Vince Milite, Hanover Tp (NC) Public Works Director, Unexpectedly Passes Away

Vince Milite, RIP

Vince Milite, age 58, the highly regarded Public Works Director for Hanover Tp (NC), passed away unexpectedly on Monday. He thought he had beaten cancer, but it returned and he died on the operating table. His death was announced Tuesday night at a somber meeting of Hanover Tp's Board of Supervisors, all of whom had great admiration for the "teddy bear."

Vince was a Freedom High School grad, a lifeguard, Eagle Scout, first responder, emergency manager, animal control officer (over his objection) and community cheerleader. Whenever Hanover Tp had an event, and it has lots of them, he was always the first to come and last to leave. 

Vince's unexpected death hit Township Manager Jay Finnigan particularly hard. They started out as co-workers, but turned into brothers who loved to play jokes on each other and on the occasional Supervisor as well. The two were inseparable.

I used to cover Hanover Tp for a local weekly and I can tell you that Vince went out of his way, over Finnigan's objections, to make me feel at home.  I did, and actually considered their meetings a mental health break from all the silliness that goes on elsewhere. 

He was the kind of guy who, with his wife Trisha, would stop on a cold winter day to help a small shoeless and pantless child wandering the streets of Bethlehem with just a diaper and a shirt. He managed to get Bethlehem's finest to help while neighbors rushed to get clothing for a cold toddler. 

The world now has one less good Samaritan, but his example may have created others. 

I will miss you, Vince.