Jack D'Ambrosio - Obituary

ack Anthony D’Ambrosio, a resident of Lothian, Maryland, died on Saturday, February 21, 2015 at Anne Arundel Medical Center of lung cancer following a 1-year illness. He was 71. Born July 14, 1943 in Washington, D.C. to the late Anthony D’Ambrosio and Mary Katherine Heflin, he graduated from Suitland High School. Jack grew up in District Heights, Maryland and had strong ties to the people that lived in that community when he was growing up. Jack was known as a great storyteller because his escapades and experiences. He could entertain people for hours with his tales about District Heights, the Apollo Gang, and his police work in Florida. He is a published author of four books: “Family Sins,” a story loosely based on his family history and his father’s experiences, “The Apollos,” which chronicles the adventures of his famous gang in District Heights, “Angels with Dirty Faces,” which tells the personal story of his involvement in the Apollos, and his most recent publication, “Ain’t Life Been Grand,” an autobiography. Jack was a decorated police officer with the Oakland Park Police Department in Oakland Park, Florida and an investigator for the State of Florida in West Palm Beach, Florida. He received a Presidential Commendation for the Federal D.A.L.E. Drug Enforcement Program and had the highest arrest record for the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Office in the U.S. He was a member of Ss. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Annapolis, Maryland. In addition to his parents, Jack was preceded in death by his first wife, Myna Hamilton, in 1998 and his siblings, Michael D’Ambrosio and June Fernen. Jack is survived by his wife, Deborah Abdo-D’Ambrosio, who he married on June 28, 2008; two children, Jack D’Ambrosio, Jr., of Bowie, Maryland and Christine D’Ambrosio, of Lusby, Maryland; two brothers, Albert D’Ambrosio, of Tracys Landing, Maryland and Philip (Susan) D’Ambrosio, of Mechanicsville, Maryland; two sisters, Jeanette (Steve) Pedone and Judy (Dave) Calloway, both of Prince Frederick, Maryland; five grandchildren, Jeanette, Tony, Vincent and Nicolas D’Ambrosio and Jacklyn Donges; 13 nieces and nephews; and three great-grandchildren. Family and friends are invited to Jack's Life Celebration from 4:00 to 7:00 PM on Wednesday, February 25 at the George P. Kalas Funeral Home, 2973 Solomons Island Rd., Edgewater, MD. Funeral service will be held at 10:00 AM on Thursday, February 26 at Ss. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church, 2747 Riva Rd., Annapolis, MD. Interment will follow at Resurrection Cemetery in Clinton, MD. An online guestbook is available by visiting the link on this page.