Lisa di Palma Bonfiglio, a longtime county sheriff's officer who publicly shared her nine-year battle with breast cancer, passed away on February 7, 2009, at age 40 in Naples, Florida. Lisa was a 1987 graduate of Morris Knolls High School. She was the daughter of former Denville police Officer Michael di Palma, who retired in 1990, who was described as his daughter's inspiration in pursuing a police career.
Lisa received her Associate degree in Criminal Justice in 1993 at the County College of Morris. In 1990 Lisa attended the Morris County Fire and Police Academy and began her career with the Morris County Sheriff's Office. She rose to the rank of sheriff's detective during a 17-year career that ended with her retirement in January 2008. She was a Certified Fire Arms Instructor for the Morris County Police Academy, a member of the Morris County Detectives Association a member of the Northern New Jersey Chapter of the "Police Unity Tour" and a member of the Italian American Police Society of New Jersey.
Lisa was a native of Denville who moved to Rockaway in 1992 and received an associate's degree in criminal justice at the County College of Morris. She was a firearms instructor at the Morris County Police Academy and was among a group of female police officers featured in "Women & the Badge," a 13-part documentary airing on the Oxygen network eight years ago. She was filmed working at the morgue, investigating a fire, attempting to determine a cause of death and analyzing fingerprints. The documentary also ventured into her personal life, with di Palma Bonfiglio acknowledging her struggle with breast cancer. She was diagnosed at age 31. "I think it's important for young women in their early 30s to realize they can get breast cancer." Lisa became an advocate for early cancer detection. "I wanted that message to be out there. You're not exempt just because you're young. Or just because it doesn't run in your family, which mine didn't. Or just because you feel healthy, because I felt great."
Last November, sheriff's Detective Debbie Daniello helped organize a "Love for Lisa" fundraiser at the Birchwood Manor in Whippany that was attended by 750 colleagues in law enforcement.
She said that Lisa traveled to Florida about a week before she died. "She said she wanted the warm sun, to see the palm trees and the blue sky," Daniello said.
Funeral services were held on Saturday, February 14, 2009 at the Norman Dean Funeral Home in Denville, NJ followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Mary's Church Denville, NJ, followed by burial services at the Denville Cemetery. Donations in honor of Lisa di Palma Bonfiglio may be made to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, P.O.Box #650309, Dallas, TX 75265-0309 or to the Police Unity Tour, Inc., P.O.Box 528, Florham Park, NJ 07932.
Lisa received her Associate degree in Criminal Justice in 1993 at the County College of Morris. In 1990 Lisa attended the Morris County Fire and Police Academy and began her career with the Morris County Sheriff's Office. She rose to the rank of sheriff's detective during a 17-year career that ended with her retirement in January 2008. She was a Certified Fire Arms Instructor for the Morris County Police Academy, a member of the Morris County Detectives Association a member of the Northern New Jersey Chapter of the "Police Unity Tour" and a member of the Italian American Police Society of New Jersey.
Lisa was a native of Denville who moved to Rockaway in 1992 and received an associate's degree in criminal justice at the County College of Morris. She was a firearms instructor at the Morris County Police Academy and was among a group of female police officers featured in "Women & the Badge," a 13-part documentary airing on the Oxygen network eight years ago. She was filmed working at the morgue, investigating a fire, attempting to determine a cause of death and analyzing fingerprints. The documentary also ventured into her personal life, with di Palma Bonfiglio acknowledging her struggle with breast cancer. She was diagnosed at age 31. "I think it's important for young women in their early 30s to realize they can get breast cancer." Lisa became an advocate for early cancer detection. "I wanted that message to be out there. You're not exempt just because you're young. Or just because it doesn't run in your family, which mine didn't. Or just because you feel healthy, because I felt great."
Last November, sheriff's Detective Debbie Daniello helped organize a "Love for Lisa" fundraiser at the Birchwood Manor in Whippany that was attended by 750 colleagues in law enforcement.
She said that Lisa traveled to Florida about a week before she died. "She said she wanted the warm sun, to see the palm trees and the blue sky," Daniello said.
Funeral services were held on Saturday, February 14, 2009 at the Norman Dean Funeral Home in Denville, NJ followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Mary's Church Denville, NJ, followed by burial services at the Denville Cemetery. Donations in honor of Lisa di Palma Bonfiglio may be made to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, P.O.Box #650309, Dallas, TX 75265-0309 or to the Police Unity Tour, Inc., P.O.Box 528, Florham Park, NJ 07932.
Photo courtesy Daily Record
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