Americo “Rick” DeNoia, 66, died after a short illness at Riverview Medical Center on March 22.
He was born in Summit in 1951, the son of the late Americo and Angelina DeNoia.
He graduated Summit High School in 1969. He then went on to college at the University Of Virginia, from where he graduated in 1974. While at UVA he was president of his fraternity. He earned his law degree cum laude from Seton Hall University in 1978. After passing the bar, he started his law practice in Monmouth County, initially in a group practice and then later in solo practice in Red Bank.
Rick, as his family and friends knew him, practiced general law for 40 years. In addition to his private law practice, he was a councilman in Little Silver for many years. He represented several towns in Monmouth County on planning and zoning boards and as a public defender, even until the present time. He was very prominent in the Monmouth County Republican Committee. Most importantly, he was known for his thoroughness in all matters in which he was involved.
Rick married the girl of his dreams, Janet in 1981. One of his greatest enjoyments was traveling all over Europe and other places with Janet who was a flight attendant. Rick had two children, Melissa and Douglas, and recently was a grandfather, twice in the past several months with Zachary Americo and Giavanna Leigh.
Outside of his law practice, his community work and love of travel, Rick was an avid sportsman. He was a member of the Monmouth Beach Bath and Tennis Club and the Beacon Hill Country Club. He enjoyed sports year round. He loved the New York Yankees, the New York Football Giants and, in college basketball, his beloved Virginia Cavaliers. During his recent illness his spirits were lifted with the rise of Virginia to the number one college ranked team in the country. He was very proud of their accomplishments and the class in which they played the game the right way. He also enjoyed playing golf whenever he had time to fit it into his busy schedule.
Another passion of Rick was music. He enjoyed playing all instruments but his favorite was the saxophone which he played many times for family and friends.
Family was a very important part of Rick’s life. He was a devoted husband and father, always being there for them as well as for his relatives.
In addition to Janet and his children and grandchildren, Rick leaves a sister, Joann Stefan and her husband, Bill, and their children and grandchildren. He also leaves a brother, Samuel and his wife, Gina. He also leaves many cousins, including Dr. Anthony DeNoia who was, in his words, not only his physician, his cousin, but also his best friend.
Visitation was held at the Thompson Memorial Home, Red Bank, on March 28. Funeral services were private.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia in memory of Rick DeNoia.
