Vincent G. Ronca

Vincent Gabriel Ronca, age 95 of Long Branch died Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at home. He was born in the First Ward, Newark, N.J. After graduating from Barringer High School in Newark, he attended the University of Vermont becoming a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity. He went on to receive a B.S. degree from Roanoke College, Salem, VA, completing graduate work at The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA, and received a Secondary Teaching Certificate in Science from the State of New Jersey. Vincent was a Civilian Federal Civil Service employee from 1942 to 1976. He was an engineer with the Signal Corps Laboratories at Fort Monmouth and an instructor with the Civilian Training School. In his capacity as Production and Procurement Safety Coordinator, he received several commendations from the Army Materiel Command, Washington D.C. He was also awarded an outstanding Service Award from the Commanding General, Fort Monmouth, for his work with the Civilian Welfare Fund. Mr. Ronca served as President of the National Federation of Federal Employees, Fort Monmouth Chapter No. 476. Retiring in 1976, he was appointed by the Commanding General to the Fort Monmouth Officers' Club Council. In 2005, the Commanding General honored Vincent with the Commander’s Medallion for Outstanding Work, noting his exceptional record of sixty-three years of continuous affiliation with Fort Monmouth. Residing in North Long Branch for over sixty-five years, Vincent actively participated in community affairs. He was a lifetime member and past President of the North Long Branch Community Club, an honorary member of the Long Branch Fire Department, Lieutenant of the Long Branch Civil Defense, and past President of the Green and White Athletic High School Association. He was on the Board of Trustees for the Long Branch Community Adult School, an officer at the Long Branch Elks' Lodge 742, lifetime member of the Knights of Columbus Council 335, and a member of the Long Branch Exchange Club. Dedicated to public service, in 1960 Vincent was the first Federal Civilian Civil Service employee to be elected to public office in the State of New Jersey under the U.S. Hatch and NJ Faulkner Act. He served as a Councilman in Long Branch’s Sixth Ward, was a Ward Republican Committee Member, a Chairman of the Long Branch Republican Party, and a member of the Monmouth County Republican Party. He received a NJ State appointment to the Long Branch Housing Authority. Additionally, as a member of the Monmouth County Probation Department, he was responsible for coordinating adoption cases with the Division of Youth and Family Services. Upon Vincent’s retirement, he discovered a passion for golf. Making 3 holes-in-one, he played through the last year of his life. Foremost, Vincent G. Ronca was a family man. He was predeceased by his childhood sweetheart Dorothy Elaine Souter and his daughter Mary Elaine. Surviving are his daughters and sons-in-law Joanne and Nicholas Spadavecchia, West Long Branch, NJ, Dorothy (Dee Dee) and Anthony Migliaccio, Long Branch, NJ, Patricia Waltcher and William Okin, Ojai CA, seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Visitation will be held on Sunday, January 31, 2010 from 4 " 7 pm at the Damiano Funeral Home, 191 Franklin Ave., (corner of Third Ave.), Long Branch. A Memorial Mass will be held on Monday, February 1 at 10:00 am at the Roman Catholic Church of the Precious Blood in Monmouth Beach. Interment will follow at Woodbine Cemetery. Flowers will be accepted, or memorial donations can be made to HABcore, P.O. Box 2361, Red Bank, NJ, 07701. The family invites you to leave an online condolence, light a memorial candle or make a memorial donation by selecting the appropriate tab on the left.