Carmen Orechio was unique from the beginning. His mother Rosaria was a wonderful Italian cook, but Orechio was a picky eater. “He wouldn’t eat spaghetti, meatballs, gravy or anything remotely Italian,” former state Democratic Sen. Anthony Scardino noted on Friday during a Funeral Mass for the late New Jersey Senate president.

Orechio asked for turkey, and his mother gave him turkey. He did it his way, just as he did his entire life, Scardino, who served in the 36th District, declared at St. Mary's Church in Nutley. Orechio, 91, died at his Nutley home on Monday.