Dennis Bonelli

Dennis Bonelli, 66, passed away on Tuesday, November 28, 2017 in Summit, NJ.

Funeral is from the Galante Funeral Home, 2800 Morris Ave. Union on Saturday at 9:00 AM. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Michael Church in Union at 10:15 AM. Interment will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in East Hanover. Visitation is on Friday from 4 - 8PM at the funeral home.

Dennis was born in Newark and grew up in East Orange and West Orange before moving to Union, NJ. He graduated from West Orange High School and went on to Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, PA, before obtaining a Master’s Degree in Chemistry from Seton Hall University.

Dennis began his Law Enforcement career as an Investigator with the Union County Prosecutors Office. In 1986 he joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a Special Agent. Dennis was a protector of others, a trait that shone particularly brightly on 9/11/2001, when he was a First Responder. It takes a special kind of person to run into danger instead of away from it, and Dennis was a special person.

After retiring, Dennis was trained at the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) as a pastry chef; his other interests included leatherwork, fencing, and horseback riding. He was a passionate and fierce friend, forming lifelong relationships wherever he went. Dennis also had the privilege of being part of a second family, the Littmans, who he loved and who loved him like a brother and a son; their “fifth son.”

He is survived by his brother, William R. Bonelli Jr., and his wife, Lynne Bonelli; the love of his life, Susan Querques, and her daughters, Alexis and Sara; his Aunt, Anne D. Engelmann; loving cousins, and countless friends. He was predeceased by his parents, Dr. William Bonelli and Grace Bonelli. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: http://voicesofsept11.org/ and https://www.fbiaa.org/