ANTHONY J. “A.J.” PAPAVERO, JR

ANTHONY J. “A.J.” PAPAVERO, JR of Branchburg, NJ died June 22, 2024 at the age of 58. A licensed New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania funeral director, he was co-owner of Branchburg Funeral Home. A.J. pursued his vocation as a 4th and 5th generation licensed funeral director influenced by his grandfathers, Bartolomeo V. Papavero and Anthony C. Bongiovi, Sr, his father, Anthony J. Papavero Sr and mother, Anna Louise Bongiovi at the Bongiovi Funeral Home in Raritan. He served his community alongside his brother, Jason C. Papavero. A.J. attended the mortuary science program at Mercer County Community College before graduating from the American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service in 1992. He was later appointed to the New Jersey State Board of Mortuary Science, where he oversaw the beginning of many young funeral directors’ careers; administering on-site practical exams for required licensure. A.J. also served as president of the Middlesex & Somerset County Funeral Directors Association from 2007 to 2009 and was a member of the New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association and the National Funeral Directors Association.