Dover will say goodbye to one of its most beloved and dedicated public servants on Thursday.
But just before former Mayor Aldo Cicchetti died this week, residents and leaders of the town he loved paid a visit to his lifelong family home to present a special honor.
Gathered on Friday outside the Chrystal Street home where he grew up, family members watched as current Mayor James Dodd unveiled a street sign declaring the corner of Chrystal and Morris streets as “Mayor Cicchetti Place.”
A friendly fixture in his hometown, Cicchetti, who served for 26 years in town government, was known for cruising to and from Town Hall on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle. The 87-year-old died at home on Monday.
The town of Dover dedicated the corner of Chrystal and Morris streets as “Mayor Cicchetti Place” three days before the former longtime resident, public servant and shop owner died on January 13 at age 87.
Dover remembers Aldo Cicchetti
Visitation was scheduled for 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Tuttle Funeral Home on Route 10 in Randolph. The funeral service will begin 11 a.m. Thursday at Sacred Heart Parish in Dover, followed by interment at Locust Hill Cemetery.
“Aldo’s leadership was defined not by the milestones of projects that marked his time in office but the unwavering commitment he had to the people of Dover,” Dodd said at the dedication.
Cicchetti moved with his family from New York to Chrystal Street when he was six months old and attended Academy Street School and Dover High School, where he graduated in 1955.
He went on to own and operate the Dover Corner Market near his home for 32 years and entered politics in 1974, when he was elected to represent the Third Ward on the Board of Alderman (now known as the town council). Cicchetti spent a total of 16 years on the board and 10 years as mayor, from 1983 to 1992.
Dodd, who has experienced his share of turbulence while in office, recalled sitting on the board as his own political career began in 1998 when “things were totally different than they are now.”
“We had the opportunity to have our differences in town meetings,” Dodd recalled. “After the meetings, we would go down to Guido’s and break bread, where Aldo would drink his Pepsi every time.”
The town of Dover dedicated the corner of Chrystal and Morris streets as “Mayor Cicchetti Place” three days before the former longtime resident, public servant and shop owner died on January 13 at age 87.
“We always knew where Aldo stood,” Dodd said of Cicchetti, who was known for wearing his Harley-Davidson vest and bolo tie around town.
“His passion and ability to bring people together made him a true cornerstone in this town,” Dodd said. “Beyond the tangible accomplishments, it was Aldo’s character. His integrity, his kindness and caring for the people he served that truly set him apart.”
Cicchetti also served on the Dover Water Commission for 18 years and, prior to retirement, spent 14 years working at King’s Supermarket in Mendham.
Family dedicated to Dover
Dodd said he paid a personal visit to his ailing friend on Thursday to give him his own copy of the green and white street sign.
‘I am very close with his family and knew he wasn’t doing well,” Dodd said. “I had wanted to dedicate the street for him. He lived on that street for 87 years, so I thought it would be nice to do it while he was still with us. I’m glad I got a chance to give him the sign and talk a while.”
The Cicchetti family name extends far beyond Mayor Cicchetti Way, Dodd said. The former mayor’s son, Aldo Jr., is a Dover police officer and his daughter, Lisa Newkirk, is the Dover Recreation Department leader.
Aldo Sr. is survived by wife, Anita, his sister, Anita (Cicchetti) Hulsman, his children Aldo Cicchetti, Jr. and partner Sue Friel, Lisa (Cicchetti) Newkirk, Christopher and his wife Tammy Cicchetti, and Julie Cicchetti. He also leaves behind two grandchildren, Christopher Newkirk, Jr., and his partner, Sarah Sacasa, Jamie Newkirk and two great-grandchildren, Destiny Newkirk, and Sienna Newkirk.
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According to his obituary, Cicchetti was an avid Harley Davidson rider and could often be seen riding to Town Hall. He also liked to fish, play golf, play his guitar, cook, dine out and enjoy summers at the shore.
He was a parishioner at Sacred Heart Church and a member of the East Dover Social Club, aka “The Coop,” where he enjoyed playing cards with the “boys.”
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to the Dover Rescue Squad, 37 N. Sussex Street, Dover, NJ 07801, or the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: Dover mourns beloved Harley-riding ex-mayor by renaming street