Michael J Pappa

Michael Joseph Pappa III, aged 89, passed away peacefully on September 7, 2026, surrounded by the love and comfort of his family. Born on November 17,1936 to Michael and Bertha Pappa, he was one of four siblings.

Michael, known as Mickey to his family, grew up in Wallington, NJ where he embraced his Polish heritage and Catholic faith. There he made strong bonds with childhood friends which lasted throughout his lifetime. Art Monto was a particularly close friend. They went through Scouts together and both grew to have a love for the great outdoors. After high school Michael and Art left NJ for college at Utah State, only for his education there to be cut short by his father’s passing. Thrown into the role of patriarch, Michael returned to NJ to take on the responsibilities of helping his mom and assisting in the upbringing of his two younger brothers.

While both vacationing in Florida, a chance meeting brought Michael together with the love of his life, Mary Ann. The two married in 1960 and two years later had their first child, Michael Joseph IV. Michael was an avid outdoorsman and settled his family away from suburbia in Morse Lakes, a wooded lake community in Bloomingdale, NJ. He resided there until his passing. Numerous friends were made living in such a special place, and he loved them and his Morse Lakes community.

Fishing, hunting and trapping were his passions. He and his childhood friend, Art, along with others, started the NJ Chapter of the National Trappers Association, a union that is still in existence today. In fact, two days before his passing, Michael was thrilled to learn that he was being inducted into the NJ Trappers Association Hall of Fame and was being honored with receiving their Heritage Award. Michael instilled the love of the outdoors in his children and all who knew him.

Michael was also a member of the Bloomingdale Board of Ed and the Environmental Commission. He was a past member of the Board of Morse Lakes and instrumental in starting the program which stocked their lake with fish; something the lake community still enjoys today. Michael authored several articles for outdoors enthusiasts’ magazines and local newspapers. He was a gifted storyteller and his grandchildren loved listeningto his tales.

Another one of his hobbies was gardening. Michael spent hours in his yard nurturing native plants, taking care of his yard and tending to a vegetable garden whose bounty he shared with family and friends. Michael held an undergraduate degree in Accounting from Rutgers University. He earned a Masters of Science in Accounting from Seton Hall University. He and his wife traveled the world both personally and professionally and experienced many new cultures. He retired from his career at American Express with the title of Director of International Tax.

Michael was a soft-spoken, selfless individual with a witty sense of humor who cared most deeply for his family. He placed the well-being of his family above everything else. He was most proudly known as husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He is predeceased by his parents Michael J. Pappa II and Bertha (Cmoch) Pappa as well as his sister Lillian Biscaha and brother, Robert Pappa. He is survived by his beloved wife of 66 years, Mary Ann (DeFalco) Pappa, his children Michael J. Pappa IV (Suzanne), Wendy Fox (Todd), Scott Pappa (Catherine), and Jolaine Moffitt (Daniel). He has nine grandchildren: Alyssa Massarone (Christopher), Michael J. Pappa V (Janet), Daniel Moffitt (Gabrielle), Owen Fox, Devin Moffitt, Ethan Pappa, Maya Fox, Dylan Moffitt, and Emily Pappa and his great grandchildren Cadence Massarone, Amelia Massarone, Michael J. Pappa VI, and soon-to-arrive Daniel Moffitt III. He is also survived by his brother Dennis Pappa and many nieces and nephews.

A funeral mass will be held at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, 65 Bartholdi Avenue, Butler, NJ 07405 on September 19, 2026 at 1:30pm followed by a Celebration of Life at the Morse Lakes Clubhouse, Bloomingdale, NJ. All are welcome.

With the spirit of his giving nature, the family kindly requests, in lieu of flowers, donations in his name to be sent to one of the following:

Scouting America- Invest in Tomorrow's Leaders: Support Scouting

https://give.scouting.org/a/support-scouting

St. Jude Online Donations - St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

https://www.stjude.org/?sc_icid=404-homepage-link

Trout Unlimited Memorial And Honorary Donations - Trout Unlimited

https://www.tu.org/get-involved/ways-to-give/memorial-honorary-donations/

Ruffed Grouse Society Donation – RGS & AWS Upland Store

https://www.uplandstore.org/products/donation