Hundreds Mourn James Vigilante At Parsippany Funeral

The rainy, dreary morning matched the mood of the hundreds that poured into the Saint Peter the Apostle Church on Friday to remember James Vigilante, but as the service went on, glimpses of sun shone through the stained glass windows of the church.

Vigilante’s coffin was draped with an American flag as it was carried out of the church, followed by a ceremonial folding of the flag, three volleys of shots fired in honor Vigilante and the playing of Taps.

“We bring our brother Jimmy here with absolute confidence to turn him over to the care of our loving God,” Msgr. Herbert Tillyer said.

“I know that Jimmy is up in heaven and he’s asking somebody there, ‘is there anything I can do to help? How can I make a difference?’ and you know what … Jesus will find a way, even in heaven, for Jimmy to help other people because that’s who Jimmy is. Because of that, this church is full. We loved Jimmy and he loved us and he took care of us in so many different ways.”

The list of ways that Vigilante gave back to the community stretches on, from the Wounded Warriors Project to the Uncle Sam's Motorcycle Club.

“Jimmy was there. Jimmy was always there … and there are hundreds of us here that have their stories that can come up here and tell us what Jimmy did … and do so with absolute pride,” said Tillyer and he then shared a memory of his own about Vigilante.

He pointed to the large cross high up on the church wall behind him. “On Good Friday, the day that Jesus died, we would bring that cross all through the congregation so that people could touch it, touch Jesus … Jimmy and a couple other men would get up there on a ladder every Good Friday and gently, carefully, they would bring that cross (down) … and then later in the evening, Jimmy would come with other men and put up the ladders and very very gently, put the cross back where it could be seen by everyone all the time. Yes, Jimmy did that directly for Jesus.”

James Vigilante died this past Sunday morning from a heart attack at the age of 49 and he was a U.S. Air Force Reserves Master Sgt., Morris County Republican Committee member and former Parsippany Town Councilman.

Colonel Paulette Schank and Lou Valori were asked to speak during Vigilante's funeral service. 

Colonel Paulette Schank

Schank said that she had the opportunity to sit with Vigilante’s mother and “was able to tell her what his life was like in the military” and she asked Schank to talk about Vigilante’s military life during the funeral service.

“He’s a first sergeant … a first sergeant is a commander’s right hand. We are a group of 2,600” and Vigilante was one of the few chosen during its selection process. “You have to be chosen, to be elected to compete for first sergeant.”

A first sergeant “has to care, has to care for people,” she said, adding that when she first interviewed Vigilante for the position, it took three hours “because I was able to connect with him. The reason why I connected with him was because his heart was so huge … I asked him, ‘so what do you do in your free time?’ … Wow. The list goes on and on and on and on. Judging from how many people are here today, obviously his free time was well spent. It wasn’t all about him, it was about the people he helped.”

During the interview process, Vigilante had asked Schank what goes into being a first sergeant. “You have to love our people as much as I (do)," she told him. "You have to care for them. I need you to be my eyes and I need you to be my ears … (in case) if I need to touch base with someone for whatever (reason) … I need you to be involved with every one of their lives.”

Schank added that Vigilante was deployed overseas for six months, which helped him in his role of first sergeant because the experience would help “put him in the shoes” of those who have been deployed. “He came home a little changed as well … with a little deeper appreciation for all the things that (fellow soldiers who have been deployed) do.”

She added that he asked to join a medical squadron for training in Tampa and from that, had eye opening experiences, seeing such things like autopsies and births.

Schank ended her speech by reading the Air Force First Sergeant Creed, which is the oath that Vigilante took:

"I am a First Sergeant. My job is people—Every One is my Business. 
I dedicate my time and energy to their needs, their health, morale, discipline and welfare. I grow in strength by strengthening my people. My job is done in faith; my people build my faith. The Air Force is my life; I share it with my people I believe in the Air Force goal—‘We take care of our own.’ My job is people—Everyone is my business.”

“And that was Sergeant Vigilante, a job well done sir,” said Schank.

Lou Valori

“Jimmy was known as a big man with a deep voice and huge smile, giant heart and a larger than life personality, who generously gave his time to talk and listen to everyone regardless of who you were,” said Valori. “While Jimmy most of all loved his family, his compassionate caring heart made all friends feel like they were all part of Jimmy’s family too. Jimmy was loved by so many. Jimmy’s magnetic personality … was as infectious as his smile.”

He always gave “encouraging words and a hand to everyone, whether it was a friend or stranger. He possessed the gift of making friends instantaneously … Jimmy also had the uncanny ability to disarm a person in a bad mood,” said Valori. “As councilman of Parsippany, Jimmy gave his heart and soul to provide a better township to the residents.”

Valori listed off just a few of the activities Vigilante was involved with:

• Disabled American Veterans
• Morris County Foster Care
• Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany
• Big Brother and Big Sisters
• Sons of Italy
• Sponsored many little league and soccer teams

Valori mentioned a side note about Vigilante that drew many laughs: “He never stopped and ate almost anything that fell on his plate or anybody else’s plate. His physique never gave away his huge endless appetite.”

“Jimmy was a giver and he didn’t ask for anything in return. He was a man who served and didn’t want to be served … he served our country in the battlefield, he was active in serving our community. Serving his country was of the utmost importance to Jimmy. He was much too busy to better our country and our township, rather than think of himself.”

Valori then spoke directly to Vigilante’s mother: “Jimmy loved you so much … and especially told (others) how you kept him in line.”

He ended his speech by thanking the Vigilante family for “sharing Jimmy with our town and country. This place is a better place because of Jimmy’s dedication and tenacity to advocate for the people and deliver for the common good … Jimmy will always live in our hearts as Parsippany’s son, neighbor, friend, public servant and most of all, hero.”

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• James Vigilante, Former Parsippany Councilman and Master Sgt Dies