Theodore J. “Ted” Narozanick, 96, a native of Englishtown whose life was marked by service to his country, his hometown and his county, is being recalled as “Mr. Monmouth County … a legend, a role model and a mentor” by the current members of the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders.
Narozanick died on Sept. 1 at The Manor, Freehold Township. A funeral liturgy was celebrated at St. Rose of Lima Church, Freehold Borough, on Sept. 5, followed by interment at the parish cemetery in Freehold Township.
Narozanick was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II, a former councilman and mayor in Englishtown, and a former Monmouth County freeholder. He resided in Englishtown before moving to Freehold Borough.
Narozanick was discharged from the Army in December 1945 with the rank of captain. He served in the U.S. First Army and Third Army during the Normandy, Northern France, Central Europe, Ardennes and Rhineland campaigns and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the European African Middle Eastern Theater Campaign Ribbon and the American Service Medal, according to his obituary.
Upon his return from military service, he opened a hardware and farm supply business in Englishtown, which he operated for 15 years.
Narozanick entered local politics and served seven years as an Englishtown councilman and 12 years as mayor. He served for nine years as a member of the Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District Board of Education.
He was a member and Ex-Chief of the Englishtown Fire Company and was named an honorary Monmouth County fire marshal.
In 1957, Narozanick accepted a position with the Board of Freeholders in the county’s Department of Revenue and Finance and worked as budget director and director of finance, administration and management.
In March 1974, Narozanick was appointed as the county’s first county administrator and worked in that position for eight years, according to the obituary.
Narozanick re-entered politics when, on Jan. 2, 1986, he was sworn in as a member of the Board of Freeholders, the governing body that oversees Monmouth’s 53 municipalities. He served on the board for almost 20 years.
In a Sept. 5 statement, current freeholders Lillian G. Burry, Thomas A. Arnone, Gary J. Rich Sr., John P. Curley and Serena DiMaso said, “Ted was Mr. Monmouth County. He was a legend, a role model and a mentor to all who followed in the footsteps he left behind while paving the way for the renaissance of our beautiful county.
“Many of us were lucky enough to call Ted ‘friend.’ Yet even those who just happened upon him on a street corner, in a restaurant or at the county fair would tell you he treated everyone he met as though he had known them for 50 years. In fact, before there was a Pelé, or a Madonna, or a JLo, there was Ted. No last name needed.”
The freeholders said that prior to his retirement in 2006, Narozanick gave an oral history to the Monmouth County Library System as one of 100 Monmouth County citizens asked to contribute to the “Remembering the 20th Century: An Oral History of Monmouth County” project.
In his interview, Narozanick was asked what he liked best about politics and government and the freeholders said his answer “perhaps best summarizes the remarkable life of this truly gifted and special man.”
Narozanick said, “I think meeting the people and seeing what I can help them with, regardless of their problem. I have no line of demarcation, so to speak, whether they are a Republican, Democrat, Conservative, Independent or Liberal. It makes no difference to me.
“If they are county residents and I can help them, that’s my responsibility and my job and that’s what I try to do. Basically my career has been based on a love of county government, the knowledge of it to know what we can and cannot do, and how we can be helpful to all the people,” he told his interviewer.
From January to April 1985, Narozanick served as a full-time volunteer municipal consultant for the Manalapan Township Committee while municipal officials sought a permanent administrator. He served as a special volunteer consultant for the Howell Township Committee in 1985.
During the years of his public service, Narozanick was the recipient of awards and proclamations from numerous civic organizations. In 2001, the Route 33 bypass that runs between Manalapan and Howell was named in his honor.
Narozanick was honored by the CentraState Healthcare Foundation, Freehold Township, for 40 years of support and the garden and circular drive in front of CentraState Medical Center was dedicated to him.
Narozanick was honored by his hometown of Englishtown with the naming of town hall and a road next to the municipal building in 2000.
He was honored in 2007 by Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, with the dedication of the World War II Studies and Conflict Resolution Room in his honor where his Army artifacts are on display in the library.
Narozanick was predeceased by his wife, Margaret Narozanick, in 2007. Surviving are a daughter, Carol Vineyard; two brothers, Henry and Robert; three grandchildren and several great grandchildren.
