Rocco Lucciola

Rocco R. Lucciola entered the house of Our Lord, Thursday, November 11, 2021, Veterans Day, in Basking Ridge, NJ. He was 91. Rocco was born in Jersey City, NJ on May 13, 1930, a son of the late Margaret (nee: Frank) and John Lucciola where he lived until moving permanently to Bricktown, NJ in 1990. He served in the US Army overseas during the Korean War as a Staff Sgt. from 1949 - 1951. Rocco received his BA from Seton Hall University class of 1957, and his Masters in Geology from Columbia University. He worked for 45 years as a Probation Officer and was the Director of the Pre-Trial Intervention Division of Hudson County. He also owned and operated Rock Realty as a Real Estate Broker in Jersey City. As a devout Roman Catholic, he was a parishioner of Our Lady of Mount Carmel RC Church in Jersey City where he served as an altar boy and St. Martha's RC Church in Point Pleasant, NJ. Rocco was an avid outdoorsman. He loved hunting with his German Short-haired pointer, Brownie. He shot big game on many occasions while on safari in Africa. He also loved boating, fishing, and communing with nature. He was a lifelong member of the NRA. He won numerous medals in track and swimming. He was a talented, self-taught artist, creating many memorable paintings as an outlet. He was an accomplished martial artist and loved to read and travel. His passion for geology took him to distant and exotic destinations. He was pre-deceased by his sister Marian (nee: Lucciola) and her husband Louis J. Castellano, his brother John Lucciola II, and his niece Barbara VanAkin (nee Castellano). Rocco is survived by his sister-in-law, Beatrice Lucciola and his nieces and nephews: Margaret Ann Cataneo (nee: Lucciola) and her husband John, Patricia McConville (nee: Lucciola) and her husband Kevin, John Lucciola III and his wife Cheryl, Robert Lucciola and his wife Carol, Margaret-Lea Ross (nee: Castellano) and her husband Dr. Michael Ross, Mark L.D. Castellano and his wife Cherie, and David L. Castellano and his wife Lillian. He also has many great-nieces, nephews and friends. Visitation will be Friday, November 12, 2021 from 4 - 8 PM at the Valley Memorial Funeral Home 1012 Valley Rd., Gillette, NJ. A Mass of Christian Burial will be Saturday November 13, 2021 at 10:00 AM at St. Vincent de Paul RC Church 250 Bebout Ave., Stirling, NJ. Entombment will follow on Monday, November 15, 2021 at 9:30 am at Holy Cross Mausoleum in North Arlington, NJ. For those wishing to attend the viewing remotely, please use the following information: Virtual visitation is available by Zoom: Topic: Virtual Visitation for Rocco Lucciola Time: Nov 12, 2021 04:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Meeting ID: 871 3471 2216 Passcode: 873799 For more information and online condolences visit valleymemorialfuneralhome.net.