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A Memorial Service for James Famularo will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Asbury Lanes, located at 209 Fourth Avenue.

Famularo, a city native with an over 20 year history of service to the community – particularly its youth, died in a blaze that ravished his Park Avenue home of July 9.

The 52-year old was a former Asbury Park Assistant City Manager, former Board of Education member, and Asbury Park Housing Authority member, who not only served as a substitute teacher in the school district and helped administer the Asbury Park Youth Football league.

The father of two attended the University of Pittsburgh for his undergraduate and graduate degrees, obtaining a master’s degree in public administration.

Officials said Famularo was found dead in an upstairs bedroom but his wife Shonna was able to escape the fire by jumping from the second floor. The fire, which began in the family’s den, was ruled accidental.

Within days of the tragic death, the Asbury Park community responded by more than doubling a GoFundMe page goal of $5,000 in support of Famularo’s wife and two sons Joseph ‘JoJo,’ who works at The Asbury, and Nicholas, currently in college, and a newly born grandson named in his honor.

One week after the tragic incident, $13,538 was raised via the GoFundMe page to help the family recover.

Among the largest donors was JoJo’s boss Larry Dembrun, manager at The Asbury, the city’s Fifth Avenue boutique hotel and entertainment venue.

“A member of our Asbury Hotel family has recently suffered an immense tragedy; losing a member of their family as well as their home and belongings in the recent fire on Park Ave in Asbury Park,” Dembrun wrote via social media. “We have been housing the Famularo family since the tragedy, and we want to throw a benefit for them during our weekly Tea Dance.”

That fundraising event was held Friday, one day after the community came together to honor Famularo’s life at Donald Hammary Community Courts on Prospect Avenue, basketball courts he helped to design through a Community Development Block Grant.

Long time friend Cassandra Dickerson said no funeral services will be held for the community leader, instead the 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Memorial Service is being planned at the Asbury Lanes.

“So much has been said about James,” she said. “I’m just so fortunate to have had in my life.”

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