R.I.P. – Billy Kilroy


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William C. Ramoth of Holiday City West, Berkeley, NJ passed away Tuesday, April 12. He was 84 years old. Mr. Ramoth was born in Passaic, raised in Wallington and lived in East Rutherford and Clifton before moving to Berkeley in 1996.

He began boxing at an early age and by 15, he was on the boxing circuit. At 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served in World War II. He continued to box during his military service and became the All Service Middleweight Champion. During this time, he became known as “Billy Kilroe,” his mother’s maiden name, which later was changed to Kilroy. After the war, “Billy Kilroy” turned pro and won his first 24 pro fights. He retired at age 22 with a record of 35-7, including 21 knockouts. At one point in his career, he was ranked 13th best Middleweight in the world. He was later inducted into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame.

After retiring from boxing, Mr. Ramoth became a police officer for the Clifton Police Department for 12 years. During this time, he was nioticed by a film director and was hired to act as a stunt double in fight scenes for Marlon Brando in the movie “On the Waterfront.” Following the movie, he acted in fight scenes and worked as a technical adviser in 12 other movies, including an appearance as Paul Newman’s stunt double in “Somebody Up There Likes Me” and “The Hustler.” He also made guest appearances in several television shows, all while working as a police officer. In 1962, he left show business and the Clifton Police Department to become a Deputy U.S. Marshall, where he served for 18 years. During his time with the U.S. Marshall, he was once assigned to protect Robert Kennedy during public appearances. He was also a poet and received praise and gratitude from Lady Bird Johnson for writing about preservation and restoration of our country.

Mr. Ramoth is survived by wife Doris and children Eileen and her husband Jerry Sierchio of Jackson and Nancy and her husband Ricardo Cabezas of Del Ray, FL. He is also survived by siblings Thomas of California, Jerry of Paramus and Charlotte Ranuska of Wood-Ridge and grandchildren Christopher Cabezas and Jennifer Harvey and her husband Aaron.

On April 18, relatives and friends attended the funeral from the Timothy E. Ryan Home for Funerals of Toms River and then the funeral Mass from St. Maximilian Kolbe R.C. Church of Berkeley. The services were followed by interment in Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery of Arneytown.


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