Ed Verrillo

Wednesday, February 18, 2009 4:14 AM EST
By Tom Caprood
The Record

TROY — The city lost one of its greatest patriots Tuesday.

Ed Verrillo, a former city firefighter and a long-standing, highly active member of the Troy Flag Day Parade Committee, passed away at the age of 85 at St. Mary’s Hospital.

Verrillo served on the committee for 40 years and served as its president and parade chairman. In 1998 he received a citation from the state Assembly for his service to the community and, in recent years, was awarded the title of president emeritus for the committee.

Joe Killeen, a fellow committee member who had known Verrillo since he started working with the parade, was very shaken up when he received news that his friend had passed away.

“I’ve lost a great friend, but the community has lost one also,” said Killeen, while fighting back tears.

Killeen explained that Verrillo was always interested in talking about the parade or any of his other community activities, such as sporting events he refereed at the Troy Boys Club.

The two would often meet at Famous Lunch and other local restaurants for breakfast and would be greeted by fellow city residents who knew Verrillo well.

“Everybody knew him and he loved everybody,” said Killeen.

Verrillo served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and, upon receiving an honorable discharge, joined the Troy Fire Department in 1954, where he spent 30 years.

Verrillo also worked with local athletic teams at the boys club and at Troy High School, where he graduated in 1944, and raised money for the Pickens Scholarship to assist financially-challenged athletes. He was inducted into the school’s hall of fame for his performance on the basketball team.

Rensselaer County Frank Merola said that Verrillo had been a member of his coffee club for several years and that he would be sorely missed in the community.

“He was one of my best friends to be honest with you,” said Merola. “He was just non-stop out there trying to raise money for both organizations (the scholarship and the parade) and was one of those guys that was tirelessly working with the community.”

Merola also recalled how Verrillo had developed his cooking skills during his time as a city firefighter.

“I always said he made some of the best eggplant, excluding my mother’s,” said Merola.

Mayor Harry Tutunjian credited Verrillo for keeping the parade going for four decades.

“Ed was a tireless worker for the Troy Flag Day Parade, and one of the main reasons it became such a staple in Troy’s culture,” said Tutunjian. “His dedication to the city and its most well known event will never be forgotten.”

Verrillo worked 35 years as a licensed electrical contractor and was remembered for often assisting with the electrical needs of the Italian Community Center where he was a member for more than 40 years and worked to raise money for the organization’s various needs.

“It’s a big loss because Ed was always there for the people of Troy,” said Neil Kelleher, chairman of the Rensselaer County Legislature. “He did so much for so many years to make the Flag Day Parade the biggest and best in the country and was a tireless booster of athletics at Troy High.”

Jerry Weaver, vice president emeritus of the Flag Day Committee, said that he had been sad to learn of Verrillo’s passing.

“There was nobody more patriotic than Eddie — that’s for sure,” said Weaver, who noted that, even towards the end, Verrillo had continued to attend committee meetings and provide good input.

Jason Schofield, president of the Troy Board of Education and a fellow Flag Day Committee member, said that Verrillo was a “great guy.”

“I worked with him for the last six years on the parade and when I would see him in church he always wanted to know what was going on for the next year’s parade as soon as the last parade ended,” said Schofield. “He was a great, talkative guy and it’s certainly sad that he passed away.”

Verrillo was also known as a family man and is survived by his wife of 60 years, Mary, and his three children, JoAnn Marinello, Edward Jr., and Joseph.

In lieu of flowers, Verrillo’s family has requested that donations be made in his name to the Troy Boys and Girls Club, the Troy Hall of Fame, or the ICC.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a wake for Verrillo Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Bizzarro Funeral Home, located at 171 Hill St.

A mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Anthony’s Shrine Church Friday at 9:30 a.m., with interment at Saratoga National Cemetery.