Roll of Honor
Biography
To know our Dad was to love him. He had the best laugh. His larger-than-life sense of humor (although sometimes inappropriate lol) would win complete strangers over almost instantly. He was kind, caring, compassionate, fair, loyal, honest, and humble. He would never hesitate to help anyone in need and would always do what was right even when no one was looking. He had a heart of gold and was someone you could never stay mad at. He was the kind of person that touched your heart and made you a better person just by having him in your life. He lived a life of service. First to his country and then to his community. Enlisting in the United States Marine Corps after high school and then joining the Morristown Police Department in New Jersey where he proudly served for 25 years. A deeply religious man, he served God in any way he could. Whether it was feeding the homeless or helping to repaint the inside of his small town’s church. His joys included anything outdoors from landscaping to kayaking or working on his tan, working out at the gym, and singing in the church choir. His most prized accomplishment was the life he built with his family. He was our protector. There was never a worry that everything would be ok because he was always there to make sure it would be. He was preceded in 2016 by his wife and the love of his life, Debbie. Survived by his daughters Sarah McNally (husband Robert) and Cindy Scala, his grandson Gavin Joseph McNally, his sister Sharon Johnson, step-grandsons PFC Shane McNally and Patrick McNally, many nieces and nephews, loving family and friends who all miss him tremendously. He was just two months shy of becoming a Grandpa and I know that he would have been buds with the little boy who shares his same smile, kind eyes, and hilarious sense of humor. We’ve spent every day since he left and will spend every moment for the rest of our lives loving and missing our Dad. In his honor please be kind to a stranger, reach out to a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while. But most importantly please take care of yourself. Asking for help is strength.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NJ-084FC460- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Marine Corps. One record, 2 gates. Joseph is one person.
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Tributes
Officer Joseph Scala served with the Morristown Police Department.
Thank you for your service, and for your service before it. We will always remember your sacrifice.
You belong on this wall. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Joseph A. Scala served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining law enforcement.
Joseph A. Scala is one of 1 officers honored for deaths connected to the weight of the job across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,756 officers honored here.
In NJ, 9 of 646 officers were honored for deaths connected to the weight of the job — 1.4% of this state's fallen. That is 1.4 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Morristown Police Department, 1 of 3 officers on record were honored for deaths connected to the weight of the job — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Suicide compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Joseph A. Scala's cause is highlighted.
How Joseph A. Scala Compares
When Suicide Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Suicide deaths across the full memorial record. Joseph A. Scala is highlighted in May.
Military Service
Joseph A. Scala served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining law enforcement.
Visit Joseph A. Scala’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from Morristown Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
