Richard “Rich” Barsa,(65) of Weehawken, New Jersey, passed away on Saturday, April 4, 2020. Rich was born April 22, 1954, in Damascus, Syria, to Nadia and Habib Barsa.

Rich was a lifelong resident of Weehawken.  Even at a young age, he gave back to his community by serving as a football and little league coach.

As a young man, he graduated from Weehawken High School and then Jersey City State University (currently NJCU), where he earned a B.S. in Accounting and Business Administration. After his graduation, Rich began a successful career on Wall Street. In particular, he worked for the ITT Corporation for many years. After his retirement in 1991 from the corporate world, he decided to run for the Weehawken Board of Education. There he put his corporate experiences to use on the Weehawken School System. He has been a board member for 30 years and the president for 25 years.

Additionally, Rich joined the Township in 1994 as the Finance Director and has worked overseeing the finances of the Township since. He was also a long-standing member of the planning board, an active parishioner of St. Lawrence Roman Catholic Church, instrumental in the creation of the Weehawken Education Foundation, Chairman of the Waterfront Park Design Committee, and a dynamic and well-regarded member of the Weehawken Community. 

Rich dedicated his life to the Weehawken Community.  We will miss him greatly, as will all of those who came in contact with him.  He was a beloved husband, father, brother, uncle, mentor, and friend. He is survived by his wife of forty-one years Diane Barsa (Giaimo); his loving son Richard Jr., daughter­‐in-law to be Jaimie Cengia; brothers George, Robert and his wife Alice, Paul and his wife Jeanne; his sister Adele and her husband Michael Kides; and all his loving nieces and nephews.

Due to the current health crises, Richard will be interred privately at Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington, New Jersey. A Funeral Memorial Mass will be scheduled at a later time.