Obituaries

In Memoriam: Little Silver Resident, Longtime Coach, Barry Rizzo Sr., 94

Barry Henry Rizzo, Sr.

Little Silver resident, Barry Henry Rizzo Sr., passed away peacefully on Aug. 30, surrounded by his loving wife and children. He was 94.

Born Nov. 3, 1931, in Jersey City, Barry graduated from Long Branch High School in 1949. He earned a bachelor’s degree (BA) from the University of North Carolina in 1953, and a master’s degree from Kean College of New Jersey in 1978. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1949 to 1953 and the United States Marine Corps from 1953 to 1961.

Barry was hired by the Matawan Board of Education in 1955 as a teacher and coach. He was later appointed director of Athletics, Shore Conference representative, and department chairman in the high school. During his 38 years, he served as an elementary and high school teacher. In high school, he taught mathematics, science, health education and physical education.  Also, he coached high school football, boys’ and girls’ track, boys’ cross-country, and boys’ tennis teams. 

“His teams won many NJ State and Shore Conference championships; and in 1975, the Huskies football team was ranked number one in New Jersey.  With the support of the Matawan Regional School District Board of Education and the Shore Conference, Barry was responsible for starting girls’ NJISAA (girls‘ interscholastic sports) in public high schools in New Jersey.  Matawan Regional High School started with girls’ track and girls’ basketball teams, expanding to softball, tennis, gymnastics, field hockey, soccer and others. During and after Barry’s teaching and coaching career, he was inducted into the New Jersey Football Hall of Fame, Shore Conference Football Hall of Fame, Ocean-Monmouth Counties Football Hall of Fame, Matawan Regional High School Hall of Fame, Long Branch High School Hall of Fame and the Matawan Football Alumni Foundation Hall of Fame.  In 2000, the football stadium at the Matawan Regional High School was named the Barry Rizzo Stadium.”

Loved ones of Barry Rizzo in his obituary

Barry is survived by: his wife, Linda Lott Rizzo; daughter, Donna, and son-in-law Erik Whalen, of Brick; son, Dr. Barry Rizzo Jr., and daughter-in-law, Meredith, of Toms River; grandchildren, Ryan and Charles Whalen and Alexandra, Katelyn and Gabrielle Rizzo; sister-in-law Aimee Rizzo, of Stuart, FL;  sister- and brother-in law, Joanne and Bill Bowman, brother- and sister-in-law, Lew and Sherry Lott; nieces, Dana Mayer, Andrea Mayer Emrich, Rachel Jane Lott; nephews, Eric Mayer, Geoffrey Bowman, Peter Bowman; and  many great-grandnieces and nephews.

A memorial visitation will be held on Thursday, Sept. 10, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Thompson Memorial Home, 310 Broad St., Red Bank, NJ 07701. The funeral service will be held on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 11 a.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 325 Little Silver, NJ 07739. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. John’s Outreach Fund, 325 Point Road, Little Silver, NJ 07739 or Matawan Football Alumni Foundation.

— Edited obituary prepared by family via Thompson Memorial Home