Tag Archives: RFH grad

Retro Blizzard of ’96 Among RFH Friends

Weathering a real storm in 1996 with RFH grad Steph DeSesa.
Weathering a real storm in 1996 with RFH grad Steph DeSesa.

It’s that classic rescue story worth repeating …

Our Retro Pic of the Day takes us back to a blizzard that was true to its word.

What was dubbed The Blizzard of ’96 hit the Rumson-Fair Haven area with full force in early January of 1996. This one lived up to its promise to render everyone in the area immobile.

Continue reading Retro Blizzard of ’96 Among RFH Friends

RFH Grad, Jeff Buckley, Dies at 55

Former longtime Rumson resident Jeffrey David Buckley, 55, of Rutledge, PA, passed away at his home on Tuesday, Jan. 20, of complications from the flu.

Born in Teaneck, he grew up in Rumson, moved to Rye, NY, and Dorset, VT, before finally moving to Rutledge.

A 1977 graduate of Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, he attended Saint Lawrence University and began his career at Kidder Peabody, moving onto Salomon Brothers and UBS as an equity block trader.

After a successful 20 year career on Wall Street, he shifted his focus to an alternative passion as a gardener at Sisters of Saint Francis of Philadelphia’s Our Lady of Angels Convent.

He was a member of Monmouth Beach Bath and Tennis Club and served as Vice Commodore of Rumson Country Club where he helped revive the youth sailing program.

Jeff was predeceased by his brother, Matthew Buckley.

He is survived by: his fiancée, Angela Kidder; his parents, David and Mary Buckley; his brother, Jonathan Buckley; sister, Katherine and husband Mark Hughes, and sister Sarah and husband Joe Richter; his children, Jeffrey David Jr. and wife Mary Pat, Grace, Peter, and Henry; and their mother Sara Henderson Buckley.

“Above all, Jeff sought an authentic life. He was charismatic, intelligent, and always curious,” his obituary from Thompson Memorial Home said. “A life-long intellect, he could recite a Wall Street stock symbol as quickly as he could identify a species of tree. He was a kind, gentle, and humble man.

“He often found solace on his sailboat on the Navesink River or hiking mountains in Vermont, but more than anything he loved spending time with his children. He had a boundless love for his family, and his contagious passion for life will be sorely missed.”

Visitation will take place from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday Jan. 23 at Thompson Memorial Home, 310 Broad Street, Red Bank.

A funeral mass will follow at noon on Saturday, Jan. 24 at the Church of the Nativity, 180 Ridge Road, Fair Haven.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to an educational fund for Jeff’s children. Please direct contributions to the Buckley Family Education Fund, P.O. Box 8097, Red Bank, NJ.

— Obituary, courtesy of Thompson Memorial Home.

Sea Bright in Sandy’s Wake

Hurricane Sandy damage in Sea Bright. Photo/Elaine Van Develde
Hurricane Sandy damage in Sea Bright.
Photo/Elaine Van Develde

Our Retro Pic of the Day features a glimpse of what downtown Sea Bright looked like a couple of years ago about this time of the year.

Storefronts were torn and boarded up. Debris was knee-deep. Damage was being assessed.

And, among those assessing the damage was a Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School graduate.

Do you know which grad at work in the featured (never seen before) photo?

Hint: He’s in the party photo gallery above.

A New Year Gathering of RFH Grads

By Elaine Van Develde

Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) grads and friends gathered once again on Saturday for the annual Grady party.

The Gradys, Mike and Kathleen, both RFH grads from Rumson and Fair Haven, respectively, have been hosting the annual reunion-like event for many years now. In addition to the touching base with the extended Grady family itself, it’s pretty much an annual guarantee that this is the place and time to catch up with RFH alumni, their spouses and friends.

Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect caught up with RFH friends there, some dating back to kindergarten.

Take a look at the gallery above. Just click on any photo and scroll. Know anyone?

And many thanks to the Gradys for their generosity and a fabulously festive evening!