Joe DeCecco, Kenmore administrator and Lackawanna teacher, dead at 47

Tonawanda Town Board member Jill O’Malley said he filled a room with his personality.

And Cathy Piciulo, president and CEO of the Ken-Ton Chamber of Commerce, said DeCecco has diligently participated in community events.

“He’s one of those irreplaceable people, honestly,” Piciulo said Monday. “Some people just can’t replace the energy, smile and kindness. And we will remember him for a long, long time. »

DeCecco, a Lackawanna High School history teacher who taught at the high school for more than two decades, died Saturday. He was 47 years old.

“Mr. DeCecco has not only been a dedicated educator for 23 years within the Lackawanna City School District, but also a valued friend, mentor and colleague to many members of our school community,” said Lackawanna Superintendent , Nadia A. Nashir, in a press release. “Her passion for teaching and her unwavering commitment to our students left an indelible mark on each of us.”

He also served as an officer with the Lackawanna Federation of Teachers. The school district provides support services to students.

DeCecco had an “infectious enthusiasm” for making Kenmore a better place, the Kenmore Police Department said on Facebook.

DeCecco ran unopposed for re-election in the fall. He was appointed to the village council in July 2017, following the death of Trustee R. Timothy McCarthy, and was re-elected in 2019.

“I look forward to serving the Kenmore community,” DeCecco said in a statement before being sworn in as trustee in 2017. “Kenmore is a great place and it is important to me to give back to the village.”

Mang said DeCecco was someone he relied on as a sounding board on the village board, and he contacted DeCecco about succeeding him.

“He would have been a great mayor,” Mang said.

The village board will appoint a replacement for DeCecco at a later date.

O’Malley called DeCecco “the face of Kenmore” for his willingness to engage with the public.

“One of the most important things about Joe is that he was very personable and approachable,” she said. “I think he could connect with anyone from any age group and from any socio-economic background, and I think that’s probably a testament to his years of education.”

Peter Stuhlmiller, a retired Kenmore West High School history and government teacher, remembers DeCecco as an energetic student in one of his U.S. history classes.

“He was the kind of student that teachers are proud to have in the classroom,” Stuhlmiller said, happy to learn, years later, that DeCecco had gone into teaching.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 9:30 a.m. Thursday at St. John the Baptist Church, 1085 Englewood Avenue, Town of Tonawanda.