Renaming Ceremony To Be Held At Oakland Post Office This Month

OAKLAND, NJ — Years of work by a local family will come to fruition this month when a local post office is renamed after Oakland's favorite son, Frank Leone.

The post office at 332 Ramapo Valley Road will be renamed the Frank Leone Post Office April 25. The public is invited to the 11 a.m. ceremony.

Leone was a World War II veteran. After returning home from the war, Leone and his wife moved to Oakland. President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Leone postmaster of the Oakland post office in 1967. He served in that capacity for 48 years.

Leone died Sept. 7, 2014.

Leone was also president of the Oakland Chamber of Commerce, was a member of the American Legion Post 369 and the Franklin Lakes Veterans of Foreign Wars post. He was also chief of the Oakland Fire Department and deacon of the Ramapo Valley Baptist Church.

"I have the joy of being Frank's wife for 60 years. Truth be told, his funeral was on our 60th wedding anniversary," Leone's widow, Ellen previously said in a statement. "I cannot think of any bigger honor for Frank than to have his name mentioned with Oakland in the same breath."

Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat representing New Jersey's 5th Congressional District, sponsored the legislation changing the name.

"To me, there is no commitment more sacred than the one to those who have bravely served our nation. Today marked a major step forward in honoring of one of these brave veterans, longtime Oakland resident, postmaster, and Fire Chief Frank Leone," Gottheimer previously said. "I'm proud to celebrate and recognize Frank's life. North Jersey veterans deserve any assistance they need after valiantly serving their country."

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com