BENEDETTO A. CERILLI
March 21, 1917 — June 24, 2012
BENEDETTO A. CERILLI
95, of Barrington, RI, died peacefully on Sunday, June 24, 2012. He was a retired Judge of the Rhode Island Traffic Court. He was married to Katherine (Daly) Cerilli. He and the late Mary (Mainella) Cerilli had four children, Benedetto A. Cerilli, Jr. and his wife Mi, Barbara Cerilli Mueller and her husband Steven, Peter J. Cerilli and his wife Patricia, and the late Joseph M. Cerilli.
He was the son of the late Agnello and Cecilia (Menna) Cerilli, and was predeceased by his brothers Mario, Guido, and his sister America Terenzi. He graduated from Cranston High School, and Providence College, with honors and academic distinctions. He received his law degree from Boston University, where he was selected as an editor of its Law Review.
From 1942 through 1946, he served in the United States Army 601st Military Police Battalion as Staff Sergeant, overseas in French Morocco, and as a Second Lieutenant in the Medical Administrative Corps. He was a recipient of various military service medals.
Before serving as an Associate Judge on the Rhode Island Traffic Court (formerly the "Administrative Adjudicative Court") until his retirement in 1998 at the age of 81, he was a general practitioner in the law for 50 years. He served as the first Vice Chairman of the Disciplinary Board of the Rhode Island Supreme Court. He was admitted to practice law before the United States Supreme Court in 1960. He was a former member of the Uniform Commission of Laws of Rhode Island and the United States. He served as Cranston Assistant Solicitor. He was on the Executive Committee of the Rhode Island Bar Association, and received commendations from the organization for pro bono service, and for his work in the Volunteer Lawyer program. He was a member of the Rhode Island Trial Lawyers Association.
He was active in the Republican Party in Cranston for many years, and was a candidate for State Representative in 1970, losing by a single vote. He is a Founder, Charter Member, and past president of the Alpine Country Club. He was a member of the Aurora Club, and served in many capacities for various charitable and civic associations over the years, receiving a Merit Award from the Silver Lake Community Center in 1988. He published a book on the history of Guarcino, Italy, birthplace of his parents and many immigrants from the Silver Lake area of Cranston.
He enjoyed playing the piano, dancing, collecting coins, golf, playing board games and cards, good conversation, watching the Red Sox and Bonanza, and most especially, spending time with his family. He was the cherished grandfather of Bridget VanderVeen, Stephen, Justin, Bradford, and Wiley Cerilli, Anna Zitnay, Bryan Cerilli Testa, Alexandra Testa, and Evan, John, and Tyler Cerilli and the great-grandfather of Madison Taylor VanderVeen, Samantha Ryan VanderVeen, Joseph Benedetto Cerilli, and Shannon Mary Cerilli.
Funeral from the NARDOLILLO FUNERAL HOME & Crematory, 1278 Park Avenue, Cranston on Friday at 9:00 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. in the Church of St. Mark, 9 Garden Court, Cranston. Interment will be in St. Ann Cemetery, Cranston. VISITING HOURS Thursday 4-8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Rhode Island Community Food Bank, 200 Niantic Avenue, Providence, RI 02907.
