Robert John Scarrillo Sr., police captain in Newark, retired from Essex County Sheriff’s Office – New Jersey Hills
Robert John Scarrillo Sr. of West Caldwell passed away on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2019, surrounded by his loving family, after a long battle with cancer.
Born and raised in Newark, Robert joined the Newark Police Department in 1964 after serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, 2nd Marine Division. He spent five years as a motorcycle officer and was entrusted with the training of new officers in motorcycle patrols and defensive driving. He was assigned in 1970 to the Narcotics Bureau, where he steadily rose through the ranks until he was made acting captain in charge of the Narcotics Bureau in 1988.
After 25 years of service, Robert retired from the Newark Police Department and accepted a position with the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Narcotics, where he was appointed director in 1992. Robert remained director of the Essex County Sheriff’s Office Bureau of Narcotics and the Internal Affairs Division until he retired, this time for good, in 2008.
Throughout his distinguished 45-year career in law enforcement, Robert embodied the ideals at the core of our justice system. He instilled his sense of duty, fairness and professionalism by example in the officers under his command and was the bar by which those officers were measured. He touched the lives of officers and citizens alike in his desire to make Essex County a better, safer place. He will be sorely missed.
Robert loved the outdoors, whether he was tending to his garden, bird watching in his backyard or spending time at the beach with his family. He maintained his passion for riding motorcycles and stayed in shape by going on long walks with his faithful canine companion, Harley. He never missed a Yankees or Giants game, was a constant presence at his grandson’s baseball and football games, and was always in the bleachers to watch his granddaughter cheer for Morris Hills High School’s Scarlet Knights. He especially enjoyed spending time with his family, and he always knew where everyone was and what they were doing, long before social media and GPS locators made us take that for granted.
Robert was a devoted husband and is survived by his wife of 55 years, Nancy (Asadorian) Scarrillo. He was a loving father and is also survived by his children, Dana Marie Scarrillo and her partner, Raymond Morasse, and Robert J. Scarrillo Jr. and his wife, Barbara Anne. He was a doting grandfather and is survived by his cherished grandchildren, Alyssa and Anthony Scarrillo. Finally, Robert was a caring brother and is survived by his siblings, Lois Pierro and her husband, Perry; Daniel Scarrillo and his wife, Patricia; Marc Scarrillo and his wife, Barbara Ann; and Janet Verschleiser and her husband, Daniel. Robert was predeceased by his parents, John Gerard and Lucille Veronica (Pope) Scarrillo, and his brother, Joseph Scarrillo.
Relatives and friends are invited to pay their last respects to Robert from 3 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 19 at the Shook Farmer Funeral Home, 45 Roseland Ave. in Roseland.
A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 20 at St. Aloysius Church, 219 Bloomfield Ave. in Caldwell, with interment to follow at Prospect Hill Cemetery, Caldwell. For more information, please visit www.shookfarmer.com.
Robert was a dedicated patron of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and therefore his family would appreciate that donations be made in his memory to St. Jude, in lieu of flowers, at http://stjude.org/.