The 43-year-old former mayor and school board member is universally remembered as kind and dedicated to his community.
CLAYTON -- Scores of friends, relatives and local officials gathered at Barclay's Funeral Home on Monday morning to say goodbye to Jeff Radio, the former borough mayor whose body was found on a beach in Cape May County last week.
Jeff Radio, of Clayton. (Facebook)A receiving line stretched out of the funeral home's front door as people queued up to pay their last respects to the 43-year-old school board member, who is universally remembered as a family man dedicated to serving his hometown.
Radio's impact on the people around him was illustrated by the solemn crowd on Maple Street Monday. Besides serving as mayor from 2009 to 2012, he was a veteran school board member and a volunteer with groups ranging from the borough historical commission to the board of Gloucester County Habitat For Humanity. His brother, Frank Radio, Jr., referred to Jeff last week as a natural diplomat whose kindness united people from all political persuasions and "wasn't afraid to take charge if he needed to."
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Several people on the street said they would remember Radio fondly, but declined to comment further. Linda Dippner, who lives a block away from the funeral home, said she had known Radio and his family for nearly his entire life.
"He was a kind, gentle man," said Dippner, whose children attended elementary school with Radio at St. Catherine's school in Clayton. "We're all a close-knit family in this town. My kids went to school with all the boys. They're a very nice family."
She paused before voicing the question on everyone's mind.
"I'd like to find out who did this to him."
Radio had gone to Atlantic City on Oct. 25 for the state school board convention, but very little is known about what happened between his Facebook check-in at a Johnny Rockets restaurant on the boardwalk that evening and the discovery of his body on the Strathmere beach -- more than 15 miles from Atlantic City -- at about noon Oct. 27.
Radio's family had reported him missing to Clayton police the same day his body was found. Although investigators with the New Jersey State Police announced last week that Radio's cause of death was listed as drowning, the manner of his death is still undetermined. Sgt. First Class Greg Williams would not say Monday whether police had ruled out foul play.
Clayton police also said Monday that they could not release the details of the family's missing persons report, citing the ongoing investigation by state troopers.
Andy Polhamus may be reached at apolhamus@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ajpolhamus. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.
