By Mary Ellen Zangara, Special Writer
Renny Dilks says he’ll proudly, but humbly, ride as grand marshal of Sunday’s Memorial Day parade.
”I feel great about it, but I also feel that there may have been some other people,” Mr. Dilks said. “I appreciate the nomination by the post. I have volunteered services for VFW 2290 for approximately the past 10 years.”
He has been commander of 2290, district commander and is just stepping down as the District 15 commander. He will be Post 2290 chaplain for the upcoming year.
A 1965 graduate of Somerville High School, Mr. Dilks went to the Culinary Institute of America before receiving a draft notice in January 1966. At that time, the vocational schools were not exempt so Mr. Dilks went into the Marine Corps as a jet engine mechanic.
After training in November 1966, Mr. Dilks was in Vietnam. He spent 13 months there before being reassigned to Buford, South Carolina, for his last four years.
Upon completing his service, Mr. Dilks worked for Devro Inc. for a few years and landed a job with PSE&G as a station mechanic in Linden where he worked for more than 10 years.
Mr. Dilks opened the Sunrise Luncheonette on Main Street in Somerville and operated it for five years. He then went to work for the Ramada Inns, first as a sous chef and a head chef for 21 years.
A Manville resident, he has been married to his wife, Cindy, for almost 30 years. They have two daughters and a son and three grandsons. Mr. Dilks also belongs to the American Legion Post 12 Somerville, The Eagles in Bridgewater and the Marine Corps Detachment at Large.
Mr. Dilks is the chef at the VFW Post 2290. He volunteers his time and culinary skills to the post and during times of need, as he did in August, when Hurricane Irene hit Manville hard. He cooked around the clock for residents who stayed in the post hall, which served as a Red Cross shelter.
In January, Mayor Angelo Corradino presented a Citizen of the Year award to Mr. Dilks.
”Renny literally came out of his sick bed to cook and to make sure that more than 250 people per day three meals were fed (during the hurricane),” said the mayor. “He was the leader in the kitchen. I have never seen anyone make anything taste (as) good. Some of the meals that we got from the Red Cross, after he got through with them, they were delicious.”
Mr. Dilks is looking forward to the parade on Sunday.
”I think it is a great honor,” he said.

