Nicholas Nigro

Mr. Nicholas “Nick” Nigro, 72, passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, May 24, 2026, surrounded by the love of his family.

We respectfully request that no one arrive at the funeral home prior to the posted visitation times, so as not to intrude on the family's private time.

Family and friends are invited to the visitation in the Kowalski Funeral Home, 515 Roselle Street, Linden on Thursday May 28th from 4:00pm to 8:00pm. On Friday May 29th at 9:45am, everyone is asked to gather directly at St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Roman Catholic Church, Linden where the funeral mass will be offered at 10:00am. The prayers of committal will precede Nicholas's burial in the family plot in Rosedale Cemetery, Linden.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the family.

Nick was the son of the late Madge M. Dobosiewicz Nigro (1994) and the late Anthony C. Nigro (2005). In addition to his parents, he lost his only brother, his right-hand man, Vic Nigro in 2018.

To know Nick was to know loyalty, laughter, music, and unconditional love. He was the kind of man who would give you the shirt off his back without ever thinking twice about it. No matter what life threw at him, his family always came first. He was the glue that held everyone together, the steady hand people leaned on, the one that would go out of his way for everyone and everything and the heart of every room he walked into.

Born in Elizabeth and raised in Linden, Nick was a Linden guy through and through. He spent most of his life there before moving to Clark five years ago. He was a proud graduate of Linden schools and carried lifelong friendships and memories with him from those years. Nick had a larger-than-life personality and a sarcastic, goofy sense of humor that could make anyone laugh. He loved joking around, telling stories, and making people smile.

Music was one of Nick’s greatest passions. He was an incredibly talented musician who could both sing and play guitar and bass with ease. Over the years, he was big in the polka scene and performed many other genres of music while participating in many festivals. He was proud to have even created a polka baseline they still use to this day. His most recent band was “Gidran” which later became “Gidran Horse.” Whether he was on stage, playing in the church or just sitting around playing at home, music was simply part of who he was. 

Aside from music he also loved football and baseball and was a lifelong fan of the NY Giants and NY Mets. He kept saying he was waiting for the Mets to win another World Series. 

Nick dedicated 25 years of his life to Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School in Bridgewater, where he worked his way up to Maintenance Foreman. He truly enjoyed being around people and took pride in the relationships he built there over the years. His dedication to his community extended far beyond his job. He never hesitated to show up for his children and their activities — even volunteering to play Audrey 2 in his daughter’s high school production of Little Shop of Horrors, happily singing as the voice of the plant and making everyone laugh in the process. He was just a natural on the stage.

Nick served on the Linden Board of Education for over ten years as both Vice President and President, was a longtime member and treasurer of the Linden Democratic Club and proudly served as PTA President for more than a decade.

Anyone who knew Nick knew how much he loved food. A proud Italian man, he never cooked small meals — there was always enough food to feed an army. Italian cuisine was his favorite, but he also had his staples: ham and mayonnaise sandwiches, his daily Big Gulps (regular Pepsi never diet), and more butter and bread than anyone thought possible. Running out of mayonnaise was simply not an option, and there were always two backup jars waiting for him in the pantry. Food was his love language, and feeding the people he cared about brought him genuine joy.

Above everything else, Nick loved being a husband, father, and grandfather. He adored his four children and his three grandchildren and would do absolutely anything for them. When the grandkids came along, they instantly became the center of his world. He was playful, loving, protective, and endlessly their biggest supporter and fan. 

Nick faced many hardships throughout his life, but he never stopped fighting. His family often joked that he was a cat with nine lives because no matter what he went through, he always found a way to keep going. Even in his final days, he remained strong-willed and determined, telling his loved ones he would go out on his own terms — and true to who he was, he did exactly that.

Nick leaves behind his beloved wife of 32 years, Judith Paffrath Rollis Nigro; his loving children, John Rollis, Lisa Nigro, Amy Rollis, and Melanie Safner and her husband Louie; his cherished grandchildren, Dean Barnetti, Layla Safner, and Elizabeth (Biz) Safner; along with many nieces, nephews, and friends, all who loved him deeply.

The world feels a little quieter without Nick in it, but the love, laughter, memories, music, and strength he gave to the people around him will live on forever. He will be deeply missed and never forgotten.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Nicholas Nigro, please visit our floral store.