CENTRAL JERSEY CHAPTER
SOCIETY OF FORMER SPECIAL AGENTS
OF THE
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
2006 MEMORIAL SERVICE
JUNE 8, 2006
The Annual Memorial Service for Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) killed in the line of duty was held at St. John's Church, Mulberry Street, Newark, New Jersey (NJ) on June 8, 2006. The Memorial Service was co-sponsored by the Newark Division, Newark's Police Training Unit, and the Central Jersey, Shore, North Jersey, and Atlantic City Chapters of the Society. The oldest church in Newark was filled with a large group of Retired Agents from all four chapters, FBI Alumni, and the Agents and Support Staff of the Newark Field Division.
Troopers Joel Trella and Bill Hughes of the New Jersey State Police pierced the old church with the sound of bag pipes and drums as they escorted and presented the colors to initiate the Service.
Newark Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Les Wiser welcomed everyone to the Service and remained the host of the program for the rest of the day. SAC Wiser noted that "our FBI service comes at a terrible price sometimes." The celebrants of the Memorial Service were Newark Division Chaplains, Monsignor Raymond ("Father Ray") Lopatesky and the Rev. Virginia Cetuk, and Monsignor Mahoney, the Pastor of St. John's.
Throughout the solemn Memorial, the themes of dedicated service, honor, justice, and sacrifice were reiterated by all of the speakers. Father Ray reminded everyone that this marked his fifteenth year as the Newark Division Chaplain and joined Rev. Cetuk in remembering the sacrifices of the fallen Agents in the cause of truth and justice. North Jersey Chapter member Al Chestone once again offered a poignant, original poem, assuring everyone that "we shall always remember and respect" the FBI martyrs for their heroism and that they were "beacons of decency." Newark ASACs Ken Counts, Kevin Cruise, Frank Marmo, and Acting ASAC John Turkington read The Roll of Honor as the church bell tolled and a special photo montage of the deceased Agents, prepared by the Newark Photo Unit, was shown.
Immediately following the Memorial Service, everyone in attendance adjourned across McCarter Highway to the Newark Field Division headquarters, where a buffet luncheon was hosted by SAC Wiser and his staff. The luncheon offered a generous opportunity to Agents and FBI employees, past and present, to socialize and catch up on old times.
Central Jersey Chapter Chairman Les Wilson hosted a brief business meeting and Chapter Treasurer Joe DiLeo announced that a donation in the amount of $845 was being made to the Agents Association Scholarship Fund on behalf of the four New Jersey chapters and individual donations made by attendees at the Memorial Service.
A day of solemn reflection and good fellowship was engaged in by all.
