Franklin A Zane Jr.

Franklin A. Zane, Jr., 49, of Pennsauken, NJ passed away on Saturday, October 28, 2023, at 4:04pm at Cooper Medical Center in Camden, NJ surrounded by close loved ones. Frank was born in Philadelphia, PA on April 4, 1974, to Rosalie Frances (Harmer) Zane and the late, Franklin Anthony Zane, Sr. "Frankie" grew up in the Kensington section of Philadelphia, where he was a member of the Ascension of Our Lord Parish. He attended Ascension of Our Lord Catholic Elementary School, Mastbaum High School, and the Chubb Institute of Technology, earning an Associate's Degree in Computer Technology. He was raised Catholic and he was very spiritual. He worked hard and played hard his entire life. As a boy, he sold fresh pretzels around the neighborhood from the Ben Franklin Pretzel Company, worked at the local butcher shop every day after school, and delivered the Philadelphia Inquirer Newspaper on Sundays. Everyone from the neighborhood knew Frank (or "FAZ" as some of his friends called him) and to know him was to love him. Two of Frank's favorite things were pizza and Pepsi. It has been rumored that Frank invested so much into his favorite pizza establishments that one local spot is considering naming a pizza after him and calling it "The Zane." He liked his pizzas with extra cheese, extra sauce, and extra pepperoni! Occasionally, he would mix it up by adding a dollop of ricotta cheese. Even though he thought mushrooms were gross, on occasion, he would still order them for his mom. He also loved cheese steaks, creamed chipped beef on toast, and extra sharp cheese. Once a month, he and his mom would go for a veal cutlet with brown gravy and double mashed potatoes. That was their special meal. Frank's affinity for pizza began when he started working at Mr. Coco's Pizzeria as a teen. Always hustling, he had a bunch of other jobs, as well; including KFC and All-Star Pizza. In addition to eating pizza, he also enjoyed making and delivering them. At the age of 18, he became a United States Postal Worker in Bensalem, PA. In 1999, when he and his family moved to Pennsauken, NJ, he worked with his dad, "Big Frank," at Priority Courier and later enjoyed his career as a delivery driver for FedEx Ground in Philadelphia. His main FedEx route was in Bensalem, where he made it a point to talk to and get to know everyone. He rarely took a day off unless it was to help his mom, Rosalie, and he often finished his route early, delivering all his packages in half a day's time before any of the other drivers. With his captivating smile and the twinkle in his baby-blue eyes, it was rumored that Frank had a girlfriend at every stop along his route. He was a big flirt! Frank was also a big sports fan! When he wasn't working, he would order a pizza, crack open an ice-cold Pepsi, and spend the day watching Red Zone. He especially loved baseball (Go, Phillies!), football, and professional wrestling. In addition to sports, he also liked watching the television shows Friends (he was a lot like Joey) and Law and Order. In his youth, he played baseball and football. He had an incredible arm and could throw the ball further than anyone so everyone wanted him on their team. As an adult, he played in a few softball leagues but mostly enjoyed bowling and golfing with friends. Frank was a member of the Harmonia Bowling Club and had many friends there. Although he did not drink, he was the life of the party and the perpetual designated driver. He excelled at drinking games because while his friends were drinking alcohol, he was taking shots of his favorite beverage, Pepsi. He took excellent care of his friends and family, especially his mom, Rosalie, whom he loved and cherished. Ever since his father, Frank, passed away, he was her rock and she was his. He reminded her every day to take her medicine and he would drop anything to help her. Frank also loved and was very protective of his sister, Valerie. While he liked to remind her that he was better than her at math and, well, pretty much everything else, he never hesitated to come to her rescue in any situation and make her feel like the most important person in the world every time they talked or got together. The night before he died, Frank made her promise that if anything happened to him, she would take care of their mom and make sure everyone knew how much he loved them. He also told her to buy Powerball and Mega Millions tickets because he was "going to make a deal with God." Frank was a spiritual man. He was raised Catholic and he believed in the power of prayer. He always took excellent care of his family and friends. Frank was a guy you could count on! He enjoyed the thrills in life. He liked to listen to his police scanner and chase fires or speed off after an intense storm. He volunteered for the Town Watch in Philly and enjoyed helping the Police and Fire Departments. He liked taking trips down the shore and his guilty pleasure was gambling. He enjoyed playing the slots and the lottery but his favorite game was Prairie Thunder Keno. He won often and, at times, big. He once won an $80,000 car but took the casino play instead. He was an incredibly generous person who always shared his winnings with others. He willingly gave and lent money to friends and family whenever they needed it. He enjoyed splurging on family and friends, and sometimes even strangers on the street. He was always quick to help others and to pay off debts. He was everyone's go-to person. Whatever it was you needed, just call Frank and he would get it done. A kid at heart himself, all his friends' children called him "Uncle Frankie." He was never too busy to play catch on the street or toss a Nerf football back and forth for hours. Uncle Frankie loved his niece, Lyla, with whom he shared a special bond. Like two peas in a pod, they were inseparable and even spoke their own language. He adored her and would do anything for her. No matter how busy he was, he always had time for her. He especially loved talking with her and making her laugh. They were kindred spirits and best friends who played together like siblings and he wanted nothing more than to make her happy and see her smile. While he passed away too soon, Frank lived his life to the fullest. He was a great guy with a huge heart who was loved deeply by all those who knew him. Having Frank in your life was like hitting the jackpot. He leaves behind his mother, Rosalie F. Zane, his sister, Valerie J. Zane and her husband, Jason Henderson, his niece, Lyla Rain Henderson, his "brothers," Timmy Sawicki and Roger Mertz, Jr., as well as, a host of family and friends. A celebration of life memorial gathering will be held Saturday, November 4, 2023, from 10am - 12pm at Inglesby & Sons Funeral Home, 2426 Cove Road, Pennsauken, NJ 08109. A funeral service will follow beginning at 12pm, followed by a special delivery and a moment for refreshments where loved ones can toast to Frank in the parlor of Inglesby's. Frank wanted very badly to donate one of his kidneys to either his mom or his sister, who both suffer from late-stage Polycystic Kidney Disease and are both in need of transplants. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond his control, he never got the chance. In lieu of flowers, please help Frank fulfill his wish to save his mom and sister's lives by becoming an organ donor yourself or by donating to Rosalie and Val's Kidney Transplant Go Fund Me page at https://gofund.me/25523cd8 or by Venmo at @ValerieZane For online condolences, please visit www.inglesbyfuneralhome.com

Franklin A Zane Jr.

April 4, 1974 - October 28, 2023