Plan for the Future
Justin Starr Imperatore, 22, of Summit, New Jersey, died suddenly on October 2, 2018, at home. Born in New York City, Justin lived in Englewood, New Jersey, before he and his family moved to Summit. Justin attended Summit High School and was a proud graduate of the Avon Old Farms School in Connecticut. At Amherst College, he studied history and played as a goalie on the Varsity lacrosse team. Justin was a charismatic, ebullient, larger-than-life person who bonded with people wherever he went. An avid athlete and driven competitor, his passion in high school and college was lacrosse; some of his happiest moments were on and off the field with his teammates. A deeply thoughtful and sensitive young man, he was a gifted creative writer and was pursuing studies in history and philosophy. He loved working with kids and volunteered as a tutor; he also worked to raise awareness for mental health causes. Other moments of joy were summers spent in nature with his siblings at the Keewaydin camp in Vermont and on family vacations in Nantucket and California. Justin will be remembered and adored by all who knew him for his unabashed sense of humor, his loving nature, and his deep commitment to his family, teachers, mentors, and friends and the institutions that formed him.
Justin was predeceased by his grandparents, Helen Imperatore of Fort Lee and Kevin Starr of San Francisco. He is survived by his parents, Marian Starr Imperatore and Arthur Edward Imperatore, Jr. of Summit; his siblings Arthur, Alexander, and Augusta; grandparents Sheila Starr of San Francisco, and Mei Ling and Arthur E. Imperatore of Cliffside Park; cousins Andrew, Alicia, and Amanda; Emma and Olivia; Raquel, Ava, and Stella; his aunts and uncles, Armand Pohan and Nancy Rieger, India Imperatore, and Jessica Starr and Michael McEvoy; and his devoted nanny, Maureen McCann.
A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, October 6, 2018, at 10:45 am at St. Teresa of Avila Church, 306 Morris Avenue in Summit, New Jersey. A reception will follow at the Memorial Hall, which is located across the street from the Church. In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Justin Starr Imperatore may be made to the Avon Old Farms School in support of scholarships.