Alfred Berutti

Alfred Berutti, a long-time resident of Montclair, NJ passed away peacefully on September 30, 2026. Al was a husband, father, grandfather, World War II veteran, engineer, writer, gardener, and a man who could fix just about anything. He took up running in his 50s and over 30+ years, won lots of trophies, often being the only guy in his age bracket. He survived an explosion, various power tool mishaps, and getting hit by a car at 94. He was a classic “self-made” man and an American success story who lived 98 wonderful years.

Born to Italian immigrants, Ferdinand and Helen Berutti, he and his sister Lita spent their early years in Union City, New Jersey. His father provided for the family by sweating over hot ovens as a union baker until he lost a leg to diabetes. Needing money, the family was forced to move to New York City where Helen ran a boarding house for union immigrant bakers and young Al worked serving dinners and drinks, breaking up fights, and often helping get inebriated bakers to their rooms.

Upon graduating from Haaren High School in New York City, Al joined the US Army at the tail end of World War II. With the Japanese surrender, Al’s unit was sent to Korea where, according to him, he spent the year “staring down the Commies” while learning skills working as a mechanic. Upon returning home he found most auto and aviation mechanic jobs had been filled by other returning veterans. He did odd jobs and eventually landed a job as an engineering clerk working with the electrical team at Ebasco Services in New York City. At Ebasco, he learned a lot about the field from the engineers and was eventually assigned some drafting projects. He took this skill to Bechtel where he worked as a draftsman for larger electrical projects they ran. He found an aptitude for electrical construction and was inspired to use his GI Bill funding to start attending night classes at New York University. After about 10 years, he earned his Electrical Engineering degree. He eventually moved on to work for American Cyanamid which turned out to be a life-changing job.

While at Cyanamid, he met a pretty, young Croatian secretary, Victoria Sherko. They dated and were married on May 28, 1960. Al & Vickie soon moved to the suburbs, a house in Montclair, NJ, where they would spend the next 66 years. Soon came the kids, Anita, Victor, Ronald and Steven. Al got his degree and worked his way into a key engineering role where he worked on and set up large power systems for new chemical plants. Projects took him around the country and abroad, often keeping him away from home for weeks or months at a time. When home, he would play with the kids and work around his beloved house, and with work came vacation! There was a summer cabin in Maine, and many family trips, often in a wood-paneled station wagon with no air conditioning. There were also longer trips: in a Winnebago around the US west and to Italy and Croatia to show the kids where the family came from.

After being severely burned in an explosion on a job site, Al decided he wanted to get out of field work to be home more. He applied for and got a job writing for a trade publication, Electrical Construction & Maintenance magazine with McGraw-Hill and later Intertec Publishing. He had no formal training as a writer but took to it, enjoying his daily commute to Manhattan. He wrote countless articles and various publications about the electrical construction industry, particularly around the electrical code, his area of expertise. He eventually retired as Editor-in-Chief of the magazine.

Retirement allowed Vickie and him to travel around the US and Europe and for Al to spend a lot of time in his garden where he grew amazing vegetables and flowers. He continued to write, self-publishing three books and working on many family history projects. But mostly it allowed him time to meet and greet his twelve grandchildren who know him fondly as “The Dude”. He and Vickie took great joy from their expanding family, attending school and sporting events, babysitting, traveling, hosting memorable family trips to Hilton Head, and many happy holiday meals with family and friends, often featuring a table stretching across the house.

His final months were spent under the care of his daughter and son-in-law, Anita and Allen Smith along with Victoria. He is pre-deceased by his parents Ferdinand and Helen, and his sister and brother-in-law, Lita and Joe Saldarini. He is survived by his loving wife of 66 years Victoria, daughter Anita Smith (Allen) of Oxford, NJ; sons Victor Berutti (Barbara) of Glenmoore, PA; Ronald Berutti (Gwyneth) of Cranford, NJ; Steven Berutti (Anne) of Glen Ridge, NJ; daughter-in-law Keva Treacy of Bloomfield, NJ; along with his beloved grandchildren, Lauren Dahlin (Cole), Jimmy Berutti, Declan Berutti, Amy Smith, Michael Berutti (Andrea), Niav Berutti, Hunter Smith, Julia Berutti, Ciara Berutti, Alanna Smith, Dylan Berutti and Ryan Berutti.

A viewing will be held at Caggiano Funeral Home on October 4, 2026 between 2pm-6pm with a funeral service at Immaculate Conception Church on October 5, 2026 at 10:30am. Interment will be private at a later date. In lieu of flowers the family asks that you donate to Tunnels to Towers Foundation.