A mass of Christian burial took place July 18 at St. Joan of Arc RC Church, Marlton, for Archibald J. Gallombardo, 92. He passed away suddenly at Lenox Hill Hospital on July 12. Born in the Greenville section of Jersey City in 1923 to Salvatore and Rose, Archie enlisted in the US Navy in January, 1943 and was assigned to the USS Alabama (BB60), a South Dakota class battleship. For his military service during World War II, Archie earned the Philippine Liberation Ribbon with two stars, the Asiatic Pacific Ribbon with ten stars, the American Theatre Ribbon and the Victory Ribbon. Realizing the importance of education while serving aboard ship, Archie enrolled and graduated from Jersey City State College, now known as New Jersey City University, with a BA in mathematics in 1949. There he met Bernice Botti, the two married in June 1950 and they settled in Weehawken to raise their family. Archie continued his education while teaching middle school mathematics in Ridgefield Park, earning a Masters Degree in Education from Columbia University.
While pursuing an education doctorate at Columbia in the 1960s, Archie was named principal of Belleville School Number 5 and for a brief time was principal of School Number 9 as well. After holding the principalship at School 5 for over twenty-five years, Archie retired from the Belleville Board of Education in June, 1990. He spent his retirement in Tabernacle and Marlton.
Archie was predeceased by his wife Bernice in February, 1976. He is survived by two sons, Joseph and his wife Jacqueline, James and his wife Elizabeth and a daughter, Bernice Amadeo and her husband Peter, nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Archie was pre-deceased by four sisters, Rose, Sara, Mary and Ann, and two brothers, John and Arthur. Services arranged by the Bradley Funeral Home, Marlton.