Obituary of Rudolph “Rudy� Simonetti

Simonetti, Rudolph Rudy of Totowa at rest in Wayne on March 23, 2006. Born in Donora, PA, Mr. Simonetti moved to the Paterson area as a young boy and attended local schools. He entered service during WWII on April 13, 1943 and was assigned to the Army Air Corps as a Flight Engineer on a B-24 and served with the 5th Air Force in the South Pacific. After completing 23 combat missions he was discharged on November 13, 1945. He enlisted in the State Police on March 1, 1951. During his tenure with the State Police, he was a road trooper from 1952-1960. In 1960, he was assigned as an investigator to the Senator Grossi Welfare Commission. In 1964, he was then assigned to the Criminal Investigation Bureau to conduct criminal investigations. From 1966-1967, he was assigned to the racetrack unit. In 1967, he was assigned to the Organized Crime Task Force-North Unit as supervisor. In 1973, he was assigned to the Criminal Investigation Bureau as the Supervisor. In 1975, he was assigned to the New Jersey Racing Commission where he implemented procedure for Pre-Race blood and Post-Race Urine testing for race horses. Then, he was assigned to the Equine Testing Laboratory and he retired from that position on April 1, 1979 as a Lieutenant. On January 29, 1979, he was hired as a detective with the New Jersey Sports Authority and in May 1979, he was promoted to the Stable Area Security Chief where he held the position until he retired on November 11, 2002. Rudy was appointed by Governor Christine Whitman as a New Jersey Detective and Police Officer on October 1, 1987. He was a member of the Former Troopers Association, the N.J. Police Brotherhood Association, the Disabled American Veterans, and the Fraternal Order of Police. He is survived by his wife of 57 years the former Gilda Di Guglielmo. Father of Randy Simonetti and his wife Debra, Sharon Mikolajczyk and her husband Thomas and Debra Zambito and her husband Michael. Grandfather of Andrew, James, Kristin, Lisa, Andrea, Jessica, Rudy and Mark. Brother of Lee Martinelli, Delma Cuccinello, Emil Simonetti and Paul Simonetti. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the funeral from the Festa Memorial Funeral Home, 111 Union Blvd., Totowa, on Monday at 9:00 AM. Funeral Mass to follow at St. James R.C. Church, Totowa at 9:30 AM. Interment at Cedar Lawn Cemetery, Paterson. Friends may call Saturday 7-9 PM and Sunday 2-4 and 7-9 PM. For more information go to www.festamemorial.com.