Kenneth Roger Vitty Sr. Vietnam Vet, Police Officer, Dies At 74

Courtesy of Mastapeter Funeral Home

Kenneth Roger Vitty Sr. transitioned from this world to the next with his loving family at his side on Dec. 15.

Ken was born on May 27, 1943 in Newark to Vincent and Dorothy (Distasio) Vitty. He attended Belleville High School. He later joined the U.S. Army and proudly served his country during the Vietnam War.

Ken went on to become a police officer with the Nutley Township police department and transferred to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as a detective until his retirement in 1991. He was one of the founding members of the Essex County Auto Theft Task Force and was an investigator in the Lufthansa robbery of 1978.

After his retirement Ken became a master locksmith and an arson investigator with Sterling Investigative Services until his retirement in 2016.

Of all the accomplishments in Ken's life, his biggest has always been his family.

Ken is predeceased by his only son, Kenneth Roger Vitty Jr., his parents Vincent and Dorothy Vitty, and his in-laws John and Ages (Marko) Page. Surviving is his loving wife of 31 years, Sandi Page Vitty and his daughters Linda Smith (Gregg), Christine Clontz (Eric), Theresa Sands (Richard), Kimberly Grace, and Danielle Stesner (Patrick). He will be forever missed by his grandchildren Kayla, Alexis, Haley, A.J, Sierra, Jayce, Abbie, Donovan and Gaetano. Also surviving is his loving sister and brother in-law, Virginia and Joe Salmon along with their family.

A celebration of his life will be held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 19 and from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday at the Mastapeter Funeral Home at 270 Atlantic City Boulevard in Bayville. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 20 at St. Barnabas R.C. Church in Bayville. Entombment will follow to St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery in Toms River.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Popcorn Park Zoo, (ahcares.org), in Ken's name.

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