JAMES S. MOLINELLI
Memorial courtesy Charles
Petersen
In the summer after graduating
high school Jay joined the Navy and went to boot camp at the Great
Lakes Naval Station. After boot camp he was assigned a service
school for training as a signalman. Once he became a skilled
signalman, he served on the USS Valley Forge, an aircraft carrier
out of Norfolk, Virginia.
After completing his Navy stint
Jay married his wife, Arlene who had attended high school in Perth
Amboy, NJ. They had two children, Kim and Chad. In 1974 Jay became
an Environmental Conservation Officer for the State of New York,
serving much of his initial time as the “Game Warden” on Staten
Island. Later he was promoted to Lieutenant and served as a
supervisor in Orange County, NY. In addition to his supervisory
duties he was often called upon to train new officers, a task he
thoroughly enjoyed. After his passing several officers wrote in
various issues of the Conservation Officer magazine about
“Lieutenant Jim” and the positive impact he had on both their
personal and professional lives. One officer wrote the following
(in part) in a 1992 publication “Who can forget his performance at
the academy when the little guy with the big hat comes stomping into
the room, shouting and throwing things around telling everyone how
he does not want to be there. Then after he returns from the first
break with that big smile on his face and the gentle nature to his
disposition he goes on to point out the magnitude that first
impressions make and how they may affect the officer’s relationship
with the public.” Another officer wrote “We were lucky to have
him. He is with many of us still as we carry on in his memory, with
the values he taught us and the pride and dignity we learned from
him”
Lt. James S. Molinelli lost his
battle with lung cancer and was called to his “Final Patrol” on
September 28, 1991.
