Frank Guarini, Jersey City Native and Seven-Term Congressman, Dies at 101

Former Congressman Frank J. Guarini Jr., a Jersey City native and one of Hudson County’s most prominent political figures of the 20th century, died on June 20. He was 101.

Guarini was the oldest living former congressman from New Jersey at the time of his death. He grew up in the McGinley Square section of Jersey City and remained tied to his hometown throughout his life. His father had represented Hudson County in the State Assembly in the 1930s.

A Dartmouth graduate and decorated World War II combat veteran, Guarini began his political career as a Hudson County state senator, serving from 1966 to 1972. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1979, where he represented a Hudson County district for seven terms until 1993. In Congress, he served on the powerful Ways and Means Committee, shaping national policy on taxation and trade.

After leaving Congress, Guarini became a successful real estate developer along the New Jersey waterfront and a major philanthropist. His name appears on institutions across the county, including a library at New Jersey City University and Jersey City’s main post office.

Hudson County Executive Craig Guy ordered all flags on county property flown at half-staff in his honor. “He was a true fighter for his district and a dedicated public servant who led with conviction, integrity, and purpose,” Guy said.

Just weeks before his death, Guarini attended the June 6 ribbon cutting for the Honorable Frank J. Guarini Justice Complex in Jersey City, a county facility built on land he donated, the same site where his law firm opened nearly 70 years ago.