenings after long days in the office.

Dom, we could not be any more grateful and proud to call you husband, father, grandpa, uncle, friend, and neighbor. We love you, we miss you and although we mourn and grieve your loss today, we will continue to honor your wonderful life and our fond memories of you by making the most of each God given day and celebrating the beauty of life..until we meet again...

Family and friends may pay their respects at Vander Plaat Funeral Home (257 Godwin Ave., Wyckoff, NJ 07481) on Sunday December 1, 2019 from 3-7pm (vpfh.com)

Funeral service will be held at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Ridgewood, NJ on Monday December 2, 2019 at 10:30am.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial gifts may be made in fond memory of Dominick to Youth Consultation Services (ycs.org), or Perlmutter Cancer Center NYU Langone (Dr. Arjun V. Balar).