Dominic Luke ‘Lou’ Casulli, 86, passed away peacefully on
Monday January 15th, 2024. A resident of Hoboken since 1963,
Dominic was born in New York City on February 18, 1937, to
the late Mary (Marasciulo) and Luke Casulli, both immigrants
from Apulia, Italy. Raised in Jersey City, he attended
Stevens Academy in Hoboken from first grade through high
school. He graduated as the valedictorian in 1953 and
received a full scholarship to Stevens Institute of
Technology.
As a freshman, he met the love of his life, Lucille Podgorny.
They first met at the corner of 8th Street and Hudson Street
in Hoboken, a few steps away from his fraternity, Phi Sigma
Kappa. At Stevens, Dominic was a member of Tau Beta Pi,
the honorary engineering society, and a member of the
Honor Board which administered Steven’s renowned honor
code.
He was also elected a member of Khoda, a group of
seniors noted for their leadership and integrity. He
graduated from Stevens with the degree of Mechanical
Engineer with High Honor in 1957, and two days after
graduation he joined Bell Telephone Laboratories as a
Member of their Technical Staff. Two years later he received
the Degree of Master of Electrical Engineering from New
York University.
Since Lucille was still in high school when they met and
both had to complete their education, it took a while to tie
the knot. In 1962 Lucille and Dominic took a Grand Tour of
Europe – Paris, Geneva, Nice, Athens, and Cairo where
Dominic had cousins. They went to Monopoli, the hometown
of Dominic’s mother. From there they crisscrossed Italy in a
tiny yellow Fiat. Over the mountains to Sorrento and Capri,
up to Rome where they had Fettucine at Alfredo’s
restaurant. Then on to Florence, Venice and spent the last
three days in London.
They were married in Saints Peter and Paul Church in Hoboken on June 29, 1963. The next seven years were quite
busy as the four children were born. The last child Thomas
was born in December of 1971 on the Island of Kwajalein in
Micronesia, a small atoll midway between Honolulu and
Australia.
The entire family lived there from July 1970 to July 1972
since Dominic’s job was Head of Systems, Software and
Operations for the NIKE antiballistic missile test program at
Kwajalein. The mission was to intercept ICBMs launched
from California to demonstrate to the Russians that the
United States had a working system. In April of 1972, the
Soviet Union and the United States signed the Salt 1 Treaty
which limited each country to one antiballistic site. For his
work at Kwajalein, Dominic received the US Army’s Patriotic
Civilian Service Award.
After 1975, when Bell Labs ceased military work Mr. Casulli
managed the development of large computer systems that
automated telephone company operations and records. He
remained with Bell Labs and at its successor corporations
for 46 years rising through the management ranks as
Supervisor, Department Head and Executive Director. He
was named a Bellcore Fellow in 1998. Thereafter he worked
as a Partner-Consultant providing both internal and external
consultations. His clients included telephone companies in
Italy, Spain, Israel, and Venezuela as well as many of the
Baby Bells created when the Bell System was broken up. He
received Telephony Magazine’s Roy Blain Award for
contributions to Outside Plant Mechanization.
Returning to their Hoboken home, Dominic and Lucille
resumed their civic activities.
Dominic served as a Charter Member of Hoboken Parking
Authority. In conjunction with other authority members and
Mayor Louis D. Pascale, Mr. Casulli developed plans for
Grogan Marine Towers and associated parking garages.
During his tenure, bonding for the garage construction was
obtained.
Mr. Casulli also served as Chairman of Hoboken Citizens for
Better Education. This group played a significant role in
getting the city to build the Calabro magnet school.
Mayor Vezzetti appointed Mr. Casulli to his Waterfront
Commission, which played a significant role in changing the
Port Authority’s plans for Hoboken’s waterfront. A key
element was getting the Port Authority to relinquish its long-
term lease on the land east of River Street. In a class action
lawsuit, Mr. Casulli, along with nine other Hoboken
taxpayers, sued the Port Authority for failure to pay The City
of Hoboken seven million dollars it had received from
insurance companies for a fire that had occurred on the
property. They won the lawsuit and the city received 7
million dollars.
He also served as a Member of the Board of Trustees of St.
Mary Hospital and Chairman of the Finance committee.
And as a member of St Mary Advocates, the nonprofit
organization that operates the thrift store in Hoboken, Mr.
Casulli was instrumental in obtaining a 501c-3 designation
that had been lost when St. Mary Hospital was sold to the
City of Hoboken in 2007. He later served as treasurer of the
Advocates.
Dominic surrounded himself in life with his loving wife
Lucille; children Barbara, Laura, Edward and Thomas, son-In-
law John Cusumano, Daughters-in-law Nichole Casulli
(Klotz), Susan Casulli (Johnson) and grandchildren Lauren,
Luca, Emmi and Sofia. His family will miss him dearly.
Visitation will be held at Failla Memorial Home in Hoboken
NJ, Friday, January 19th, 2024 beginning at 3:00pm and concluding at 8:00pm and Saturday, January
20th, 2024 beginning at 9:00am to 11:00am.
Interment will follow at Holy Cross
Cemetery in North Arlington, NJ.