Obituary of Thomas A. Ventriglia
Thomas A. Ventriglia
Age: 81 * Retired Dunellen Police Chief
Piscataway, NJ – Thomas A. Ventriglia, 81, passed away at his home surrounded by his loving family on Friday, July 28, 2023. Born on July 17, 1942 to the late Gaetano & Josephine (DiMaio) Ventriglia, Tom grew up in Raritan and resided in Dunellen before settling to Piscataway in 1976.
Tom graduated Somerville High School and after wreaking havoc with his identical twin brother, Phil, Tom went on to become a police officer. He started with Dunellen Police Department as a patrolman in 1971 and worked up the ranks until becoming Police Chief. After thirty-one years of dedication to the community, Tom retired in 2002.
After retirement, Tom took pride in continuing his dedication to the community and worked with the Bongiovi and Someville Funeral Homes. He then became a huge asset with the Piscataway & Middlesex Funeral Homes where Tom worked tending door and driving for funerals up until his illness. Tom loved golfing in the Senior League at Raritan Landing Golf Course and never missed a Saturday morning breakfast with his “Turtle Club” members, first meeting at Browns Newspaper Store in Dunellen and then The Junction Deli in Middlesex.
He was a long-time member of the Somerville Elks and could always be found assisting in the kitchen at the yearly Super Bowl Breakfast. Tom enjoyed time spent with the travelling seniors and enjoyed taking trip with his wife Joan and their friends. He never missed an opportunity to visit Italy or Aruba and loved spending time with his grandchildren, especially watching all there sports games.
Predeceased by his twin brother and best friend, Phil, who died last July, his sister-in-law, Gloria Hughes and her husband, Howard, Tom is survived by his wife of forty-seven years, Joan (Leonelli) Ventriglia; his children, Thomas (Barbara) of North Plainfield, Robin Tutelman (Jeff) of South Plainfield, Jacqueline Phelan (Matthew) of Piscataway and Danielle Papenberg (Heath) also of Piscataway. He will be missed dearly by his nine grandchildren; Lauren, Anthony and Jenna Phelan, Chase Papenberg, Emily
Phelan, Riley Papenberg, Justin and Sean Tutelman and Erin Phelan; his sister, Penny Stashyn (Tony) of Middlesex, his nephews whom Tom was extremely close to, Christopher (Frances) and Michael
(Christina) Hughes and their families.
Tom had numerous nieces and nephews who all loved their “Uncle Tom,” and the PBA cards were a bonus!
Visitation will be held at Middlesex Funeral Home, 528 Bound Brook Road, Middlesex, NJ 08846 on August 1, 2023 from 4pm until 8pm with an Elks Service beginning at 7pm. Family and friends may gather to the funeral home on Wednesday, August 2, 2023 beginning 9:15am for additional visitation.
On Wednesday, August 2, 2023, prayers will begin at 9:45am followed by a 10:30am funeral mass at Our Lady of Fatima RC Church in Piscataway. Tom will be privately entombed at Resurrection Burial Park in Piscataway.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Tom’s name sent to the American Heart Association (www.heart.org) would be appreciated.