Obituary of Christopher John Scaturo

Christopher John Scaturo, 94, former Special Agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Security Consultant, died on Monday, June 11,2018 in Scotch Plains, NJ surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Elizabeth, NJ, son of Calogero and Filippa Scaturo on Feb. 20, 1924. He was a graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School in Elizabeth and Bordentown Military Institute, Bordentown, NJ where he starred in both football and baseball. He served in the Army Air Force for three years as a Sgt. Gunner on a B-24 bomber during World War II. In 1950, he received a bachelor of science in mathematics from St. Bonaventure University in Olean, NY, where he was quarterback of the football team. He is remembered for engineering a 1949 upset over Boston University when-in his final season-threw two touchdown passes and ran for a third touchdown himself. After that season he was presented with a wristwatch recognizing his athletic achievement. The inscription on the watch read "St. Bonaventure Gridiron Club Award to Chris Scaturo 1949." Following graduation he played for the Jersey Giants. An injury in his third game ended his professional football career. He also taught mathematics at Lafayette Junior High School in Elizabeth and was an assistant football coach at Thomas Jefferson High School. In February of 1951, Scaturo was appointed a Special Agent of the FBI. During his 25 years of service, he was stationed in Seattle/Spokane, San Francisco, Cleveland and New York City. He retired as a unit supervisor from the New York office on June 26, 1976. During his tenure with the FBI he received many commendations from both J. Edgar Hoover and his successor Clarence Kelly. After his FBI retirement, he spent three years as director of corporate security for American Standard Company in New York City. In 1979 he became vice president and director of corporate security for Continental Corporation in New York City, retiring in 1992. While at Continental he conceived and implemented "Operation Killjoy," an undercover sting operation with New Jersey police, and was commended for assistance and support by the Repeat Offender Unit of Metropolitan Police Department, Washington, DC. He also received commendations from Union and Essex counties in New Jersey for commitment to the investigation and prosecution of automobile theft and insurance theft and was interviewed by Dan Rather on the CBS-TV news show "60 Minutes." He continued his involvement in investigations and security, acting as a consultant for private industry until 2004. In June of 1954, Scaturo was married to the late Susan A. Sortino; and in 1968 to Laureda Ann Garnett Curry, from whom he was divorced in 1984. In August, 1992 he married Diane McCarthy McGovern. In 1992 he moved to Lewisville, NC. and attended Forsyth Technical Community College majoring in residential Carpentry and graduated in 1995. During that time, he volunteered for Habitat for Humanity. In 1996, he returned to Olean. He was active in Varsity B Club at St. Bonaventure and acted as a volunteer teacher's aide in the carpentry and woodworking department at BOCES. He was a member and past-president of the Olean Exchange Club, a member of Bartlett Country Club and St. Mary of the Angels Church in Olean and a life member of the Allegany Knights of Columbus. In 2014 he moved to Watchung, NJ to be closer to his children. He is survived by his children: Marylynne (Robert) Cartwright, Judith (Thomas) Hand, Laure Curry Scaturo (Dr. Jack James ), Dr. Jennifer (Eric) Scaturo Watkinson, Christina (Brian) Kelly, and Christopher John Scaturo, Jr., his grandchildren: Emily (Peter) Molinari and Conner Hand, Sophia and Max Watkinson, James, Teresa and John Kelly and Christopher Scaturo III, a great grandson: Francis Molinari and his sister: Marie C. Scaturo . In addition to his parent he was predeceased by his son: Christopher Charles Scaturo, his sisters: Anna Fortunato and Josephine Gatto and his brothers: Joseph Scaturo, Jerry Scaturo and Anthony Scaturo. It is the wishes of the family that contributions in his memory may be made to alz.org.