NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Ernest John Morocco Jr., 74, the retired commissioner of public safety for the city of North Adams, died Friday, Sept. 27, 2019, at Samaritan Hospital in Troy, N.Y.

Born in Seattle on Sept. 17, 1945, the son of Ernest John Morocco Sr. and Rose M. Papa Morocco, he attended schools here and graduated from Drury High School with the class of 1963. He then attended Ithaca (N.Y.) College and was a member of the Delta Kappa fraternity.

John served the city of North Adams as its commissioner of public safety from 1996 until his retirement on Sept. 30, 2012. He began his career on the police force in 1966 and was named a permanent reserve officer in 1977. He was named a permanent police officer in 1980 and was appointed detective in 1985 and lieutenant in 1995. During his tenure, John was credited with modernizing the police force, developing the first DARE Program in the city and was instrumental in the development of the Berkshire County Drug Task Force. He was a past president of the New England Narcotics Enforcement Officers Association.

John was an active member of the community. For 18 years, he operated the scoreboard at North Adams SteepleCats baseball games. In his younger years, he coached football at the Pee Wee level and at Drury High School. John also enjoyed cooking and coin and stamp collecting.

Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Susan I. Stefanski Morocco, whom he married on Aug. 12, 1967; one daughter, Tamara S. Morocco and her husband, James E. Bee, of Salem, Conn.; one son, William J. Morocco MD, and his wife, Lynne A. Fasanello, MD, of Mansfield; and five grandchildren, Ian Bee, Declan Bee, Madeline Morocco, Camille Morocco and Peter Morocco. He also leaves numerous extended family members, many of whom were as close as siblings to him. He furthermore leaves many cherished friends and colleagues with whom he built bonds as strong as family.

FUNERAL NOTICE:  A Liturgy of Christian Burial for E. John Morocco will be celebrated Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019, at 11 a.m. at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church. Burial will follow in Southview Cemetery. Calling hours at FLYNN & DAGNOLI-MONTAGNA HOME FOR FUNERALS, WEST CHAPELS, 521 West Main St. North Adams, will be Wednesday from 4 to 8 p.m.. Memorial donations may be made to the Berkshire Humane Society in care of the funeral home. To add to the Book of Memories, please visit www.flynndagnolifuneralhomes.com.