Rocco John ‘Rocky’ Gabriele Sr.
He leaves a long legacy as longest serving state fire marshal
Rocco John “Rocky” Gabriele Sr., the retired state fire marshal who also had led the State Police Crime Lab, died of heart failure Wednesday at his Rosedale home. He was 90.
Born in Baltimore and raised in Little Italy and later in Rosedale, he was the son of Henrico Gabriele and his wife, Elizabeth. He attended St. Clement Mary Hofbauer School and Kenwood High School.
Mr. Gabriele, who was skilled musically, served in the U.S. Marine Corps in a drum and bugle unit from 1953 to 1956.
He was the oldest living member of the Rosedale Volunteer Fire Department. He joined the company as a cadet 75 years ago.
Mr. Gabriele held an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Essex Community College, a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Loyola University and a master’s degree in forensic laboratory management from George Washington University.
He joined the Maryland State Police in 1958 and rose to the rank of captain. He oversaw the Maryland State Police Crime Lab in Pikesville before leaving that post in 1982. He drew from his experience as a Rosedale firefighter to develop an arson-detecting skill.
Thomas Schmidt, secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, named him Maryland’s fire marshal in 1982. He
held the post until 2001, when he retired.
“With a long legacy, the passing of State Fire Marshal Rocco Gabriele is a loss to the Maryland public safety community. Gabriele had the honor of being the longest-serving Maryland State Fire Marshal with nearly two decades of service to the citizens of our State, in addition to the many years he previously served with the Maryland State Police,” said Chief Deputy and Acting State Fire Marshal Jason M. Mowbray in a statement.
“During his tenure, Fire Marshal Gabriele was instrumental in professionalizing the law enforcement role of our agency. Under his leadership, our deputies became better equipped, modern uniforms and protective equipment were issued, and agency vehicles were upgraded and fully marked for emergency response.” Mr. Mowbray said.
The statement also said that Mr. Gabriele created an Administrative and Operations
Manual for personnel, including a disciplinary “matrix.” He submitted more than 40 pieces of legislation to enhance fire and life safety, which included fire investigators under the protection of the Heart and Lung Bill, and establishing the requirements for fire sprinkler contractors in 1997.
Mr. Gabriele established the Fire and Burn Safety Coalition of Maryland in 1994 “to support and enhance Maryland’s fire and life safety education initiatives.”
He was a past president of the Fire Marshals Association of North America and an officer and executive board member of the National Association of State Fire Marshals.
“He brought a legacy of firefighting to the family,” said his daughter-in-law, Chris Gabriele. “His two sons became firefighters and one transitioned to the State Police. And three grandsons also became firefighters.”
Mr. Gabriele was a drummer and played in bar mitzvahs, wedding parties and bull roasts.
Survivors include his wife, Shirley Klipp Gabriele, a Baltimore County Board of Education secretary; two sons,RoccoJ.“Rocky”Gabriele Jr. of Baltimore and Mark Gabriele of Westminster; a daughter, Paula Mazza of Bridgeville, Delaware; nine grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Clement Mary Hofbauer Roman Catholic Church, 1212 Chesaco Avenue.