Obituary of Allen Del Vecchio

Born in Paterson on October 26, 1953, Allen Del Vecchio lived an entirely selfless life of tremendous passion and service towards others. He passed away on Wednesday afternoon, December 4, 2024 at the age of 71. He resided in, and was the heart and soul of the Borough of Totowa for his entire adult life. Allen’s commitment and unconditional dedication to his family, friends, and his community was unparalleled. He will be deeply missed and fondly remembered.

Son of deceased mother Josephine (nee Biele), and father Salvatore. Allen is survived by his beloved wife and soul mate for nearly 30 years, Peggy Spinelli; his sister Judy Del Rosso and her husband Charles; nieces Tara Bowman and her husband Erik; Kristine Del Ray and her husband Adam; grandnieces Vienna, Allegra, and Luciella; brother-in-law Fred Feiner and his wife Anita; sister-in-law Maria Feiner; niece Sara, and nephew Jackson. He is also survived by his beloved cats, Baci, Bella, and Oreo, amongst the many wildlife creatures that he cared endlessly for. His family and furry friends are heartbroken over his passing, yet they find comfort in the time and memories shared with him, along with the everlasting impact he made on every life he touched.

Allen’s life achievements were renowned throughout many cities and boroughs of New Jersey, however these accomplishments originated in Totowa, the town he so dearly loved and committed his life’s work. He was a Totowa Municipal Employee and wore a great number of hats over his lifetime. He was a member of the Totowa Volunteer Fire Company #1 for over 50 years, while serving as Fire Chief for 20 years (from 1980-2000). Allen was recognized as the youngest Fire Chief in the state of NJ – an honor that he, and his family were incredibly proud of. He also served as the Fire Marshall for the Borough of Totowa for 40 years, and was one of the founders of the Passaic County Fire Academy, where he served as one of the instructors. His position as Fire Marshall was instrumental in allowing him to set up the first Hazmat Response Team for Passaic County – an accomplishment that made a significant impact on many neighboring towns throughout the county. Allen served in a number of roles over his career, including Vice President of the Passaic County Mutual Aid Association, Passaic County Fire Coordinator, Housing & Zoning Coordinator, President of the Passaic County Fire Prevention and Protection Association, Fire Chief’s Association, President of Trustees of the Totowa Fire Department Relief Association, and was a skilled grant writer for the municipality of Totowa.  His position as the OEM Coordinator for Totowa was at the forefront of upgrading municipal OEM operations, and he received state recognition for its success.

Allen was so many things, to so many people. He was a mentor to young men pursuing careers in public service, and took great pride in shaping the lives and morality of future first responders. Not only was he dedicated to guiding and educating younger generations, but he was also a man who cared deeply for the life of animals. You could find him at any given time in his yard, keeping company with and feeding countless birds, deer, fox, skunks, racoons, and geese. He constantly and consistently extended himself to the vulnerability of his stray feline friends, by feeding and building shelters for them in the winter months, where he checked on them daily to ensure they were thriving in harsh conditions. “We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals” – Immanuel Kant. Allen undoubtedly had the biggest and most altruistic heart, and dedicated his life to caring for others. A man of this nature is one who will be remembered for lifetimes to come. (Do not delete this line. It does not print.  Text that is to appear on web must be entered after this line)«

Allen’s wishes were to be cremated privately, however a Celebration of Life will be held in the new year,, on January 11, 2025 from 12 to 4 PM at The Grand, 38 Lackawanna Avenue, Totowa, NJ. We are looking forward to celebrating Allen, while sharing comfort from friends and family who mourn him.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Volunteer Fire Company #1, 11 Mitchell Avenue, Totowa, NJ 07512, and S.T.A.R.T Animal Rescue, P.O. Box 1098, Little Falls, NJ 07424.

Festa Memorial Funeral Home, 111 Union Blvd., Totowa is in charge of arrangements. For more information go to www.festamemorial.com.