Barry Henry Rizzo, Sr., 94, of Little Silver, New Jersey, joined the Lord on August 30, 2026, surrounded by his loving wife and children during his peaceful passing.
Barry is survived by his wife Linda Lott Rizzo; daughter Donna and son-in-law Erik Whalen of Brick, NJ; 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.
Born November 3, 1931, in Jersey City, New Jersey, Barry graduated from Long Branch High School in 1949, a BA degree from the University of North Carolina in 1953, and a Masters degree from Kean College of New Jersey in 1978. He served in the United States Navy, 1949-1953, and the United States Marine Corps, 1953-1961, in active and reserve duty, earning the rank of 1st Lt in the United States Marine Corps and receiving Honorable Discharge in 1961. Barry was hired by the Matawan Board of Education in 1955, as teacher and coach. Later he was 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 New Jersey State and Shore Conference Championships, and in 1975, the Huskies football team was ranked #1 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.
A Memorial Visitation will be held on Thursday, September 10th from 4-7 pm at Thompson Memorial Home, 310 Broad St, Red Bank, NJ 07701. The funeral service will be held on SATURDAY, September 12th at 11 am 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.
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