Obituaries

Obituary: Vincent J. Surdi Sr., 86

Vincent Surdi was on the 1956 Olympic Fencing Team.

Vincent J. Surdi, Sr., 86, of Freehold, died on Friday, Oct. 5. Surdi was born and grew up in Newark, NJ. He and his wife, Josephine raised their family in Essex Fells, NJ and enjoyed many summers at their home in the Catskills. It was there that Surdi shared his lifelong love of the outdoors with his family. He was an avid sportsman who enjoyed hunting and fishing and passed this love along to his children and grandchildren.

Surdi was also actively involved in the sport of fencing throughout his life. As the fencing coach at Bloomfield High School, he led his team to win the State Championships in 1951. As a fencer himself, he earned a spot on the Olympic Fencing Team in 1956. After he stopped competing, he served as the ECAC's International Fencing Association's Supervisor of Officials for many years and also participated as an official for local and international competitions including the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. In addition, for over 30 years, he and his brother Robert owned an automotive business, Trans Air Transmissions, in Maplewood, NJ.

Surdi was predeceased by his loving wife, Carmel Josephine, in 1988 and his brother, Benjamin Surdi, in 1997. He is survived by his children, Vincent Jr. and Mila of Syosset, NY and JoAnn and Dan Lash of Freehold, NJ, his grandchildren, Vincent III, Samantha, Nicole and Daniel, his brother, Robert Surdi of West Caldwell, NJ and two sisters, Ann Facciponte of Palm Harbor, FL, and Marion Riccio of Acworth, GA and will be lovingly remembered by extended family, friends and many nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to an organization that was dear to him, The Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum @CFFCM.net, 1031 Old Route 17 Livingston Manor, NY 12758.

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Visiting  will be at the Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home on Tuesday, Oct. 9,  from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Relatives and friends may gather at the funeral home on Wednesday, Oct. 10 at 9 a.m. for the procession to St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church, for his 10 a.m. Funeral Mass. Interment to follow in Mount Olivet Cemetery, 23 Cottage Place, Bloomfield, NJ. For information, directions or condolence messages to the family, visit www.claytonfuneralhome.com.


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