Joseph Rafay Jr.

Verona Borough Police Department — Verona, PA

Veteran → Cardiac

End of Watch January 19, 1967

Age 54

Tour of Duty 20 yrs

The Vigil Panel 102 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 2

Incident

Lieutenant Joseph Rafay suffered a fatal heart attack while struggling with a suspect at the scene of a disturbance at a bar in the 700 block of East Railroad Street shortly before 10:30 pm. Lieutenant Rafay, another officer, and the suspect fell to the ground during the struggle as they were escorting the suspect outside. When Lieutenant Rafay stood back up, he collapsed. He was transported to a hospital in Pittsburgh, where he was pronounced dead. Lieutenant Rafay was a U.S. Army veteran of WWII and had served with the Verona Police Department for 20 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and child.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-9FFD68FE
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Joseph. Claim this record.

Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. Joseph is one person.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Lieutenant Rafay gave the Verona Borough Police Department 20 years.
Thank you for your service to the Verona community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Verona Borough Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Verona, PA

Platform Identity vbpd.allegheny.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 19, 1967

Tour of Duty 20 yrs

Age 54

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Military Service

Joseph Rafay Jr. served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Lieutenant Joseph Rafay Jr. is one of 1 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In PA, 118 of 1,261 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 9.4% of this state's fallen. That is 9.4 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Verona Borough Police Department, 1 of 3 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.

Verona Borough Police Department

of 3 officers

33.3% Cardiac

PA — Statewide

118

of 1,261 officers

9.4% Cardiac

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Cardiac