Salvatore “Butch” Gennetti, a lifelong resident of Malden, passed away on June 28th surrounded by his loving family.
Butch was the son of the late Salvatore Gennetti Sr. and Marianina (Radochia) Gennetti, both of Pescara, Abruzzo (Italy). Salvatore and Marianina met and married in the United States and went on to have ten children. Butch was the youngest of the ten.
Butch was a veteran of the Malden Police Department for over 62 years where he worked as a patrolman assigned to various functions over his long career including vice, the detective unit and crime prevention and was appointed by Mayor Richard Howard as the Malden Police Commissioner in June 2010, and then by Mayor Gary Christianson and held the position until his recent passing.
Butch has long been active in local government and community organizations. In addition to his esteemed career with the Malden Police Department, he was also a past President of the Malden Police Relief Association, past member of the Malden Police Honor Guard, member of the Malden Police Softball team and former league President, Mayor Howard’s Ombudsman, Malden School Committee member for eight years and two years as Chairman, co-founder and first President of the Malden Over 40 Softball League, manager of former Kappy’s Kops Softball Team, member of St. Rocco Society, past President and current board member of the Italian American Citizens Club, past President of Malden Kiwanis, past President of the Brittolesi Mutual Aid Society, member of the Irish American Club, member of the Italian-American World War Veterans and member of Club Italia.
Butch loved to play bocce, golf and softball and loved working out. It was not an uncommon sight to see Butch walking through the streets of Edgeworth always waving to someone driving by or stopping to say hello to a neighbor. But more than anything, Butch loved his family and friends.
Butch was born and raised in Malden’s Edgeworth neighborhood. He was a graduate of Malden High’s class of 1955. He went on to serve his country in the U.S. Air Force and returned to Edgeworth where he raised his five children. He loved to spend time with family and friends, whether at the bocce court, on the golf course, at family barbecues or gatherings, holidays, Sundays or just because. Butch loved to visit Florida, by train of course, and he was as much a VIP there as he was in Malden. Everyone has a fond memory of Butch and he will be greatly missed and cherished by all who knew him.
Butch leaves behind his former wife and beloved friend Margaret “Peggy” Asaro, his five children, Lisa Lipani and her husband Carl, Dina Robinson, Carla Svendsen and her husband Darren, Salvatore Gennetti and Maria Gennetti. He was preceded in death by his nine siblings, Daniel Gennette, Jean Sacco, Edmund Gennetti, Edith Falcone, Anna Puleo, Henry Gennetti, Mary Giarratana, Teresa Smith and Nancy Cagno. Butch was also blessed with three grandchildren, Carl Lipani and his wife Abby, Alannah Robinson and Robbie Gennetti and also leaves many nieces, nephews, colleagues and friends.
The funeral will be held from the A. J. Spadafora Funeral Home, 865 Main Street, Malden on Tuesday, July 2nd at 9am followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in the Immaculate Conception Church, 600 Pleasant Street Malden at 10am. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Visiting hours will be held at the funeral home on Monday, July 1st from 4-8pm. Interment will be in Forest Dale Cemetery, Malden.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations in Butch's memory may be made to National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
https://www.missingkids.org