According to a news report from www.app.com, “The pizza patriarch of Freehold, Frank A. “Spat” Federici, died surrounded by family Thursday. “(It was) very peaceful. No pain,” said Federici’s son Michael, a co-owner of the family’s popular Federici’s Restaurant on East Main Street.Federici, 84, died of complications from surgery around noon Thursday at CentraState Medical Center in Freehold Township. His wife, Patsy, and six of their seven children were with him when he died, Michael Federici said.”

“He was . . . a legend in town,” said Mayor Michael Wilson, who said he grew up on the Federici family’s popular pizza,” according to the story. “One of Federici’s proudest accomplishments, said Michael Federici, was the family’s well-known thin crust pizza recipe. Federici, his brother Dante and their mother, Ester, are credited with creating the recipe in 1946, shortly after both sons returned from serving their country in World War II.Since then, pizza has remained the family business, with son Frank Federici III and daughter-in-law MaryLynn opening Frankie Fed’s in Freehold Township, and daughter Margie and son-in-law Patrick opening Federici’s South in Howell.”

Click Here for Full Story