Obituary of Sam Cerciello

Sebastian J. “Sam” Cerciello, Sr. , a lifelong resident of Madison, was called home to the Lord on Saturday, August 15, 2020 at the age of 79.

 Born in Summit on March 13, 1941 to Vincent “Jimmy” and Frances Cerciello, he and his two sisters were raised in Madison in a loving family. 

 After graduating from Madison High School where was a football team captain and 1959 MVP award recipient – the first lineman to receive this honor, called by coach Ted Monica one of the best lineman the school ever had-, Sam enlisted in the United States Army and proudly served for two years during the early years of the Vietnam War, earning the Vietnam Service Medal and Combat Infantry Badge and Marksman Badges. After his honorable discharge, Sam remained at the ready in the US Army Reserves for an additional four years.

 Sam became the co-owner and operator of the P.S. Pub in Madison in 1971 to 1986. Retiring from the pub business, Sam devoted himself to masonry, proudly joining the Local 21 Bricklayers Union with his father and founding Cerciello Contractors in Madison. A second-generation stone mason, he trained under his father, who provided the foundation and skills of the trade that complimented his natural talent. A perfectionist with an incredible eye for building beautiful structures, Sam was a master craftsman who continued to work until his final day.

 Three words encompassed Sam’s life: community, faith, and family.

Sam was a fixture of the Madison community. Known to many as “Suds,” he could often be found around town at Esquires, CJ’s Deli, Main Street Subs, or the YMCA. He was also known as “Sammy C The Joke Man,” - he was always telling jokes, which culminated in him performing a comedy show at The North Star Italian American Club, where he belonged for many years. A member of the Madison Borough Council for several years, he also once ran for the office of mayor of Madison. If you ever ran into Sammy C. in town, he would leave you with a joke and a rosary ring.

Years ago, Sam was one of a handful of Madison residents who brought great joy to the community by running the annual Rose City Festival for over a decade. Throughout his life, Sam was also heavily involved in UNICO National, the largest Italian American service organization in the US.

Sam was devoted to charity and did many acts to help the Madison community throughout the years, such as volunteering to drive the senior citizens’ bus. He would often offer his services for the betterment of Madison – building snack bars or dugouts for sports fields, whatever was needed- using his masonry skills to help shape and serve the town.  He was a “Dodger for Life” who “bled maroon and gold” and enjoyed Madison football throughout the years.

Sam was a faith-filled man and was extremely active with St. Vincent Martyr Church of Madison, First Baptist Church of Madison and The Loyola Jesuit Center of Morristown. Sam was an active member of the First Baptist Church, and was a part of their weekly bible study. He was devoted to his faith, and religious retreats were an important part of his life. Due to his participation in religious retreats annually, he received his 40-year pin from Loyola Jesuit Center last year.  

In addition to his parents, Sam was predeceased by his sister, Marie Davis. He is survived by his wife, Virginia G. “Gail” Cerciello of Madison; two sons, Vincent J. “V.J.” Cerciello of Langhorne, PA and his wife, Jennifer and Sebastian J. Cerciello, Jr. his partner, Stacy Terraciano, and her daughter, Lucia, of Madison; one sister, Joan Sodano and her husband, Joe of Madison; two cherished grandchildren, Vincent and Alexia; his nephew, Frank Davis; his nieces, Frances Boardman, Tracy Geraghty, and LuAnne Ubertaccio; numerous great and great-great nieces and nephews, and many dear friends. He is also survived by his beloved dog, Rocky.

Relatives and close friends are invited to attend a visitation to celebrate Sam’s life held on Thursday, August 20, 2020 from 4:00PM to 8:00PM at the Madison Memorial Home, 159 Main Street, Madison. A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, August 21, 2020 at 10:00AM at St. Vincent Martyr Church, Madison. For those that wish, you may attend the Funeral Liturgy virtually via live-stream by visiting www.svmnj.org and viewing the mass on the main webpage of the church beginning at 10:00AM. Interment will be held privately for the family.

 **Visitors to the funeral home and church are asked to wear masks and practice proper social distancing. In order to maintain a safe number of people in the funeral home, we kindly & respectfully ask that after paying your respects you give others the same opportunity by making your visit brief.**

 In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that charitable contributions be made in Sam’s memory to The Loyola Jesuit Center, 161 James Street, Morristown, NJ 07960 or online here https://www.loyola.org/give/give-now/