Copyright © KELLS - GRENNIE AMERICAN LEGION POST 316. All Rights Reserved.

John Calabrese, 75
Drummer, financial industry consultant, fan of hockey and boxing 
John Calabrese, 75, of Pleasant Plains, passed away on Dec. 30, 2016. 


John was born on Dec. 17, 1941, in Manhattan. He was the son of the late John Peter and Jean (Rispoli). His family resided in Brooklyn, where he attended high school and Kingsborough Community College. He later moved to Staten Island and resided in Charleston and Pleasant Plains. He served time in the U.S. Army in the late 60's and was stationed in Germany prior to being honorably discharged in 1970.

 He was a consultant in the financial industry, mostly with Peterson Investments. He was also a proud member of the Kells-Grennie American Legion Post in Oakwood. 
John was a professional drummer who was very fond of opera and jazz music. He especially enjoyed listening to Miles Davis. He was also a hockey fan, particularly the New York Islanders, and liked to watch boxing as well. John was a quiet man who was known for his very dry sense of humor. Quick "one liners" were his specialty. He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Patricia (Edlund). He was a wonderful father to his children, Adriana, JoAnn, Paul, Jessica Wodarski and the late Nancy Cerulli (2015). He is also survived by 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, who referred to him as "Grandpa Handsome." 

In Memory of Salvador Davila

​Sal servrd as a member of the Post for 9 years

He served as the Commander

2008 -2009

2009 - 2010

2010 - 2011

Sal served in the US Air Force during the

Vietnam War from 1960 - 1965

Sal also served as a Police Officer and retired aa a  Detective 

Obituary

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In Memory of Thomas Simonetti

Tommy was a member of the Post for 42 years.

He  served as the Commander

1998-1999

2002-2003

​2005-2006

Tommy sered in the US Army in the Pacific during WW II

and then in the Korean War.

He will always be remembered by the members of this Post.

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Paul J. Zalesak was a World War II Veteran. Paul was an Honorary Member of the Kells – Grennie Post 316 since 1986 (31 Years). He served as the Corporation treasurer for many years and was also an active member of the Post 316 Honor Guard. He will always be Remembered for his Service to the Nation and to the Kells – Grennie American Legion Post. Rest In Peace Legionnaire.He was the beloved husband for 55 years of Ann Zalesak, loving father of Susan Bisogno (Vincent) and Marianne Zalesak, and fond brother of the late John Zalesak. He is also survived and loved by his nieces and nephews.

Though his smile is gone forever,

And is hand we cannot touch,

still we have so many memories

of the one we love so much.

His memory is our keepsake,

with which we will never part,

God has him in his keeping,

We have him in our hearts.​

Elias Arout

US Navy Veteran

American Legion Member for 40 Years

Richmond County Commander

​1990 - 1992

Robert J Cambria, 75, of Staten Island, New York passed away, Thursday, August 22, 2019 at his home.

Robert was born August 12, 1944 in Brooklyn, New York, to Bartholomew (Benny) and Mary Cambria. He honorably served our nation in the US NAVY aboard the USS Kitty Hawk from 1964 to 1967, during the Vietnam War. On August 31, 1969, he married his childhood sweetheart Christina Cambria. Bob was employed by the New York Cotton Exchange for greater than 25 years. He enjoyed working with his hands, art, fishing, painting and most of all being with his grandchildren.
Robert was also a past member of this Post.
Robert was known for being present for all those who were in need. He will always be remembered for the caring, loving, giving person he was.
Bob is survived by his loving wife of 50 years, Christina Cambria; along with his three siblings; Joseph Cambria, Catherine Mauro and Anthony Cambria; two children; Mary Catherine Reilly and Bartholomew Cambria; seven grandchildren, many loving nieces, nephews, and relatives.

Rest In Peace

​​Anthony Sclafani

​January 13,1937 - August 10, 2018

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Anthony Sclafani who was a member of Post 316 for thirty-two years passed away on August 10, 2018.  Anthony also known as “The Bear” served during the Korean War in both Air Force and the Army. He was also a retired NYPD Detective,

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Andrew Ivan Raskin

Was not a member of the Post but he was a wonderful human being. ​He was my neighbor for almost forty years. It was not until two years of knowing him that I found out he to was a Vietnam Veteran.

​I would like to thank the members of the Post 316 Honor Guard for the proper send off they provided at his funeral.

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Julius Riso, 98

WWII veteran
Julius Riso from Oakwood Heights, passed away at 98 years old on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017. 
Julius was a World War II veteran who served his country in the 100th Infantry Division, U.S. Army. Among his various combat medals are, World War II American Campaign Medal; Good Conduct Medal; European African Middle East Campaign medal; Victory Medal. He was also a longtime member of the Kells -Grennie American Legion Post 316, 47 Years He retired from Governors Island as a master plumber and moved to Staten Island. He loved fishing and history. 
Predeceased by his wife, Sally, he is survived by his two daughters, Trisha Bolt and June McGroary. Mass will be held Monday, Oct. 2 at 10 a.m. at Saint Albans Episcopal Church, 76 Saint Albans Pl., Staten Island followed by burial at Pine lawn National Cemetery, Long Island. 

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 Native Staten Islander John (Jack) F. Devlin, 66, of New Dorp, a retired New York state Supreme Court   officer and Vietnam veteran, died Friday in Calvary Hospital, the Bronx.
 Born and raised in Midland Beach, Mr. Devlin moved to New Dorp in 1974.
 He graduated from New Dorp High School in 1965, and earned a bachelor's degree from the College of   Staten Island, Willowbrook.
 Mr. Devlin first worked as a corrections officer at the Arthur Kill Correctional Facility.  He then worked   as a court officer for 15 years in state Supreme Court, Staten Island. He retired in 2002.
 He was an N.Y. Rangers fan.
 A history buff, he enjoyed watching war movies and listening to country music.He especially enjoyed   spending time with his family.
 "He was deeply loved and he will be sadly missed," said his family.
 During the Vietnam War, Mr. Devlin was an MP in the U.S. Army. He was a member of the Oakwood   Heights VFW Post and the American Legion Post.
 He was also a member of the Manresa Knights of Columbus.
 Mr. Devlin was a parishioner of Our Lady Queen of Peace R.C. Church, New Dorp.
 He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Mary; his son Sean and his daughter, Tara Devlin.

Augustine Ruggiero 

August 29, 1941 - August 1, 2019 

​Was a member of our Post for 18 Years

​Rest In Peace

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Emery Chagnon

August 20, 1922​February 9, 2019

Emery served as the Post Treasurer for eight years and was a member of the Post 316 Honor Guard

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Joseph Dietrich

​January 24, 1922 - February 24, 2019

Joe was a member of the Post for 23 years.

Joe Joined the Post in 1996 and in 1999  -  2014 he served  as a Vice Commander and as the Membership Chairman.

​Served  in the Armed Forces during WW II

with US Army Air Corp seeing service in India.

Joe will always be remembered as a Veteran, a Legionnaire and as a wonderful friend.

 Rest In Peace

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John R. Anderson, 71, of Oakwood, passed away peacefully on Oct. 22, 2018, after a courageous 10-month battle with liver cancer. John found comfort and strength during this time being surrounded with love and support from his family and close friends.
John was born on Dec. 4, 1946, in Brooklyn, N.Y., to Theresa and the late Robert Anderson. He served in the U.S. Navy, where he proudly served in the Vietnam War from 1965 to 1969 on the USS Coral Sea CVA 43 in the Gulf of Tonkin and at a NATO Base in Iceland. 
Later, John worked for IBM as a field engineer in various brokerage houses and banks. Moving on to JPMorgan, where he retired in 2003, as a senior vice president and head of global contingency planning. John was also a member of the Kells – Grennie American Legion Post No. 316
John enjoyed playing golf and cheering for the N.Y. Mets and Giants. But his greatest source of joy was spending cherished time with his children and grandchildren, whom he adored. He was regarded as affable, fun-loving, and larger-than-life by all who knew and loved him.
John is survived by his loving wife of 48 years, Marie (nee Migliorini); his son, John S. and wife Elisa, and daughter, Jennifer Mistretta and husband Dr. Michael Mistretta. John is also survived by three grandchildren, Matthew Mistretta, Aidan and Emma Anderson; his mother, Theresa, his sister, Patricia Campbell and husband Colin, as well as many family and friends.

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​Elias Arout, Jr.

July 11, 1930 - December 22, 2019
Elias Arout, 89, of Grymes Hill, Staten Island, passed away peacefully with his family by his side on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2019. He will be remembered as a kind, gentle person who had a deep love for his family and friends.
He was born in Grant City, son of Elias Arout and Mary (née Eastily) Arout, graduated from Alexander Hamilton Vocational in Brooklyn, and worked for 20 years as a police officer for the New York Housing Authority, retiring in 1980.
Elias had been appointed by Mayor Ed Koch as the New York City Taxi And Limousine Commissioner for Staten Island and retired after serving 27 years. He was a co-founder and past president of the non-profit Project Hospitality and long-time member of the Knights of Columbus Council 1662 in Great Kills, the American Legion and the North Shore Democratic Association.
He and his wife, Margaret, enjoyed traveling, dancing with the Staten Island Ballroom Dancers, wine making, taking college courses and activities at their church, Our Lady of Good Council.
He leaves behind his wife, Margaret (née Bauer) Arout of 64 years; his children, Stephen, David (wife Julia), Raymond (wife Annmarie), Elise, Carlos; his sister-in-law, Irene Madison; five grandchildren, Matthew, Christopher and Shannon Arout, Allison Perrine and Haley Seccafico. In addition, all of his life he has been surrounded by love from his nieces and nephews.

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